STORIES OF THE HOLY NIGHT
A Play for Christmas by
Jewell Ellen Smith
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Copyright © 1990 Jewell
Ellen Smith. All scripture quotations are from the King James Version.
Nonprofit groups may perform this play without payment, but if you plan to
perform it, Jewell’s children ask that you e-mail her older son David at
DSmith1204@aol.com.
"Unto you is born this
day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."
--The Gospel according to
Luke 2:11
"Can man forget this
story?"
--Ben Jonson, English poet
and dramatist (1573-1637), in I Sing The Birth.
+ + +
Time: Christmas Eve afternoon,
1940.
Place: Gooch's Gap, a remote
settlement in the Appalachian Mountains.
Characters (in the order of their
appearance):
Mamie MacLeod, a widow, the
only midwife in Gooch's Gap
Charlie Boy MacLeod, a
prison escapee, Mamie's son
Mattie Jane Creekmore,
Charlie Boy's girlfriend
Anna Mae, Mattie Jane's
little sister
Professor DuPont, a noted
teacher from the state university school of forestry
Andy Butler, a forestry
student
Al Butler, a forestry
student, Andy's cousin
Bud Alderson, a resident of Gooch's
Gap
Joel Roberts Poinsett,
American statesman, U.S. Minister to Mexico, 1825-1829
Pedro, Mr. Poinsett's
Mexican servant
Little Angie, Anita, and
Dolores, Mexican waifs who live with their grandmother
Mexican Grandmother
The
Virgin Mary
Martin Luther (1483-1546),
noted German religious leader and reformer
Frau Kate Luther, Martin
Luther's wife
The Luther Children: Hans,
Paul, Martin, and Lena
Mary
Joseph
The
Christ Child
Three
Shepherds
Angel
of the Lord
Host
of Angels
Three
Orient Kings:
Melchior, King of Arabia, a land where the soil is
ruddy.
Gaspar, King of Tarsus, the land of merchants.
Balthasar, King of Saba, the land of spices.
Two
servant boys
Appalachian dialect and
expressions:
why
= how come
it = hit
afraid or scared = a-FEAR-d
not any = nary
poor = pore
young person, child = young ‘un
sure = shore
touch = tech
exactly = ‘zactly
at all = a-tall
thought (v) = thunk up
was not = warn’t
took = taken
food = vittles
thank you = much obliged (oh-BLIJ-ed)
brought = brung
wrapped = wropped
SCRIPT
ACT
I, Scene 1
Scene 1--It is Christmas Eve
afternoon at the rustic mountain cabin of Mamie MacLeod. Mamie, using a
homemade yard brush broom, is slowly sweeping leaves in her front yard. On the
front porch are three much worn chairs; not far from the corner of the house is
a medium sized cedar tree.
Mamie is talking to herself,
feeling sad, and thinking of her son Charlie Boy, who has been a prisoner in
the state penitentiary some six months. This, following his conviction of a
murder he did not commit.
MAMIE: I don't know how come
I'm sweepin' this yard! Here hit is, Christmas Eve. And me, I'm all by
myself--with nary a soul to take Christmas with me, nor to look at the leaves
in this old yard.
And my pore Charlie Boy! Sobs
Way off down yonder in that state pen! Locked up day and night For
somethin' the pore young 'un didn't do! That's what gits me! Charlie Boy
didn't shoot nobody!
stops sweeping to wipe her
tears
Pore young 'un! That's what he is: jist a young 'un.
He's done turned 21, but he's still like a young 'un.
begins sweeping again
But hit won't do no good to be carryin' on now. Hit
don't pay for a grown woman to cry--'specially when they ain't nobody
listenin'.
abruptly stops sweeping,
cocks her head to the side
I hear somebody comin' up
the trail! Whoever 'tis is runnin' plenty fast!
Charlie Boy, clad in his
striped prison uniform and carrying a big white sheet, comes barging into the
yard. He is highly elated, much bedraggled, exhausted.
CHARLIE: calling out
Ma! Hit's me! Hit's me! Charlie Boy! I'm home, Ma! Home!
MARIE: quite beside
herself with joy Lord ha' mercy!
Charlie Boy grabs his mother
in a bear hug, lifts her off her feet and whirls her around. She drops her
broom.
Charlie Boy! I can't believe hit's you!
CHARLIE: Hit's me, all right!
Oh, Ma, am I glad to git back to Gooch's Gap! That state pen is shore a
terrible place!
MAMIE: It must be
awful. How did you happen to git away? Son, I hope to heaven you didn't hurt
none of them lawmen!
CHARLIE: Didn't tech a hair
'a their heads.
MAMIE: They jist turned you
loose?
CHARLIE: Not 'zactly. But
hit warn't no trouble a-tall to git out. I figured up a trick!
MAMIE: What sort 'a trick?
CHARLIE: You see this here
bed sheet? holds up wrinkled sheet
MAMIE: Yes, I see hit.
CHARLIE: Well, one evenin' I
hear'd three of the guards a' talkin' and tellin' one another ghost tales. And
I found out that the one who's guardin' the old back gate on Monday
nights is a'feared to death of ghost-es. He thinks they're real!
But I know haintin' ghost-es
ain't real, 'cause you told me so. Remember? Long time ago when I was a little
young 'un you told me all sorts of stories. Remember?
MAMIE: wistfully Oh
yes, I remember the stories.
CHARLIE: You said
ghost-es--or haints, as some folks say--jist can't be real.
