The White Christmas and other Merry Christmas Plays | Page 3

she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
(Exit PROLOGUE.)
(Soft chimes. As these chimes die away in the distance a concealed choir is heard singing.)
O COME, COME, AWAY.
O come, come away From labor now reposing, Let busy care a while forbear; O come, come away.
(The front curtains are drawn, showing a winter street in Bethlehem. No one appears on the stage, but the choir continues singing outside at right front.)
Come, come, our social joys renew, And thus where trust and friendship grew, Let true hearts welcome you, O come, come away.
RACHEL and PRISCILLA enter from the inn at right front, arm in arm. They go to the center, then to the rear of the stage, turn and face the inn, pause a moment or two, listening to the choir, and then go out at rear left. The choir continues:
From toils and the cares On which the day is closing, The hour of eve brings sweet reprieve, O come, come away. O come where love will smile on thee, And round its hearth will gladness be, And time fly merrily, O come, come away.
While the choir is singing the last three lines of the song, SIMEON and ISAAC enter from rear left, leaning on their shepherd's crooks. They pause at rear center and listen to the singing. When the song is finished the organ continues the same music softly.
SIMEON. Make haste, my son, the hour is waxing late, The night is cold, methinks our sheep await.
ISAAC. Nay gran'ther, I would liefer tarry here. The town is gay, the inns are full of cheer.
SIMEON (points to rear right). But there our duty lies, the wind grows cold! Come, let's away and put the sheep in fold.
(Starts off right.)
ISAAC. Nay, Simeon, wait! What means this crowd of men And women here in peaceful Bethlehem?
SIMEON (comes to him). Herod the King hath issued a decree That each and all his subjects tax��d be; And every one who in this town saw light Must here return and register tonight. From all Judea, aye, from th' distant land, Each Bethlehemite must come at his command.
ISAAC (comes to the doorway of the inn and peers in). The town is full of people, great and small, Each inn is crowded to its very wall.
SIMEON (comes down center and takes his arm). But come, we're wasting time, 'tis very late. Make haste, my son, I know the flocks await!
ISAAC. Thou speakest true, though I would rather stay, Our duty calls, so to the hills, away!
(They go out at rear right.)
The concealed choir repeats the first stanza of the song softly. After a slight pause DEBORAH enters from the inn.
DEBORAH (coming down to right front). My inn is crowded to the doors. The heat Is stifling, but out here the air is sweet.
(Looks upward.)
The bright stars twinkle with mysterious light, Methinks there's something strange about the night.
She sits on the bench in front of the inn. TIMOTHY enters from rear left. DEBORAH continues her soliloquy.
The air is still, the night is very cold, The shepherds seek the hills to watch the fold.
(Sees him.)
(TIMOTHY goes out at rear R.)
DEBORAH. Some strange, unearthly voice seems calling me, Methinks this night portends great things to be.
Enter RACHEL and PRISCILLA from rear right, then come down center and address the hostess.
RACHEL. Hail, hostess of the inn, my cousin here Hath lodgings at your inn. We'd seek its cheer.
DEBORAH (rises). Enter within. My guests tonight are gay And fain would turn this winter's night to day.
RACHEL and PRISCILLA enter the inn, followed by DEBORAH. The organ music continues softly. After a slight pause enter ANNA from rear left. She leads RUTH and THOMAS by the hand.
THOMAS (at rear center). Oh, mother, hark! There's music in the inn!
ANNA. 'Tis not for us--their noise and merry din.
RUTH. Our little town is crowded, joyous, gay.
THOMAS. So many travelers came this way today.
RUTH. The night is chill and cold, I much do fear The little sheep will shiver by the mere.
ANNA. Too cold it is for thee, I fear, in truth, Return and get thy cloak, my little Ruth. We'll wait for thee upon the little hill.
(Points off R.)
But speed thy steps, the cold will work thee ill.
RUTH. I'll fly, dear mother, like an arrow home.
(Runs out at L.)
ANNA. We must not tarry. Come, my Thomas, come!
(She leads him out at rear R. There is a pause. The music changes to a mysterious plaintive air. The old German song, Holy Night, may be effectively introduced as an organ solo.)
Enter from rear right, JOSEPH, walking with a staff and supporting MARY.
MARY. Here is a place, now I must rest awhile! For many a league, for