If you read through the rest of this excellent thread the pattern becomes obvious. The 3 ships theme has been reworked to cover different scenarios over many centuries. Henry's recent example and mine are just 2 in a long line of appropriations. The earliest, possibly original' is the ships were carrying Mary, Joseph and Jesus in some sort of dreamlike sequence, then comes the attachment of the relics of the 3 kings/wise men, then probably a whole host of adaptations culminating in my trawlermen and Henry's refugees.