MAMIE: That's right. There
ain't no haints. Nor ghost-es. Nowhere.
CHARLIE: So, I figured me up
the trick. Then Monday night--a night black as smut--I got me this here
sheet and hid close to the back gate where that scary guard was tromping back
and forth, back and forth. starts reenacting incident Jist as the big
old prison clock struck midnight, I wropped my sheet over me and come up behind
the pore guy.
I started sort'a moanin' and
sayin': "Oh-h-h! Ohh-hh-h-h! I am the ghost of this bad, bad, bad pen-i-ten-ti-ary!
On cold, cold nights I go too-oo-o and fro, too-oo-o and fro to haint the
guards!... Woof!”
Charlie laughs
That feller! He fainted! Keeled over like dead! So I
jist taken his keys, unlocked the gate, an' high-tailed hit out'a there!
MAMIE: with glee Good
fer you!
CHARLIE: seriously
Ma, I'm starved to death. You got any cold biscuit, or anything?
MAMIE: Of course. I've
always got plenty of left-over vittles. Come on in the house.
CHARLIE: Soon's I eat, you
know what I'm gonna do? Go squirrel huntin'! I want me some fried squirrel,
smothered in thick-en gravy! With biscuits an' syrup! Then, I aim to go
see Mattie Jane!
MAMIE: Well, now, Charlie
Boy, you can go hunt squirrels--there's plenty of 'em this year--but you can't
go see Mattie Jane!
CHARLIE: How come, Ma? Me
an' Mattie Jane was--Lord, she ain't up an' married nobody, has she?
MAMIE: No, no. Mattie Jane
ain't married. An' I know you two was sweet on one another. But we can't tell nobody
that you 'scaped from the pen!
CHARLIE. But, Ma, Mattie
Jane wouldn't tell nobody!
MAMIE: She wouldn't.
But that blabber-mouth ma of her'n would. That woman tells ever'thing she hears
and more too. You see, Son, them lawmen are bound to come lookin' fer you!
CHARLIE: How could they?
They don't know where Gooch's Gap is at.
MAMIE: They'll find
Gooch's Gap. You jist don't know lawmen. What we gotta do is figure out how you
can hide. I ain't lettin' them take you off no more, but we better git some arrangements
made.
CHARLIE: I ain't worried. changes
tone Where's aunt Loodie? I thought she was stayin' here with you.
MARIE: Sister Loodie is
spendin’ the winter with me, but her step-son Willie livin' down in the lower
settlement--you don't know Willie--well, anyway, Willie, he come an' got Loodie
yesterday. On account of hit bein' Christmas an' all.
They tried to git me to go
too, but I couldn't go. Bud Alderson's wife, she's 'spectin' any day now and
they're countin' on me to be there.
CHARLIE. So you're still
catchin' babies?
MAMIE: boastfully Ever'
blessed baby born in Gooch's Gap! Jist the other day I was tellin' Sister
Loodie that-- Ah, I've got it! I jist thought how you can hide!
CHARLIE. How?
MAMIE. You can put on Sister
Loodie's clothes.
CHARLIE: Me? Me wear women's
dresses? You can't mean that, Ma!
MAMIE: Not all time. Jist
when you're out 'a the house. That way, if anybody happens to see you, they'll
think you are Loodie.
CHARLIE: All right. If you
say so. But I shore don't like hit.
two enter house
End of Scene 1
Scene
2
Scene 2--same as Scene 1, a
few minutes later, on the front porch of the MacLeod cabin. Charlie Boy
emerges--his prison garb covered over with an oversized long dress. The pants
of his uniform barely show. He carries a double-barreled shotgun and is loading
it as he starts out of the yard.
MAMIE: running after
her son Your bonnet! Your bonnet! Charlie Boy! Waves big pink
sunbonnet, hurries to put it on Charlie's head Now, that's better: ties
big bow under Charlie's chin You look jist
like your Aunt Loodie!
CHARLIE: I feel like
a fool! begins to exit
MAMIE: Well, you ain't. We
can't take no chances. pauses Git back 'fore sundown!
Charlie stops quickly, turns
and comes back.
CHARLIE: Ma, you gotta
promise me somethin'.
MAMIE: What?
CHARLIE: If I can't go see
Mattie Jane, then you'll tell me a long, long story tonight. Real long. Like
you used to tell me.
MAMIE: Why, shore, Son. I'll
make up a good 'un!
Charlie exits. Mamie picks
up her yard brooms and resumes sweeping.
I reckon I'd better finish this wretched yard.
Sweeps vigorously, piles
leaves into large split-oak basket. Enter Mattie Jane and her younger sister
Anna Mae. Mattie Jane carries a large potted Poinsettia plant, Anna Mae, a
pound cake packed in a good sized basket. Mamie's back is turned as they reach the
yard gate.
MATTIE JANE: Miss Mamie?
MAMIE: Why-- I-- I-- Oh,
hit's you, Mattie Jane' An' Anna Mae! I wasn't 'spectin' nobody! You
sort'a caught me by surprise! But I'm powerful glad to see you. Y'all come in.
I'll make you some sassafras tea, or somethin'.
MATTIE JANE: No'm, thank
you. We ain't got time. Our ma sent you this here flower. hands plant
to Mamie
MAMIE: My goodness! It shore
is purty! I never seen the like of hit!
ANNA MAE. Our Aunt Clara
brought it all the way from Tennessee!
MATTIE JANE: She brought two
of 'em. An' Ma said you ought'a have one of 'em to keep you from bein' so
lonesome for Charlie Boy.
