“Now an abbey is a place built to shelter and protect the people who need sanctuary in times of strife or war. And in olden times the people needed such refuges as there was constant warring and fighting with lawless men.
“So this abbey, half-house and half-church, had a number of servants to keep it in order. These men now sat resting after the day’s work was done, talking or singing songs as the wind whistled out-of-doors.
“‘Whose turn is it now?’ asked the head-servant.
“And so they took turns in singing their favorite songs until the cow-herd saw it would soon be his turn to sing. He thought he could not sing a note and he dreaded being jeered at by his companions, so he crept quietly away and hid in with the cows in the straw in the stable. Here he remained waiting for the men to retire and forget about him.
“Then, suddenly, he seemed to fall into a deep sleep, and a glorious figure appeared before him. The humble fellow thought it was an angel, and when she spoke in stern yet loving tones, he trembled and wanted to run away.
“‘Sing,’ said she.
“The cow-herd gazed pitifully up at her, but could not open his mouth to utter a sound. He was as mute as when he feared his companions in the kitchen.
“‘Sing of God and his Creation!’ continued the angel.
“Then the frightened lad tried to make a sound and to his astonishment he sang several pure notes, so he continued. As he sang of the Spiritual Creation which was made so perfect and eternal by the Father of All, the kine turned their heads and listened. When the farmer-boy had overcome his shyness in singing such wonderful truths, the angel disappeared but the singer knew it not. He was now so uplifted by his singing that he even failed to hear the men who came running from the kitchen to see who the great singer could be.
“Fancy their amazement when they found their humble cow-herder singing in the stable. Then they waited, breathless, till he had concluded, and led him back to the house. There he was made to sing for the mistress and other women who took charge of the abbey.