Their excited voices broke the spell as they all talked at once.
"He's come at last—the Messiah's come!"
"Where did the angel say?"
"The city of David—that means Bethlehem."
"Why are we waiting here? Let's go to Bethlehem."
"Yes, let's go to Bethlehem at once, and find out what has happened there."
For the first time in their lives, the shepherds left their sheep to look after themselves. Across the hills and the stone fences and the rocky fields the shepherds scrambled, and hardly stopped for breath till they reached the edge of the town. Everything in Bethlehem was dark as night can be. But no—not everything. One tiny speck of light was flickering in the blackness.
"He must be where the light is," said one of the shepherds.
Down the street they ran, and in through a door.
They were standing in a stable. There were no angels there. Instead of that, the shepherds saw cows and donkeys eating hay. A cold draft of air was blowing in around the cracks of the door and over the dirt floor. Beside one of the mangers they saw a man standing. A young woman was resting close by. She was watching a baby who lay in the straw.