The Ravens and the Angels, with Other Stories and Parables

A hungry child saving a crust for his sister gives this collection its first test of Christian kindness. In the medieval setting of the opening story, Magdalis supports Gottlieb and Lenichen by carving small devotional objects after the death of her husband, a stone-carver. Their shelter stands beside a cathedral, placing the family's daily needs close to the splendour of public worship. Gottlieb's struggle to keep his gift brings faith down to the scale of a cold night and an empty stomach.

Elizabeth Rundle Charles combines stories for young readers with religious parables. Elsewhere, an island, a misty strait and a neighbouring mainland become images through which a family considers loss and Christian hope. Readers interested in moral storytelling will find concrete scenes of work, hunger and generosity alongside openly explained spiritual meanings. The collection shows how a child's small decision and an imagined landscape can serve the same teaching purpose.