Balthazar's Brainstorm

Antonia Chatson | Dec 22, 2011

Recipes Balthazar’s Brainstorm by Antonia ChatsonMan, o man, they don't make camels like they used to. Melchior always told me that when I reached 50, I would know that the guarantee was off. He should know; he's 30 years older than I am, but for 81 he is really quite spry. Well, that is, until we decided to take that round trip to Bethlehem. Casper was the only one who came out of it with flying colours, but then when you are 29 you can take more physical punishment from camels.

It was quite some journey. We first of all set off with a caravan, for protection you know, but the caravan commander, unlike others we had travelled with, was a veritable tyrant. Get up, go here, go there, do this, do that. Even the camels did not like him. So we decided to split and go our own way.

Melchior had first noticed this star about two months ago when it had begun to increase in its intensity. We knew that any exceptional sign in the heavens foretold of either the birth or death of someone of great significance. But it was Melchior who stumbled upon its cause. Casper and I had been delegated to searching out references in the library but Melchior did his own personal research. You may recall that it was Cyrus the Great of Persia who had liberated the Jews from their Babylonian captivity, which lasted from 586 through 538 B.C. Some of the Jews then returned to Jerusalem but some did not and there remained pockets of Jews in diverse areas, one of which was close to where we resided. Melchior had always been intrigued with their history, their religion and their beliefs. While talking with some of these Jews one day - and of course all talk centred around the star and what it might portend - they suggested to Melchior that it might possibly be heralding the birth of the Jewish Messiah which had been predicted in old Jewish manuscripts through the prophet Isaiah. This seemed to be the most feasible suggestion and I was the one who pushed towards following the star to see this modern marvel. "Bally, (Melchior felt that at his age, he could not waste any of his precious time left on earth calling me Balthazar) I think you have struck upon an uncommonly magnificent plan.."

And so we packed our camels and began our journey, not forgetting of course to take with us some gifts for the little fellow. But what to take? Melchior said that he would take him something of gold, for that signified kingship and virtue. Casper said that he would take him frankincense for that would be an acknowledgement that He was God. I had been impressed by what Melchior had told us about the prophecy concerning this baby. His friends elaborated upon this prophecy of Isaiah that this child was to be born but also that He would die for our sins, that is, for the sins of the whole world, and that even though He did this for mankind, He would be despised and rejected by men. I could not fathom that but I bethought me to take Him some myrrh, which would represent His suffering and death.

Our journey was beautiful and uneventful except that Melchior complained a great deal. Casper was always the first to awaken in the morning, ready to be up and at 'em. We told him that he could just make breakfast while Melchior got his arthritis straightened out.

We were doing just fine, following that great star which took us towards Bethlehem. But wouldn't you know it, four days' ride from there, a Roman contingent came galloping up to us and informed us that Herod wanted to see us. Unfortunately the feeling was not mutual. At this news our blood froze in our veins and we shook right to the very topmost tingle of our diadems. We had heard about this man and he was not good news. His reputation had spread far and wide, about how he had murdered his wife, Cleopatra, then his mother-in-law because he said she was interfering in the line of succession. These Herods were a wicked and murderous bunch, and at this point none of us was even the least bit curious to make his acquaintance. However, the choice was not ours. The soldiers were very polite. They had brought us gifts and extra rations of food and adapted the pace of their horses to that of our camels. But our only thought was - what does he want with us?

I was wondering to which of Herod's great palaces they would take us but as we proceeded on in the direction of Bethlehem, I guessed it must be the Herodium. Man oh, man, when we came in sight of it, it really was something to behold. The entire structure covered 45 acres. The Romans had lopped off the top of a fair-sized hill and built a citadel on top of what remained of it. They then took the rubble from what they had taken off the top of the hill and built a very steep and slippery slope around the bottom of the hill, rendering the citadel impregnable to the enemy. The only means of access to the top of the hill was up a very steep and narrow winding stairway. We followed the soldiers up the 200 steps to the top. Poor Melchior had a terrible time. Casper went behind him and pushed him nearly the entire way up.

We were ushered first into a courtyard which was filled with fountains, flowers and statues. Then we entered the main hall at the end of which crouched the great man himself. I say crouched, for his spine seemed to be curved around. I thought at first it was a physical deformity, but as I watched him more closely, I realized it was due to his looking over his shoulder so often. We had heard that he was paranoid and I would think that with so many murders and massacres attributed to him, he was justifiably so. As he squinted at us, his face was constantly twitching in pain.

He was, however, very polite. He said that he had heard about the birth of the King of the Jews, asked us to diligently search for Him and when we had found Him, we were to return immediately to him and supply him with information of His whereabouts. Herod further implied that he too wished to go and worship Him. Herod must have access to some good grapevine; there was something in the manner in which he sneered the title "King of the Jews" which alerted our already suspicious minds. Was that not the title the Romans allowed him to use? And this man would tolerate no rivals. We'd better mull this one over.

We all began to breathe again when we had been escorted from his dubious presence, but we noticed that the soldiers continued to watch us from the ramparts of the citadel until we disappeared from sight behind a sand dune.

Another two days and we arrived at Bethlehem - and that was where the star halted. Man, oh, man, the town was busy - the census you know. How to find a baby in this melee! We thought we would have to scour the town, but at the second inn where we enquired, the landlady fairly quivered with excitement as she hustled us out behind the inn to the cave where they kept their livestock. Our hearts sunk as we followed her out there, for surely this would not be the birthplace of a king. But the star remained stationary above this place. But when we entered the cave we no longer doubted, for the face of the man as he stood protectively by his wife, who was seated on a pile of loose hay, had an angelic quality to it. The swaddled newborn, who lay peacefully sleeping in his mother's arms, was bathed in a translucent light. We were struck with awe and quietly knelt down and adored this precious Saviour of mankind. How could anyone think to do Him harm?