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INTRODUCTION
Shimei’s foot slipped on the muddy wood pile.
He free fell onto the moist ground—Splat!
“You all right?”
Belthasar called to his son.
“Yeah Dad.”
Shimei said rubbing his posterior. His black hair poked from beneath
his Phrygian cap.
Choosing two planks, he trotted them back to the fire.
Flames from their nightly dinner fire illuminated their small
camp. Mid chew, Shimei
turned his head watching a camel tread towards them.
“Hey look, Dad, a visitor!”
“That’s odd.
Stay here, Shimei. I’ll
see what’s up.”
Belthasar stood and walked towards the camel, shielding his son from
view. His black hair
hung midway down his back protruding from his red turban.
“Greetings” he said without smiling. His black beard was
groomed to about six inches.
A man with white hair and a neatly trimmed beard strode
forward bearing a huge smile. His peaked turban, like Belthasar’s,
was blue. “Hello. We
too, were stopping for dinner.”
Rubbing his hands together walking towards Belthasar, he
said, “It’s colder than I thought it would be.”
A boy followed him, peeking at Belthasar from behind.
“Welcome.”
Belthasar said, gripping the man’s outstretched hand.
“I have another dove here if you want.
It is as yet, uncooked.”
“Many thanks.” the man said.
“We saw you from a distance and tried to catch up. My name is
Gasper, and this is my grandson, Baanah.
We come from
Babylon,
and are just beginning our journey.”
Belthasar smiled in saying, “The day is hot, the nights cold.
I am Belthasar and this is my son, Shimei. He’s ten years
old. Is that about your
age, too, Baanah?”
Baanah peeked out further from behind his Granddad and
smiled. “Yes, sir, I am
ten years old.” he said shyly.
Belthasar released Gasper’s hand and said, “We welcome
company. We started out
from Sousa, in Persia. After weeks of traveling, it
is good to be with other people.” They all wore belted trousers
topped with tunics.
Shimei watched them, then looking at the other boy, he saw
Baanah lick his lips.
His dark brown curly hair poked from beneath his cap.
Belthasar laid the extra bird on top of a log immersed in the
flames.
“What seek you?” Gasper inquired.
“Funny you should ask.” Belthasar said. “I am an astronomer
and heard a prophecy.
Then seeing the star, I believed.”
he admitted
sheepishly, looking up at the older man from beneath his turban. He
clamped his mouth shut before saying more.
“Is this the star?” Gasper said while pointing into the night
sky.
Could it be that others are
amazed by the coinciding of events too? Gasper walked directly
under where he pointed and looked at Belthasar.
Belthasar’s mouth
flew open. He yelled with obvious glee. “Yes! This is the new star;
it just appeared one night a couple weeks ago.
How did you know?”
Shimei finished his dinner, and licked his fingers.
He watched the bird roasting for a minute then saw the two
men talking avidly to each other.
He used a stick to flip the bird over. “Don’t want to eat
burnt dove!” he said to
Baanah.
Baanah smiled and plopped down on a log across the fire.
He said, “I’m too hungry not to eat burnt!
I’m hungry enough to eat it just warm.”
He giggled in saying, “Papa wants meat cooked well done, but
I’m not picky.”
Shimei noticed how tall Baanah was.
He nodded at the other boy and agreed, “When you’re hungry,
anyone’s cooking will do.”
Baanah smiled at Shimei.
“So what have you seen already on your journey—all
the way from
Persia,
Wow!”
Shimei answered, “Dad
lets me explore after we’ve stopped for the day.
We already crossed the plains and forded one river.”
This is too cool,
someone my age to talk to and share adventures with. he thought.
Then, aloud he said, “What’s your journey about?”
Baanah smiled and said, “My Mom agreed to let me accompany
Papa, since he told her this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
I’m ready for excitement.
Only one day on a camel, and I’m bored to tears!”
Shimei pointed to the men.
“What are they talking about?
The prophesy thing?”
They watched the men in deep discussion, pointing towards the
sky.
