Legend of the European Robin coloring page (re-posted in English)

  

Today's new drawing 

is a European Robin

who is helping keep

Baby Jesus warm.

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Legend of the European Robin

This is a drawing of the European Robin.  It is called Robin Red Breast in Great Britain.  This Robin has red feathers on its breast and even on its face.  It has a wide distribution all over most of Europe.  In fact, the bird is found year-round in most parts of Europe.  It also summers in much of Asia, as far east as Western Siberia.  The European Robin winters in parts of North Africa and in the mid-east, including in the Palestine area.  Surprisingly this bird has been seen as far west as Iceland.  

The legend of the European Robin is about how the Robin helped Jesus stay warm in the stable.  

Here is how the story goes, with my additions...

Mary had already given birth to the Baby Jesus.  It was a cold night and the fire in front of the small stable was going out.  Joseph had gathered all the firewood he could but there was just no more nearby.  He did not want to leave Mary and Jesus alone so they were sitting in the cold night air.  Mary, who was in touch with animals more than normal mortals, asked the ox to help find some wood.  But the ox did not even wake up.  So next Mary asked the sheep.  The sheep also did not wake up. 

 But a Robin had been roosting in the roof thatch and he heard the request.  So the little all brown bird  flew off and found twigs and one by one placed them on the coals.  Then he used his little wings like bellows to get the fire to flame up.  (Science Note:  Fanning the flames added more of the oxygen the wood needed to burn.)  When the little Robin was bringing the last twig the fire flamed up particularly high and burned his chest and part of his face.  

Although burned the little bird kept gathering twigs to ensure that Baby Jesus would be warm all the rest of the night.   Next Mary invited the Robin to come sing for Baby Jesus and the little bird perched on the edge of the wooden manger and sang a lovely song to help the baby rest.  Mary watched and pronounced a blessing on the Robin.  She said, "You and your descendants shall be blessed to always retain the red markings on your feathers to show the world the good things you did for Baby Jesus." Then the little Robin's burn turned to the red feathers and he returned to the thatched roof to watch over the Baby Jesus for the rest of the night. 

So, to this day, when you see the red markings on Robin Red Breast you are seeing evidence of the reward that one Robin received for helping Baby Jesus stay warm.  

NOTE:  This drawing, in printable form, can be found by clicking on the button labeled..... Birds. 

I am also posting it, in printable form, in the list under the button labeled......Religious. 

To my English readers, I posted this in multiple languages and this is the re-posting of it in English.