One afternoon, the Christ-child fell asleep in his cradle. His mother came to him, looked at him with joy, and said, "Have you laid yourself down to sleep, my child? Sleep sweetly. I will go into the wood and fetch you a handful of strawberries, for I know you will be pleased with them when you awaken."
In the wood, she found a spot with beautiful strawberries. But as she stooped to gather one, an adder sprang from the grass. Alarmed, she left the strawberries and hastened away. The adder darted after her. Our Lady, knowing what to do, hid behind a hazel-bush and stood there until the adder crept away.
Then she gathered the strawberries. As she set out for home, she said, "Since the hazel-bush has protected me, it shall protect others in the future." Therefore, from ancient times, a green hazel-branch has been considered the safest protection against adders, snakes, and all creatures that creep on the earth.