TWELFTH ACTION(The Morning Stars)
STAGE A
Staying his Followers, the CAPTAIN OF THE HOST approaches the THREE KINGS by the Tree.
In his hand he bears the Staff of Herod.
CAPTAINHalt here!—Behold them. They are found.Stand forth, ye Kings of East! What make yeSo far from Herod’s throne?MELCHIORWe journey home.CAPTAINKnow ye not Herod’s wrath, what ’tis!—Why brought ye not your tidings backTo him? Where is the Manger-Child?MELCHIORWe know him not.BELSHASAROur trail we lost.His star is dark.CASPARNay, shineth yonder!CAPTAIN(Staring)Where shineth?BELSHASARHe is old and daft.MELCHIORHail, Captain of our lord his host!Welcome you are in Herod’s name.—CLAUS(Rising painfully)Nay, curst is he in Herod’s name.—Give back my babe!CAPTAIN(Strikes him with his staff.)Take hence thy life!(Clausfalls back motionless.Deathdraws near and bends over him.)DEATHCome, Claus: Awake! Thy babe is here.CLAUSFriend Death, now raise me up.—MethoughtThou hadst been deaf and dumb, but nowWe speak together.DEATHHere I holdThy little babe.CLAUS(Taking the muffled child)O little babe,Now are we both in Death his armsSafe held from Herod’s wrath. Be gladThy father was not Herod’s slave.(In his great cloakDeathleads him away.Ruthstares after them.)RUTHClaus! Claus!—Now Death hath taken him.CASPARPoor woman, do not weep for Claus.Friend Death is kind.RUTHNow are we leftAlone, and none to shield us.CASPARYea,A king shall shield ye.CAPTAINKing! What kingWould shield these Herod’s outcasts?CASPAROneThat’s old and merry and cracked, and wearsThis crown of Caspar, king of babesMade fatherless.MELCHIOR(To theCaptain, shrewdly)You hear?BELSHASARHe’s mad!CAPTAINNay, give me sign what manner wise menAnd kings you are. Make sign, ye three,Now to this staff; for, by its power!All lesser kings who bow them notTo Herod’s staff shall lose their crowns.Bow! Bow ye low to Herod, lord of the world!MELCHIOR(Bows low to the staff.)Herod, most High!CAPTAINThy crown keep safe.BELSHASAR(Bows low to the staff.)Herod, the Mighty!CAPTAINKeep thy crown.CASPAR(Remains standing, and smiles.)Herod, the Poor!CAPTAINWhat now! How name yeHerod—the poor?CASPARIs he not poorTo lose him both my brothers’ crowns,And needs ask alms of me, old Caspar?—Ho, take him this my crown, poor Herod!And this, my sceptre, yea, and thisMy cloak also, and bid him keepHis staff for kings of sadder heartTo bow them to. Mine is too merry.—Now, kiddies, come: where be your cakesAnd frosting?(Having put off his King’s robe, sceptre and crown,Casparnow appears in his under-jerkin of red, with long boots, like a Peasant.)MELCHIOR(ToBelshasar)Mad! Stark gone!CAPTAIN(Tossing aside the robe, sceptre and crown, speaks to his Followers.)Lay-byThese tokens, men! Your spears! Your spears!This wise man shall learn wisdom nowIn Herod’s name.BELSHASAR(Interposing)Forbear! He raves.(HeandMelchiordraw theCaptainmomentarily aside.)RUTH(ToCaspar)Alas! How can you help us nowAnd have no kingdom?CASPARHa, my dears!A joyful heart finds many a jobCan earn a kingdom.(Taking the littleBoyandGirl, one on each knee, he speaks to them and their Mother.)Cheerly, woman!Thy goodman plied a goodly trade.—Poor Claus he was a pedlar: Ho!A pedlar now will Caspar be,And take thy goodman’s pack and name,And ply his trade of children’s toysBy neighbor chimneys, house to house,With jingling bells in winter air;And hearth to hearth the mirth shall spreadAround the fire, and yule logs blaze,And apples toast, and stockings spillWith candy dolls and popping tricks;And tiptoe boys and girls shall peepTo spy the pedlar with his sack,And pay his wage in wonder coinLeft on the hearthstone; and through allThe evergreen and evergreen,Around the tree of light shall run—With fairy twinklings of His star—The laughter of a Manger Child.