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So he came near and threw stones at her, and mocked her, and
she looked at him with terror in her eyes, nor did she move her gaze
from him. And when the Woodcutter, who was cleaving logs in a
haggard hard by, saw what the Star-Child was doing, he ran up and
rebuked him, and said to him: "Surely thou art hard of heart and
knowest not mercy, for what evil has this poor woman done to thee
that thou shouldst treat her in this wise?"
And the Star-Child grew red with anger, and stamped his foot
upon the ground, and said, "Who art thou to question me what I do? I
am no son of thine to do thy bidding."
"Thou speakest truly," answered the Woodcutter. "Yet did I
show thee pity when I found thee in the forest."
And when the woman heard these words she gave a loud cry
and fell into a swoon. And the Woodcutter carried her to his own
house, and his wife had care of her, and when she rose up from the
swoon into which she had fallen, they set meat and drink before her,
and bade her have comfort.
But she would neither eat nor drink, but said to the Woodcutter,
"Didst thou not say that the child was found in the forest? And was it
not ten years from this day?"
And the Woodcutter answered, "Yea, it was in the forest that I
found him, and it is ten years from this day."
"And what signs didst thou find with him?" she cried. "Bare he
not upon his neck a chain of amber? Was not round him a cloak of
gold tissue broidered with stars?"
"Truly," answered the Woodcutter, "it was even as thou sayest."
And he took the cloak and the amber chain from the chest where they
lay, and showed them to her.
And when she saw them she wept for joy, and said, "He is my
little son whom I lost in the forest. I pray thee send for him quickly,
for in search of him have I wandered over the whole world."
So the Woodcutter and his wife went out and called to the Star-
Child, and said to him, "Go into the house, and there shalt thou find
thy mother, who is waiting for thee."
So he ran in, filled with wonder and great gladness. But when
he saw her who was waiting there, he laughed scornfully and said,
"Why, where is my mother? For I see none here but this vile beggar-
woman."
And the woman answered him, "I am thy mother."