ANNA MAE: She sent you this
here cake, too. Hit's a Kentucky Pound Cake, ‘cause Ma's folks come from
Kentucky an' that's the kind 'a cake they always make fer Christmas.
Mamie sets flower on edge of
porch, takes cake basket.
MAMIE: This is plum’
wonderful! Tell your ma I'm sure much obliged.
MATTIE JANE: Miss Mamie?
MAMIE: Yes, Mattie Jane?
MATTIE JANE: timidly
I don't reckon you got no Christmas letter or anything from Charlie Boy, did
you?
MAMIE: with some
hesitation Uh-- uh-- no, I didn't git no letter. Charlie Boy don't know
how to write, you know. I've wished a thousand times that I had 'a made him go
to school when he was a young 'un. But I didn't. So now he don't read an'
write. Jist like me.
MATTIE JANE: Maybe sometime
if you want to send him word about anything, I'll write hit in a letter fer
you. And Charlie Boy could git somebody down there to read hit to him!
MAMIE: That's shore thoughtful
of you, Mattie Jane. I won't fergit hit. You never can tell what's gonna
happen.
ANNA MAE: We better be goin'
now.
MATTIE JANE: Yes, hit takes
a while to walk them three miles--even if hit is down hill all the way.
MAMIE: Tell me jist one more
thing, girls: what's the name of this here purty flower?
MATTIE JANE: Oh, Miss Mamie,
I wish't you hadn't a asked. I can't remember the name of hit. Anna Mae, you
remember what Aunt Clara called hit?
ANNA MAE:
Poin-somethin'-or-other. That's all I know.
MAMIE: Oh well, that's all
right. I'll jist call hit my "Christmas Eve Flower." Bye-bye, girls!
Creekmore girls exeunt,
Mamie takes cake from basket, smells it.
Umm-mm-m! Smells powerful good.
Places cake back in the basket,
sets it on the porch. Picks up Poinsettia, smells it.
Why, this ain't got no smell a-tall to hit. Oh,
well, I reckon some flowers jist don't smell good. Like my pa used to say,
"There ain't no sich thing as perfection!" 'Course Pa was
talkin' about people, but I reckon the same goes for flowers. resumes
sweeping
Maybe I ought to 'a
told Mattie Jane about Charlie Boy comin' home. I jist don't know. I do know
that one of these days somehow or other I'm gonna git her Grandpa Creekmore to
tell what he seen that night of the shootin'. He seen who shot
that store keeper. And it shore warn't Charlie Boy!
Off stage there is a loud
gunshot. Another. A third.
MAMIE: with satisfaction
Sounds like Charlie Boy is havin' good luck! I'll cook us a big pot of squirrel
mulligan!
Professor DuPont, Andy and
A1 Butler--their hands above their heads, their sacks of tree limbs dangling
from their shoulders--run into Mamie's yard. Charlie Boy is at their heels, his
smoking shotgun in his hands. The three men are terrified. Charlie Boy is not
so sure of what he is doing. He thinks the three are "law men" come
to take him back to prison. The men are pleading with their captor, all crying
out at the same time.
PROFESSOR: Don't shoot,
young man! Don't shoot! We'll explain! We're friends!
ANDY: We're not law men!
We're students!
AL: We're from the
university! We're just looking at the trees!
PROFESSOR: Young Man, we
won't harm you! Believe us!
MAMIE: crying out
Charlie Boy! What in God's creation is goin' on?
CHARLIE: Move back, Ma! I
may have to shoot 'em!
MAMIE: No! No! Charlie Boy,
don't do that! Not yet! Not yet! Make 'em set down up there in them porch
chairs!
CHARLIE: waving his
gun Y'all set down up there in them porch chairs, like Ma said. turns
to Mamie Ma, they are law men! Come to git me! But that ain't what
they claim!
The three men scramble into
chairs, hands still held high.
MAMIE: We'll find out who
they are! turns to men Now, I don't know where you three
fellers come from, but I'm here to tell you one thing: you ain't taking
Charlie Boy away from this house!
PROFESSOR: No indeed, Madam!
Of course not! We wouldn't think of it!
MAMIE: What have y'all got
to say for yourselves? Son, let 'em put their hands down.
CHARLIE: Yeah! Put your hands
down. Jist rest 'em on your knees. Tell Ma that rigmarole you told me. She
ain't gonna believe you, though.
ANDY: Professor DuPont, you
explain to the lady!
AL: Yes, Sir! Tell her me
and Andy are just students! Tell her all about our forestry project:
PROFESSOR: Well, Madam, I'll
explain as briefly as possible. My name is Professor DuPont and these boys are
two of my students at the state university: Andy and A1 Butler. They're
students. And they don't live too far from here. During this Christmas
holiday I've assigned them the project of collecting specimens from all the
different trees in this region of the Appalachians. And, to draw a map showing
the location of the various species. In this county, that is. Of course the
specimens they're gathering must be identified and arranged in order by family,
genus, and species. It is quite a task. Very important. It is a
preliminary exercise for the work they'll do toward their master’s degrees.
MAMIE: All that don't make
too much sense to me. I thought folks went off to that university to study
books. Not trees.
CHARLIE: Hit's jist a
rigmarole they made up, Ma.
MAMIE: ignoring Charlie's
remark Tell me what you got in them sacks.
PROFESSOR: Al, empty out
your sack and show the lady your collection.
AL: Yes, Sir.
