Well, Pepper, I think I have found a way to find Christmas! Really. How do you think that will be possible? We will just travel back in time until we reach the place where Christmas began! And, how might that be, my brilliant brother? Don't try to be smart! It's too hard for you! grrrrrr We will go to the year 3 BC. And how do you think that will be possible? Simple. I found this old clock and I read that if time goes backwards we can travel back in time. Mom said that the first Christmas may have been about 3 BC, so we will start there. And how can we do that? I fixed this old clock so that if we push the right button the clock goes backwards. That will take us back in time. If we push the left button, we will go forward in time. I set the clock to stop at 1996 if it is going forward, so we won't get lost, and at 3 BC if we push the right button. Simple, huh? Something like that. And so the two little dogs packed Foxfire's back pack with some things that they thought might come in handy. The Fox included some bones and some bisquets, just in case they became hungry. Pepper included a ball and some tissue. (She loves to play with balls and tissue. And everyone knows how The Fox likes to eat!) And, on the appointed evening, Pepper and Foxfire met under the Christmas tree. Foxfire had his backpack, a prized possession that he and his mom had made. Pepper helped him put it on. Around his neck was his silver chain-collar and on the collar was the little clock that he had modified. Pepper pressed the right button with her little paw and everything changed. The room became dark and the two little dogs heard a sound of a mighty wind. As suddenly as this started, it stopped. The two little dogs found themselves standing under a tree on a small hill overlooking a small town. The sky was filled with diamonds! But one of the diamonds was larger than the others and it's light shown down on the town. Well, Pepper, looks like we are here. Shall we go down to the town and look for Christmas? Might as well. So, the dogs trotted down the hill toward the town. Soon they became aware of something watching them. Out of the dark came the skinniest, worst looking dog they had ever seen. Who are you? We should ask you that! What are you? Are you here to see the Child who has been born King? You look rich enough! As the dog drew near to Pepper and Foxfire they saw that it was a female and that she must have recently given birth to a litter of pups. She looked like she was starving! Are you hungry? The Fox asked this as he truned to Pepper. Get the bones and bisquets out of my pack, Pepper. What? Are you hungry? We just ate before we left. No, I'm not hungry, but look at her. Fox turned to the wild dog. Are you hungry? What baby are you talking about? We have nothing to eat. We live off the scraps thrown into the dump out side the town, but the evil Romans have taxed the people so much that there is very little thrown away. The Baby is the one born this night that everyone in the world is seeking. He is said to be the Savior. Pepper took the bones and bisquets from the pack and sat them on the path. Now I have seen a miricle. Here Wild Dog Mother, take this food for you and your family. Pepper, that's me and The Fox, that's him, give it to you because we are all family. Bury the bones, but not the bisquets. Eat some now and save the rest for later. (Fox have you lost it?) No, we have always had everything good to eat. We cannot let these dogs go hungry when we have food. Where is this Child and do you think it has anything to do with something called Christmas? The Child is in the stable on the edge of the town and He could have something to do with Christmas as I heard someone say "This is the Christ.". Thank you for the directions. Take the food and hide it well. Thank you, kind Masters. Why did she say that? I don't know, but let's go. And so the two little dogs ran down the path until they came to the edge of the city. There, they were abruptly stopped by a squeaking sound. Smelling around the edges of the path, they soon found some tiny mice. Who are you and why are you calling to us? We saw how kind you were to the wild dogs. And since you are comming to find the Child, we hoped you would help us, also. We have nothing to line our nests with and are freezing in the cold of the night. Please help us and we will guide you to the Child. Pepper began noseing in Fox's back pack. She pulled out her treasured tissues. Will these help you? You don't have to help us. The dogs dold us where to find the Child. Now we have seen it all. Those are your tissues, Pepper. Why are you giving them away? Because they are cold. I don't like to be cold. No, we will take you there. You must be careful. The Romans are looking for the Child. You don't want to lead them to Him. Who are these Romans? We keep