(Rising, he lifts theChildrenin his arms.)Up, kiddies, now, with Pedlar ClausTo find His kingdom!CAPTAIN(ToBelshasar, brushing him andMelchioraside)Nay, no more!He bowed not down, and shall pay dearFor Herod’s anger.CASPAR(Swinging the Pedlar’s pack upon his back)Ho, good hearts!Now, Sorrow, come! and Poverty!And you, dear Song, that serve on them!You, Elf and Gnome, and desert beasts!Ye children all, both old and young,Come, gather by this holy TreeAnd share with Pedlar Claus his pack!CAPTAIN(Mocking)Ho, Claus, the Pedlar-King! Hail Claus!THE HOST OF HERODHail, Claus, the Pedlar-King! King Claus!(They crowd toward him; his cap is struck off.)CAPTAIN(Raising the cap on a spear)Lo, Claus, his crown! Behold the crown!THE HOSTHail to the crown! The Pedlar’s crown!CAPTAINYe Spears of Herod, spill him wine!Yea, with his blood anoint him!(Pointing their spears, theHostturn to rush uponCaspar, when suddenlya Blaze of Lightchecks and astounds them: silverlya Blast of Trumpetssounds; the Evergreen branches burst into bloom of stars, while TREE, asAngel, comes forth, holding sheathed a shining Sword, its hasp in a Crown of Holly.)TREEStay!Bow, Host of Herod! Bow ye downAnd hail our Saint of Evergreen:HailSantaClaus!(Treeplaces the Holly Crown onCaspar’shead.A Burst of Sleigh-Bellssounds, filling the air with their circlings of silver music.)THE CHILDREN, FAIRIES AND BEASTS(Shout with wild joy)Hail, Santa Claus!THE CAPTAIN AND THE HOST(Falling back, murmur in awe)Hail, Santa Claus!(Overwhelmed, they bow down. Choirs of shrilly gladness break forth in Chorus, as the jingling sleigh-bells change toPealing Chimes.)Eleventh Chorus: A,8 and B,5. Chorus of the Christmas TreePart I. (Chorus A) The Pedlar-KingCHORUSHail—Santa Claus!Saint of our Evergreen!Hail, dear Pedlar of starry joys!On your own shouldersNow you have liftedAll the world’s weariness—Pack of old burdens,Sack of our sorrows:Lifted it, stored anew,Crammed with enchantment,Bursting with merryAnd magical laughter,Wonder of children—Mirth of our Lord!Hail, dear Pedlar—King of our Evergreen:Santa! Santa!Holly-crown’d saint of us!Hail, eternalWise man and child!(During this Chorus and while it continues,Santa—with beaming face—opens his great pack and distributes forth gifts to theChildren, theOutcasts, and theHost of Herod, who now rise joyfully and press round him.Chorusnow answersChorusacross the assembled People, the deep voices of the Men’s Chorus (B) now singing in Antiphony.)Part II. (Choruses A and B) The TreeCHORUS AWho wakened her heart with song for the coming of light?Who harked for the morning stars their singing together?AntiphonalCHORUS BThe Tree! The Tree!The Evergreen Tree!The light of her heart hath blossomed—Hath bloomed with starsIn the places of desert.CHORUS AWho nourished a dream in the lone wilderness,Where wild beasts kill one another and weary of killing?AntiphonalCHORUS BThe Tree! The Tree!The Evergreen Tree!The power of her dream hath blossomedWith blinding starsIn the hearts of the terrible.CHORUS AHerod, lord of the world! Who hath defeated his power?AntiphonalCHORUS BA star! A star doth confound him!CHORUS AHerod, sword of the world! Who hath surmounted his cunning?AntiphonalCHORUS BA child! A child hath disarmed him!CHORUS AHerod, wrath of the world! What hath o’erthrown his dominion?AntiphonalCHORUS BA dream! A dream hath survived him!Part III. (Choruses A and B) The ChildCHORUS A(Appearing in their over-garments ofWhite, look toward the place ofHerodwhile they sing.)Where are ye that through the blindness of the slaughter,Through the terror and the tempest of the night,—Where are ye that bowed you down to a helmet and a crown?Have you seen the Child His stars?Have you heard the morning stars—His stars that sing around the Tree of light?Will you hasten? Will you heed?Will you bind His wounds that bleed?Will you build his works of joy and charity?Are you risen? Do you hark?Are you coming through the dark—Are you coming, are you coming to the Tree?CHORUS B(In their over-garments ofRed, rise from the place of their singing, and move forward in procession toward theChorus in White.)Here are we that knew the blindness of the slaughter,Knew the terror and the tempest of the night:Here are we that bowed us down to a helmet and a crown,But we’ve seen the Child His stars,We have heard the morning stars—His stars that sing around the Tree of light.We will hasten! We will heed!We will bind His wounds that bleed;We will build His works of joy and charity.We are risen, and we hark!We are coming through the dark—We are coming, we are coming to the Tree!