Then the dream would fade away. The dreamer would just be trudging along the dusty road, or watching the camel caravans go by, or standing in the Temple with the crowds of unhappy people pushing all around him. It was just a dream. The Romans were still there. There was no Messiah anywhere to be seen. If only the King would come! [Illustration] 2. A King Is Born Nobody saw the lions in the daytime, for they were sleeping in their caves. But at night they might come out to prowl around the rocky hills, looking for a fat sheep to eat. After dark the hyenas and jackals began to howl. Robbers might be somewhere in the darkness too. In the night, when other folk were fast asleep, a good shepherd needed to be awake and on the watch, to see that no harm came to his sheep and lambs. One night when winter was in the air, some shepherds were huddled together on a stony field not far from the town of Bethlehem. Not many miles to the north lay Jerusalem, the capital city of Palestine. But here in the fields it was quiet, and lonely, and cold. The shepherds sat upon the rocks, or stood leaning upon their staves. Now and again one of them would see something move, or hear a little rustling sound. He would raise his eyes and peer out anxiously into the darkness to make sure that all was well. Suddenly, without any warning, the sky was flooded with light from beyond the clouds. Everything had been dark a minute before, but now every stone and tree and hillock in the field showed up bright as day. The shepherds jumped to their feet. Some were too frightened to speak, and others cried out in terror. "What is it?" "What can it be?" "It's the glory of the Lord," one called out. "Lord, have mercy upon us!" Suddenly they heard a loud, clear voice. "Shepherds!" Silence fell upon the group. "Shepherds, do not be afraid. I bring you the good news which all the Jews have waited so long to hear. This very day, Christ your Saviour has been born in the city of David. And this is how you will know him: you will find him as a baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger." [Illustration] The voice broke off, and a great chorus began to sing. The sky rang with the music, and these were the words of the song: "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, good will toward men." As quickly as they had come, the light and the singing were gone. There was just the darkness again, and the far-off howling of wild beasts. Everything was the same as before, except that the shepherds' eyes were still blinded by the light, and their ears were full of the music. [Illustration] 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."