Yet Mary and the infant Jesus are not totally alone. Most artists follow a long-standing tradition in including an ox and an ass in the nativity scene. Van Dyck limits himself to an ass, waiting patiently in the shadows. Yet a quick reading of the Gospel nativity accounts soon discloses that no mention is made of oxen or asses. So why are these traditionally included in the scene? From the second century onwards, commentators on the birth of Christ linked the scene with Isaiah 1:3, which speaks of