Holiday Books for the Giving - The Stablehand's Eventuality

Early Literacy | Dec 20, 2012

The Stablehand's Eventuality By Antonia Chatson

What a day it has been. First of man, I guess. Once every four years the Roman guvs get everyone to go to the towns where they were born and register themselves. Wily old Romans. They want to take a head count so as to know who to tax what and how much. Mind you, me and my boss aren't complaining for it's good business for over a week, best ever till the next time - barring Christmas. The towns are over run with travellers and we make just about as much then as we do during the intervening time - well, that might be a slight exaggeration.

We always plan ahead, me and the boss, for this big boom. We get extra fowls in from the countryside as well as slaughtering our own. We always slaughter a few sheep as well. That job Philemon does for I have no stomach for it. And we always have several milk cows to provide us with enough milk and curds for the week. I thought as how I had everything under control.

I got up early in the morning and cleaned out the stables so everything is as fresh as a daisy. I even swept down the cobwebs the night before as a special treat for the animals and scrubbed down the mangers. Never know who might take a peek in during this busy time. Jude had brought in an extra load of hay from the countryside just to be on the safe side. Grazing was not the best at this time of the year - too hot, too dry. I milked Sweetheart and Buttercup and checked Primrose one more time before going to the inn for breakfast. Primrose looked good. She was due to calve any time now, but I was hoping that since she had not had her calf before all of this fuss and commotion, that she would have the decency to leave all that sort of stuff till the week was over.

I had a leisurely breakfast with Silas, my boss. Dates, raisins and the usual flatbread. Why should I hurry just yet? The barn was immaculate and the first rush of visitors was not due till early afternoon. Silas is a good boss most of the time, although he can get rather ratty when under pressure. That's when I call him Silo Hilo, for it rather matches his moods. But this morning he was in good spirits and we planned our strategy for the day together. Then I ambled back to the stable to check things over once more.

Oh, oh, water everywhere. That meant only one thing. Primrose had inconsiderately decided to have her calf just when we would be snowed under with work. I made myself comfortable sitting on the manger in front of her stall to watch for developments. Three hours later one hoof appeared. That could be bad news. Checked for another and there weren't none. Oh, oh. Stuck my arm in farther only to discover that of the four she could have chosen to present first, Miss Calfie had decided it was to be a back one. Better run and get Philemon to help with this one. Several buckets of soapy water later, the two of us finally delivered a beautiful little heifer. Philemon and I then worked for an hour cleaning up after the commotion and that after having the place so spotless this morning. So it was shortly before the evening meal that I presented myself for service at the inn, and boy! Was I needed!

The inn was already full. Silas said that every available space in the town of Bethlehem was booked. Well, as I said, good for business all round. I helped with supper, then hiked out to check little Missie. Just lying down. Hadn’t sucked yet. Better get her up and started. More easily said than done. She do have a stubborn streak in her.

It was really getting late when Silas appeared at the barn with a lantern in his hand. In the glow of the lantern, I could see a man behind him in his mid-twenties – with his wife. When they moved forward from behind Silas, I could see that the lady was very big with child. What are they doing here, I thought? The mystery was soon solved as Silas informed me that they would be spending the night in the stable as there was no other room anywhere in town. Silas sort of winked at me funny-like, and I knew he was trying to tell me that he was doing it for the sake of the lady. I hustled about and piled up a heap of hay in one of the vacant stalls, so glad that I had asked Jude for an extra load. And I was glad that the stable was so spotlessly clean. I didn’t know these people, but I had just said to myself that morning, “Got to be prepared for every eventuality.” And here the eventuality was! Got ‘em all nicely settled, then went up to my little room above the stable. Thought sorta crossed my mind, seeing as the lady was so large, wonder if she’ll be coming tonight. Would she be all right? Sure hope so – one problem birth that day was enough for me.

Dozed off for a bit, then was awakened by a little cry, then a louder one. Oh, oh, she must have had it. Better go down and check, so down the ladder I pattered. What a sight met my eyes: There standing, their faces radiant in the light of the lantern, was the mother and father bent over the donkey’s manger, and in the manger lying on the father’s robe, was the most beautiful baby I had ever seen. It seemed as if he were looking up at his parents and smiling, but that couldn’t be possible. And apart from the folds of his father’s robe that were folded around him, he was stark naked. Guess they hadn’t thought to bring anything just in case. I hastily rushed back to the loft and rummaged through my trunk and got an extra robe of mine and brought it down for them to wrap the baby with. They were most grateful and they bundled the little one up.

Just as they had finished, five men with staffs, obviously shepherds from the surrounding hills entered the stable and came over to look at the baby. A glow seemed to emanate from the face of the baby. It filled the stable. Funny, I thought, it was not a full moon. When I went to look outside to see if I was mistaken, I saw this enormous star right over the stable, and very low to the earth. That must have been what was giving all that light.

As I was out there gazing at that magnificent star, I noticed three camels coming down the road. Most unusual – travelers usually left their camels at the caravansary on the outskirts of town. But it was not the camels that were so extraordinary - it was their riders. Each of them was wearing magnificent, richly coloured and bejeweled robes and on each of their heads was a crown. Here’s another eventuality, I thought to myself. They stopped outside the stable and asked me to mind their camels. The camels crouched down and their riders dismounted and proceeded toward the stable as if it were King Solomon’s palace. I couldn’t help but peek in the window. The light in the stable was brighter yet. The shepherds who had been kneeling in front of the baby rose and moved aside to make room for the kings, who then bowed down before the baby and presented him with gifts.

What is all this that is going on? I asked myself. Sure looks as if something important is going on in my little old stable. Well, whatever it is, I told myself, I am so glad of all the cleaning that I did that morning. This sure was some eventuality!

But something else happened to me as I saw the shepherds and kings worshipping this little baby. I too fell on my knees and buried my head in the back of one of the camels. Seemed to be the thing to do – this kneeling thing. I prayed to Yahweh that this little baby would bring as much wonder, joy and peace to all the world as he had brought to my little old stable that night.