- A free children's Christmas play, valuing the elderly -
A Christmas Story
By Ellie Braun-Haley
Narrator A: This story happened a long time ago, but let us see if we can remember it and bring it to life for you.
Picture a town, long ago, on a cold night. If you use your imagination you can see the town and pasture land stretching out over low hills. On the edge of town there is the last hotel. Only, in those days, they called them inns. And off to the side, and almost in back, you need to imagine an old dilapidated shed. It is so old there are boards missing on the sides, and there are holes in the roof.
As we begin our story, pretend, to yourself, you can see sheep on the hills; and we can even hear the thoughts of an old grey donkey as he plods along. {STAGE INSTRUCTION: Donkey begins walking on stage, in front of the audience. Back and forth he walks, with his head low and a look of consternation (concern and then acceptance) on his face.} Narrator A: (The donkey is thinking ...) Put out to pasture! Retired! Humph! Nobody thinks I'm useful anymore. Just seems like I'm a reject. Nobody wants me, just turned out and ignored. I'm like an old toy and nobody wants to play with me or be around me, any more. Oh, dear! Narrator B: The donkey doesn't even hear the voices of the sheep as they play off in the distance. But, we can hear the voices of the sheep. Listen ... do you hear them? {STAGE INSTRUCTION: The donkey goes into the building and kneels down, and falls asleep.} Voice of Sheep 1: Look at you. Just look at you. You are all too small to play with us and we don't want you around. So, get lost. Voice of Sheep 2: Yeah, go away, you three rejects. You are too insignificant and inconsequential to be around us. You can't keep up and you don't remember the rules. We don't want to play with you. Voice Sheep 3: Go on, get away from here. This is our play area and we don't want you. You're too small. My, oh, my, you three are just useless in our games! You just get in the way. Go on get lost, we don't want to play with you. {STAGE INSTRUCTION: The three little lambs come onto the stage. They walk back and forth looking at things.} Narrator B: As the donkey nods off to sleep, we see three tiny lambs looking discouraged because the bigger sheep will not play with them. They have just wandered way from the group of sheep who rejected them and they wander aimlessly until they suddenly see the old dilapidated shed. They do not even notice the old grey donkey who has fallen asleep on the floor.
You can see they are curious and wonder about going inside, to investigate and maybe explore the old building. With a bit of caution, they step inside and the sounds of their footsteps cause the old grey donkey to awaken. {STAGE INSTRUCTION: By now, the three little lambs have walked into the building and, as they do, the donkey does not get up; but he lifts up his head and looks at them.} Narrator A: The donkey nods at them and smiles. He motions for them to come in. I think he said to them, "There is plenty of room here, for you three little ones, and you are welcome to share the humble shelter with me." Narrator B: The three lambs look at the old donkey. They enter further into the building and they move around, looking here and there until each have found a nice spot. As they kneel down and curl up on the spot, they feel as though they are in the company of a new friend. {STAGE INSTRUCTION: By now, the three little lambs have walked around looking for somewhere to sit and take a nap. The donkey remains seated but he looks around; first at one lamb and then at each of the others. Soon, all the animals put down their heads and go to sleep.} Narrator A: As it gets later into the night and the wind grows stronger and colder, the animals are sheltered and cozy in their new surroundings. Narrator B: The animals have been sleeping but voices are 'carried on the wind', awakening them, and they recognize one voice. It is the Inn keeper. Innkeeper Voice: No, I'm sorry this is the last inn on the road. We have nothing for you. There just is no room for you. {STAGE INSTRUCTION: There is a pause, here.} Innkeeper Voice: I am sorry, sir. Yes, I can see she is with child, but there is no room in this inn. You'll have to move along. {STAGE INSTRUCTION: Again, there is a pause.} Innkeeper Voice: Sir, wait. I just remembered, I do have something. It is an old building in the back. It isn't much at all, merely a stable, but ... well, you and your wife are welcome to use it for the night, to get out of the cold. {STAGE INSTRUCTION: Mary and Joseph come onto the stage. Joseph is assisting Mary. You can see she is tired and cold.} Narrator A: A man and a woman come from the inn and approach the stable. At first, as they enter it, they do not really notice the animals - as the man searches to find straw to make a soft bed for his wife, that she might be comfortable. As we see her, we are all aware that she is young and soon to have a baby; and we see she is shivering from the cold. {STAGE INSTRUCTION: Joseph makes a bed for Mary trying to get her comfortable and warm; and while this is happening, the little lambs begin creeping closer and closer to the woman, Mary.} Narrator B: For some reason the lambs have started to creep, ever so slowly, closer to the woman. Perhaps it is to look at her, but the man is nervous and worried the animals may bite his wife. He is very protective of her, and he moves to each lamb and tries to motion them to back away. {STAGE INSTRUCTION: The little lambs, sort of, creep and crawl closer to Mary. So, Joseph goes to one and gets it to back away. But when he goes to move back the second lamb, the first creeps and sneaks back, and curls right up against Mary. And when Joseph goes to push away the third lamb, the second one sneaks quickly over beside Mary and curls up right next to her. He soon sees he must go back and push away the first lamb. Finally, Mary nods her head 'no' and holds up her hand, as if to say, "Stop."} Narrator B: But when the man turns to push back one animal, the other two are busy getting closer to his wife. He pushes back another one, but the other two move closer. Then, the woman shakes her head 'no' and gently explains to her husband. Voice for Woman: "Let them be, Joseph. I do not think they mean to harm me. Look, I think they may be trying to keep me warm with their little bodies and their warm coats of wool." Narrator A: The lambs look at the woman and she smiles at them. She rests her hand on the warm wool of one of the lambs, but she is still shivering and the man looks around to see where the cold breeze is coming from. Aha, he sees a large hole in the wall and realizes it is cutting right across over his wife.
Hmm, he thinks, if I stand there, I can keep the wind from coming in and, finally, my wife will be warm. So, he moves over to the hole and stands with his back to it and watches to see. Finally, the cold can no longer reach his wife and the little lambs are also helping to keep her warm. Of course now, the man is shivering and very cold. Narrator B: Suddenly, the old donkey nudges the man whereupon the man almost falls over in surprise. He is so startled, he just looks at the donkey. Then, the man tries to regain his spot to cover the hole in the wall. The woman has been watching all of this and she says ... Voice for Woman: "Joseph, I think the donkey wants to help us, too. Joseph, I think the donkey wants to block out the cold winds, to protect us both. Come and be with me, my husband, and share the warmth of the little lambs; and let the donkey be useful and needed. Narrator B: As the man moves back to be near his wife she says ... Voice for Woman: "How wonderful, to have the help of these animals. Surely, they are of great consequence, this night." Narrator B: That night, a couple who were turned away, who were rejected by all, were helped by the animals. Narrator A: That night, inconsequential little lambs, who had been turned away by their older friends, became of great value and consequence in keeping warm the lady, called Mary. Narrator B: That night, an old grey donkey, who had been turned out to pasture and who had been considered useless and of no value ... well, this old grey donkey shielded from the cold a husband and wife who needed help. Both Narrators: And later that night, their baby boy was born.
