Eight

Ruth went with them as far as the well on the edge of town. There she said goodbye once more and stood, watching as Mary, Joseph and little Jesus disappeared into the dim light.

When she got home she opened the present Mary had given her. Wrapped in a soft piece of cloth were a few pieces of the frankincense and myrrh brought by the visitors. Ruth wrapped them back up and tucked them away in her belongings.

*****

She was preparing breakfast with her mother when Joshua burst in. “Soldiers heading this way from Jerusalem,” he said abruptly. “Mary and Joseph need to leave now!”

“They’ve gone,” Ruth said. “Left during the night.” She had told her mother that much but not mentioned Joseph’s dream, although she told Joshua later.

“Do you know where?” he asked.

“No.”

“That’s just as well. I only hope they got away in time.”

*****

Before long Herod’s men came into the village, shouting and pushing their way into every home, searching for babies and toddlers. All the boys they could find who were younger than a couple of years old were killed. Ruth felt sick, hearing the crying and screaming coming from every house. She prayed as she had never done before that Mary, Joseph and Jesus had got far enough away and would not be found.

Joshua had stayed with her. Her mother had hurried off to Miriam’s house to make sure that she and little Rachel were safe. “What a mercy she was a girl,” she had said, her wishing for a grandson temporarily forgotten.

Some of the men of the town had tried to fight back when the killing began, but it was no contest. Herod’s soldiers were heavily armed and well trained. One man was killed and several injured, as were some of the women who tried to protect their children. By evening the town was full of families weeping and grieving. Even those who were untouched knew many victims, and gave sober thanks that they had been spared.

*****

That evening, Joshua went with her to the well once again. There was wailing in every street, and Ruth turned her head so Joshua would not see the tears once again creeping from her eyes.

He hesitantly reached out and took her hand. “It’s horrible, I know,” he said. “But at least they got away.”

“But these children didn’t,” Ruth said. “Maybe it would have been better for one person to die than for so many others to suffer.”

“It’s not for us to make that choice,” Joshua said.

They had reached the edge of town. Ruth gazed out onto the fields where sheep grazed. “I wonder where they will go,” she said.

“Mary believed that God had a plan for Jesus,” Joshua said. “One day maybe we’ll find out what happened.”

Joshua said good night to her at the courtyard entrance. Ruth watched as he disappeared into the darkness, and smiled to herself, despite everything. Not everything was bad. There was still hope in the world. She remembered her dream, the night Jesus was born. Sadness and happiness together, joy and pain. Maybe that was what Mary had meant about a sword- the pain when someone you loved went away from you. She was starting to understand how much that might hurt- and yet how much joy came from having someone you loved, and who loved you.

She looked up at the stars far overhead, including the bright star that had led the visitors to Jesus and his parents only a few days ago.

Who was he, this child wise men journeyed far to worship and kings feared, whose birth brought the death of others? What could justify that?

Maybe one day she would understand more.  Now, all she knew was that Jesus was someone special.  And that she was tired.

Seven

Ruth hurried outside and leaned against the wall. Her heart was beating so loud that she could hear nothing else, not the chatter inside the house nor the sound of footsteps approaching until a voice said “Ruth? Is that you?”

“Joshua? Oh thank goodness. I...I heard something and I don’t know what to do.”

“Heard something?” Joshua looked at her, startled. “Ruth, what is it? Has someone threatened you?”

“Not me- Jesus!”

“What?”

“I heard the visitors talking while I was cleaning up yesterday. They were preparing to go back to home- they’re leaving in the morning- and were discussing if they were going to go back to King Herod to tell him about Jesus. They all looked worried. Then one of them said that he’d had a dream the night before, telling him they shouldn’t go back to Herod. Another one said he’d had the same dream, and so had another. So they agreed that they would go back a different way, and not tell Herod about the child.”

“Well, that is odd,” Joshua said. “But they’ve seen what they came for and they’ve been here a while now. They might just want a quicker route home.”

“But just now- their servants were talking. One of the servants was sent with them by King Herod, when they visited him in Jerusalem on their way here. That servant said that Herod was angry when he heard about that- angrier than he was when he first heard about Jesus, because they said there were prophecies that he would grow up to be a ruler. Maybe Herod’s scared he will overthrow him.”

“But he’s hardly more than a baby! Why would anyone kill him now? Maybe if he grew up to be a threat, but Herod wouldn’t kill a child.”

Ruth shivered. It had been the servant’s tone when he was talking about Herod that he had scared her.

