Did you know, as many depictions as there are of Mary riding a donkey to Bethlehem, there was no donkey in the birth story recorded in Matthew and Luke? But any respectable man would get his pregnant wife help for the long journey, thus, adding the donkey to the story for many artists.

Although some elements remain in both versions, Matthew 1 and 2 or Luke 2, they are unique perspectives, just as two siblings living in the same household would retell a family story. The fascination of the two versions, what one said or didn’t and how it was told by another, was a puzzle to piece together following the idea of writing a comprehensive children’s animated musical about the birth of Jesus. Through the eyes of the beholder, different lenses, different tales — deciphering the story really does take creative license. I had room to conjure up the story based on facts.

FICTION:

The shepherds and the Wise Men were the first to see Jesus

FACT:

It was the animals in the stable or near the manger. There was no room for them in the inn, so they found refuge as any homeless person would, the best next-place available. Depending on the version, there was “no room at the inn,” “no guest room” or “living quarters.”

Just imagine — if all the Broussards had to go to St. Martinville to register their family for the first census, where would they all sleep? They’d be all over the church grounds. Every bed would be filled and most houses would be running over. A family reunion that big had to have some visiting going on along with the registration process. Nobody left the same day to walk back home.

So it was in Bethlehem, until after baby Jesus was born.

FICTION:

The Wise Men arrived the night Jesus was born

FACT:

Calculating the amount of time it would take for Wise Men from the east to arrive, they did not show up the night Jesus was born. They were more likely not from the next town over, or even in the fields as the shepherds were — thus making the shepherd the next group besides the towns people to see the baby in the manger. And where is east of Israel?

By my calculations and the comments of the travelers asking King Herod where to find the baby king — coupled with the fact that Herod ordered all the babies under two years of age to be killed so as not to have a king other than himself — the Wise Men traveled from far away by foot or on camel, or other animal. They studied the stars, which led them by divine revelation to Jerusalem.

What clinched it for my imaginative creative timeline, was the mention in Matthew 2:9 through 11 about a house, or in other translations, “the place where the child was.” They did not arrive in time to see him in the manger. Just imagine if you were related to Joseph Broussard and his wife gave birth underneath the Evangeline Oak. Wouldn’t you give up your bedroom for them to have a better place to rest? I think so.

In “Donkey Otie’s Forever Birthday Story,” the movie, I made Jesus a toddler, about 18 months old, and in one particular illustration, he is doing what his father Joseph was doing — grooming Donkey Otie like Joseph was grooming Mrs. Horse. Oh, the stories yet to be told from the illustrations in the book. It’s so exciting to talk about them, that’s why I have so much fun reading the story to an audience of children and parents alike. It rarely comes out the same, because from time to time I’ll remember something, or a particular lesson comes to mind that I share never knowing who might be listening, and need to know more about the first years of growing up in Israel and Egypt.

Even now more than 17 years after receiving the poem, 11 years since writing the script, I have to refer back to the scriptures to make sure I’m not making things up. God teaches us what we need to know when we search His Word. It doesn’t matter what the season, there’s always a reason to read the Bible, Old and New Testaments. And, thus the reason for the old Donkey Otie on the cover of the book, and his young portrait on the title page. Donkey Otie met Jesus as a young donkey, but he told the “birthday story” all the days of his life.

Vicky Branton is the Teche Life editor at The Daily Iberian.