(As they approach the Tree, the Singers ofChorus Blay off theirRedover-garments and join theChorus in White. The twoChorusesnow form one.Joined, in their singing, by theHost of Herod, theOutcasts, and byAll the Assembled People, they raise their Voices together.)ALLChild of God, forgive the blindness and the slaughter!Child of Pity, calm the terror of the night!Yea, and all that bow them down to a helmet and a crown—Let them see, like us, Thy stars!Let them join the morning stars—Thy stars that sing around the Tree of light!Child of Heaven, now we heed!We will bind Thy wounds that bleed;We will build Thy works of joy and charity.We are risen in Thy right:We are singing through the night—We are singing, we are singing to the Tree!Alleluia!Amen!
CAPTAINHalt here!—Behold them. They are found.Stand forth, ye Kings of East! What make yeSo far from Herod’s throne?MELCHIORWe journey home.CAPTAINKnow ye not Herod’s wrath, what ’tis!—Why brought ye not your tidings backTo him? Where is the Manger-Child?MELCHIORWe know him not.BELSHASAROur trail we lost.His star is dark.CASPARNay, shineth yonder!CAPTAIN(Staring)Where shineth?BELSHASARHe is old and daft.MELCHIORHail, Captain of our lord his host!Welcome you are in Herod’s name.—CLAUS(Rising painfully)Nay, curst is he in Herod’s name.—Give back my babe!CAPTAIN(Strikes him with his staff.)Take hence thy life!(Clausfalls back motionless.Deathdraws near and bends over him.)DEATHCome, Claus: Awake! Thy babe is here.CLAUSFriend Death, now raise me up.—MethoughtThou hadst been deaf and dumb, but nowWe speak together.DEATHHere I holdThy little babe.CLAUS(Taking the muffled child)O little babe,Now are we both in Death his armsSafe held from Herod’s wrath. Be gladThy father was not Herod’s slave.(In his great cloakDeathleads him away.Ruthstares after them.)RUTHClaus! Claus!—Now Death hath taken him.CASPARPoor woman, do not weep for Claus.Friend Death is kind.RUTHNow are we leftAlone, and none to shield us.CASPARYea,A king shall shield ye.CAPTAINKing! What kingWould shield these Herod’s outcasts?CASPAROneThat’s old and merry and cracked, and wearsThis crown of Caspar, king of babesMade fatherless.MELCHIOR(To theCaptain, shrewdly)You hear?BELSHASARHe’s mad!CAPTAINNay, give me sign what manner wise menAnd kings you are. Make sign, ye three,Now to this staff; for, by its power!All lesser kings who bow them notTo Herod’s staff shall lose their crowns.Bow! Bow ye low to Herod, lord of the world!MELCHIOR(Bows low to the staff.)Herod, most High!CAPTAINThy crown keep safe.BELSHASAR(Bows low to the staff.)Herod, the Mighty!CAPTAINKeep thy crown.CASPAR(Remains standing, and smiles.)Herod, the Poor!CAPTAINWhat now! How name yeHerod—the poor?CASPARIs he not poorTo lose him both my brothers’ crowns,And needs ask alms of me, old Caspar?—Ho, take him this my crown, poor Herod!And this, my sceptre, yea, and thisMy cloak also, and bid him keepHis staff for kings of sadder heartTo bow them to. Mine is too merry.—Now, kiddies, come: where be your cakesAnd frosting?(Having put off his King’s robe, sceptre and crown,Casparnow appears in his under-jerkin of red, with long boots, like a Peasant.)MELCHIOR(ToBelshasar)Mad! Stark gone!CAPTAIN(Tossing aside the robe, sceptre and crown, speaks to his Followers.)Lay-byThese tokens, men! Your spears! Your spears!This wise man shall learn wisdom nowIn Herod’s name.BELSHASAR(Interposing)Forbear! He raves.