The Obligations of Goodness

You may be surprised to know, said Pliny the Elder, that there most certainly was a cock present at the nativity.

Oh really? I said. And how do you know that?

Research, said Pliny. There is an American book currently in print called Cock-a-Doodle Christmas, which features a rooster at the scene. It is the story of a young rooster called Harold.

What happens to Harold? I asked.

He lives on a farm, said Pliny, with Old Rooster. One day Old Rooster decides to leave the farm to live with his sister. Young Harold is now responsible for waking everyone up in the morning. Unforunately his crow is too soft and he fails in his task.

Poor Harold! I said. But what has it to do with the nativity?

I don't know, said Pliny. Amazon dot com doesn't reveal the rest of the plot. I suppose if they did you would not buy the book. But the picture on the front cover shows Joseph, Mary, Jesus and Harold in a happy tableau.

Where exactly is Harold? I enquired.

On the fence, crowing, said Pliny. He looks colourful and active, but extremely small.

Perhaps they're glad he doesn't crow too loudly, I observed. But that doesn't seem a satisfactory resolution to the story. It would have to go like this:

Baby Jesus was born in a stable. It was a big night. There were visitors and presents. At last they all go to sleep. Then it's morning. Harold cock-a-doodle doos, but not very loudly, No one wakes up. Later on when they do wake up, they all say It's good that little rooster has such a puny crow. At least we all got to sleep in. Hurrah!

Not satisfactory at all, agreed Pliny. And it doesn't fit in with the illustration. The family are awake and smiling; Harold is crowing on the fence.

Well, how do you think it ends? I asked.

Probably with some kind of transformative redemption, said Pliny thoughtfully. Remember that Harold would have been very unhappy that he had failed at his job. It's my guess that Harold is so overcome by the birth of baby Jesus that his next morning crow bursts out of him in loud joyful peals at a suitably late hour of the morning to the satisfaction of everyone.

That's lovely Pliny, I said. You should write a nativity book.

No, said Pliny. Just because one is good at something does not mean one is obliged to do it.