NO Place to Stay the Night!

24 Chisleu

December 20th
Dear Diary;
This page will surely be unreadable because I can’t keep the tears from falling. We finally reached Bethlehem at nightfall but there was no room in the khan. No room at all! All the rooms over the shelter for the animals were overcrowded with wealthier wayfarers than us, while in the courtyard below, the animals had scarcely enough room to shuffle around. The innkeeper seemed apologetic, but helpless. Yosef pleaded for him to suggest someplace—anywhere as a place for us to stay, but the poor, overwrought innkeeper shook his head sorrowfully.
“I am sorry. So sorry,” the innkeeper said, stroking his long, wavy beard agitatedly. He lifted his hand to point at the people crowding around. “See this entire multitude? They too, are in the same predicament that you are in.”
“But is there not somewhere, any where that we can go?”
In Yosef’s desperation he reached out to clutch the steward’s striped garment.“Look, it is not for me that I am concerned.” Yosef continued, “It is for my wife! She is young, and slight of build, yet great with child. I fear that all this traveling may bring her travail upon her earlier than it ought! We need to find a shelter where she can rest.”
The paunchy innkeeper’s brow furrowed as he gazed around as if looking for direction. Someone plucked at his sleeve, demanding attention, but with a scowl he nudged him aside. “Over on yonder ridge is the town but you will fare no better there. Nary a house is without guests at this time. Many have been waiting here a long time for the census, and I fear no one is willing or able to take in more travelers.”
“But is there no where for us to go?”
“Yonder ridge has its share of caves. Many of them will be used as stables in this present predicament, but if you can find a little privacy, and rest in one of them, you are welcome to it.
I will send a servant after you with fresh straw.
“If you should require a midwife in the near future, I may find a moment to check into it, but it will be nigh impossible to secure one at this time. More than one woman is in the same condition as your sweet wife.”
In gratitude Yosef took his hand, and clasped it, then reached for the lead strap on the donkey so we could clamber awkwardly down among the rocks in search of a grotto turned into a stable. I lowered the veil back over my face lest Yosef would see the despair written there.

We did find a cave, however, without too much searching, and when Yosef was able to get the clay lamp lit, it seemed more cozy and inviting. It was rather crowded, unfortunately, but Yosef is trying to persuade some of our fellow cave dwellers to take their lowing, smelly, burden bearers, and hustle off to give us a measure of privacy.

I am so weary that all I want to do is remove my wet garments, find something dry to wear, and sleep.

Yosef is rather anxiously fluffing up the fresh straw, which was delivered by a young lad with a hand cart and is shaking out our blanket. I laid out the baby’s swaddling strips near the fire to dry. Fortunately we had kept one blanket back so it wouldn't get wet on the trip. It was somewhat damp in a couple places but was better than nothing. We sat beside a central fire until I was warmed up, which seemed to take forever, then crawled under our one rather thin blanket.

This grotto is rather crowded. In the stall next to ours are two tired donkeys, whose owners are lounging against the nearby wall. In the far end of the cave there is some activity going on. I think a shepherd is about to aid a ewe in giving birth. Will there be two male ‘lambs’ born tonight?

If you picked the picture for this story at random, and want to know what happened next, click on the picture from before this one to get the continued version.