Interpreting a long-ago journey for a child’s understanding

This column by Ralph McGill appeared in the Dec. 23, 1966, The Atlanta Constitution.

“Tell me about it,” the small boy said ... .

“Well, there were camels and donkeys. They would have been able to see the cloud mists rising over the hills from the distant Sea of Galilee ... hanging there in big piles of clouds in a blue sky.” “Big clouds?” “Big, white, fluffy clouds. They like to hang around the sea.” “Do they like the sea?” “Yes, they like it.” “What else?” “There would have been a lot of noise. The camels grunt. The donkeys bray. There would have been a lot of dust. The children would have been yelling and running about, making the camels restless and the donkeys jumpy. There would have been mothers calling to their children ... . ” “Calling their names?” “Yes, you know, putting their hands up to their mouths and calling their names.” “Would the mamas be mad?” “Yes, some of them would be mad. Some of the children got slapped on their sensitive anatomy.” “I’ll bet they didn’t like that.” “No, they didn’t. But after a while they got started. The camels with bundles tied on their backs and others with people riding them moved on out. And the donkeys followed them. They, too, had women and children riding. And some of the people walked. Camels and donkeys don’t walk very fast.”

“What else was there?”

“Well, the country was pretty. It is hilly and in those days the hills were covered with olive trees, fig trees and grapevines. There were wheat and vegetables growing there, too.” “Olives like in bottles?” “Yes. They grow on trees like plums or apples or peaches. They are picked and put into barrels. Then people bottle them and send them to this country and you buy them in the grocery stores and at the delicatessen. The olive trees are very pretty. The leaves are small and they are silver, greenish gray.” “What else did they do?” “They were going from this town called Nazareth to a town called Bethlehem. Nazareth was a small town then. It is now. When I was was there a few years ago some Arab camel drivers had tied their camels to a gasoline pump. It must have taken the Nazarenes 10 days to make the trip. At night they would camp along the way, or stop at little towns. They would build fires and cook. They drove sheep along with them so they would have mutton. They cook mutton stew with cinnamon and cardamom seed. When it is cooked, everyone reaches into the dish with his hand and takes out pieces of meat. Then you roll up rice in little balls and dip them in the gravy and eat them. “Mama wouldn’t like that.” No. I can’t explain it. Over there it is all right. Over here you use a knife and fork. “What else?” “When they got to the town called Bethlehem there were a lot of people there. They couldn’t get into hotel or a tourist camp so they went to a barn. There a lot of straw there. Those people carry rugs and blankets with them. These rugs always smell of camels. They put the rugs down on the straw and slept there. The cave which was used as a stable is where the baby was born Whose birthday is Christmas Day. They called Him Jesus. It is a word whose ultimate meaning is that God can take us into another world when we leave this one.

“When his mother was able to travel again they went back home. I imagine she rode a donkey all the way. They are easier to ride than a camel. The little baby was wrapped up well, but as He rode along in his mother’s arms He could see the clouds and the hills and the silver leaves of the olive trees dancing in the wind on the hills of Ephraim.”