Robert Cubitt's Blog - Posts Tagged "satire"
A Meeting On The Road
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." Matthew 2: 1-2
Caspar sat beside his camp fire and offered up his hands to its warmth. He had travelled far but soon his journey would be ended. A noise made him sit upright, alert and ready. He reached for his stout staff and gripped it tightly.
“Caspar, you old goat. Mind if I join you by your fire?”
Caspar looked around as his name was called, peering into the darkness. At last he made out a figure, leading a camel by its rope.
“Melchior. Old goat yourself. I should have known that thing would attract your attention.” He gestured towards the bright object that illuminated the night sky. “Come and be welcome. Do you have food or wine?”
“Plenty of both, and I’ll share them willingly in exchange for the use of your fire and your company for the night.”
As the new arrival settled his camel for the night and took his seat next to the warming blaze Caspar re-started the conversation.
“What do you think it is, that bright object?”
“A new star, perhaps. It is surely a sign.”
“It is a comet.” A fresh voice echoed out of the darkness.
“I know that voice.” Melchior barked out a laugh. “Balthasar, were you following me?”
“Not so much following as going the same way.”
“Come, friend Balthasar, sit with us.” Caspar beckoned him forward.
“And you, too, may share in what food I have.” Melchior added.
“No, let me contribute. I don’t have much, just some dates and a stale loaf of bread, but it will add to your feast.”
“So, friend Balthasar.” Caspar was anxious to ask a question. “What is this thing, this comet?”
“It is something we have seen before, though not in this lifetime. There are descriptions in the books of knowledge. You can tell it’s a comet by the tail that follows it. Its coming is a sign of great portent.”
“So what is the difference between a star and a comet?” Asked Caspar, tearing a lump off of a loaf of bread.
“The only difference I have seen is that the comet moves through the firmament but the stars stay more or less constant. No one knows more than that.”
“Does this comet have a name?”
“I was thinking of calling it Bailey’s Comet. It seems to fit with the season. I have some in my bag if you would like a sip.”
Caspar and Melchior laughed at their friend’s joke as they passed the bottle around.
“So what is this comet made of?” Melchior asked, his interest piqued.
“I have no idea. We would need to send some craft up there to find out.”
They all laughed at this new ribaldry. Send a craft into the sky to find out what a comet was made of, indeed. Such an implausible act.
“Where do you think it will lead us?”
Balthasar answered. “Bethlehem, I have no doubt. I passed through Jerusalem on my way here. The temple scholars are abuzz with gossip. They say that the star, sorry, comet is a symbol of the birth of the Messiah who will lead the Jews to freedom.”
“The Jews breed Messiah’s by the dozen. Or so it is said.” Melchior commented.
“True, but King Herod takes it seriously. He commanded me to find the child and return to him with news of its location, so that he may go to worship.”
“King Herod will do many things, I’m sure, but worship the arrival of the Messiah isn’t one of them.” Melchior counselled. “I advise you to return home by a different route and give Jerusalem a wide birth.”
“Why he didn’t just have you followed I don’t know.” Caspar grunted. “He might even have offered you an escort to protect you from bandits.”
“I’d be more worried by Romans than bandits.” Balthasar commented dryly as he patted the hefty Arabian scimitar that he had laid on the ground beside him.
Together they chanted “What did the Romans ever do for us?” then laughed so much they nearly choked on their food. The bottle did another circuit.
“So how’s the Magi business treating you two?” Caspar asked his companions.
“Rubbish.” Melchior answered for them both. “How can you make any money out of being a wise man when the internet can answer any question almost instantly.”
To read the rest of this short story please visit my website http://robertcubitt.com/bobs-blog.html If you read this after 27th December 2014 please look in the December 2014 archive. May I wish a Merry Christmas to my reader.
Caspar sat beside his camp fire and offered up his hands to its warmth. He had travelled far but soon his journey would be ended. A noise made him sit upright, alert and ready. He reached for his stout staff and gripped it tightly.
“Caspar, you old goat. Mind if I join you by your fire?”
Caspar looked around as his name was called, peering into the darkness. At last he made out a figure, leading a camel by its rope.
“Melchior. Old goat yourself. I should have known that thing would attract your attention.” He gestured towards the bright object that illuminated the night sky. “Come and be welcome. Do you have food or wine?”
“Plenty of both, and I’ll share them willingly in exchange for the use of your fire and your company for the night.”
As the new arrival settled his camel for the night and took his seat next to the warming blaze Caspar re-started the conversation.
“What do you think it is, that bright object?”
“A new star, perhaps. It is surely a sign.”
“It is a comet.” A fresh voice echoed out of the darkness.
“I know that voice.” Melchior barked out a laugh. “Balthasar, were you following me?”
“Not so much following as going the same way.”
“Come, friend Balthasar, sit with us.” Caspar beckoned him forward.
“And you, too, may share in what food I have.” Melchior added.
“No, let me contribute. I don’t have much, just some dates and a stale loaf of bread, but it will add to your feast.”
“So, friend Balthasar.” Caspar was anxious to ask a question. “What is this thing, this comet?”
“It is something we have seen before, though not in this lifetime. There are descriptions in the books of knowledge. You can tell it’s a comet by the tail that follows it. Its coming is a sign of great portent.”
“So what is the difference between a star and a comet?” Asked Caspar, tearing a lump off of a loaf of bread.
“The only difference I have seen is that the comet moves through the firmament but the stars stay more or less constant. No one knows more than that.”
“Does this comet have a name?”
“I was thinking of calling it Bailey’s Comet. It seems to fit with the season. I have some in my bag if you would like a sip.”
Caspar and Melchior laughed at their friend’s joke as they passed the bottle around.
“So what is this comet made of?” Melchior asked, his interest piqued.
“I have no idea. We would need to send some craft up there to find out.”
They all laughed at this new ribaldry. Send a craft into the sky to find out what a comet was made of, indeed. Such an implausible act.
“Where do you think it will lead us?”
Balthasar answered. “Bethlehem, I have no doubt. I passed through Jerusalem on my way here. The temple scholars are abuzz with gossip. They say that the star, sorry, comet is a symbol of the birth of the Messiah who will lead the Jews to freedom.”
“The Jews breed Messiah’s by the dozen. Or so it is said.” Melchior commented.
“True, but King Herod takes it seriously. He commanded me to find the child and return to him with news of its location, so that he may go to worship.”
“King Herod will do many things, I’m sure, but worship the arrival of the Messiah isn’t one of them.” Melchior counselled. “I advise you to return home by a different route and give Jerusalem a wide birth.”
“Why he didn’t just have you followed I don’t know.” Caspar grunted. “He might even have offered you an escort to protect you from bandits.”
“I’d be more worried by Romans than bandits.” Balthasar commented dryly as he patted the hefty Arabian scimitar that he had laid on the ground beside him.
Together they chanted “What did the Romans ever do for us?” then laughed so much they nearly choked on their food. The bottle did another circuit.
“So how’s the Magi business treating you two?” Caspar asked his companions.
“Rubbish.” Melchior answered for them both. “How can you make any money out of being a wise man when the internet can answer any question almost instantly.”
To read the rest of this short story please visit my website http://robertcubitt.com/bobs-blog.html If you read this after 27th December 2014 please look in the December 2014 archive. May I wish a Merry Christmas to my reader.