Al shakes out his sack,
revealing dozens of small branches off of holly, pine, cedar, oak, hickory,
other species, and a rather large limb from a winter huckleberry.
CHARLIE: See, Ma? They been
breakin' limbs off'n all the trees! Jist look 'a there! Holly, an’ pine, an’
cedar, an’ oak, an’ hickory. Even winter huckleberry. turns to men
Don't y'all know them huckleberries is fer the little birds to eat when snow
comes? You ought not 'a broke them off!
Maybe y'all ain't
lawmen. Maybe you done 'scaped from the lunatic asylum! Ma, let's me an--
MAMIE: as she cocks
her head Hush a minute, Son, and you tree fellers git quiet! sniffs
the air There's a man comin' up the trail' pauses Jist as I
thought. Hit's Bud Alderson! The baby must be comin'! I'll have to go! Quick,
Charlie Boy, gimme the shotgun! You run git a milk bucket out'n the kitchen and
go be milkin' the cow. Bud will think you're Sister Loodie.
CHARLIE: as he
hands over the gun How you know hit's Bud Alderson?
MAMIE: I can smell his pipe.
Bud's the only man in Gooch's Gap that smokes Prince Albert. An' anybody can
tell Prince Albert a mile away.
Charlie runs out, holding up
his skirt. Mamie turns to the foresters.
MAMIE: You tree fellers jist
hold your horses now. Soon as Bud Alderson comes and goes I'll tell you what to
do.
Bud, much out of breath,
arrives at the front gate, where Mamie meets him.
BUD: Miss Mamie! Hit's time!
I come to git you!
MAMIE: You think the baby's
on the way?
BUD: Oh, yes, Ma’am! My wife
said tell you to hurry! She's in a terrible fix! Done started screamin'
somethin' awful!
MAMIE: I'll come right away.
BUD: Them strangers settin'
on your porch? Are they some of your kinfolks?
MAMIE: No, Bud. They-- they're
from another settlement. Jist passing through. They're powerful interested in
this here old double barrel that used to be my husband's. They're ready to
leave.
BUD: You ain't gonna sell
'em your best shotgun, are you?
MAMIE: Not a chance. There
ain't enough money to buy this gun. Now, Bud, you run on back home.
Soon's you git there, put a big kettle of water on to boil. Then, bring out
your jug.
BUD: You mean you're gonna
let my wife have whiskey?
MAMIE: No. That's for you.
BUD: Lord, I need it!
Exits hurriedly. Mamie
returns to front porch.
PROFESSOR: Madam, if it's
all right with you, we'd like to use your telephone and then we'll leave. In a
few hours it'll be getting dark.
MAMIE: We ain't got no
phone, an' you can't leave. We don’t trust you.
Let me explain the lay of the land to you. You see,
I am the only midwife in Gooch's Gap and I've got to go deliver the Alderson
baby. That may take some time. Now, my Charlie Boy, as you may have
suspicioned, has jist ‘scaped from the state penitentiary. And I mean for him
to stay ‘scaped. 'Cause he ort not ‘a been sent there in the first
place. When that store keeper down in the lower settlement got killed last
year, Charlie Boy jist happened to be standin' there. He didn't shoot
the man.
Old Grandpa Creekmore seen
who done it! But the day they had the trial Grandpa Creekmore was flat 'a
his back with pneumonia. So there warn't nobody there to tell the truth!
PROFESSOR: That's most
unfortunate.
ANDY: Yes. Too bad.
AL: Poor devil. Oh, Madam, I
didn't mean to call you son a devil!
MAMIE: without hearing
Al Y'all will jist have to
stay here till I git back. Then I'll decide what to do. I don't think
Charlie Boy will shoot you, unless you scare him or somethin'. He's sort of
like a young'un. Maybe you know some stories you could tell him to keep him
from frettin'. He's crazy ‘bout stories, and it would help you pass the time.
PROFESSOR: That's an
excellent suggestion! A magnificent suggestion! That's what we'll do! Tell
stories! Right, boys?
AL: Absolutely!
ANDY: Lady, we'll tell
Charlie stories till midnight, if he wants to hear 'em! Till daylight,
if he says so!
MAMIE: One more thing,
before I leave here. You’ve hear'd of "swearin' on a stack of
Bibles," ain't you?
PROFESSOR: Why, yes, I think
I've heard that expression.
AL: Not me.
ANDY: Me, neither.
MAMIE: I'm fixin' to let you
three do jist that--Swear on a stack of Bibles--soon's Charlie Boy gits back to
the house. walks to edge of yard to call her son Charlie Boy! You can
come back now. Bud Alderson's gone.
Charlie returns, carrying
the milk pail.
CHARLIE: I didn't git but
jist a little milk, Ma. That fool cow acted like she know'd I wadn't Aunt
Loodie.
MAMIE: Never mind that. Go
in the house and look down in the bottom of that box where I keep my quilts and
bring them three old Bibles out here.
CHARLIE: What fer?
MAMIE: Jist go get 'em and
you'll see what fer.
Charlie exits, Mamie returns
to the puzzled men.
Now don't y'all ask me how come I keep three Bibles
when me nor Charlie Boy nor my Sister Loodie can't none of us read 'em. I
reckon I keep 'em on account of they was handed down. From my great-grandpa. He
was a Circuit Rider in these parts! Yes, siree! A Circuit Rider. Grandpa
MacLean left us them Good Books, but he didn't leave us too much religion. We
ain't no church goers. As fer that, there ain't no church in Gooch's Gap.