(HeandMelchiordraw theCaptainmomentarily aside.)RUTH(ToCaspar)Alas! How can you help us nowAnd have no kingdom?CASPARHa, my dears!A joyful heart finds many a jobCan earn a kingdom.(Taking the littleBoyandGirl, one on each knee, he speaks to them and their Mother.)Cheerly, woman!Thy goodman plied a goodly trade.—Poor Claus he was a pedlar: Ho!A pedlar now will Caspar be,And take thy goodman’s pack and name,And ply his trade of children’s toysBy neighbor chimneys, house to house,With jingling bells in winter air;And hearth to hearth the mirth shall spreadAround the fire, and yule logs blaze,And apples toast, and stockings spillWith candy dolls and popping tricks;And tiptoe boys and girls shall peepTo spy the pedlar with his sack,And pay his wage in wonder coinLeft on the hearthstone; and through allThe evergreen and evergreen,Around the tree of light shall run—With fairy twinklings of His star—The laughter of a Manger Child.(Rising, he lifts theChildrenin his arms.)Up, kiddies, now, with Pedlar ClausTo find His kingdom!CAPTAIN(ToBelshasar, brushing him andMelchioraside)Nay, no more!He bowed not down, and shall pay dearFor Herod’s anger.CASPAR(Swinging the Pedlar’s pack upon his back)Ho, good hearts!Now, Sorrow, come! and Poverty!And you, dear Song, that serve on them!You, Elf and Gnome, and desert beasts!Ye children all, both old and young,Come, gather by this holy TreeAnd share with Pedlar Claus his pack!CAPTAIN(Mocking)Ho, Claus, the Pedlar-King! Hail Claus!THE HOST OF HERODHail, Claus, the Pedlar-King! King Claus!(They crowd toward him; his cap is struck off.)CAPTAIN(Raising the cap on a spear)Lo, Claus, his crown! Behold the crown!THE HOSTHail to the crown! The Pedlar’s crown!CAPTAINYe Spears of Herod, spill him wine!Yea, with his blood anoint him!(Pointing their spears, theHostturn to rush uponCaspar, when suddenlya Blaze of Lightchecks and astounds them: silverlya Blast of Trumpetssounds; the Evergreen branches burst into bloom of stars, while TREE, asAngel, comes forth, holding sheathed a shining Sword, its hasp in a Crown of Holly.)TREEStay!Bow, Host of Herod! Bow ye downAnd hail our Saint of Evergreen:HailSantaClaus!(Treeplaces the Holly Crown onCaspar’shead.A Burst of Sleigh-Bellssounds, filling the air with their circlings of silver music.)THE CHILDREN, FAIRIES AND BEASTS(Shout with wild joy)Hail, Santa Claus!THE CAPTAIN AND THE HOST(Falling back, murmur in awe)Hail, Santa Claus!(Overwhelmed, they bow down. Choirs of shrilly gladness break forth in Chorus, as the jingling sleigh-bells change toPealing Chimes.)Eleventh Chorus: A,8 and B,5. Chorus of the Christmas TreePart I. (Chorus A) The Pedlar-KingCHORUSHail—Santa Claus!Saint of our Evergreen!Hail, dear Pedlar of starry joys!On your own shouldersNow you have liftedAll the world’s weariness—Pack of old burdens,Sack of our sorrows:Lifted it, stored anew,Crammed with enchantment,Bursting with merryAnd magical laughter,Wonder of children—Mirth of our Lord!Hail, dear Pedlar—King of our Evergreen:Santa! Santa!Holly-crown’d saint of us!Hail, eternalWise man and child!(During this Chorus and while it continues,Santa—with beaming face—opens his great pack and distributes forth gifts to theChildren, theOutcasts, and theHost of Herod, who now rise joyfully and press round him.Chorusnow answersChorusacross the assembled People, the deep voices of the Men’s Chorus (B) now singing in Antiphony.)Part II. (Choruses A and B) The TreeCHORUS AWho wakened her heart with song for the coming of light?Who harked for the morning stars their singing together?AntiphonalCHORUS BThe Tree! The Tree!The Evergreen Tree!The light of her heart hath blossomed—Hath bloomed with starsIn the places of desert.CHORUS AWho nourished a dream in the lone wilderness,Where wild beasts kill one another and weary of killing?AntiphonalCHORUS BThe Tree! The Tree!The Evergreen Tree!The power of