"There was a Christmas long ago and far away," the mother said. And she began to tell the story of the Christmas in the stable, as many mothers have told the story to many children.

But the little child on her mother's knee did not know anything about long ago and far away. She knew only their own farm and a few yesterdays.

And so, as her mother spoke, the child saw everything as if it were happening in their own stable. Perhaps even now.

Christmas in the Stable is Christmas through the eyes of a child. The simple dignity of Astrid Lindgren's story and the quiet beauty of the illustrations by Harald Wilberg are an unforgettable experience.

From the dust jacket