Charlie returns, one huge
Bible and two smaller ones in hand.
CHARLIE: Where you want me
to put 'em?
MAMIE: Stack 'em up, right
there in front of these three men. Put the big one down first. Open hit up.
Then open the others on top of hit. Make a stack.
Charlie arranges Bibles, as
instructed. Mamie, the shotgun still in hand, moves closer to men.
MAMIE: Y'all lean over, put
your right hands on them Bibles.
Men place hands on Bibles.
Now say what I say. All together. We swear on this
stack of Bibles--
MEN: in unison
We swear on this stack of Bibles--
MAMIE: That we won't harm
Charlie MacLeod--
MEN: That we won't harm
Charlie MacLeod--
MAMIE: And we won't run off before
his ma gits back!
MEN: And we won't run off
before his ma gits back!
MAMIE: with much
satisfaction Well, that's that! Here, Son, you take the gun. Keep close
guard on them fellers. I won't be gone too long.
Charlie
takes the gun, ambles over to the edge of porch, takes off his bonnet and sits
down--facing his prisoners. Mamie darts into the house and hurries back through
the corner of the yard and out the front gate--her bonnet and shawl on, a large
black satchel in her hand.
End of ACT I
ACT
II, Scene 1
Scene 1: Same as Sc. 2 of
ACT I. There is no break. Professor DuPont and the two students remain seated
on the porch of the MacLeod cabin. Charlie Boy continues guarding them with his
double-barreled shotgun. The Poinsettia plant and the Kentucky Pound Cake have
been left on the porch, not far from the steps.
PROFESSOR: Charlie, I was
just noticing this beautiful Poinsettia plant your mother has here.
CHARLIE: seeing the
plant for the first time Well I'll be
hanged! I hadn't seen that. Wonder where Mia got hit? Don't nothin' like that
grow 'round Gooch's Gap.
PROFESSOR: It's a
"Poinsettia." Would you like to hear the story of how the Poinsettia
came to be our main Christmas flower?
CHARLIE: Story? Oh, shore! I
like stories.
PROFESSOR: Long time ago,
down in Mexico, where the first of this species grew, the Poinsettia was known
as "The Flower of the Holy Night."
CHARLIE: Holy Night? What
night is that?
PROFESSOR: It's Christmas
Eve Night. The night when Christ the Lord was born. Like tonight. Today is Christmas
Eve; so tonight will be the Holy Night.
CHARLIE: much intrigued
It will? I never hear’d that before. I jist thought Christmas was Christmas.
PROFESSOR: Well, let me tell
you the Poinsettia story. A1 and Andy, you might like to listen to this, too. It's
part true, part legend.
AL: Oh, yes, Sir.
ANDY: We'll be glad to hear
it.
PROFESSOR: Back more than a
hundred years ago there was in Charleston, South Carolina a distinguished
gentleman by the name of Mr. Joel Roberts Poinsett. He was a scholar, a statesman,
a diplomat, a man who had traveled much. Once be had gone on a seven year tour
of Europe and western Asia. He could read and speak many languages. Mr.
Poinsett eventually became the U.S. Secretary of War. And, in his later years,
he founded an academy of fine arts. This unusual man is remembered now mostly
for his flower from Mexico. In the year 1825 Mr. Poinsett became the first
United States minister to Mexico. He represented our government there for
several years. Finally, though, it was time for him to return home.
On another section of the
stage Mr. Poinsett and his young servant Pedro appear. They are busily packing
numerous suitcases and parcels. These include a wooden box filled with plants
bearing small red blossoms.
PEDRO: Señor Poinsett?
POINSETT: What is it, Pedro?
PEDRO: You leave Mexico
today. Why? You are, what you say, "home sick?" (home seek)
POINSETT: Si, si, Pedro. In
a way, I am truly homesick. I've been down here in Mexico five years,
and I long to see Carolina--my old home. But, I am sad to leave Mexico.
PEDRO: with the
flower box in hand You take this wild flower all
the way to your old home?
POINSETT: Si, Pedro. I think
it has possibilities. Surely it can be made to grow bigger than it is. Even
prettier.
PEDRO: We call it "flor
de la Pascua" or sometimes "flor de la noche santo." Why, I
don't know.
POINSETT: with surprise
My word, Pedro, you've never heard the legend of "The Flower of the Holy
Night?" I thought everybody in Mexico knew that lovely story.
PEDRO: Not me, poor
Pedro.
POINSETT: Of course there
are several versions of the legend. The most common one is about three little
girls.
PEDRO: Tell it to me, Señor.
POINSETT: Once there lived,
near the great cathedral in Monterey, three little girls named Angie, Anita,
and Dolores. They stayed with their aged grandmother. And they were very poor.
One Christmas Eve night
their grandmother told the little girls that they should go to the cathedral
and kneel at the altar and present gifts to the Christ Child. That was the
custom then.
On a separate section of the
stage an aged woman and three small girls enter. Angle carries a rag doll;
Anita, pink paper roses; Dolores a clump of weeds. The four stop. The
grandmother speaks to them in pantomime, sends them on their way. The grandmother
fades into the background, as Poinsett continues the narrative.
POINSETT: Angie and Anita
had fine gifts to take to the Christ Child. But all that little Dolores had was
a clump of weeds she had gathered from the side of the road.
On the way to the great
cathedral the little girls lost their way, and they didn't know which road to
follow. So, they sat down by the side of the road and cried.
