The Unusual Story of the 3 Kings

The old monk opened a big dusty storybook as the schoolboys sat around him on the cathedral floor. He was going to tell them a story of Christmas. 

“Once, a very long time ago, there were three travelers from the East who went to see the Christ-Child. Balthazar, Mechior...and Doris!”

“Doris?” the biggest novice said. “Wasn’t the third king called Caspar?”

“Ah well, thereby hangs a tale,” the old monk said, and then he began to tell it....

Mrs Caspar opened the flap of the tent and had a good look at her husband who was complaining he had a headache. She peered at his face and sure enough there were big red spots all over it. “You’ve got measles” she said “you can’t possibly go on a journey looking like that”. 

“But I’ve got to go” he said “Three of us have been gazing at the sky for ages and ages. We knew that something really important was going to happen and then we saw a sign in the night sky. An enormous star. It was a sign that a new king is going to be born. A really special king.  We have to bring him gifts. It is really important that we pay him homage, that is kneel before him, and bring him gifts. 

“Well, I’ll just have to go instead of you” she said. “I can borrow your head-dress, your crown and your camel and no-one else will notice the difference. Now what you need is some hot soup and a nice long rest and I’ll get your present wrapped.”

“What have you bought him anyway? You have to be very careful with presents for babies. 

Did you get him a nice soft cuddly toy? Or a rattle (they’re good) or some nappies. You can never have too many nappies.”

“I got him frankincence,” Caspar said. 

“What? Frankincense. You bought him air freshener?! Air freshener! Are you trying to tell his mum he is smelly or something. Do you want to get yourself executed? Why don’t you get him something sensible like a nice little blanket to put in his crib.”

“But,” said Casper, “This is a special baby. He needs a special present.”

And then, in between mouthfuls of hot chicken soup, Casper explained why he had to bring the baby frankincense. 

“Frankincense isn’t just air freshener. The priests use it in the temple. They light it and the smoke goes up into the sky, symbolizing our prayers going up to God. I need to bring him frankincense because he is going to be a bit like a priest too. He is going to teach us how to pray and get close to God. We have gone very far from God’s way of love and we’re not good at praying and he will help us become holy again.” 

“I see” said Doris. “Well I suppose it will also come in handy next to the nappy bucket”

I’d better go and see what the other kings have brought. I hope they haven’t brought silly presents.

She went off to see Balthazar. “I’m coming with you to see the baby” She said. “Caspar is ill and I have his present. What have you brought as a gift for him?”

“I’ve brought him myrrh” Balthazar said. “Myrrh?” She sighed “You kings are useless at buying presents. You got him antiseptic. I suppose you brought him a syringe as well. Why didn’t you get him a nice toy?”

Balthazar tried to explain. “But this is a special baby king. He needs special symbolic presents. Caspar brought him frankinsence because he is going to be like a priest, helping us to pray. An I brought him myrrh because he is going to be like a prophet, a healer, who will make us better when we are ill, just like the antiseptic myrrh does when we fall over and graze our knees. Also it reminds us of the spices they put in tombs because he will  heal us from death too. 

“He will heal us from death. That’s amazing. Ok you can bring him myrrh.” Said Doris. Then she went to see Melchior.

Melchior had brought the baby gold. “Ah. That’s better” said Doris. “Now mum and dad can get him anything they like.” But, said Melchior. “Gold is a symbolic present too. Casper got the baby frankincense because he will teach us to pray. Balthazar got him myrrh because he will be a healer, and I got him gold because he will be a king and kings always need lots of gold for building roads and that sort of thing. 

“ I see” said Doris. “Frankincense for a priest, myrrh for a healer-prophet, and gold for a king.” So he is going to be a super-baby who does all these things. 

“Yes he will be a super-baby. You just wait and see when he grows up.”

And so they travelled a very long way, and met the new-born king. And Mary and Joseph loved the presents even more because they were unusual ones, because Jesus was a very special baby indeed.