How could three ships sail into Bethlehem when it’s located in the desert?

Like many other Christmas carols, the words to “I Saw Three Ships” don’t make much sense when you look closely at them. Had you ever asked yourself the question in the title? Probably not. Most of us don’t carry around a map of Palestine in our heads, so the absurdities of the lyrics aren’t obvious. I’m therefore including such a map below this post, which will serve to prove that indeed it would be impossible for the words of this carol to have any connection to reality at all. So what on earth are the words talking about?

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