Five Kings

STAR OF WONDER, STAR OF NIGHT
~ ACCUSTOMED, CEREMONIOUS ~

Small (4" x 5") drawing in crayon, with no name or information,
found in my Grandma Rovilla Lindsey's 1964 diary.
I don't know if it was drawn by her, another family member,
a friend, or perhaps a Sunday School student???

"O Star of Wonder, Star of Night,
Star with Royal Beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to Thy perfect Light."
from the Christmas carol We Three Kings
by John Henry Hopkins Jr. (1820 – 1891)

Here's a refreshing and lovely
21st Century rendition by Pink Martini

Even though this chorus is so familiar, along with the well-known verses in which each of the three magi describes his gift, I felt there could be more to the story. In observation of Epiphany and MLK Day, I have written some additional verses:

Artaban, Fourth Wiseman am I
Precious jewels procured for the child
Ruby, sapphire, pearl of luster,
Each traded to spare a life

A Fifth King in latter day
comes alone to show us the way
Martin Luther King Junior
Preaching equality

Artaban and Batlthasar,
Caspar and Melchior,
Martin Luther King Junior
Five of the Wisest Kings

O Kings of vision, seeking right
Trav'ling through the darkest night
Westward leading, still proceeding
Toward the way, the truth, the life.

Thoughtful Cartoon Concept
More on Facebook
More on the QK

As conveyed in the lyrics of last month's post -- "three members of an obscure Persian sect" . . . "three of the wisest of men" -- tradition holds that three kings made their way to Bethlehem, but I am not the first to expand the number. You can see Martin Sheen portray The Fourth Wiseman in a dramatization of the story by Henry van Dyke, Jr. (1842 - 1933); and you can hear Jethro Tull's musical rendition of We Five Kings.

Nor does the speculation stop with five. In the droll yet introspective and quasi-historically accurate Cunk on Christmas: Moments of Wonder (2016), comedian Diane Morgan, aka Philomena Cunk, asks Reverend Canon Ann Easter: "How many Three Wiseman were there?" They both agree: "There could have actually been 15 three wise men." Right?!

More Wise Man Humor
[shared on facebook]

In the following song, the quirky Sparks stick with the traditional three wise men, but their edgy tribute to the magi is anything but conventional. In their unusual twist on the carol, "the girl with everything" receives "gifts to aid amnesia . . . a really pretty car . . . a partridge in a pear tree." Among other "imported gimmicks," she is given her own wall and a ball point pen, but has her good fortune improved her understanding of life? Will she be able to read the writing on the wall?

Something for the Girl With Everything
(1974)

Something for the girl with everything
See, the writings on the wall
You bought the girl a wall
Complete with matching ball-point pen
You can breathe another day
Secure in knowing she won't break you (yet)

Something for the girl with everything
Have another sweet my dear
Don't try to talk my dear
Your tiny little mouth is full
Here's a flavour you ain't tried
You shouldn't try to talk, your mouth is full

Something for the girl with everything
Three wise men are here
Three wise men are here
Bearing gifts to aid amnesia
She knows everything
Yes yes everyting
She knew way back when you weren't yourself

Something for the girl with everything
Here's a really pretty car
I hope it takes you far
I hope it takes you fast and far
Wow, the engines really loud
Nobodys gonna hear a thing you say

Something for the girl with everything
Three wise men are here
Three wise men are here
Where should they leave these imported gimmicks
Leave them anywhere
An-an-anywhere
Make sure that there's a clear path to the door

Something for the girl with everything
Something for the girl with everything
Something for the girl with everything
Something for the girl with everything

Three wise men are here
Three wise men are here
Three wise men are here
Three wise men are here

Here's a patridge in a tree,
A gardener for the tree
Complete with ornithologist
Careful, careful with that crate
You wouldn't want to dent Sinatra, no

Something for the girl who has got everything,
Yes, yes, everything
Hey, come out and say hello
Before your friends all go
But say no more than just hello
Ah, the little girl is shy
You see of late she's been quite speechless,
Very speechless
She's got everything

by the Sparks Brothers
Russell and Ron Mael


To conclude on a tender note.
in keeping with a star of wonder and light,
leading the wise men, seekers and seers,
whether three, four, five or fifteen . . .
The Star Carol

Long years ago on a deep winter night
High in the heavens, a star shone bright
While in the manger, a wee baby lay
Sweetly asleep on a bed of hay

Jesus our Lord was that baby so small
Laid down to sleep in a humble stall
Then came the star and it stood overhead
Shedding its light 'round His little head

Dear baby Jesus, how tiny Thou art
I'll make a place for Thee in my heart
And when the stars in the heavens I see
Ever and always I think of Thee

music by Alfred Shaddick Burt (1920 - 1954)
lyrics by Wihla Laverne Hutson (1901–2002)
sung by many, including Peggy Lee
and Simon and Garfunkel

Previous Fortnightly Post ~ Ever Bright Christmas Night
Also about "Three of the wisest of men."

Next Fortnightly Post
Sunday, January 28th

Between now and then, read
THE QUOTIDIAN KIT
my shorter, almost daily blog posts
www.dailykitticarriker.blogspot.com

Looking for a good book? Try
KITTI'S LIST
my running list of recent reading
www.kittislist.blogsppot.com