The Beggar Boy at Christ's Christmas Tree facts for kids

The Beggar Boy at Christ's Christmas Tree (Russian: Мальчик у Христа на ёлке; Mal'chik u Khrista na yolke) is a short story written by the famous Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. He wrote it in 1876. The story first appeared in his publication called A Writer's Diary in January 1876. This touching tale is also known as "The Heavenly Christmas Tree."

How the Story Was Written

The idea for "The Beggar Boy at Christ's Christmas Tree" came to Dostoevsky in late 1875. On December 26, 1875, he went to a children's Christmas party in St. Petersburg with his daughter, Aimée.

The very next day, Dostoevsky visited a special school for young people who had gotten into trouble. This school was located on the edge of St. Petersburg. Around the same time, he also saw a young beggar boy asking for money on the city streets. These experiences, especially seeing the children and the struggling boy, inspired him to write this Christmas story.

What the Story Is About

The author starts by saying that he made up this story. However, he also feels that something like it must have truly happened. The story takes place on Christmas Eve in a big city during a very cold winter.

The Boy's Journey

The main character is a boy, about six years old or even younger. He wakes up in a freezing cold basement. He reaches for his mother, but she is "as cold as the wall." This means she has passed away. The boy then goes outside into the bustling city. He has just arrived from a quiet village, so this is his first time seeing a busy city. It is even more exciting because it's Christmas Eve.

He stops to look at a beautiful party through a window. He sees children dancing and notices a lovely young girl. He then moves on to another big party with many more children. People are going inside, and the boy bravely walks in too. But the people inside shout at him and tell him to leave. A woman gives him a small coin, called a kopek, and hurries him out. His fingers are so cold that he drops the coin right away.

Next, he stops to watch an amazing puppet show through another window. He loves the show, but soon an older child comes up behind him. The older child hits him on the head, trips him, and steals his hat. The boy gets up and runs into a courtyard. He sits down next to a pile of wood to rest.

Christ's Christmas Tree

Suddenly, the boy feels warm and comfortable. He hears his mother singing a sweet song. A small voice invites him to come and see a Christmas tree. Then, he finds himself at a wonderful party. His mother is there, along with other children who had also suffered. Their mothers are there too.

He learns that this special place is "Christ's Christmas tree." The children run to their mothers, who are crying tears of joy. The children tell them not to cry because everything is now perfect and happy.

The Next Morning

The next morning, the boy and his mother are found frozen to death in the courtyard. The story suggests that they have met again with God in Heaven.

The author finishes the story by saying he felt it was important to share this tale. He is sure that the first part of the story, about the boy's struggles, really could have happened. However, he is not sure if the part about "Christ's Christmas tree" is real or just a beautiful dream.