“Truly, it was a message from God,� said the shepherd, as he bowed his white head. “God has sent us this angel to tell us that the promised King has come.�
“But the angel said that the Babe was wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger,� questioned the boy. “Is it not strange for a prince to come to such a lowly palace?�
“Yes,â€� said the old man, “it seems strange, but we know that He is truly the gift of love from God—His only Son who has been promised to us for, lo, these many years. I thank God that my old eyes have been permitted to see this heavenly vision. Come, we must go in haste to find Him.â€�
“What gift of love shall we carry to the King, Grandsire?� whispered the boy.
“The most precious thing we own,� answered the old man, “that which we love the best.�
“But we shepherds have no gold nor silver, nor sparkling gems fit for a king,� said one of the shepherds. “What, then, can we carry to this child?�
“I know,â€� said the boy, as he looked lovingly down upon the little lamb which he was still holding in his strong young arms, “we can give this lamb—Snow-white; it is the purest and whitest little lamb from our flock. I love it and it is the best that we have to offer, and surely the good Father in Heaven knows that we are bringing our gift of love to the King.â€�
“The boy is right,â€� said the old man. “This baby lamb—the purest of the flock—is truly our gift of love.â€�
And so the shepherds went in haste down the hillside, the boy holding in his arms the baby lamb. Once it bleated softly, “Ma-Ma-a-a,� as though it called its mother, and the boy seemed to hear the mother-sheep on the hillside calling out, “Ba-ba-a-a,� as though she were calling her baby.
“Poor mother-sheep, she will be grieving for her little one,� said the boy to himself, “but if she could only understand she would be glad to give her lamb to the King.