The Star of Bethlehem

 

 

play by Ruth Salles

Christmas play based on a short story by Elisabeth Goudge¹. A shepherd boy goes in search of the source of desires in order to ask for help for his family, which is very poor. On the way, he meets the Magi, who have lost their star and are trying to reach the crib. In the crib scene, a familiar Christmas song can also be sung.

CHARACTERS:
Pastors' choir, the little shepherd David, his father, his mother, his brother, his two sisters; Saint Michael the Archangel, little sheep (optional); Kings Baltasar, Melquior and Gaspar; Elijah and Tobias (friends of David); Joseph and Mary; the star of Bethlehem (optional).

The choir may be in the background, hiding the Nativity scene. David's father is lying on the floor, in a corner, with his head in his mother's lap, who is sitting. David's brothers may also be seated to the side. David comes home from herding. When the scene of David's family is over, all of them, except David, join the choir. The characters who are going to act on the scene leave the choir when their turn comes.

CHORUS (sings, as David arrives with his staff and flute):
“Little shepherd, little shepherd,
with your staff in your hand,
shepherd the sheep,
the flute takes the sound.
Night falls slowly.
The stars will shine,
the stars will shine.”

DAVID (plays the flute, then rubs his arms and stamps his feet):
- I feel hungry and I feel cold.
How cold the night is… (looks at parents)
my father is sick
with my mother by her side. (looks at the brothers)
My little brothers complain,
all very hungry.
Oh, if I had money,
my father was already cured.

BROTHER:
- We would also have firewood
to heat our house.

SISTER 1:
– And warmer clothes…

SISTER 2:
– And lots and lots of food…

DAVID (plays a note on the flute, suddenly stops):
– I suddenly remembered! I suddenly remembered
from the fountain of desires on the road to Bethlehem!
I'm going there right now! I will ask fervently
God's help on our behalf!

THE FATHER (rising a little):
– Don't go, David, don't go. It's already getting dark.
And the order at the source is only valid at midnight.

THE MOTHER:
– For real, it is necessary
have a very pure heart.
And then it's reflected in the water
the image of what is requested,
whether sweater or money,
whether health or food.

DAVID (jumping with excitement):
- I will! I will!
Don't worry about me.
if necessary
I know where to find shelter.
I am shepherd,
I know how to walk everywhere!
Goodbye!

FATHER (laying down again, tired):
- Farewell, my son!

BROTHERS:
- Goodbye, David!

MOTHER:
- Be careful!

CHORUS (speaks with an expression of danger and fear):
- There goes David
in the late night,
silent
and so cold.
the night hides
thieves in the bush,
beasts in shadow,
hole bottoms…

(As the choir speaks, some of its members move tree branches with their hands, while David makes movements of fear and then of amazement as he hears a flute in the distance and voices exclaiming softly.)

CHORUS (speaking softly):
- Glory to God! Glory to God!

DAVID:
- What a dark night...
I hear voices singing...
It looks like the mountains are rejoicing.
I hear wings in the air. Only if they are angels! (See some sheep)
Here they always camp
shepherds my friends.
Maybe I'll find someone who wants to go with me!
(runs back and forth, calling):
– Tobias! Elijah! Tobias! Elijah! (stops, dismayed, and suddenly sees the Archangel Saint Michael sitting on a rock)
He's a stranger… Who will he be?
And the sheep are not afraid of him!

SAN MIGUEL:
- Hello, little shepherd! What a good and beautiful night!

DAVID:
– Hello, my lord! What a beautiful, cold night!
Where are the shepherds Elijah and Tobias?

SAN MIGUEL:
– They went to see the Child born in Bethlehem.

DAVID (admired):
– A boy in Bethlehem?
And they didn't take me?
And the sheep stayed
here with no one?
They did it very badly!

SAN MIGUEL:
– They did very well.
of the little sheep
I'm the one taking care of it.

DAVID:
– You are one.
And thieves are a bunch.

SAN MIGUEL:
– I believe I can face them all.

DAVID:
– Are you a warrior?

SAN MIGUEL:
– I have fought many times.

DAVID:
- Against who?

SAN MIGUEL:
- My boy,
I fought the devil and the infernal angels.

DAVID (dazzled by a light that descends from heaven on the archangel):
– What light descends from heaven!

SAN MIGUEL:
– My name is Michael. And you?

DAVID:
- It's David.

SAN MIGUEL:
– And where are you going?

DAVID:
– To the source of desires, implore God the Father
clothing, food and my father's healing.

SAN MIGUEL:
“Then go, little shepherd.