*****

The next morning half of Bethlehem had gathered to see the travellers depart. Joshua was in the crowd beside Ruth and her mother. Ruth was still worried. “That servant definitely isn’t with them,” she whispered to Joshua. “I haven’t seen him since last night. Why has he disappeared?”

“Well, you said he was Herod’s servant,” Joshua said. “Maybe he’s gone back to Jerusalem.”

Ruth turned to him. “We have to tell Mary and Joseph.”

They hurried inside to where Mary and Joseph were beginning preparations for their own journey to Nazareth. The visitors’ gifts had decided them- they would provide enough money for the journey and to set up a comfortable home of their own. Joseph had already bought a donkey to carry their belongings.

Ruth told what she had overheard the night before, and of the disappearance of Herod’s servant. Mary looked over at the corner where Jesus was playing with some wooden blocks his earthly father had made.

“So soon,” she said under her breath. “Can it really be time for the sword?”

“But why would Herod want to kill him?” Joseph said. “He’s barely more than a baby- how can he be a threat?”

“It sounds like he is afraid of what the child may become,” Joshua said. “After Ruth told me this last night, I hung around near the servants, and heard them talking. Herod was really angry when these visitors turned up out of nowhere, demanding where the child born to be king of the Jews was. If this servant has gone back to him and told him where Jesus is- well, Jerusalem isn’t that far away.”

“Joseph, we should go,” Mary said.

“Don’t go to Nazareth,” Ruth said. “The whole town knows that’s where you’re from, Herod could find out easily and send soldiers there after you. Don’t tell anyone where you’re going.”

Joseph was staring at the floor.

“Mary, haven’t you always said God will protect us?” he said finally. “We decided that the right thing to do was to go back to Nazareth- we felt that was what God wanted us to do. Well then, shouldn’t we stick with that, and trust God to protect his child?”

Mary looked at him.

“If you believe it is God’s will,” she said quietly. But Ruth could see fear in her eyes.

*****

That evening Ruth heard Mary singing little Jesus to sleep.
“Lully, lullay, my little tiny child, by-by, lully, lullay.
Oh, sisters too, how may we do for to preserve this day?
This poor youngling of whom we do sing,
By-by, lully, lullay.

Herod the King, in his raging, charged he hath this day,
His men of might in his own sight all children young to slay.
Then woe is me poor child for thee, and ever morn and day,
For thy parting nor say nor sing
By-by, lully, lullay.”

*****

In the middle of the night Ruth heard noises in the room where Mary and Joseph slept. Afraid that her worst fears had come true, she crept to their door which was ajar, and peeped in, afraid of what she might see. By the dim light of a lamp she saw Mary kneeling on the floor, hurriedly bundling up something. The door creaked as Ruth touched it, and Mary jumped up, frightened.

“Oh, Ruth,” she said quietly, and with relief in her voice. “I was afraid...”

“What’s wrong?” Ruth asked. She looked around and saw evidence of hurried packing up of Mary and Joseph’s belongings. Jesus was still asleep, wrapped in a blanket, but Joseph was not there.

“Joseph had a dream,” Mary said, looking at her son. “God told him that we must go at once. It is as you feared- Herod wants to kill Jesus. Joseph has gone downstairs to load the donkey and see if the coast is clear. If it is, we will leave as soon as there is light to see by.”

“Where will you go?” Ruth asked. “Nazareth?”
“Not to Nazareth,” Mary said. “But it is best if you do not know. If Herod is determined to find him- Ruth, I am sorry if we have brought this trouble on you and your mother, and on Bethlehem.”

“We’ll be all right,” Ruth said.

Joseph came in. “There’s no one around, and the first light of dawn is in the sky. Mary- it’s time.”

Mary kissed Ruth. “Thank your mother for us, and apologise that we have left so hurriedly. We have paid her all we owe, and here is a little present for you.” She tucked a parcel into Ruth’s hand, then picked up the bundle of clothing. Joseph picked up Jesus without waking him, and they went outside.

Six

At dusk, with the first stars just visible in the clear sky, Ruth went out as usual to get water. She kept a lookout for Joshua but he didn’t seem to be around this evening. Disappointed, she turned to look for the bright star. It was directly over the town.

When she reached the well she saw a group of people and camels approaching. They were not locals, nor were they the usual sort of people who came to Bethlehem. Several wore richly dyed and embroidered clothing in exotic fashions, though it was creased and stained from long travel. What were they doing here? They didn’t look like merchants, although some of the camels were heavily laden. She hastily dipped water from the well and headed home.