her dream hath blossomedWith blinding starsIn the hearts of the terrible.CHORUS AHerod, lord of the world! Who hath defeated his power?AntiphonalCHORUS BA star! A star doth confound him!CHORUS AHerod, sword of the world! Who hath surmounted his cunning?AntiphonalCHORUS BA child! A child hath disarmed him!CHORUS AHerod, wrath of the world! What hath o’erthrown his dominion?AntiphonalCHORUS BA dream! A dream hath survived him!Part III. (Choruses A and B) The ChildCHORUS A(Appearing in their over-garments ofWhite, look toward the place ofHerodwhile they sing.)Where are ye that through the blindness of the slaughter,Through the terror and the tempest of the night,—Where are ye that bowed you down to a helmet and a crown?Have you seen the Child His stars?Have you heard the morning stars—His stars that sing around the Tree of light?Will you hasten? Will you heed?Will you bind His wounds that bleed?Will you build his works of joy and charity?Are you risen? Do you hark?Are you coming through the dark—Are you coming, are you coming to the Tree?CHORUS B(In their over-garments ofRed, rise from the place of their singing, and move forward in procession toward theChorus in White.)Here are we that knew the blindness of the slaughter,Knew the terror and the tempest of the night:Here are we that bowed us down to a helmet and a crown,But we’ve seen the Child His stars,We have heard the morning stars—His stars that sing around the Tree of light.We will hasten! We will heed!We will bind His wounds that bleed;We will build His works of joy and charity.We are risen, and we hark!We are coming through the dark—We are coming, we are coming to the Tree!(As they approach the Tree, the Singers ofChorus Blay off theirRedover-garments and join theChorus in White. The twoChorusesnow form one.Joined, in their singing, by theHost of Herod, theOutcasts, and byAll the Assembled People, they raise their Voices together.)ALLChild of God, forgive the blindness and the slaughter!Child of Pity, calm the terror of the night!Yea, and all that bow them down to a helmet and a crown—Let them see, like us, Thy stars!Let them join the morning stars—Thy stars that sing around the Tree of light!Child of Heaven, now we heed!We will bind Thy wounds that bleed;We will build Thy works of joy and charity.We are risen in Thy right:We are singing through the night—We are singing, we are singing to the Tree!Alleluia!Amen!
CAPTAIN
CAPTAIN
Halt here!—Behold them. They are found.Stand forth, ye Kings of East! What make yeSo far from Herod’s throne?
Halt here!—Behold them. They are found.
Stand forth, ye Kings of East! What make ye
So far from Herod’s throne?
MELCHIOR
MELCHIOR
We journey home.
We journey home.
CAPTAIN
CAPTAIN
Know ye not Herod’s wrath, what ’tis!—Why brought ye not your tidings backTo him? Where is the Manger-Child?
Know ye not Herod’s wrath, what ’tis!—
Why brought ye not your tidings back
To him? Where is the Manger-Child?
MELCHIOR
MELCHIOR
We know him not.
We know him not.
BELSHASAR
BELSHASAR
Our trail we lost.His star is dark.
Our trail we lost.
His star is dark.
CASPAR
CASPAR
Nay, shineth yonder!
Nay, shineth yonder!
CAPTAIN
CAPTAIN
(Staring)
(Staring)
Where shineth?
Where shineth?
BELSHASAR
BELSHASAR
He is old and daft.
He is old and daft.
MELCHIOR
MELCHIOR
Hail, Captain of our lord his host!Welcome you are in Herod’s name.—
Hail, Captain of our lord his host!
Welcome you are in Herod’s name.—
CLAUS
CLAUS
(Rising painfully)
(Rising painfully)
Nay, curst is he in Herod’s name.—Give back my babe!
Nay, curst is he in Herod’s name.—
Give back my babe!
CAPTAIN
CAPTAIN
(Strikes him with his staff.)
(Strikes him with his staff.)
Take hence thy life!
Take hence thy life!
(Clausfalls back motionless.Deathdraws near and bends over him.)
(Clausfalls back motionless.Deathdraws near and bends over him.)
DEATH
DEATH
Come, Claus: Awake! Thy babe is here.
Come, Claus: Awake! Thy babe is here.
