Open Writing

One day Jesus wor passin' through Jerichooa. Same as all t' places under t' Romans fowk theeare 'ad ter pay taxes — an' the' detested t' men 'at collected 'em. 'Publicans' the' called 'em. Nowt ter do wi' pubs o' course. The' called 'em that 'cos the' wer' public servants. Mind you, the' served thersens mooare ner t' public, an' wer' well-knawn fer ower-chargin' fowk an' makkin' a bit on't' side - what wi call nawpins i' Yorksher.

Well, iwerybody 'ated these 'ere tax-men, as tha can well imagine, an' mooast of all the' detested the'r gaffers - t' fellers in charge of a group o' tax-collecters, rakin' in extra brass from all t' lot on 'em.

Nah, such a gaffer wor a feller bi t' name o' Zacchaeus. Rowlin' i' brass, as tha'd expect, but a lonely, miserable sowl, 'cos nob'dy 'ould 'ave owt ter do wi' 'im.

'Appen that's why - when 'e 'eard 'at Jesus wor passin' through Jerichooa - Zacchaeus med up 'is mind 'e'd 'ave a look at 'im, just aht o' cewriosity, like.

But Zacchaeus wor a little feller - nut much above five foot - an' try as 'e might, 'e just couldn't see owt fer t' crahds. But, like monny a little feller, 'e wor determined nut ter bi beaten. So 'e ran further along t' rooad, an' climbed up a tree - a fig tree, it wor - so 'e could get a reight gooid view when Jesus passed underneath.

So theeare 'e wor, 'idden among t' leaves - an' by Gum! What a grand view 'e 'ad as Jesus came walkin' past wi't' disciples ...

Ah, but then 'e got a reight surprise. Jesus suddenly stops, looks up inter t' tree, an' says:

'Nah, then, Zacchaeus. Tha mun climb dahn from theeare reight sharp! Ah'm bahn ter pay thee a visit!'

Well, Zacchaeus wor fair capped 'at Jesus knew 'is name. (Fowk 'ad no daht been sayin': 'Ey up! Ther's yon little monkey Zacchaeus 'idin' up i' yon tree!') An' 'e nearly fell ower 'issen - nut gettin' dahn from t' tree, but 'cos 'e wor that chuffed 'e'd been gi'en such an honour.

Fowk in t' crahd, though, wer' grumblin' away, reight vexed 'at Jesus 'ad ta'en an interest in a tax-man, let alooane a gaffer tax-man.

'Nay', fowk wer' sayin'. 'Fancy Jesus goin' ter stay wi' a wicked owd nip-screw like yond!'

Jesus took no gaum on 'em, but follered Zacchaeus to 'is 'ome - a grandish sooart o' place bowt wi' all t' brass 'e'd fiddled.

Wi dooan't know 'ah long Jesus stayed theeare, or what 'e said ter Zacchaeus, but at t' finish this chief tax-gatherer went aht an' said i' front of all t' fowk 'at wer' still waitin' theeare:

'Sither! Ah'm bahn ter give ter t' poor 'awf of all Ah belong. An' if onny on yer can show 'at yer've been charged ter much - then Ahll pay yer back fower times ower!'

"Eark at that!,'' said Jesus. "Salvation 'as come upon this 'ome terday! This man's just as much a son of Abraham as onny o' you are. Ther's 'ope fer iwerybody - even tax-collecters. An' it's fowk like Zacchaeus 'ere 'at I came ter seek an' save.''

Aye. Ther's no daht 'at Zacchaeus wor a changed man - 'an ther's nowt wrong wi' reight fowk.