PART 3

"Oh Mespar, we're lost," cried the cricket.
"How will we ever find our way back to the caravan."
"Calm down," cautioned Mespar. "We'll figure out something".
As the two friends discussed their options, they heard a loud banging on the door of the little room. When the door was opened a man wearing the livery of Master Balthasar burst in. He was greatly excited.
"It's King Herrod! Madam and Master." He caught his breath and continued. "When we arrived on the outskirts of the city my Masters sent emissaries to the palace to announce our arrival and to pay their respects to your sovereign. Word was sent back asking the three masters to present themselves. This they did, and during this audience inquired about the birth of the new royal heir. They believed that the babe the star had led them to, must have been born in the royal chambers. The king became very agitated, and told them that there was no new heir to his throne. He charged my masters to return when they had found this child. He would also go and offer homage. This night, upon retiring all three of the masters had a similar dream, warning them to avoid Herrod and to return by another route. He is jealous of his station and plans to do harm to the child."
At these words the girl gasped, and clutched the child to her breast. The father looked like a pillar of stone. The messenger finished his tale and withdrew. The young parents held each other and spoke in terrified whispers.
"We must leave this place, Mary. We mustn't let King Herrod find him."
"Where, Joseph? His power is vast. He will hunt for us."
"We aren't far from Egypt. He has no power in the pharaoh's land. We'll be safe there."
They quickly gathered their few belongings and placed them into a saddle bag.
"Come on Ling. Lets take this chance. We don't want to be left behind again."
Mespar dragged Ling across the floor and pushed him into the bag just seconds before Joseph hoisted it to his shoulder. The bag was strapped to the back of a small donkey and Mary, nestling the child close to her, mounted. Joseph took the bridle and led the beast and its burden swiftly from The city into the dark of the desert. Throughout the night they walked east to safety. As the dawn was turning the sky pale before them, they stopped.
"Let's rest here," said Joseph. "There will be some shelter among these rocks later when the sun is full. The donkey can go no further."
He helped his weary wife down, and made her as comfortable as he could against a large boulder. He removed the packs from the donkey and poured a little water from a skin he carried into a bowl for the thirsty creature. As soon as he had turned back to his wife, Ling and Mespar seized the opportunity to scurry from the pack and help themselves to a much needed drink. The young man prepared a meal as Mary nursed the child. After they had eaten, Joseph sat with his back against the rock. He wrapped his arms around Mary and Jesus and they slept.
"Now what are we going to do?" queried Ling. "Are you planning to go all the way to Egypt?"
"Why not," replied the mouse. "We'll never find our way back to the caravan now. I've never been to Egypt. Have you? Let's find any food that they dropped now while they're asleep. I'm starving."
While they hunted for the crumbs, they were startled by the sound of hooves and the jingle of harnesses close by. They snuck to the other side of the group of boulders. There they saw three horsemen dismounting next to another cluster of rocks. The two crept closer with vague hopes of scouting out a larger portion of supper for themselves.
"I'm sure that those tracks led this way."
"They can't be far ahead. We'll grab a bite and go on."
"They can't move quickly with the child. We'll catch them soon."
"Oh Mespar, they're king Herrod's men and they want to hurt the baby. What can we do. We've got to stop them."
"How can a cricket and a mouse stop three humans on horseback, Ling? We can't do anything," his friend answered in despair.
"Wait. I've got an idea," chirped Ling. "You go back to Mary and Joseph. Give me about a half hour. Then wake them quietly somehow, and get them moving on. Go Mespar! Go quickly! We don't have much time."
He pushed his friend back towards the sleeping family. Ling waited until the men had watered the horses and prepared food. As they sat around the fire eating he started his song. He knew that this was the most important melody he would ever produce. From the very center of himself he poured fourth a lullaby. The king's men nodded, and one by one their heads dropped to their chests. Still Ling sang on, and the sound of snoring joined with his notes. When he was sure they were deeply asleep he rushed back to find Mespar.
Had his companion been able to wake the family? Had they already gone, leaving him alone in the desert? He returned to see Mary mounting the donkey. The bags were behind her, and peering from the top he saw a frantic, gray, whiskery face.
"Please, oh please, don't leave me here," he chirped, hopping after them.
His legs could not keep up. He was just too tired.
"Pleeeeese."
Joseph stopped. He looked down, and spotted the weary little insect.
"Crickets bring good luck don't they Mary," he whispered to her. "Well, we'll need all we can get," and he scooped up Ling and deposited him on the rump of the donkey. "Come on boy." He prodded the little creature. "We must make haste".
With Mespar's help a totally exhausted Ling made the climb down into the bag. They hugged each other still not believing that they were safely together. Ling learned that Mespar had used his tail to tickle Joseph's toes until he awoke. He then heard the sounds of the soldier's voices, and realizing the danger, spirited his family away. Mespar was terrified when Joseph threw the bag up on the donkey.
"I thought that I'd never see you again! Oh Ling, I didn't know what to do."
A very weak and shaken Ling agreed, hugged the mouse and smiled. "We're on our way again, friend, together."

Herrod's men slept on. The young family crossed the border into Egypt and were safe from the jealous king. Joseph used some of the gifts that the princes had given them to buy a place to live. His skills as a carpenter provided shelter and food for Mary and the child. Mary made the small dwelling into a true home. As tidy as she was, she never swept up directly after meals. Instead she would go to a corner and sit with the child in her lap and quietly watch the mouse and cricket gather their meal. Somehow she knew that these two were special creatures. They made her home feel safe and each night the baby would fall asleep to the sound of a cricket's lullaby.


The End


I hope you enjoyed the story.

By Feona on Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 07:11 am:

Wish I was still writing. Nice job, Bea!