Christmas Stories Containing John Wildgoose the Poacher, the Smuggler, and Good-nature, or Parish Matters

"Christmas Stories" by Edward Berens is a collection of short stories that begins with the tale of Thomas Wildgoose, a once honorable man forced down a dark path after a life-changing accident. Despite facing looming mortality, Thomas makes sure his family is taken care of showing his deep love. The story shifts to his wife, Susan, who must grapple with both grief and the challenge of providing for her children after her husband's death. The collection introduces themes of legal obedience, familial accountability, and the profound ripple effects of wrongful decisions on individuals and their communities, foreshadowing the struggles of their son, John, as he is lured into poaching, threatening their family's values.