Girls sit down, weep, wipe
their eyes.
It was then that they saw a vision of the blessed
Virgin Mary!
Virgin Mary appears, robed
as an angel.
VIRGIN MARY: Where are you
going, little girls? And why are you crying on this the Holy Night?
ANGIE: We are going to take
gifts to the Christ Child.
ANITA: But we got lost.
VIRGIN MARY: Come, I will
show you the way to the cathedral. What gifts are you taking to the Christ
Child?
DOLORES: Angle is taking her
doll. And Anita has pink paper roses. But all I could find is these wild
flowers, and they're not pretty. They are weeds!
VIRGIN MARY: When you lay
them at the altar, they will be beautiful.
Virgin Mary takes weeds from
Dolores, gives her a Poinsettia blossom.
POINSETT: The blessed Virgin
Mary leaned over, touched the weeds, and changed them into flowers. And so,
ever since then, in Mexico, they have been called "Flowers of the Holy
Night."
Mary and girls exeunt.
PEDRO: Ah, Señor Poinsett
that is a fine Mexican story. Will you tell it in your old home?
POINSETT: I'm sure I will,
Pedro. I'll probably tell it over and over. Come, let's hurry! My ship sails at
high noon. And I must not miss it!
Two exeunt.
ANDY: Gee whiz, Professor
DuPont! That's quite interesting.
AL: Then Mr. Poinsett really
did bring the Poinsettia to the United states?
PROFESSOR: Oh, yes. And
after the flower was developed it was named for him.
CHARLIE: You know any more
stories? 'Bout flowers. Or just anything!
End of Scene 1, begin Scene
2, without a break.
Scene 2
Scene 2.-- Same as Scene 1.
There is not even a lull in the conversation.
PROFESSOR: Let me think just
a minute, Charlie. Naturally I know countless tales about trees.
CHARLIE: Trees will be fine.
Jist so long as hit's a story!
PROFESSOR: Ah, I've just
thought of the very one!
This, too, is for Christmas Eve. It's part true,
part tradition. Pauses In old times people believed that on the night
when Christ was born "the rivers flowed with wine, and the trees blossomed
in the midst of ice and snow."
Nobody knows when folks
began to decorate evergreen trees as part of their Christmas celebration. Some
say that the custom grew out of the medieval miracle and mystery plays that
were produced in Europe for more than 500 years--starting in the year 976.
These plays often opened,
showing the Garden of Eden and the Tree of Life. So perhaps the first Christmas
trees stood for the Tree of Life.
Now, there is a
tradition--often repeated--that Martin Luther was the first person to think of
putting lights on a tree at Christmas time. pauses Al, and Andy, you've
probably heard this legend, and, I'm sure you are well versed in church history
and tradition.
But, Charlie, I don't
imagine you know who Martin Luther was.
CHARLIE: Can't say as I ever
hear'd of him, He never lived nowheres around Gooch's Gap, did he?
PROFESSOR: No, no. He lived
a long, long time ago in what is now Germany. Well, to be precise, he was a
youngster about 10 years old when Columbus discovered America in 1492.
Luther grew up to be a very
learned and religious man. He became a great preacher and teacher. He is called
the "great reformer" in the church. For one thing, he translated the
Bible into the German language. He wrote hundreds of songs.
Luther's wife was named
Kate, and they had four children: Hans, Martin, Paul, and little Lena.
One Christmas Eve night
after the Luther family had put up their Christmas tree--and decorated it with
apples and paper flowers, and other pretties--Martin Luther went for a walk
through the fields. It was a cold night, but the stars were shining very
brightly.
On another part of the stage
Kate and the four children begin decorating a Christmas tree. Near the tree is
a table on which a candle burns. Martin Luther puts on his wraps, leaves for
his walk. Spotlight follows Luther.
LUTHER: as he gazes
toward the stars Ah, what a glorious Christmas Eve! The
stars are magnificent. Indeed, the heavens do "declare the glory of
God." The stars are like a million candles shining from the windows of
heaven.
Truly, the Christ Child came
as the "light of the world." Ja! (Ya!) His very words were:
"Ich bin des licht von den welt!" (Ish been des lisht fon des
velt!)
How I wish I had a way to
teach the children that "Gott ist Licht!" (lisht)
Merely telling them is not
enough. pauses
Ah! I know what to do!
Hurriedly returns to his
family, which is still gathered around their tree.
Kate, my dear, do we have
any extra candles in the house?
KATE: Candles? I think so,
Martin. But what are you going to do with more candles? It's not that
dark.
LUTHER: I want to put them
on our tree!
KATE: Put candles on the Christmas
tree? I never heard of such a thing!
LUTHER: It will help us
teach the children that the Christ Child came to be the "Light of the
world."
Kate exits, returns quickly
with three candles, which she hands to her husband.
KATE: I found only three.
LUTHER: That's enough to
start with. Next Christmas Eve we can get more.
Attaches candles to tree
limbs, as he calls the children together.
Children?
CHILDREN: in unison
Yes, Father?
LUTHER: Come here. I want to
tell you something.
Lines children up, according
to age
Hans! Martin! Paul! Little Lena! Now, that's good.
Listen carefully, children, I want to tell you a great truth. You know that
this evergreen tree represents the "Tree of Life." Eternal life. We
have adorned it in honor of the birthday of the Christ. Now, we are adding
these candles as a symbol. A symbol that Christ our Lord was born to be the
"Light of the world." "Das licht von den welt!"
