The Robin
Where Jesus spoke, people came to listen. The more
he spoke, the greater the crowds. He was thought
by some who heard him to be the Saviour who, God
had promised, would lead the Jewish people to
their own land, a land, blessed by the Lord, that
would be green enough for cows to graze, where
trees would bear fruit, where flowers would grow,
and where the air would be sweet---a land of milk
and honey.
Many called Jesus the King of the Jews, and his
fame spread all the way to Tiberius, the Emperor
of Rome. Tibeius was angered by the idea that
there were people who believed Jesus was more
important than he.
"King indeed!" he thought. "We'll see."
Tiberius sent a message to his governor, Pontius
Pilate, that the "king" should be arrested. So the
governor's soldiers found Jesus and brought him to
Pontius Pilate, who condemned Jesus to death by
crucifixion. They would nail him to a cross. (In
those days, that's how common criminals were
punished).
The soldiers stripped Jesus of his clothes, dressed
"Here is our King of the Jews," they mocked.
When they had had enough, they took off his scarlet
robe and gave him back his own clothes, leaving
only the crown made of thorns upon his head.
The Romans crucified their criminals on the hill
called Calvary, just outside the old city of
Jerusalem.
They made Jesus carry up this road the very cross
to which he would be nailed.
As it is told by some who say they were there, a
little robin saw that a thorn from Jesus' crown had
pierced his forhead, and he was bleeding. The tiny
bird flew down and plucked out the thorn. But as he
did a drop of Jesus' blood fell upon the bird's
breast, staining it red.
From that time to this, it is said, robins have had
red breasts as a reminder that one of them was kind
to Jesus that sad day.
