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“I want the master,” A voice cried in the court. “An order From Caesar, from the lord himself, Commands you go at once this hour For a great census in the city Of Bethlehem. Set forth at once.” That stern commanding voice is gone; The echo rings above the wood. So Mary went at once to bake Some cakes; and then without a word She put them in a little basket; Without a word she followed Joseph To Bethlehem. “O holy power, Protect me now, my God most dear,” That’s all she said. And so they go. Both of them are depressed and sad. Poor as they are--they drive before them The goat and with it its young kid, For there’s no one to care for them, And God might send to her the baby Upon the journey and the milk Would be a godsend to the mother. The animals stray onward feeding Along the way and side by side The man and woman walk behind them. And they begin to speak just as They will but softly. Joseph said: “The high priest Simeon said once To me a word prophetic, true. The holy law of Abraham And Moses now the pious Essenes Renew again in all its power; And I shall never die--he told me,-- Until I see myself Messiah. O Mary, do you hear my words, Messiah comes.” “Nay, he has come, Ourselves we have Messiah seen.” Sweet Mary said. Then Joseph looked Within the basket, found a cake. He gave it to her. “Take this, child! Be strong for what is coming now! We are not near to Bethlehem, And I will rest for I am weary.” So they sat down beside the road To rest. Then while they’re sitting there, The righteous sun sank quickly down And hid itself behind the hill. It sank to rest and darkness came At once--and then a miracle. No one had ever heard or seen Of such a marvel. Joseph trembled For from the east a blazing comet Rose over Bethlehem far off. The comet seemed to be of fire And lighted all the steppe and mountains. But Mary did not rise from off The road. ’Twas then she bore her son, That child who by his wondrous power Saved all of us from prison cruel And as a saint was crucified For us, the evil and the sinful! Not far away along the road The shepherds saw the miracle And they gave heed. The wretched mother Together with the child they took And carried them into their cave And there the wretched shepherds gave To him the name Emmanuel.

By sunrise in the market place Of Bethlehem the people gathered And whispered the exciting news That something strange would happen now In all Judea. They passed along The news in quiet tones. “O people,” A shepherd came and shouted out, “The words of Jeremiah and Isaiah now are true, are true! Among us shepherds has been born Messiah yesterday.” It spread Throughout the whole of Bethlehem. “Messiah!... Jesus!... Hail!... Hosanna!” The people scattered.