Kate lights candles, Luther
talks on.
All of your life I want each of you to remember this
lesson: Christ Jesus came to be the "Light of the world." "Gott
ist Licht." Tell me, do you understand that?
CHILDREN: in unison
Yes, Father. "Gott ist Licht."
Spotlight fades, audience
attention is shifted back to Charlie Boy and his captives.
ANDY: seriously Professor
DuPont, you really know how to tell a story!
AL: Andy's right, Sir. I bet
Charlie wishes you'd tell us another Christmas Eve story.
CHARLIE: I shore do!
Per-fess-er, you do make 'em up good!
PROFESSOR: obviously pleased
You fellows flatter me.
End of Scene. End of ACT II.
There is no break.
ACT
III, Scene 1
Scene 1--Same as previous
scene. Charlie Boy still holds the three foresters captive on the front porch
of the MacLeod cabin in Gooch's Gap. It is in the afternoon of Christmas Eve.
To keep Charlie Boy entertained Professor DuPont is telling him a series of
Christmas Eve stories. Students A1 and Andy are almost as intrigued with
DuPont's tales as is Charlie Boy.
PROFESSOR: as he
picks up the largest of the three
Bibles stacked on the floor of the
porch So you want to hear another Christmas Eve story! All right! I'm
going to offer you the greatest story ever told--straight out of the Bible.
CHARLIE: You mean to say the
Good Book has got stories in hit?
Prof. begins leafing through
New Testament portion of Bible.
PROFESSOR: Plenty of
stories, Charlie. True stories.
CHARLIE: much amazed
I shore didn't know that. I thought hit was jist full 'a fire an' brimstone.
PROFESSOR: There's some fire
and brimstone, but actually, Charlie, the Bible--or Good Book, and it truly is
the good book; it's the magnificent, fantastic book, for there's nothing else
like it in the whole world--the Good Book is 66 books in one! All taken
together, these 66 books give an account of God's dealings with man. Ah, here's
the part we're looking for:
begins reading
"And it came to pass in
those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the
would should be taxed...
"And all went to be
taxed, every one into his own city.
"And Joseph also went
up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the City of
David, which is called Bethlehem.... to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife,
being great with child.
"And so it was, that,
while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
"And she brought forth
her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a
manger; because there was no room in the inn."
On a
separate section of the stage, where a rustic stable scene has been
created--complete with a hay-filled manger--Mary and Joseph and the Christ
Child appear. Mary wraps a large white blanket around the baby and places him
in the manger. Mary sits beside the manger, Joseph stands nearby. The Professor
reads on.
PROFESSOR: "And there
were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over
their flock by night...."
Audience sees three
shepherds gathered around a campfire. One holds a lamb in his arms.
"And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them,
and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore
afraid."
ANGEL comes to the shepherds
at the same time a bright, almost blinding light shines down on them. The three
flee in panic, stop some distance from the angel.
ANGEL OF THE LORD: Shepherds!
Come back, shepherds! Don't be afraid!
This is the night for joy!
Not fear!
shepherds return, cautiously
"Behold, I bring you good tidings of great
joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of
David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord!"
FIRST SHEPHERD: trembling
with fear Di-- Di-- Did you say Chr-- Chr-- Chr-- Christ the
Lord?
ANGEL: Yes! Christ the Lord
is born! In Bethlehem! Your own City of David!
FIRST SHEPHERD: How-- How--
How can we find Him?
ANGEL: This shall be
the sign: "Ye shall find the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a
manger."
PROFESSOR reads further.
"Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude
of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying:
"Glory to God in the
highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
A group of 10, or more,
angels surrounds the shepherds, chanting as they arrive.
ANGELS: chanting in
unison Glory to Cod in the Highest! All glory! All glory! All glory to
His name! All praise to the lord most High!
The Almighty has done a
great thing. He brings peace on earth! Good will to men!
Peace! Peace! Peace and Good
Will!
Peace! Peace! Peace and Good
Will!
He brings Peace and Good
Will!
Angels disappear, still
chanting.
Glory to God in the Highest!
All glory! All glory! All glory!...
As all angels fade away,
Professor resumes reading.
PROFESSOR: "Now when
Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold,
there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, "Saying, 'Where is he that
is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come
to worship him.'...
"...And, lo, the star
which they saw in the east went before them, till it came and stood over where
the young child was...
"When they saw the
star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy!"
Melchior, Gaspar, Balthasar
enter--followed by two young servants who carry a golden chest. They stop.
GASPAR: My friends, I am
most discouraged. As you see, the King's star has suddenly disappeared from
the sky! How can we go on when we cannot see its guiding light? Let us make
camp for the night.
MELCHIOR: with excitement
There! Look! There it is! Points toward sky
BALTHASAR: Where? I can't
see it.
MELCHIOR: Look toward the
southwest! Between those clouds!
BALTHASAR: Ah, yes! There it
is! I knew the Holy King's star would return. After all, it has been our
guide for two years!
GASPAR: Yes! let us hasten
on to Bethlehem! Oh, I'm thankful! It is a time to rejoice!
Wise men move on toward
stable scene. Professor continues reading.
PROFESSOR: "And when
then were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother,
and fell down, and worshipped him; and when they had opened their treasures,
they presented unto him gifts: gold, and frankincense, and myrrh."
Wise men open golden chest.
Melchior takes out a casket of gold.
MELCHIOR: to Joseph
I, Melchior, King of Arabia, bow down before this Holy Child and offer him gold,
because he is born the king-- the king of all kings.
