In a far Eastern country It happened long of yore, Where a lone and level sunrise Flushes the desert floor,
That three kings sat together And a spearman kept the door. Caspar, whose wealth was counted By city and caravan;
With Melchior, the seer Who read the starry plan; And Balthasar, the blameless, Who loved his fellow man.
There while they talked, a sudden Strange rushing sound arose, And as with startled faces They thought upon their foes,
Three figures stood before them In imperial repose. One in flame-gold and one in blue And one in scarlet clear,
With the almighty portent Of sunrise they drew near! And the kings made obeisance With hand on breast, in fear.
“Arise,” said they, “we bring you Good tidings of great peace! To-day a power is wakened Whose working must increase,
Till fear and greed and malice And violence shall cease.” The messengers were Michael, By whom all things are wrought
To shape and hue; and Gabriel Who is the lord of thought; And Rafael without whose love All toil must come to nought.
Then Rafael said to Balthasar, “In a country west from here A lord is born in lowliness, In love without a peer.
Take grievances and gifts to him And prove his kingship clear! “By this sign ye shall know him; Within his mother's arm
Among the sweet-breathed cattle He slumbers without harm, While wicked hearts are troubled And tyrants take alarm.”
And Gabriel said to Melchior, “My comrade, I will send My star to go before you, That ye may comprehend
Where leads your mystic learning In a humaner trend.” And Michael said to Gaspar, “Thou royal builder, go
With tribute of thy riches! Though time shall overthrow Thy kingdom, no undoing His gentle might shall know.”
Then while the kings’ hearts greatened And all the chamber shone, As when the hills at sundown Take a new glory on
And the air thrills with purple, Their visitors were gone. Then straightway up rose Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar,
And passed out through the murmur Of palace and bazar, To make without misgiving The journey of the Star.
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