DAVID:
- I didn't want to go alone...

SAN MIGUEL:
– God will be your guide.
If you feel afraid, play your flute.
She is the voice of trust in divine protection.
Go!

DAVID:
– I will, my lord. (walks playing the flute)

(St. Michael joins the Choir. Davi follows and arrives at the fountain, where he stops.)

CHORUS (speaking, while David prays silently and looks into the background):
– David prays at the fountain with all devotion.
Didn't even think about the thieves
and not in the dark.

(King Balthazar steps out of the chorus, stands behind David, and looks out over the spring water. Kings Melchior and Gaspar follow.)

DAVID (looking at the water, amazed):
– Oh, heavens, what a quantity.
of gold coins I see reflected!
And it's real gold! (Sees the kings behind him, gets scared and screams):
– Gentlemen, sorry!

BALTHASAR:
- Do not scream. Do not panic.
I am King Balthazar.

DAVID:
- King?!!

BALTHASAR:
- We've come a long way.
This is King Melchior,
and this is King Gaspar.

DAVID (thinking):
- Very strange tonight...

GASPAR:
– Don't be afraid, no. But please say
why did you look at this fountain, shepherd?

DAVID:
– I made a request.

GASPAR:
– Is it the source of desires?

DAVID:
– Yes, and we see the image of the request in the background.

BALTHASAR:
– And what did you see?

DAVID:
– I saw coins shining. (sad)
It was you coming.

MELCHIOR:
– We have lost sight of our guiding star.
Will if I pray
with all my fervor,
Is the star reflected deep down, shepherd?

DAVID:
- Only if you have
a very pure heart.

MELCHIOR:
- So he's the youngest
of the three you should look at. (pulling Gaspar to the source)
Order now and take a good look, Gaspar.

GASPAR (first without enthusiasm, then with astonishment):
- I see the same stars
always reflected.
No… Yes! What a big star!
She's the one that sparkles!

(The kings and David look at the star in the sky; it may be held by a girl, on a higher plane.)

CHOIR:
- The kings saw there in the sky
the star that guided them.
Suspended over Bethlehem,
gleaming sparkled.

BALTHASAR:
– Bethlehem! It's in Bethlehem
the end of our journey.

DAVID:
- Because?

MELCHIOR:
- There was born a King,
that we will love.

DAVID:
– As far as Belém I know how to go and I can guide the three of them.

(They walk along, while David plays the flute. The choir moves away a little so that the stable appears, where Joseph and Mary are in front of the Child in the manger.)

DAVID (astonished, to the kings):
– This is a very poor place,
where a king would not be born.
A stable!

GASPAR:
– Look good.

DAVID (sees his shepherd friends offering gifts):
– Oh! Oh! Tobias! Elijah!

TOBIAS (amazed):
– Look, Elijah! Look!
It is David who is entering!
Three kings are also coming!

ELIAS:
- But it doesn't even look like David.
– the naughty, chatty, devilish little shepherd –
and it's him, Tobias!
What work did he give us
with your runs!

(The shepherds move aside to make way for the kings. David cannot reach them. The kings offer their gifts in silence.)

DAVID (to himself):
– I have nothing to give.
No jewelry or fine gift.
I only have my flute
to give to the Boy King.

(He kneels and hands the flute to Joseph, while the shepherds play the flute; wonder if the choir sings a Christmas carol at this time. The choir closes the nativity scene again. David finds himself alone on the road.)

DAVID (looks around):
- I lost the three Kings.
Nowhere do I see them.
And now I come back alone.
God didn't hear my request
there at the source of desires.
I feel hungry and I feel cold (rubs his arms)
and i will go home
without having achieved anything...

BALTHASAR (emphasizing again from the chorus
with Gaspar and Melquior):
- Who gave everything he had
now it is presented
worth your gift
a thousand times multiplied. (they give David a bag of gold coins)
We return to our kingdoms,
and you return to your home.
And from that blessed encounter
we will always remember.

DAVID (looking at the coins):
– Oh! Oh! Oh! Thank you very much!
We won't be cold anymore!
Let's not go hungry anymore!
My father will be cured!

(David joins the Choir on the one hand, and the kings on the other. All sing the song from the beginning with the end modified.)

CHORUS (sings):
“Little shepherd, little shepherd,
with your staff in your hand,
shepherd the sheep,
the flute takes the sound.
The day breaks slowly,
that the sun comes to light,
let the sun shine!”

 

*1: GOUDGE Elisabeth. The Most Beautiful Christmas Stories. São Paulo: Publisher Martins Fontes, 1952.

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