What's the Name of That Book??? discussion
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More Six O'Clock Saints
SOLVED: Children's/YA
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SOLVED. Children's Short Story: early 20th c. Retelling of Good King Wenceslas.
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The style you're describing reminds me of Joan Windham's 1930s short stories about saints -- she had a humorous way of writing and often capitalized random words instead of using italics for emphasis. She wrote a story on St. Wenceslas that originally featured in More Saints for Six O'Clock and was later anthologized in other collections, including volume III of the Story Library of the Saints. If you try the search string "Joan Windham" AND Wenceslas you might find that some have featured it in excerpt on various blogs.Some quotes:
"Once upon a time there was a King called Wenceslas and he was Good. Well, one Boxing Day (which is the Special Day of St. Stephen, who is a Martyr), King Wenceslas was having his Late Dinner. It was an extra nice dinner because of the Left-overs from Christmas."
"each time the Page trod in Good King Wenceslas’ footsteps it was like putting his leg into a warm woolly boot! It really was Most Surprising!"
"when the Poor Man got home he had an Absolutely Stupendous Surprise"
That's it! Thank you! I can't believe it!
You're welcome! A sweet little story. I read my Joan Windham books to pieces as a child. Thanks for bringing back a good memory. :)
What's the Name of That Book???
Books mentioned in this topic
More Saints for Six O'Clock (other topics)Story Library of the Saints (other topics)
It was a prose retelling of the well-known carol, in which King W. and his loyal page brave the snow to bring flesh, wine, and firewood to a poor peasant's cottage. Then they leave before the peasant gets home, and it describes how surprised and delighted he is when he finds what they left.
I think the miracle of the heated footprints occurs too.
It felt Edwardian, but it could have been later, from the '20s, or earlier (Victorian).