the firefly

 

 

Christmas piece

by Ruth Salles

This Christmas piece is based on a legend by Jakob Streit found on page 15 of the book
The Sunshine. It tells the story of the dark beetle that became luminous, turning into a firefly, in order to warn other animals about the birth of Jesus. The play ends with everyone singing the song “Jesus was born”, because it included several of our little animals, such as the nightjar, the woodpecker, the armadillo, etc.

CHARACTERS: Choir, Joseph and Mary, the ox and the donkey; angels, shepherds; the beetle (firefly), the doe, the rabbit, the snail, the hedgehog, bushes, birds, shooting stars.

(The choir speaks all the time along with the other participants in the scene, or at the teacher's discretion.)

All enter; the angels in front, each with a stick with a star at the end.

The shooting stars are also quiet on one side.

The shepherds lie down in a corner; Joseph and Mary, the ox and the donkey stand before the manger; the bushes, on either side, hide the doe, the rabbit, the snail, the hedgehog, the birds.

Crouched by the manger is a beetle with silver wheels on its back and a brown cape on top, which will be taken off when it transforms into a firefly.

Each little animal can have something in its head that symbolizes it.

CHORUS AND ANGELS:
- We are the angels of Christmas,
and we bring with our light
the heavenly message:
Jesus was born!
Jesus was born!
In the manger he is lying,
with Mary and Joseph on either side.
And the ox and the donkey breathe softly
to warm up Little Boy.

(At this point the angels head where
are the shepherds sleeping.)

How the shepherds sleep!
But with this star of light,
they must wake up.
- Jesus was born!
Jesus was born!
Come all to Bethlehem
to see Jesus too!
It was in a poor stable
that the little boy was born.

SHEPHERDS (waking up, startled):
– Was Jesus born?!
(The shepherds get up and go to the
nativity scene, following the angels.)

ANGELS (they discover the little beetle next to the
manger):
– What will this be?!
What do you do, dark beetle,
crawling all night
between the hard stalks
the straw from the manger?

Go running! Go up the mountain!
Tell all the pets
of the woods and the meadow
who descended from heaven to earth
a divine Child!

BEETLE:
– If no light I have,
on this night so closed
no one can see me.
And if I'm small and ugly,
in the blessed news
no one will believe.

ANGELS (touch him with the star; add the
brown cape and the other appears with
silver rings.)
– With these beautiful sparks
of flashing lights,
cross the whole earth
wandering and illuminating.
You turned into a firefly
and will fly around the world
the truth illuminating.

FIREFLY (discovers the animals and
exclaiming afterwards):
– In the bushes
I see the antler doe.
– A Divine Child
from heaven was sent to us!

DOE:
- What a beautiful light!

ALL:
- Jesus was born!

FIREFLY:
- A rabbit came out of the bush
jumping with great grace.
I will flash my spark
and say what's going on.

BUNNY:
- What a beautiful light!

ALL:
- Jesus was born!

FIREFLY:
- I see the snail there
and the thorny hedgehog.
- Before sunrise,
come here to know everything!

SNAIL AND HEDGEHOG:
- What a beautiful light!

ALL:
- Jesus was born!

FIREFLY:
– In cozy nests,
so many birds sleep...
– Hear, hear my call!
Sing, sing in praise!
'Cause a little boy was born
that from heaven was sent to us
to give us your love.

LITTLE BIRDS:
- What a beautiful light!

ALL:
- Jesus was born!

FIREFLY:
– And the fish, who will call?
Well, I can't swim.

ANGELS (the shooting stars run by
and disappear on the other side):
– Look at the shooting stars
how it rains in water!
Deep down, resplendent,
will tell you what's going on.
And the fish scales
now they will have more shine
and more colorful grace
because God sent His Son.

ALL:
- What a beautiful light!
Jesus was born!

(Everyone then sings, or else the play
ends there.)

ALL (sing):
“Angels descend from heaven
and announce right away:
– In Bethlehem Jesus was born!
In the crib He is.

The shepherds, close together,
sleep, sleep very well.
– Oh, wake up, little shepherds,
let's all go to Bethlehem!

The nighthawk comes from the forest
and the thorny hedgehog,
the armadillo and the woodpecker
to want to know everything.

They come in flocks, they come buzzing
bees and beetles
to see Jesus Child,
for there is no greater treasure.

Flying, the birds
come singing in your praise,
because the little boy was born
who brings us his great love.

The little fish are brighter,
the stars have more light.
Is that God sent his Son
is that God sent Jesus!”

 

End