Now the tall black man rose to his feet and said, ‘We must leave now, lady Babushka, and follow the star, but we would like to ask you to come with us.

She was about to say she knew nothing about it, when the dark-haired man chimed in, saying, ‘But we need a meal, and a rest, just for a few hours, just till the star comes out again. But ‘Babushka’ – which means ‘grandmother’ in Russian – is also a famous Christmas story in Russia about the story of an old woman who met the Three Wise men on their way to see Jesus. On her travels she meets her ‘sisters’, all of whom have been taken advantage of by those they tried to help.She knew the kings would have found somewhere else to rest by now, and that she could easily catch them up, but she felt so tired and soon she fell asleep.

Three wise men, following the star to the Prince of Peace, stop at Babushka’s to warm their feet and fill their bellies. Later that night, she thought of the three men and the strange tidings they bore about the child who would be the king. Even the birds, that she would leave crumbs for, would desert her for warmer climes, leaving the old woman sad and lonely, wishing for company. Reprinted with permission from BABUSHKA: A CHRISTMAS TALE © 2016 by Dawn Casey, Good Books, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing.With beautiful illustrations evoking folk art traditions and sensitive storytelling, Babushka tenderly reminds us that nothing is more important during the holiday season than taking the time to show love for one another. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Spitalfields Life with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

In this version, first published in 1899, the heroine's name is spelled Babouscka, though it's more often spelled Babouscha today. It also shows us that many of the things that are prized in our modern world are not necessarily vital to our well being.She had washed and scrubbed and readied herself for a long time, and as she worked, the stars had moved across the sky. My daughter (8) was enchanted by Babushka and it was a lovely addition to our traditional Christmas tales.

The illustration in the title is not in the book, rather it's from an old Christmas card, which seems to show a warmer, gentler version of the character.

From village to village, Baboushka travelled and retold the story about the three wise men and the special baby to everybody she met, but the villagers could not help her. It is believed that, from her, originates the custom of giving gifts to children on Christmas, to continue the kind work of Baboushka.