hearing about them, but we don't know what they are. They made war on the Jews and took over the country. They tax the people and kill them. Their leader wants to kill the Child. Come, we will lead you there by a different way. So the little mice lead Pepper and Foxfire to the stable. A beautiful light seemed to be comming from the door. The mice left Pepper and Foxfire there, taking the tissues back to thier nests. Slowly, Pepper and Foxfire walked into the stable. The light seemed t obe comming from a box full of straw. They walked over to it and, putting their little paws on the edge, stood on their hind feet and looked into the box. There they saw the most beautiful Child they had ever seen. Both little dogs loved human children, but the love they felt for this Child was overwelming, for they, being innocent dogs, recognized Him for Who He is. Look, Pepper! It's HIM! It's, It's THE CREATOR!! I know. We must give HIM something. Help me. Get me out of my backpack. We will give it to HIM. HE can use it to carry HIS things. No, Fox. I will give him my golden ball. Now, anyone who knows Pepper knows that her "golden" ball is the most important possession that she has. Pepper plays ball night and day. She even dreams about playing ball. No, Pepper. We can give HIM my backpack. You can carry your ball. You don't have to give it away. THE CHILD will need it to play with. Otherwise, with these evil Romans, HE will have no toys. No, Pepper. I will give him my backpack and HE can hide HIS toys in it. Mom helped you make your backpack. It means more to you than anything else you have. Keep it. We will offer my ball. So the little dogs argued until they finaly conceeded to each other and gave the Christ Child both the ball and the backpack. Without realizing it, the little dogs gave all that they had. For, when they gave their food, highly prized by the Fox, the tissues, highly prized by Pepper, and then when they gave the backpack and ball, they gave it all to the CHILD. For, when we give to the poor, we lend to the LORD. But the two little dogs gave something else to the CHILD that night. They gave HIM their hearts. And in doing that, they were forever changed. Oh, Pepper would still fight with Foxfire. Foxfire whoud still steal things form Mom, Dad and Pepper and run out the door with them, but deep down in the depths of their souls, they were changed. After giving the CHILD the gifts, the two little dogs lay down for a nap. They slept with one ear open, in case the Romans came. Some time later they were wakened by sound of the mother and father talking and moving around. The father said "Quick, we must flee. The Romans have found out where we are. God has warned me in a dream." The people quickly packed their few belonging and, as the little dogs watched, left the stable, heading out of the town. What shall we do, Pepper? Shall we hide and give these Romans a supprise they will never forget? Yes. Let's hide in the box were the BABY was. Under the hay. When they come in and look, we will give them something to remember. The two little terriers burried themselves in the hay. Soon 2 soldiers came into the barn. Pepper wiggled in the hay. "So, the parent have fled and left the baby. Harrod will reward us this day!" The soldiers bent over the box. Before they could move any farther, white lighting struck! Pepper moved so fast all anyone could see was a streak of white. She hit one of the soldiers in the neck with her front feet. The Fox used all of the strength of his powerful back legs and hit the other one in the chest. With flashing teeth and horrible snarls, the two little terriers knocked both soldiers on their backs, knocking the breath out of both. The little dogs didn't look back, but ran out of the stable up the hill toward the tree. As they ran, the little mice scurried back and forth across the path, wiping out their tracks. On the far side of the town, a barking of wild dogs could be heard. When the two dogs reached the tree, they stopped and Pepper pressed the left button and the sound of a roaring wind sweep them back, and they found themselves under the Christmas tree. Standing in the room was a strange man. The little dogs knew he was not really a stranger. He sat something under the Christmas tree. "Here, Pepper and Foxfire. Here are your backpack and golden ball. The Child used them and loved them, but HE has given them back to you. He is in Heaven, now, and wants you to have them again." Pepper and Foxfire looked. The backpack was a little warn. The ball was, too. They licked the man's hand, in thanks. And curled up under the Christmas tree and went to sleep, knowing that they had really found Christmas. And far away in the past, two Roman soldiers told everyone they met about the time they searched for a child and found, instead, 2 dogs in the manger.
