The King's Storyteller

The Kings Storyteller

Long before there was television, or films or even printed books, if you wanted a story, you needed a storyteller to tell it to you. Im going to tell you the tale of one of those storytellers

His name was Isaac and hed been telling stories since he was a small boy. Hed started by telling stories to his friends and family. They loved them, and soon his whole village realised that Isaac had a very special gift indeed. He could spin stories all night, stories to lift you up, stories to calm you down, stories to amaze you, stories to amuse you. Isaac always had a story. His fame spread round his village, and to the next village, and eventually it even reached to the capital city, and into the palace of the king.  Now kings like stories just as much as anyone else, and when the king heard of this new storyteller he decided that he wanted to hear his stories too.

So the king sent for Isaac  Come to the palace and you can be the Kings Storyteller. Isaac was very excited. The kings storyteller! What could be grander than that? Hed be telling stories to the rich and famous at the kings banquets, dressed in fine clothes. Hed be rich himself, and powerful too with the king for a friend.
But Isaac was nervous as well as excited, because this king was a king you may have heard of. His name was Herod and he was a hard man, a ruthless, cruel king. Keep him on your side and youd be set up for life; make an enemy of him and it could be the end of you.

But Isaac couldnt resist the lure of fame and fortune. So off he went to Jerusalem and to Herods palace. At first he was terrified, but soon he realised, that as long as you told Herod stories he wanted to hear, he was happy. And what sort of stories did he like? Stories, Isaac discovered, about kings like himself, ruthless kings, rich kings, kings who got their own way, no matter how.
So Herod was happy, and Isaac rose high in the court, rewarded with fine clothes and gold and a grand room in the palace

But one day something dreadful happened. Every morning when Isaac woke the first thing he did was to decide on a story to tell that night, but this particular morning , no matter how hard he racked his brains, he just couldnt think of a single tale he hadnt told. He tried to make up a new story, but nothing came into his head, no plot, no charactersHis head was empty of ideas, empty of words. What could he do? Things looked bad for him. If he couldnt think of a story by that night, hed be in a whole lot of trouble.

The day wore on, but still no story came to Isaac. The sun went down and Herods court began to gather in the great hall of the palace ready for that nights feasting to begin. Everyone settled down to eat and drink, but Isaac couldnt eat a mouthful. He had no idea what he would say when Herod summoned him out to tell his story.
Finally the moment came. Herod clapped his hands together Isaac! Kings Storyteller! tell me a story fit for a king!

Isaac stepped out into the middle of the room. His legs trembled in terror. Desperately hoping something would come to him, he opened his mouth…

But just at that moment the door was flung open and a servant rushed in with a great flurry of robes
Im sorry, your majesty, I just couldnt stop them
Stop who?, said Herod.
Visitors from the East, your majesty  stargazers of some sort, but very finely dressed. They say theyre searching for a new king, a baby king, a king who was promised long ago  theyve seen a star that announces his birth, and they thought you might know where he was. I told them to come back another day, but they insisted  they are right outside. Theyre on the way in, your majesty.
Herod went crimson with fury  “a new king! Why on earth would I want to tell anyone anything about a new king! Im the only king around here! How dare they! Are they complete fools?  Send them away!....
No, no, on the other hand he said , Dont send them away  bring them in here He looked around the room.Not a word from any of you, he said, with a wily smile on his face. Watch and learn! Ill show you what kings should be like!

Herod had forgotten about Isaac, much to Isaacs relief. He stepped quietly back against the wall - saved in the nick of time!

In came the visitors. Herod smiled his sweetest smile at them and beckoned them forward to tell their story. And what a story! They explained about the prophecies theyd read in their home far to the east, and the star theyd seen in the skya sign of the birth of a child God would send to bring justice and peace to the world.
Even Isaac thought it was far-fetched and hed told every tall tale in the book! But what we dont know, your majesty, said the star-gazers, “is where this child is to be born.

Herod smiled magnificently at them. If theres anything we can do to help noble gentlemen like yourselves, well be happy to do so he said. He summoned his advisers, people who knew the ancient scriptures. Any ideas?
Well, they said, there are ancient prophecies that talk about Bethlehem  King Davids birthplace  I suppose they could try there!”
There you are! said Herod, but be sure when you find him to come back and tell me  of course I want to go and welcome this new king too  such a great day for our nation! Now  stay and have some food, stay the night  its far too late to travel! But the stargazers wouldnt stay. They said they needed to travel at night to see the stars that guided them, so off they went.

