Be Ye Separate

The Boy Without A Name

   Long, long ago there was a boy who worked at an inn. We know not his name; but we will tell you a story about him. He was the boy-of-all-work. It was his task to look after the cattle, and to do odd jobs at the inn. There came a time when thee was a great stir at this inn, for the little town was full of pilgrims, and the inn was overcrowded. A number of folk wanted lodgings, and they sought for them, and found them not. Amongst these was a tired woman and a man with a troubled look. The stable boy heard them pleading with the landlord. The landlord was kind but firm, and said, "I should like to take you into the inn, but it is quite impossible. I have already turned many away." The man and the woman pleaded, but to no avail. The lad of the inn heard the eager request and the firm refusal, and his heart was strangely stirred. He slipped away from them and said to himself, "They will find their way to the stable. I will make it sweet and clean for them." So he ran speedily and made everything as tidy as possible, and put clean, fresh, sweet-smelling hay in the manger, and then went back to the inn, for there was much work for him to do there.

   Some time after he slipped out of hte inn and beheld a strange light in the wind-swept shed. There he saw the two tired pilgrims, and, O wonder of wonders, a babe ~ lying in a manger in the warm, fresh, sweet-smelling hay. All was clean, tidy and homely, and the man and the woman and the child looked so happy. The boy was so merry and said, "I put the hay there on which the baby sleeps. No one knows; it is better when nobody knows." Back again he ran to his work, and whistled for sheer joy as he bustled about, answering the quick calls of the many people at the inn. Night fell ~ a clear night, full of stars. The boy slipped out of the inn and ran to the stable. He said, "I should just like one more peep before I go to sleep." Amazement fell upon him. There were, O wonder of wonders, shepherds kneeling, and they were all gazing with joyous astonishment at the babe lying in the manger. They spoke of the heavenly light, of the song of angels, of tidings of great joy to all people. No one noticed the boy of he inn, for he hid himself in the darkness. But he saw all, and as he lay down to rest he said, "I placed the hay there for the wonderful child. No one knows; it is better when nobody knows."

   The next day the boy of the inn was busy ~ all the world seemed calling for him, for the inn was crowded, and the pilgrims needed so many things. He had no time during the day to go to the manger, but as he ran to and fro on his errand he saw the vision of a babe, lying on clean, fresh, sweet-smelling hay. He was so glad that he had brought the hay, that he had placed it in the manger, and that the child slept sweetly in this soft bed. He longed to see the babe again, but not until night was he able. Then swiftly he ran, and, O wonder of wonders, he saw kingly pilgrims, swarthy of face, kneeling in lowly adoration before the manger. They talked of a star they had seen in the East, of long journeys over burning sands, and of the wondrous joy which was theirs in worshipping the babe. They brought forth beautiful gifts ~ gold, frankincense and myrrh ~ and these, they said, were gifts for the babe. The strange light in the stable made the precious jewels flash with heavenly splendour. The little boy kneeled in the shadows, and worshipped and rejoiced, and said, "What beautiful gifts!...but mine was first, for I came before the shepherds and the distant travellers, and tidied the stable, and brought the present of clean, fresh, sweet-smelling hay. I am glad that I was the first to bring a gift, and that love led me to make a warm bed for the kingly babe. No one knows, it is better when nobody knows." And no man or woman or child would ever have known had not an angel told me this Christmas-tide the story; but even he did not mention the name of hte dear boy, but always called him "the boy without a name."

I pray you enjoy this as much as we have over the years:)

Would that I would strive to be a "boy without a name".:)

God be with thee!

Sister Lori