“Yeah, probably” Baanah said. “It will be cool to find a baby
who’s going to be king of
Israel, don’t you think?”
Shimei shrugged in agreement, “Yeah, I suppose.
Dad’s been all hopped up since he decided to go looking.
When this new star appeared, I was plopped on the camel. It
beats staying home, I suppose.
It’ll be better with someone to explore with.”
Gasper was saying, “The prophesy I heard was,
“I shall see him, but not
now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out
of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel.”
“Yes, that’s the one I heard! Belthasar
said with growing
excitement. “That
star—not ever before has lined up so close to Venus and Jupiter to
make the three appear as one!
That’s the Jacob Star, perhaps???
He began hopping and grasped Gasper’s shoulders.
Sorry, I’ve studies the skies all my life, and this is
unprecedented!” His grin reached from ear to ear.
Gasper smiled and placed his hands on Belthasar’s
shoulders, trying to calm him. He admitted, “This is
exciting! I’m curious,
but not as knowledgeable as you. Are you familiar with the prophesy
that says, “But thou
Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the
thousands of Judah,
yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler of Israel.”
“Really?
Ahhhh. “We who saw the
lineup of stars concluded that it has be a sign of a new king! When
I first saw the new star, it seemed to beckon me, and it’s clouded
my mind ever since. I
bribed my son to accompany me to see where it leads.
‘We’ll probably see a new king’, I told him. So Bethlehem , is it?
The star has been leading me, and I figured it would lead us
somewhere near Jerusalem.”
“Yes, well, we’ll have to go to
Jerusalem
first, anyway, won’t we?
Herod is not a man to trifle with.
Maybe his priests could give us advice on where to find this
new king? Anyway,
protocol demands we speak to him before seeking a new king—who’s
probably prophesied to secede him.
Get my drift?”
Gasper said. He was so
pleased to have found someone to join in him this conspiratorial
quest.
Belthasar nodded, knowingly.
“Yes, Gasper, you speak the truth.
The first thing we must do is speak to Herod.
I hope your bird hasn’t burnt!
Come on, let’s eat.” Belthasar said.
They returned to the fire to overhear the boys talking about
what’s ahead.
“Papa said we’d probably be crossing the
Euphrates
tomorrow.” Baanah said,
anxious to learn more.
“We already came across the
Tigris
River. We found a shallow
crossing and the camel trudged through.
Thankfully, we didn’t have to take a raft.
It was petty hairy when the Camel hesitated.
Dad had to urge him on.”
“I think the Euphrates is
too deep. We’ll
positively have to get a raft—or a boat when we cross it.”
Baanah said with raised eye brows.
“I hope the camel will do that!”
Shimei said and flipped the bird again.
“Papa was talking about a new baby who is being born now…I
think that’s why we started out.
To find him.” Baanah said.
Shimei was nodding in agreement, “Dad talked about this
prophesy he heard. But
when this star appeared, we had to get on the road that very day!”
Shimei said.
The men sat down and exchanged glances in overhearing the
boy’s conversation. “It’s beginning to smell good!” Bethasar said.
Baanah said to Shimei, “I’m glad that Mom let me go with
Papa. We’ll cross the next river together.
If our camels don’t want to ride the raft, we’ll swim!”
Shimei laughed at that, grinning at Baanah.
“It’s good to hear young laughter.
Think it’s ready yet?”
Belthasar said.
Shimei shrugged his shoulders and said.
“Probably…close.
But how do you tell when it’s done?”
Belthasar took a stick and prodded a wing.
It bent easily.
“That’s how, son. When
the wing moves easily, the meat should be cooked through.”
The four sat around the fire.
We are on the same quest.” Belthasar said, nodding to the
boys. “Gasper and I
heard the same prophecy, and we both have this itch that demands
scratching. We agreed to combine
forces and travel together by following this star.
Next stop, Jerusalem. Set up your tent here, next to
ours, gentlemen.”
Shimei and Baanah smiled at each other.
At least they’d have company to explore new lands together.
“First, I will say thanks for this food.”
Gasper said.
Baanah lifted his hands and Shimei bowed his head.
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