As she reached the courtyard she looked up again. It was as if the star was directly over the house.

Suddenly she heard someone calling.

“Girl! Can you help us?”

She turned and looked back out into the street. The travellers were heading towards her, and one of the richly dressed men on camels was pointing at the star overhead. One of the servants came forward from the group- it was evident that he was the one who had spoken to her before.

“We’re looking for a baby, or small child. A boy, born here sometime in, oh, the last two years.” He turned as one of the men on camels spoke to him, evidently giving instructions, then turned back to Ruth. “They’ve come a long way- months, it’s taken them. They even called on King Herod in Jerusalem, to see if he knew about it. He told them to come to Bethlehem, and sent me with them as guide. They say it’s a special boy- born to be a king, or something. They say they followed that star, that it tells them where the child was to be born.” He pointed upwards.

Ruth stared, first at him, then the star, then at the travellers.

“Ask them to come in,” she said. “I think I know what they’re looking for.”

*****

Joseph was surprised when Ruth told them about the visitors, and kept bowing and stuttering about honour as they came forward. Mary, somehow, seemed calmer as she brought little Jesus forward and sat him on her knee. The boy stared at the strangers, wide-eyed at the rich colours and silken fabrics of their robes, so different to the largely drab plain and well-worn clothes of his family and the townsfolk of Bethlehem.

In strange accents, the visitors asked questions about the date of Jesus’s birth, and Mary calmly told the story. The visitors looked at one another, and one said a few words in a language Ruth could not understand. The others nodded. Then, to Ruth’s surprise, these men, obviously rich and powerful, bowed down before the child on Mary’s lap, and worshiped him.

*****

In the courtyard the servants unloaded the camels, and Ruth and her mother hurried to make ready beds and bring the best food and drink Bethlehem could provide. Word soon got around about the strange visitors and the neighbours soon arrived, peering through the doorway and whispering in the courtyard. And at the centre of it all sat the child, sleepy, staying close to his mother, looking at the visitors as they looked at him.

Ruth pushed past her mother, who was telling the story to Miriam who had turned up with little Rachel, and set wine before the visitors, who were now seated on low stools before the little family. One bowed his head to her in thanks.

Others were opening the bundles that the servants brought in. One of the well-dressed visitors lifted out some small bags which chinked when he lifted them. He held them up as if to offer them to Jesus, then laid them at Mary’s feet. Joseph took one and opened it, and nearly dropped it.

“It’s full of gold, Mary,” he said hoarsely. “More gold than I’ve ever seen in my life.” He held a shiny gold coin out to her. Jesus took it from his hand, gurgled with pleasure, and put it up to his mouth to bite. Mary gently took it from his hand.

Another visitor had brought out more packages. He unwrapped one and he held it up to Jesus, then offered it to Mary. Ruth saw yellow-orange lumps, almost like rocks. She could also smell a fragrance that she recognised as incense. Another visitor was unwrapping more packages that looked similar but gave off a different smell. Ruth heard her mother gasp. “Burial spices,” she whispered. “What a gift for a child!”

One of the visitors who seemed to be a leader of some kind bowed low before the mother and child. “We come to worship and bring gifts. We read in the stars, he is born to be king of his people, so we bring gold: to be priest before the Most High, so we bring incense: and to suffer for his people, so we bring myrrh of bitterness.”

“We thank you,” Mary said, removing a piece of myrrh from Jesus’ little hand before he could put it in his mouth. Joseph was still tongue-tied, staring at the expensive present stretched out before his wife and child. But the visitors, crowding round, didn’t seem to mind. They were full of joy and excitement, and sat up long into the night, admiring the child now sleeping in his mother’s arms.

Five

The baby had not had to sleep in the feedbox for long. The day after he was born Joseph had gone out to find wood, and set to work making a crib for the child. It was simple, but with beautifully smoothed and shaped sides and supports. The baby got a safe place to sleep, and the animals got their manger back.

Joseph was a good carpenter, and had quickly begun to find work in Bethlehem, helped by word of mouth once all the baby’s visitors saw the crib. They stayed as lodgers with Ruth and her mother, and Mary helped out around the house, as well as looking after her child. Ruth often played with him as he grew, giving his mother time to wash clothes or go to market. She and Mary were good friends, and as Ruth grew she began to think about when she might be a mother herself, and what it would be like to have a child. There was always that hint of sadness in Mary’s eyes, behind the joy, when she looked at her child; an anxiety when he had rolled close to the fire, or crawled out of her sight, and a joy mixed with relief when he was caught up into her arms again. They didn’t speak of it much, but Ruth knew that all the events surrounding the child’s birth were stored up in his mother’s heart.

