Now it happened on a time, that they were there on the day of the Nativity of Jesus Christ, and a star came over them upon this mountain, which had the form of a right fair child, and under his head was a shining cross, and from this cross came a voice saying:  “To-day is there born a King in Judea.”

Now in Arabia, the land in which the soil is red with gold, there reigned a king called Melchior.  And in Saba, where frankincense flows from the trees, the king Balthasar ruled.  And in the land where myrrh hangs from the bushes, the kingdom of Tharsis, reigned a third king, called Caspar.  These three kings also saw the star and heard the voice, and they each made ready to go on a journey.  And no one of the three knew that the others intended thus to make a pilgrimage.  And they gathered together their treasures to present to the king whom they should seek, and summoned those who should attend them.  So each set out with a great company and great estate.  And as they journeyed they found the mountains made level as the plains, while the swollen rivers became as dry land.  And never did they lose sight of the star, which shined upon them as the sun, always moving before them to guide them on their way.

But when they were come within two miles of Jerusalem, the star disappeared, a heavy fog arose, and each party halted; Melchior, as it fell out, taking his stand on Mount Calvary, Balthasar on the Mount of Olives, and Caspar just between them.  And when the fog cleared away, each was astonished to see two other great companies besides his own, and then the kings first discovered that all had come upon the same errand, and they embraced with great joy, and rode together into Jerusalem.

And when they came into the city, Herod and all the people were troubled, because of their so great company like unto an army.  Then they demanded in what place the King of the Jews was born, for, said they, “We have seen His star in the Orient, and therefore we come to worship Him.”  And when Herod had heard this, he was much troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.  Then Herod called all the priests of the law, and the doctors, and demanded of them where Jesus Christ should be born.  And when he had understood them that He should be born in Bethlehem, he called the three kings apart and demanded of them diligently the time that the star appeared to them.  And he said to them that as soon as they should have found the Child and have worshipped Him, that they should return and show it to him, feigning that he would worship Him also, though he thought that he would go to slay Him.

And as soon as the kings were entered into Jerusalem, the sight of the star was taken from them.  But when they were issued out of the city, the star appeared again and went before them, until it came above the place in Bethlehem where the Child was.  And they had journeyed now full thirteen days.