THE three holy kings with their star's bright ray,-- <br />They eat and they drink, but had rather not pay; <br />They like to eat and drink away, <br />They eat and drink, but had rather not pay. <br /> <br />The three holy kings have all come here, <br />In number not four, but three they appear; <br />And if a fourth join'd the other three, <br />Increased by one their number would be. <br /> <br />The first am I,--the fair and the white, <br />I ought to be seen when the sun shines bright! <br />But, alas! with all my spices and myrrh, <br />No girl now likes me,--I please not her. <br /> <br />The next am I,--the brown and the long, <br />Known well to women, known well to song. <br />Instead of spices, 'tis gold I bear, <br />And so I'm welcome everywhere. <br /> <br />The last am I,--the black and small, <br />And fain would be right merry withal. <br />I like to eat and to drink full measure, <br />I eat and drink, and give thanks with pleasure. <br /> <br />The three holy kings are friendly and mild, <br />They seek the Mother, and seek the Child; <br />The pious Joseph is sitting by, <br />The ox and the ass on their litter lie. <br /> <br />We're bringing gold, we're bringing myrrh, <br />The women incense always prefer; <br />And if we have wine of a worthy growth, <br />We three to drink like six are not loth. <br /> <br />As here we see fair lads and lasses, <br />But not a sign of oxen or asses, <br />We know that we have gone astray <br />And so go further on our way.<br /><br />Johann Wolfgang von Goethe<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/epiphanias/