GASPAR: holding out
the frankincense he has removed from the
chest I, Gaspar, King of Tarsus, the land of merchants, bow down before
this Holy Child and offer him frankincense to burn on the altar of God. The
Babe is born the high priest of this world.
BALTHASAR: presenting
the myrrh he has removed from the
chest I, Balthasar, King of Saba, the land of spices, bow down before
the Holy Child to offer him myrrh. He is born the great physician, with healing
in his hands.
He will comfort man in all
his griefs, his sorrows; bear all his transgression, all his iniquities; and
give him peace. Cf. Isaiah 53
ANGEL OF THE LORD appears at
the stable scene, while shepherds and wise men are still kneeling before the
manger.
ANGEL: Shepherds of
Bethlehem, go back to your fold and keep watch over your sheep.
Wise Kings of the East,
depart now. Return each to his own kingdom. But do not travel through
Jerusalem, because of the wicked king there.
Joseph, take the young child
and Mary his mother and flee into Egypt. Hide there, for King Herod will seek
the Holy Babe to destroy him.
All leave, as directed.
Angel disappears.
End of Scene 1
Spotlight directs audience
attention back to Charlie and his captives.
Scene 2
Scene 2.--Same as Scene 1.
There is no break. Charlie still holds Professor DuPont and the two students at
gunpoint, on the porch of the MacLeod cabin in Gooch' s Gap.
PROFESSOR: So, Charlie,
that's how the Bible tells of the first Holy Night--the first Christmas Eve.
Two thousand years ago. In Bethlehem. What do you think of it?
CHARLIE: quite overwhelmed
Per-fess-er, hit's plum too wonderful fer the likes 'a me. What I think is: hit
ain't right fer me to even be pointin' this here shotgun at y'all, this bein'
the birthday of that Baby in Bethlehem.
puts gun aside
Y'all can go. Right now. You'd better hurry, 'fore
night comes on.
PROFESSOR: Why, thank you,
Charlie. We appreciate that.
CHARLIE: I hope you
won't tell no law men that you seen me!
PROFESSOR: We're not going
to turn you in, Charlie. The only law man I'll speak to will be one who can arrange
for you to have a new trial. That way, you won't have to go back to prison.
CHARLIE: Shore enough?
PROFESSOR: Shore
enough!
CHARLIE: That'll be great!
Notices small branches and
leaves still on the floor
Here, lem'me git these here limbs back in your sack.
Boys refill Al's sack.
Professor places Bibles in one of the chairs.
Say, y'all! If you want to know all the different
kinds 'a trees growin' here 'round Gooch's Gap, come back in the spring when
the leaves put out an' I'll show 'em to you. They's lots more trees than
these. You ain't found half of 'em.
AL: You've got a good idea.
ANDY: Charlie, I bet you do
know all the trees around here.
CHARLIE: Shore! I grow'd up
here in the woods.
PROFESSOR: I'll tell you
what, Charlie. We'll strike a bargain with you. We'll come back in the spring
and get you to help us identify the trees, and we'll help you learn to read:
CHARLIE: Read stories?
PROFESSOR: Yes. Read
stories!
CHARLIE: Hit's a trade!
Charlie shakes hands with
the three as they hurriedly leave. He then sits down on the porch steps, to
await his mother's return.
CHARLIE: to himself
When Ma gits back, she may not like it a-tall when she sees them tree
fellers are gone.
But if I tell her 'bout the
Holy Night and 'bout the little Baby in the Good Book, she'll see I done
right.
Notices basket holding the
cake
Wonder what Ma's got in this here basket.
Unfolds dish cloths covering
cake
A cake! I ain't seen a cake in nearly a year!
As Charlie is lifting the cake
from the basket, Mamie returns, bringing Mattie Jane with her. Charlie is so
intrigued with the cake that he doesn't see them.
I could eat the whole thing! I am
gonna go whack me off a chunk of hit!
Starts to enter house,
carrying cake.
MAMIE: Charlie Boy!
Charlie whirls around,
almost drops the cake.
I'm back. An' look who I brung with me!
CHARLIE: with great
surprise and delight Mattie Jane! runs to greet
Mattie Jane
MATTIE JANE: Oh, Charlie
Boy!
CHARLIE: Mattie Jane, you
done got purtier an' purtier!
MATTIE JANE: I'm proud
you're back!
Two are oblivious to Mamie;
she doesn't notice.
MAMIE: After that fat little
baby was born, an' we got her settled down, I jist got to thinkin'! An' I
thought: "My goodness, Charlie Boy wanted to see Mattie Jane.” So--
Y'all ain't listenin' to a
word I say! Gimme this cake, an y'all come on in the house so's we can eat some
of hit.
Takes cake from Charlie. He
and Mattie Jane--both in something of a daze--start following Mamie into the
house. Suddenly Mamie stops.
Good heavens! Where's them tree fellers at?
CHARLIE: I let 'em go, Ma.
MAMIE: Let 'em go?
CHARLIE: The per-fess-er, he
told me three good stories 'bout the Holy Night. But the last one, hit
was the bestest! Ma, hit was the bestest story ever told! An' you know
what else? You listen to this too, Mattie Jane. The per-fess-er is gonna
git hit fixed so's I won't have to go back to that state pen! An' they're gonna
come here next spring an' learn me how to read--out'n the Good Book! I'm gonna
read THE STORY OF THE HOLY NIGHT!
Three enter door of cabin.
END OF PLAY