© Ελένη Τσαλίκη
I am the manger
© Eleni Tsaliki
I'm
the manger. My story began on a shady mountain, where I lived with my mommy, a
tall leafy pine tree, and I was one of its’ branches. But my story did not end
there.
I'm
the manger. This was not my name since my first days, because we, the trees, do
not have names. We do not go anywhere, we do not mess around with anybody or
anything, so … no need for names. That's what people called me. Oh! People...
I'm
the manger. I was living as a happy branch of my mommy, until people came. They
arrived one day with axes and, bang-bang, they threw my mom on the ground. They
said to each other something like, "What a great cross this log will
be!" My mommy, a log! Oh! People...
They
separated us. My mom was very proud and affectionate. She didn’t say a single
word as they broke her down with the axes, not to make me sad. Just, as they
took her away from me, she said to me loudly: "Good luck, my little one!
Have my blessing".
I
didn’t see her again.
They
loaded me into a small cart and took me to a village. Bethlehem was its name; a
long time would pass before I would learn this name. As if the hurt from the
cutting and the separation from my mommy was not enough, they chopped me again,
into smaller pieces and, with crooked tools and rusty nails, they made from me
a wooden box. On top of me they stacked hay, that is dried grass and they put
me in a dark place, like a cave, that was ... stinking a lot. Dung was the
right word for this stinky thing, that the animals left after they had eaten
the dried grass on top of me. They used to lick me, sometimes kick me; but,
worst of all, they made me stinky! I was longing for the fresh air of the
mountain and the perfumes of herbs and trees. And for my mommy...
Time
was going, and this was my life. I already had a name, as I told you. Manger.
Once
upon a time …upon a time, I had begun to learn these people and their works; to
distinguish men from women and children from elders, the oxen from the sheep
and the donkeys from the horses. I could say, I was "going to
school"! And so, somewhat advanced in learning as I was, one day I
realized a great deal of mess. People were rushing, animals came and left, no
calm at all. Something was happening in the world of people, a strange word
sounded: "census", I think, they were saying. I did not understand
what it was.
In
the evening of that weird day, even stranger things were to happen in front of
my eyes. Two poor people, dusty and tired, almost shuffling, entered my place. But they did not
complain. The woman –the other one was an old man– had a huge, bulgy belly. I
had learned that this is how their bellies are when women are going to have
their babies. The woman was silent and the old man very anxious. They put a
cloth on the ground and sat down to rest.
I
have told you earlier that this place was dark. It was very late, almost
midnight. Animals do not need light at night; as soon as it gets dark, they
fall asleep. Yet I could not close my eyes! Something unprecedented was
happening. Little by little, in my dark house, a shine started to appear. There
was no oil lamp or candle or window or moon or sunlight or anything. But still there was light. The woman with the big
belly whispered silently something like a prayer, and the old man stared up at
the sky, outside the cave. He had his hands raised; probably he was praying.
Even
stranger things were to happen. Inside the cave, which was my home, a kind of
presence started to come... I do not know how to name it, something with big
wings. Neither birds were nor butterflies or bees. As people who don’t touch or
walk on the ground, they were only flying around with their wings and there was
a music coming out of their mouths. And it was not like the one from
nightingales or other birds! No! It was more beautiful! Much more beautiful. So
many voices, so much light, innumerable presences and ... Oh, my God, Lord of
the whole world and of the trees and the mountains! Something touched me and I
shivered all over. As I was covered with straw –I'm the manger– I could not see
it at first, but I felt it! I felt it, I insist! A small light weight, a soft
touch, a sweet breath, a little movement, something vibrant, gorgeous, a little
baby.
How
and when? Who and what? I don’t know. What I know is that everything has
changed. The light dazzled my eyes, a flood of light; neither the sun on the
mountain, a cloudless day, nor, of course, the moon, had ever shed such a
light. That stone cave seemed to be transparent and gleaming. The music came
out of the mouth of the creatures with the wings –I now know their name is
"angels"– and it came in and flowed inside me, although I am a few
pieces of wood, a log, as those people called my mommy. The woman –who now had
no big belly– and the old man smiled happily. They no more reminded me of that
exhausted worried couple who had entered the cave just a few hours ago.
But
the miracles of that night were not over. That plank, which served as a door to
the cave, opened wide and a crowd of people began to come in. What did they do?
They were kneeling in front of me. Their heads were leaning, touching the
baby's feet, that was sleeping on the hay, on my heart. They covered it with
clothes, spoke to the baby with astonished but respectful faces, brought him
lambs and goats as a gift. The angels wandered unceasingly, the animals
approached and blew their breaths on the baby to warm it up, and… you know
something? It stank no more! Only the sweet breath of a baby filled the cave,
my home.
I'm
the manger. A piece of wood, a log, maybe. But that little boy touched me, and
all these wonderful things immediately happened; and not only these. Many-many
wonders followed. Because, it did not take long and a caravan stopped in front
of the open, this time, door. I didn’t know where to look at. Outside the door,
a huge star was sparkling in the sky and its’ light was shining, making it as
if it were daytime. The light inside was more
than the light outside. Three old people, with strange costumes, came
down from a carriage. They held golden
glittering boxes that smelled wonderfully. They knelled in front of me, and
they offered the boxes to the woman. She was staring at her little boy.
Something was heard about a "king." The woman did not answer.
I'm
the manger and I tell you the truth. Everything took place in front of me; but
also something else happened. This "something" happened deep inside
me: I was a log, a branch separated from my mommy, hatched,
nailed, left in a dark cave, among animals that were filthy; Wasn’t I? I was,
indeed; but not anymore. I was a log, but I felt like a throne. I was covered
with grass but I felt wearing royal clothes. I had a cave for my house but I
became the King's first home. They had cut me with axes and nailed me, but people
were now bowing in front of me, kissing my own woods, because they did not even
dare to touch the legs of the little child, the King.
I'm
the manger. I don’t know why the King chose me to lay upon me; maybe it was my
mommy's blessing, maybe He wanted to comfort me because of my endless pains.
But I know He came, and He touched me. I hugged Him, I covered Him with what I
had, I told Him the lullaby I knew. He was my first guest and I was His first cradle. I'm the Manger.
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