This is a story I had written for Volume 3 of my IF ONLY I COULD TALK books. Each story in my talk books is told from the subjects point of view. I hope you like this.
DONKEY'S STORY
I am cold and tired. The journey has been long. I don't have any other name except "Donkey". I belong to a man named Joseph. He has as always been kind to me, sees that I have enough to eat, a dry place to stay. But this journey has been long and hard. If I am cold and tired, I can't begin to imagine how Joseph and Mary must feel.
Joseph did not want to undertake this journey, especially with Mary expecting a child at any time. How do I know this? I might be just a donkey, but I do understand what they talk about. They had to make this trip. All citizens had been ordered to Bethlehem for someting called a census and taxation.
Joseph was very considerate of Mary. At the beginning, Mary walked along side of Joseph. They talked, sometimes laughed, but were always together. Occasionally I had to slow down as Mary would tire, and there were times we would stop to rest.
Today, though, when we were preparing to continue our journey, Joseph did not place their belongings on my back, but instead placed a rough blanket and helped Mary up. I would be carrying her instead of their belongings.
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Then Joseph placed their belongings on his own back. In that fashion we resumed our journey to Bethlehem.
Mary cried as she saw him struggling with their few necessities, but he wiped her tears away and told her not to cry. He could handle this. He said we were just a short distance away and should arrive sometime late in the day.
Later, as we were walking, I heard Mary gasp and cry out, not loud, just sort of a whimper. Joseph stopped immediately and asked what was wrong. She said she thought we was going into labor, the baby would probably be born before morning.
Poor Joseph, he looked so frightened. Coming to my head he placled a hand on me and told me tht we would have to hurry. Mary needed a place to lie down, a bed and a roof over their heads. I immediately picked up my pace, which isn't to say much, as I only have slow and
slower. But I tried.
As we approached the gates to the city I couldn't believe how many other travelers were already there. We had seen some on the road, but nothing like this. Where did they all come from?
Finding a sheltered corner, Joseph left Mary and me saying he would find us a place to stay. We waited and waited. I could tell Mary was in great pain. I became quite worried. What could I do?
Finally I saw Joseph hurrying toward us. How relieved I was, but then I saw his face and knew something was very wrong.
Joseph related that there no rooms anywhere in the great city of Bethlehem. All were filled to overflowing. He said he had just about given up hope when the last inn he entered had a compassionate inn-keeper. He told Joseph that although there were no rooms available, he did have a small stable behind the inn which had clean hay inside and would protect us from the weather.
Crying, Mary answered that ANYWHERE would be good, we needed to get there as soon as we could.
Arriving at the stable, Joseph hurriedly gathered together large armloads of sweet smelling hay making a bed for Mary to lie on. While he was doing this I watched as Mary carefully sat down on the side of a feed trough. I just stood there, waiting, now knowing what I should do.
Once the bed was finished Joseph gently helped Mary lay down on the bed of hay. Then Joseph turned to leave, saying something about somebody called a mid-wife, when she cried NO - there is no time. Our baby is on the way!
I moved further back into the stable where I found some oats and a little bit of hay. So I decided to have my supper. I tried not to pay too muh attention to the humans as I figured they would do what they had to do.
After a long time, I heard a final faint cry, then Mary's weak voice, and Joseph answering that they had a SON. He was God's Son and his name was JESUS, just as God had instructed.
At that time I really didn't understand what all the fuss was about. I moved a little closer and saw a really tiny person, wrapped in some sort of cloth, with only his hands and head visible.
The next thing Joseph did was prepare a very little bed in one of the feed troughs in the stable, and then he laid that tiny little person on that bed of soft, sweet-smeling hay, a bed in a manger.
Mary drifted off to sleep, Joseph sat watching. After our long journey I was so tired that I drifted off to sleep also.
Suddenly I was awakened by a bright light shining right into the stable. Looking up I saw this big beautiful star right above us, shining down on the baby. And I heard singing! I have never heard any more beautiful music than I did right then. I thought I must be dreaming, but Joseph said something about "Angels" everywhere, singing and telling the world that GOD'S SON had been born, telling them not to be afraid.
Suddenly I heard a strange new sound, very faint and soft, but gradually increasing. I had such a funny sensation as I listened, then suddenly I knew what it was - It was the animals! All the animals were singing to the new born baby!
Nothing was harsh or loud, just a soft lowing, baaing, birds were singing in the middle of the night! They never sing at night. The horses were neighing, every living creture was praising this baby. Even I, a lowly donkey, had to sing, but never had my braying been so soft. It was as if something else were braying for me. I looked down, and even the mice, living in the stable, were sitting up and singing in their little faint voices.
As the singing went on and on, I had the most wonderful feeling, as if I, a lowly donkey, were experiencing the most wonderful night in eternity.
As the singing gradually died away, people began arriving, travelers that had come for the same reason we were here, to pay taxes, and residents of the city, all bringing food and clothing for the baby, and then standing back in awe. Then shepherds began arriving. They had seen the star and heard the angels, and left immediately to come and worshipp the KING, bringing lambs as their gift offering.
I was tired, just wanted to sleep, but so much was happening! I didn't want to miss anything.
Then to my astonishment three new visitors arrived - I heard them called the Wisemen. These Wisemen had been traveling, following the star, until they finally arrived in Bethlehem. They had brought gifts of gold, myrrh and frankincense. After paying homage to the baby Jesus, they told Mary and Joseph that they had to return home, but were going by a different route because King Herod had heard about the new KING and wanted them to tell where Jesus was.
For the rest of my life I would be "the donkey" that carried Mary, then Mary and the baby JESUS. Many years have gone by, I am now old, have forgotten many things, but the memory of that night in Bethlemem, when the animals sang, praising that tiny new baby, is as fresh today as it was back then.
I am only and old donkey, but the memories I have of the bright star shining on the new born baby, the anges singing, the animals singing, the visitors arriving, the gifts given - what a memory. How blessed I have been, just a lowly donkey, that I was able to be a part of this wondrous event.
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I hope you have enjoyed this story. Read it, and remember, what Christmas is really about.
Have a good day and God Bless.
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