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PETER: Excuse me, we are looking for Father Christmas.
Joseph and Mary only half hear the words as they slowly become aware of the children, gazing at each other in perplexity
JANE: (A trifle impatiently) Father Christmas!
Are you Father Christmas?
JOSEPH: Ha, ha, ha, oh no. I am not Father Christmas as
you call him. My name is Joseph. I am a carpenter and I come
from Nazareth.
JOHN: Nazareth. Where is that?
JOSEPH It is a small village in Galilee, a long way off.
We have walked most of the way and we are just having a rest.
MARK: What have you come for?
JOSEPH: Well its to do with the Government. You see we
have to get our poll tax card and, er...
He turns to Mary who whispers to him
JOSEPH: ...oh yes, and our income tax clearance
certificate.
SUSAN: What are they?
JOSEPH: They are pieces of paper.
SUSAN: Well it seems a long way to come just for two pieces
of paper.
JOSEPH: But they are very important pieces of paper. Herod
would be very upset if we did not have them. You know what Governments
are.
CAROLIE: Who is Herod?
JOSEPH: He is the king. He rules under Caesar.
CAROLIE: Oh, I have heard of him. Is it Julius Caesar?
JOSEPH: Oh no. It is Caesar Augustus. He lives in Rome.
PETER: Yes, I know. (He intones sententiously)
Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's and unto God
the things that are God's.
JOSEPH: Wherever did you learn that? It sounds very wise
for a child.
PETER: I read it in a book. Jesus said it.
MARY & JOSEPH: Jesus? Did you say Jesus?
PETER: That's right. There's no need to take on. Everyone
knows about Jesus.
Mary and Joseph have risen, their arms about one another as Joseph vainly tries to comfort Mary who is trembling with shock and wonder
JOSEPH: You must excuse Mary, she is not very
well. She is with child.
MARK: (Looking round) Oh, where?
CAROLIE: Don't be silly. He means she is going to have
a baby.
MARK: Oh, I see. (To Mary) Do you want it to be
a boy or a girl?
MARY: My child will be the greatest of the great, he will
be the glory of the world, he will banish darkness and enthrone
the light of peace in people's hearts everywhere and for all
time.
JANE: Do you mean he is going to be a saviour?
JOSEPH: Yes, that's right. The saviour of the world. The
Prince of Peace.
JANE: Well, that's funny. We met three kings and they
said they were looking for a new-born saviour. They were being
guided by a star. We tried to follow them but we lost them.
PETER: Yes, that's right, and they were bringing you some
presents. One was carrying gold, and another was carrying...er...well...the
other two were carrying something else but they were smashing
presents, really.
The other children chorus agreement
SUSAN: You must be very excited about having such a wonderful baby.
Mary sings The Magnificat from the Christian Gospels Luke 1, verses 46-55. During the foregoing, evening has begun to fall, but Mary is bathed the whole time in a white radiance, so that when she sings the others are in subdued lighting. At the conclusion after a pause Mary sits down rather suddenly and wipes her brow
JOSEPH: I believe your time has come. Let
us go into the stable.
JANE: Do you mean Mary is going to have her baby in a
stable with all those animals there?
JOSEPH: Well you see we have been looking for a room everywhere
but there is none to be had.
JANE: But what about that inn over there?
JOSEPH: Well we did ask, but they told us there was no
room at the inn.
He turns and assists Mary through the doorway of the stable and as they slowly disappear so the white radiance around Mary follows suit. The children sing 'O Little Town of Bethlehem'. Towards the end of the carol the star of Bethlehem appears followed by the appearance in background as the light continues to fade of the Magi.
» Scene 5 - Bohemia in Medieval times
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