Second Sunday in Advent

by Karl-Heinrich Waggerl

The holy bible does not talk about the ox and the donkey, but my mother told me the story: As Mary and Joseph were on the way to Bethlehem, the archangel gathered all the animals to choose this or that one that would behave properly in the barn with the holy family.

The first to introduce himself was the lion. Only someone of noble descent was worthy to serve the Lord, he roared. He would stand in front of the door and tear to pieces anyone getting to close to the child.

"You are too ferocious" said the angel.

The fox then sneaked in with the innocent face of a thief. "King or not" he said, "the most important is food". He promised to bring the sweetest honey to the child and  a chicken a day to his parents.

"You are too deceitful" said the angel.

The peacock now entered. With a sweeping noise, his tail spread out like a fan of feathers that sparkled in the sun. "So shall I also do in the barn" he said, "and it will be no less magnificent than Solomon's temple".

"Too much vanity" said the angel.

Many others followed, the cat and the dog, the smart owl, the sweet-voiced nightingale, each praising his art, but in vain. Finally, the demanding angel glanced around and saw the ox and the donkey, working hard at plowing the fields. He called to them: "you out there, what could you do?"

"Nothing, your honor" sadly said the donkey, "We have learned nothing but obedience and patience, everything else has caused us trouble."

"But" shyly added the ox, "perhaps could we wave our tails from time to time and chase the flies away ?"

"So be it !" said the angel.