 No time for a story tonight, Isaac! said Herod and I dont think even you could do better than all that nonsense weve just heard anyway! Isaac was off the hook! But as he headed home he had an idea. Hed still need a story for tomorrow, or hed be in the same trouble then. Those stargazers with their hare-brained errand  surely there would be a story in that somewhere. It would be a ridiculous story, but it might make the king laugh. After all they were obviously complete fools if theyd come to Herod to ask him about a rival king, so who knows what they might get up to next.

So Isaac slipped out of the palace and set out on the road towards Bethlehem. It wasnt long before he had the stargazers in his sights. They were moving slowly, laden with boxes and bags, stopping now and then to look up into the night sky. Funny, thought Isaac, there is something there, a star that seems brighter than the rest, one I havent noticed before. He shrugged and went on, keeping far enough behind them so they wouldnt spot him.

It wasnt far to Bethlehem  its only 7 miles from Jerusalem  and the travellers, with Isaac behind them, soon arrived. He followed as they wound their way through its narrow streets  past the big houses  surely this king would be in one of these? . But no, they went on till they came to a rather run-down house on the edge of town. There was no one about, just the light of that strange star shining above them. It seemed to be directly over this house. The travellers spoke quietly to each other  Isaac could see they were confused. This couldnt be right, could it? But then they heard a baby cry  there was a young child here.

They picked their way across the filthy yard of the house and called out softly. From inside the back room where the animals stayed at night, they heard someone call out a welcome. Isaac watched as they went in, lugging their boxes with them. He crept after them, and peered through a crack in the door. What an extraordinary sight! Right where they were, amidst the muck and straw, these finely dressed strangers were kneeling down. Before them was an ordinary looking man and woman with a small child in her arms. As Isaac watched they brought out gifts from their boxes  gold, sweet smelling frankincense, precious myrrh. What could make powerful, rich men like these kneel down in the dirt before a child? There was something extraordinary going on here. Isaac strained to hear what they were saying as they talked quietly with the childs mother and father. Something about Gods love for all people. Something about justice and welcome.

Isaac thought of the grand court where he had made his home, of the power games and the fear, of Herod, cruel Herod, and the iron grip he had on the lives of ordinary people, and suddenly, Isaac felt sick of it all. He leaned forward to try to hear better... when the door he was leaning on flew open with a great crash. Isaac went sailing through it and fell flat on his face in front of the mother and baby.  Wellall hell broke loose. The pigeons in the rafters flapped around in a panic. The animals in the stalls bellowed with fright, and of course the baby woke up and began to wail. But the babys mother just held him closer and smiled at Isaac as he lay on the filthy floor. “You could have just walked in, you know” she said, youre welcome too!”

For the second time that night, Isaac couldnt think of a single sensible thing to say, so he just said the first thing that came into his head. But I dont have a gift to give you he said, looking dismally at the stargazers presents. Then he thought again, No, perhaps thats not true  perhaps I do have something for you. In fact it may be a more precious gift even than this gold, frankincense and myrrh, begging your lordships pardon. You see  Im a storyteller, and I have a story to tell you, a true story that you need to hear And he told them about Herod, about his cruelty, and about the way he was trying to trick the stargazers into telling him where the child wasand about what he would do to if he found him.
They all listened with horror, realising what great danger this baby was in. Thank goodness Isaac had been there to warn them. It was a precious gift indeed that hed given them.

So at first light they all began to pack. The little family said they would head to Egypt, far from Herod. The stargazers decided to take a different route home; there was no way they were going back to Jerusalem  they werent that stupid.

And Isaac? Well, hed certainly found a story to tell  but he wasnt going anywhere near Herod with it!  And the more he thought about Herods court, Herods world, the less he wanted to be part of it anyway.  So Isaac just kept going, from village to village, town to town. And everywhere he went he told this new story of the child born in poverty who came to show Gods love for us all. Did he miss being the kings storyteller? No, because he still was the storyteller for a king, only now he told stories for the King of Heaven instead of for King Herod.

And they say that he wanders the world still, telling that old story to anyone who will listen. Who knows? That might be true. Or perhaps it is just the story that has travelled? After all, someone brought it to me, and Ive brought it to you, and its yours to give away to someone else. As those old storytellers like Isaac used to say, thats my tale, and now its told and in your hands I leave it.”
Amen




©Anne Le Bas   Christmas 2008