SCENE II. _Manger Scene

_Carol by children_:

O little town of Bethlehem, How still we see thee lie, Above thy deep and dreamless sleep The silent stars go by. Yet in thy dark streets shineth The everlasting light. The hopes and fears of all the years Are met in thee to-night.

_Angel chorus_:

Away in the manger, No crib for his bed, The little Lord Jesus Lay down his sweet head. The stars in the bright sky Looked down where He lay, The little Lord Jesus Asleep in the hay.

The cattle were lowing, The baby awakes But little Lord Jesus, No crying He makes. I love thee, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky, And stay by my cradle Till morning is nigh.

(_Shepherds arrive at the manger. They stand at a little distance, gazing in awe._)

FIRST SHEPHERD:

Lo, here is the house, and here is He!

SECOND SHEPHERD:

Forsooth, it is the same.

THIRD SHEPHERD:

Look ye, where the Lord is laid, Between two beasts, and in a manger, As the angel said.

(_They advance, and kneel before the manger._)

FIRST SHEPHERD:

Hail, hail, young child Of a maiden, meek and mild. Lo, he merries, Lo, he laughs, my sweeting. I give Thee my greeting! Have a bob of cherries!

SECOND SHEPHERD:

Hail, goodly Babe! A bird have I brought To my Bairn. Hail, little tiny mop, I would drink in Thy cup, Little day star!

THIRD SHEPHERD:

Hail, darling dear: Sweet is Thy cheer; A ball I bring Thee. Put forth Thy dall,[17] Keep and play Thee withal, Little heavenly light.

_Angel chorus_:

Holy night, peaceful night, All is calm, all is bright, Only one yet wakes and prays, Looking on with tender gaze On her heavenly child, On her heavenly child.

Holy night, peaceful night, Son of God, Light of Light, Pure and gentle in thine eyes All thy wealth of mercy lies For a world redeemed, For a world redeemed.

(_The Three Kings arrive at the door of the stable. Joseph advances to meet them._)

GASPAR:

We have journeyed from afar Led by the shining of your splendid star. We are Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar.

JOSEPH:

Sirs, whom seek ye?

GASPAR:

We seek a newborn King, Gold, frankincense to Him to bring, And many a kingly precious thing.

JOSEPH:

Good sirs, here lies a newborn child, Seek ye him and his mother mild?

(_The Three Kings go toward the manger._)

BALTHAZAR:

Behold, the child is clothed in light!

MELCHIOR:

Our journey ends; past is the night.

GASPAR:

Let us make no more delay To worship him most worthily.

GASPAR} MELCHIOR} Hail, King of Kings! BALTHAZAR} (_They kneel._)

GASPAR:

I bring Thee a crown, O King of Kings! And here a scepter full of gems, For Thou shalt rule the hearts of men.

(_He gives crown and scepter._)

MELCHIOR:

For Thee I bring sweet frankincense.

(_Swings censor._)

BALTHAZAR:

And I bring myrrh to offer Thee!

GASPAR:

The greatest gift is yet ungiven-- Oh, heavenly King, heart’s love we bring.

MELCHIOR:

Not gifts of gold nor priceless gems Is worth the love we offer Thee.

BALTHAZAR:

And lowly folk who have no gold Nor rare and precious thing to give, May bring the dearest gift of all-- A loving heart.

_Golden carol_ (sung by the Three Kings):

We saw a light shine out afar, On Christmas in the morning, And straight we knew Christ’s Star it was, Bright beaming in the morning.

Then did we fall on bended knee, On Christmas in the morning, And praised the Lord who’d let us see His glory at its dawning.

(_Tableau, Kings and Shepherds._)

_Angel carol_:

Then let us all with one accord Sing praises to our heavenly Lord, That hath made Heaven and Earth of naught, And with His blood mankind hath bought; Noël, Noël, Noël, Noël, Born is the King of Israel!

_Recessional carol by children_:

God rest ye merry, gentlemen, Let nothing you dismay; For Jesus Christ our Saviour Was born on Christmas Day, To save us all from Satan’s power When we had gone astray.

Oh! tidings of comfort and joy, Comfort and joy, Oh! tidings of comfort and joy!

A BLESSING

ABBIE FARWELL BROWN

Now may the Holy Christ Child Who came on Christmas Day, The gentle Friend and Brother Who smiles upon your play, Bless all the little children However far away.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] By permission. From _The Hollow Tree and Deep Woods Book_, by Albert Bigelow Paine. Copyright, 1900, by Harper Brothers.

[2] From the _Kindergarten Review_, 1908. By permission of the author.

[3] From _Some Great Stories and How to Tell Them_, published by Newson & Company, New York.

[4] From _Mother Stories_. By permission of the publishers, Milton Bradley Company.

[5] By courtesy of the author.

[6] By courtesy of Mrs. Richard Watson Gilder.

[7] By courtesy of the translater.

[8] From _The City that Never was Reached_. Copyrighted by The Pilgrim Press. By permission of the publishers.

[9] By permission of the publishers, Houghton Mifflin Company.

[10] La Dame de Noël.

[11] By permission of the author and of the publishers, Fleming H. Revell Company.

[12] By courtesy of the author.

[13] Reprinted by the author’s permission from _Why the Chimes Rang, and Other Stories_. Copyright by the Bobbs Merrill Company, Indianapolis.

[14] From _Told to the Little Tot_. Copyright, 1906, by Dodge Publishing Co.

[15] A franc is equal to twenty cents.

[16] “Behold the house of the Lord God!”

[17] _Hand_ (old English).