They walked quietly to the stable door and stood looking in. The shepherds were there, the animals were there, Mary and Joseph were there, but best of all - Jesus was there, lying in a manger. The children knew no-one could see them, they had walked through the streets and alleyways of Bethlehem and no-one had seen them, they had stood at the stalls and no-one had seen them, yet they were reluctant to enter the stable, it was so overwhelming.
‘Come in’ called a donkey. ‘You are welcome’.
‘Come and see Jesus’ bleated a tiny lamb.
The children entered the stable, it was so quiet, then just as they were about to look into the manger they heard the sound of voices and the clip clop of hooves outside. They crowded to the side of the stable ‘Hope we are not squashing you’ Harry said to the donkey. ‘Not at all’ the donkey graciously replied as he moved further into the corner.
Harry and the others smiled at him. There was something rather wonderful about donkeys.
The sound of someone entering the stable made them turn their heads and, looking at the entrance, they saw three richly clad men enter.
‘Just look at those clothes and the jewels’ Rachel whispered.
‘It’s the Three Wise Men’ Charlotte whispered back.
‘I know’ said Rachel. ‘I was on a Nativity Play once at school, but I never thought they would look like this’.
We bring gifts for the baby’ said the First Wise Man. ‘Mine is Gold - a present for a King. The King of Kings’.
‘And mine is Frankincense’ the Second Wise Man had stepped forward. ‘A sweet smelling incense for you are the Son of God’.
As the Third Wise Man stepped forward Charlotte rubbed her eyes, she didn’t want to cry at such a wonderful moment, but she knew the meaning of the third gift.
‘I bring you Myrrh’ said the Third Wise Man ‘For you will suffer and die to save people from their sins’ and he tenderly stroked the baby’s face before they all knelt down in worship before the babe in the manger.
They then talked with Mary and Joseph for a while, and the children could see the wonder in Mary’s eyes as she listened.
‘Mary looks as if she is storing all this up in her mind to think about later’ Dan whispered.
‘She is’ Harry whispered back. ‘The Bible tells us that she kept all these things in her heart.’
‘It does?’ Dan was amazed. He shook his head, he was learning a lot!
The children watched and listened until it was time for the the Wise Men to leave.
As they gave a final look around the stable the children held their breath. The Wise Men appeared to be looking directly at them.
‘They can see us’ Rachel whispered.
‘No, they can’t’ Harry whispered back.
‘But they are Wise Men’ Rachel wasn’t convinced.
‘Not that wise’ Dan chuckled. ‘The cat is wiser.
’ The children smiled at each other. And did they hear, somewhere in the distance of time, a superior, contented purr as his brilliance was recognised?
‘Good-bye’ the Wise Men called, and there was a deep sadness in the eyes of the wise man who had carried the myrrh as he followed his two friends out of the stable.
The donkey then spoke.
Now it’s your turn to see Jesus’ he said to the children as the shepherds also left.
Harry, Charlotte, Dan and Rachel tiptoed forward until they could see into the manger.
‘Isn’t he beautiful?’ Charlotte whispered after a while.
‘Oh, yes’ agreed Rachel.
Harry smiled at the baby. As for Dan, all he knew was that he had never felt like this before. They all knelt down, and as they continued looking into the manager, Jesus opened His eyes. He looked at Charlotte and smiled, His eyes then went to Harry, again He smiled. Lastly Jesus looked at Rachel and Dan. His eyes seemed to ask “Do you believe now?” With all their hearts they both silently responded ‘Yes, Lord, I believe’. Jesus smiled at them, then closed His eyes. The children stood up, but they, like the Wise Men, were reluctant to leave.
‘The eagles are outside’ the gentle voice of the donkey informed them.
‘I don’t want to go’ said Charlotte.
‘No-one does’ Harry spoke for them all.
The lead eagle flew down ‘I know how you feel’ he said ‘But it’s time to go.’
With one last look at the sleeping baby the four children said “Good-bye” to the animals and left the stable.
Within moments they were high in the air circling the stable then again it happened. As they clung on tightly the clouds and stars, night and day flashed by until they landed safely back by the lake with the sun shining. The children looked around, everything was the same but not the same, for they had changed. They had met Jesus and no-one is the same once they have met Him.
The animals ran to them as they climbed down from the eagles. The cat, speaking for them all, asked ‘Did you find the Treasure?’ Rachel and Dan nodded, then Dan spoke quietly ‘We met Jesus.’
‘And your Millennium Project?’ the cat had turned to Harry and Charlotte.
‘We know what we are going to do’ they answered.
‘Then our work is finished, follow me.’ The cat turned and led the way to the door followed by the children and a number of the animals. Along the passages with their twists and turns, slowly and regretfully they walked until they arrived back at the room where they had changed their clothes.
‘I don’t suppose we could....’ Charlotte began.
‘No!’ answered the cat.
Slowly the girls took off their beautiful dresses with the shining embroidery and even more slowly hung them back on the rail. Their ordinary clothes looked so...so....ordinary... the girls were thinking.
The cat didn’t get impatient this time. He understood how they were feeling and how much they longed to stay, but it was time to go. The work of the animals was completed, they were needed no longer and the children had to return.
The dog came up to them and gave them a rather sad lick ‘I’ll miss you’ he said.
‘And we’ll miss you’ the children answered as they hugged him.
The donkey brayed and all the animals said ‘Good-bye.’
‘This way’ said the cat and led them back to the room with the slide.
‘How do we ......’ began Charlotte. The cat touched a button and the slide turned into stairs. “Good-bye” the animals again called. As many as possible had crowded into the little room to see the children leave.
‘Shall we ever see you again?’ asked Rachel.
‘No’ replied the cat. ‘You found the Treasure beyond price, you don’t need to come again’. He smiled at them ‘I’m glad I met you’.
‘And we are so glad we met all of you’ the children said as they looked at the cat, the donkey, the dog, the owl and the others - their friends.
They then climbed the stairs into the cellar.
As they peered over for a final look they saw that the room was empty and the steps had gone. They stood up and watched as the stone slab slid over the opening. The cellar was as it had always been - empty!
Slowly the children made their way to the cellar door, then as they paused for a moment Dan had the last word ‘I hope we are given a Millennium Project at school’ he said, and he looked at his sister and friends. No-one spoke, they understood. They, too, had been there.
Elizabeth Aynsley 1995 ©