000 02203cam a22003013u 4500
001 16134
003 UtSlPG
005 20260610133358.0
006 m
007 cr n
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040 _aUtSlPG
041 7 _aen
_2iso639-1
050 4 _aPZ
100 1 _aVan Dyke, Henry,
_d1852-1933
245 1 4 _aThe First Christmas Tree: A Story of the Forest
264 1 _aSalt Lake City, UT :
_bProject Gutenberg,
_c2005
300 _a1 online resource :
_bmultiple file formats
336 _atext
_btxt
_2rdacontent
337 _acomputer
_bc
_2rdamedia
338 _aonline resource
_bcr
_2rdacarrier
500 _aRelease date is 2005-06-25
508 _aE-text prepared by Michael Gray (Lost_Gamer@comcast.net)
520 _a"The First Christmas Tree: A Story of the Forest" by Henry Van Dyke is a fictional narrative written in the late 19th century. This book blends elements of historical and religious storytelling, likely focusing on the early Christianization of the Germanic tribes during the time of Boniface, who is depicted as a key character. It explores themes of faith, sacrifice, and the significance of the Christmas tree within the context of a significant cultural transition. The narrative follows Winfried, also known as Boniface, a missionary from England, who embarks on a perilous journey through the forests of Germany to convert pagan tribes to Christianity. Alongside a young prince named Gregor, Winfried confronts a barbaric tradition of sacrifice at the Thunder-Oak, a sacred site for the worship of Thor. With courage and faith, he interrupts a ritual meant to sacrifice a child, attempting to replace the old pagan beliefs with the message of Christ. The pivotal moment occurs when he persuades the people to abandon their old ways and instead, embrace the fir tree as a symbol of new life and hope in Christ. The story ultimately showcases the triumph of faith over fear and the birth of a new tradition that we now associate with Christmas. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
534 _nOriginal publication data not identified
653 _aChristmas stories
856 4 0 _uhttps://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/16134
999 _c57522
_d57522