It wasn’t long before the child had outgrown the crib, and was toddling around and falling over everything. Ruth’s mother asked Joseph one day if he had any plans for the crib. “My elder daughter’s expecting, and it seems a shame for such a good piece of work to go to waste,” she said. Joseph was only too glad to give it to her.

Miriam’s child was born. Ruth and her mother were both there to to help with the birth, and Ruth was proud that she could look like she knew what to do- as if she had seen dozens of babies being born. Ruth’s mother and Miriam’s mother-in-law were united in complaining that it wasn’t a boy. “But you have to take what you’re given, I suppose,” her mother said, watching the sturdy little Jesus tumbling around the floor with a regretful sigh. Next to him Miriam’s little Rachel looked tiny.

One evening when little Rachel was about six months old, Ruth went as usual to collect water. Joshua the shepherd was waiting for her outside, and shyly offered to carry her bucket. Ruth refused, but let him accompany her to the well. As they talked, she looked up at the sky. It was a cloudy night, and most stars were hidden, but a few peeked through, and one in particular was more obvious than the rest.

“That bright star looks even nearer tonight,” she said. Joshua looked up.

“It’s odd, isn’t it? When I’m out at night in the fields you can see the whole sky, and I’m sure that star wasn’t there until a few months ago. And it seems to move in a different way to all the rest.”

“When I first saw it, it was much further away,” Ruth said. “Now it’s practically overhead.”

“Some of the older shepherds think it’s a bad omen,” Joshua said. “They say something evil is going to happen. Others just think we’re all seeing things, and there’s nothing odd about it.”

“What do you think?” Ruth asked.

He shrugged. “Don’t know.”

*****

Joshua carried the water home for her, and said goodbye at the entrance to the courtyard. Just before she went in she looked up again at the star, directly overhead. There was something about it that reminded her of a feeling she had felt before, the night Jesus was born and the shepherds visited, of darkness and light, joy and pain mixed together.

She went inside to find Joseph and Mary talking about returning to their hometown. Ruth’s mother was dismissive. “Nazareth! What is there in Nazareth that you haven’t got here?”

“There are family there who haven’t seen little Jesus yet,” Joseph said, with a sideways glance at Mary, who was sorting their clothes for washing.

“It may be difficult at first,” Mary said, looking back at him. “But it has to be faced sometime.”

*****

The next day Ruth and Mary were alone doing the washing. Ruth asked, “Why did you say that it will be difficult to go back to your family? I would have thought they would have been happy to see you again, and especially Jesus.”

Mary kept her eyes on the washing. “It’s a little hard to explain. Believe me, Ruth, I have done nothing wrong, but...others do not believe that. Jesus is our child, but he is not Joseph’s son.”

Ruth stared. Mary had always seemed so good and, well, religious. Her faith in God was evident. The idea that she had sinned by conceiving a child outside marriage was unthinkable. Now it made sense that going back to Nazareth would be difficult. And she had been staying with them for months! If Ruth’s mother found out, she would not be happy. She would say it brought disgrace on her house and family.

Mary could see what Ruth was thinking. “It’s not like that,” she said. “Jesus is a- special baby. An angel visited me, and told me I would have a child, and that he- he would be the son of God. He said the power of the Most High would overshadow me. I didn’t really understand what he meant by that, but, well, before long I found I was pregnant. ”

“What did Joseph say?” Ruth asked.

“He didn’t believe me at first. But then an angel visited him too. He told him what the baby would be called, and what he would do- that he would save us all from our sins. After that he believed me, and we were married. It has been hard for him too- his family did not understand why he still chose to marry me when he knew that I was pregnant, and that the child was not his. No one believed that I had not been unfaithful to him, even my own family. It was hard. But the angel said God would be with me- with us- and he has been. You and your mother have been very kind to us. Do you believe me?”

Ruth thought about all that had happened when Jesus was born, the visit of the shepherds and what they had said. She had met Joshua, the young shepherd, a few times on her journeys to the well, and he had told her more about the angels’ visit. Most people in the village had dismissed it as some sort of hallucination, probably due to some kind of mushrooms in their supper stew. But Ruth had seen their faces when they arrived to see the baby.

“I believe you,” she said to Mary.

Mary’s face suddenly lit up in a smile. “Thank you,” she said.