Ephraim

Ten year old Saulie and the others heard their friend Ephraim calling them but the village boys didn’t really want to stop playing hide-n-seek. It was one of their favorite games. He could just wait a while, they figured.
But Ephraim didn’t wait. He came to the play area and called the boys’ names one by one. This time he was standing there looking at them. They had to answer him.

Ephraim never played hide-n-seek with his friends because he had a slight limp from an illness he’d got during infancy.

“Go away, we’re playing. We’ll talk to you later,” Saulie said.

“No, I want you to see what I have to show you. I won’t go away till you have all seen it,” he said.

“You’re a mule,” said Ben, one of the friends. “Go away now or we’ll throw stones at ya!”

Saulie laughed at Ben’s words. “He’s joking,” Saulie said. “Still, go away and leave us be.”

“No,” Ephraim said. He was adamant. “You have to follow me. I want you to see with your own eyes.”

“A new calf? Puppies?” Ben said.

“No,” Ephraim said. “It’s more than that.”

Finally the boys knew they’d have to give in to crippled Ephraim or be pestered endlessly. Ephraim was truly the most persistent boy in the village. He took after his old man. Everybody knew that.

“Okay, we’ll go,” Saulie said. “But five minutes only. No more.”

The boys followed Ephraim toward the stable that stood behind the village inn. Little Ephraim limped as fast as he could. He was proud his friends were following him and took care not to let their patience wear too thin. Some of the villagers saw the little gang hurrying, but it wasn’t the first time they’d seen the same spectacle. Limp or no limp, Ephraim just seemed a born leader.

The boys were just as surprised as Ephraim had been when they finally got close enough to see through the stable’s double doors. Inside the simple structure they saw a strange man, woman and baby. The baby was wrapped and lying in the cows’ feed trough! The boys laughed at such a sight and poked each other. The baby had been born during the night. The man and woman were talking to some of the villagers who’d managed to scrape up some food for the humble couple and squeeze inside the stable to offer it to them. The food, drink and talk made for a merry atmosphere. After about ten minutes, the boys went back to their game. Ephraim was happy and filled with peace. He could swear that he and his gang had witnessed something special. Of course, one never knew for sure, though.