The Little Hunchback Zia

By Frances Hodgson Burnett

The Little Hunchback is set in biblical times, during the birth of Christ. It explores the story of a deserted and deformed orphan boy, Zia, who is sent to beg for the evil woman who keeps him. One day, hiding in the bush near the road to Bethlehem, he watches many families and animals pass on the street, lively and cheerfully. He later falls asleep crying in painful loneliness. Then, in the night, Zia wakes up smiling, feeling a sudden calm. Several exciting events follow, and Zia casts aside his "ugliness" to discover who he actually is through his inner spirit.

Every page of this little book will draw the readers closer to Zia's experiences and emotions. Even though the story is based on the famous events of the Bible, and the ending might be predictable to many, every benevolent word of this wonderful story is precious. This short Christmas myth story is melodramatic and sentimental and is an excellent read during the holiday season.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Good Press
• Release date: May 19, 2021
• ISBN: 4057664606051

Frances Hodgson Burnett

Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849–1924) grew up in England, but she began writing what was to become The Secret Garden in 1909, when she was creating a garden for a new home in Long Island, New York. Frances was a born storyteller. Even as a young child, her greatest pleasure was making up stories and acting them out, using her dolls as characters. She wrote over forty books in her lifetime.

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Frances Hodgson Burnett

The Little Hunchback Zia

Published by Good Press, 2021

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EAN 4057664606051

Table of Contents

Cover

Titlepage

Text

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY SPENCER BAIRD NICHOLS AND W. T. BENDA

And it came to pass nigh upon nineteen hundred and sixteen years ago

THE LITTLE HUNCHBACK ZIA

Table of Contents

The little hunchback Zia toiled slowly up the steep road, keeping in the deepest shadows, even though the night had long fallen. Sometimes he staggered with weariness or struck his foot against a stone and smothered his involuntary cry of pain. He was so full of terror that he was afraid to utter a sound which might cause any traveler to glance toward him. This he feared more than any other thing—that some man or woman might look at him too closely. If such a one knew much and had keen eyes, he or she might in some way guess even at what they might not yet see.

Since he had fled from the village in which his wretched short life had been spent he had hidden himself in thickets and behind walls or rocks or bushes during the day, and had only come forth at night to stagger along his way in the darkness. If he had not managed to steal some food before he began his journey and if he had not found in one place some beans dropped from a camel's feeding-bag, he would have starved. For five nights he had been wandering on, but in his desperate fear he had lost count of time. When he had left the place he had called his home he had not known where he was going or where he might hide himself in the end. The old woman with whom he had lived and for whom he had begged and labored