A Crabby Christmas at Hug Point
The Three Wise Men story is a Christmas favorite known and loved by most of us, but few know of similar stories found in the parallel universe (PU) of the animal kingdom.
T he crabs of the Bering Sea have such a story. It begins with a young King Crab, too small to harvest, being thrown back into the sea. He returns bringing tales from the topsiders about “a deliverer” born to them in a manger.
The wild and treacherous Bering sea had always kept the crab kingdom safe until technology allowed an invasion of thousands of topsiders into their crabby realm. They had lost many in recent decades. They too, needed a deliverer.
Legend has it that one winter, not too long ago, they received word through the ‘STARS’ (a starfish social networking group) of the birth of a “special crab”. One, they said was destined to free all crabs. One, born in a cave at Hug Point (on the northern Oregon coast) far to the south. After much discussion the crabs decided to send envoys.
The King Crabs, with their typical resolute crabbiness, said they would go (with their long legs – it was only logical); plus being related to Hermit Crabs they walk forwards instead of sideways. This was important lest they wind up in Japan.
They would go on behalf of all crabs taking gifts and pledges of service and loyalty to this chosen one. Giving their most treasured icons: a Watch (symbolizing mastery of time); a Sextant (the mastery of space), both salvaged from a sunken ship (they are scavengers after all). And lastly they took their most valuable item, The Crab Kingdom’s Trident of power.
Three crab princes were selected as emissaries; two elders and the young throwback messenger. They set out on the long journey periodically checking the STARS to guide them.
Finally arriving at Hug Point they found the baby King of Crabs. He who would teach his people how to stay out of the crab pots, and how to entangle the pots in the rest of the trash the topsiders had dumped on the sea floor. Finally their captain had arrived!
After presenting their gifts they chatted with the baby's parents who told them what the divine messenger had said to them about the life of this King of Crabs. He would eventually suffer and die for the crabbiness of all crabs; He would rise from death; defeating it for all crabs, while never raising a claw. This was the divine plan for defeating evil.
They were shocked as they realized this crustacean was offering a spiritual deliverance and not a political one. “We all die at some point and must deal with that, we appreciate the offer,' said one, 'but c'mon, we need release, we need peace… NOW!” All this had made these marine Magi very crabby indeed; they had braved thousands of miles in the deep waters to welcome a warrior, not a woose.
After much heated debate the throwback spoke up and told them, “Even Neptune bows before the topsiders’ Messiah. He has sent His messengers to heal ALL of creation, redeeming ALL, and offering peace to ALL (now)! This baby crab is His chosen messenger to our species.”
A deep peace settled on the three wiser crab princes as they kept the night watch, and mused on all this… their first Crabby Christmas.