A Tale of the First Christmas
by Shanna Duck c2005
“I am certainly the most important animal here,” said the shaggy brown donkey. “It was I who carried the Virgin Mary on the long journey. It was a hard, stony road, and I dared not stumble. If Joseph told me once, he told me a hundred times….”
“Well, I gave my manger and hay,” the red cow interrupted. “Certainly that was necessary. Mary needed a place for the Holy Child to sleep. Look, he’s still sleeping there now.”
“My little ones snuggled beside the Baby,” said Mother Ewe. “Their wool kept the Lamb of God warm until the innkeeper’s wife brought a blanket.” She looked down at her tiny twins, now resting beside her.
“We sang him to sleep,” said the female dove. “Our lullaby soothed him.” The male dove nodded in reply.
“I think we should all be remembered for what we’ve done,” said the male dove, who was something of a troubadour. “Let me see,” he began to compose different verses.
“I believe my verse should be first,” said the donkey. “If I had not been there, the Holy Family would never have gotten to Bethlehem at all.”
“We are ALL very important,” remarked the cow. “All other animals will hear the song and honor us. We are the animals who gave to the Christ Child.”
The Doves cooed their agreement.
The Donkey looked over his shoulder. “Except you-know-who.”
“Oh,” said the cow, “her.”
“She’s just a little goat kid,” said Mother Ewe. “And she misses her mother and sisters. We should invite her to come and join us.”
“Goats just aren’t respectable,” said the Donkey, “they’re dirty.”
“They’re common,” said the Doves. "They certainly DON'T deserve to be immortalized in song."
“They’re always making trouble,” snorted the cow. “The naughty thing actually butted me yesterday. They aren't like you quiet, peaceful sheep."
The animals’ voices had awakened the little goat kid and she came and stood by the ewe. The kid was very small, with gold-and-white fur and tiny hooves. Her small horns were just beginning to grow on top of her head.
“We were talking about you,” the Donkey remarked. “We were trying to remember something you did to honor the Christ Child.”
The Dove looked down and sang mockingly:
“I, said the goat kid with the hard little head,
I butted the cow all white and red,
“I ate some straw from the manger bed,” the donkey continued.
The other animals laughed, except for the Mother Ewe, who looked on sadly. She started to bleat for the kid to come to her and cuddle with her lambs, but the little one had already slipped away.
The little goat wandered away from the other animals to the side of the stable where the humans were sitting. Joseph was helping Mary drink from a bowl.
"The goat's milk tastes good," Mary remarked. "That neighbor was kind to bring it."
“I’ll go and buy fresh bread,” Joseph said. “And perhaps I can find some dried fruit as well. I’ll be back soon,” he promised, and left the stable.
Mary raised up to look into the manger then, assured that her child was sleeping safely, lay back against the straw and closed her eyes.
The little kid smelled the milk and crept closer. The woman’s eyes remained closed and the goat put her nose into the bowl. She drank eagerly. The taste reminded her of the nights spent cuddled close to her mother and sisters.
“Well, hello there,” said a soft voice.
The kid jumped away.