CLAUS
CLAUS
Friend Death, now raise me up.—MethoughtThou hadst been deaf and dumb, but nowWe speak together.
Friend Death, now raise me up.—Methought
Thou hadst been deaf and dumb, but now
We speak together.
DEATH
DEATH
Here I holdThy little babe.
Here I hold
Thy little babe.
CLAUS
CLAUS
(Taking the muffled child)
(Taking the muffled child)
O little babe,Now are we both in Death his armsSafe held from Herod’s wrath. Be gladThy father was not Herod’s slave.
O little babe,
Now are we both in Death his arms
Safe held from Herod’s wrath. Be glad
Thy father was not Herod’s slave.
(In his great cloakDeathleads him away.Ruthstares after them.)
(In his great cloakDeathleads him away.Ruthstares after them.)
RUTH
RUTH
Claus! Claus!—Now Death hath taken him.
Claus! Claus!—Now Death hath taken him.
CASPAR
CASPAR
Poor woman, do not weep for Claus.Friend Death is kind.
Poor woman, do not weep for Claus.
Friend Death is kind.
RUTH
RUTH
Now are we leftAlone, and none to shield us.
Now are we left
Alone, and none to shield us.
CASPAR
CASPAR
Yea,A king shall shield ye.
Yea,
A king shall shield ye.
CAPTAIN
CAPTAIN
King! What kingWould shield these Herod’s outcasts?
King! What king
Would shield these Herod’s outcasts?
CASPAR
CASPAR
OneThat’s old and merry and cracked, and wearsThis crown of Caspar, king of babesMade fatherless.
One
That’s old and merry and cracked, and wears
This crown of Caspar, king of babes
Made fatherless.
MELCHIOR
MELCHIOR
(To theCaptain, shrewdly)
(To theCaptain, shrewdly)
You hear?
You hear?
BELSHASAR
BELSHASAR
He’s mad!
He’s mad!
CAPTAIN
CAPTAIN
Nay, give me sign what manner wise menAnd kings you are. Make sign, ye three,Now to this staff; for, by its power!All lesser kings who bow them notTo Herod’s staff shall lose their crowns.Bow! Bow ye low to Herod, lord of the world!
Nay, give me sign what manner wise men
And kings you are. Make sign, ye three,
Now to this staff; for, by its power!
All lesser kings who bow them not
To Herod’s staff shall lose their crowns.
Bow! Bow ye low to Herod, lord of the world!
MELCHIOR
MELCHIOR
(Bows low to the staff.)
(Bows low to the staff.)
Herod, most High!
Herod, most High!
CAPTAIN
CAPTAIN
Thy crown keep safe.
Thy crown keep safe.
BELSHASAR
BELSHASAR
(Bows low to the staff.)
(Bows low to the staff.)
Herod, the Mighty!
Herod, the Mighty!
CAPTAIN
CAPTAIN
Keep thy crown.
Keep thy crown.
CASPAR
CASPAR
(Remains standing, and smiles.)
(Remains standing, and smiles.)
Herod, the Poor!
Herod, the Poor!
CAPTAIN
CAPTAIN
What now! How name yeHerod—the poor?
What now! How name ye
Herod—the poor?
CASPAR
CASPAR
Is he not poorTo lose him both my brothers’ crowns,And needs ask alms of me, old Caspar?—Ho, take him this my crown, poor Herod!And this, my sceptre, yea, and thisMy cloak also, and bid him keepHis staff for kings of sadder heartTo bow them to. Mine is too merry.—Now, kiddies, come: where be your cakesAnd frosting?
Is he not poor
To lose him both my brothers’ crowns,
And needs ask alms of me, old Caspar?—
Ho, take him this my crown, poor Herod!
And this, my sceptre, yea, and this
My cloak also, and bid him keep
His staff for kings of sadder heart
To bow them to. Mine is too merry.—
Now, kiddies, come: where be your cakes
And frosting?
(Having put off his King’s robe, sceptre and crown,Casparnow appears in his under-jerkin of red, with long boots, like a Peasant.)
MELCHIOR
MELCHIOR
(ToBelshasar)
(ToBelshasar)
Mad! Stark gone!
Mad! Stark gone!
CAPTAIN
CAPTAIN
(Tossing aside the robe, sceptre and crown, speaks to his Followers.)
(Tossing aside the robe, sceptre and crown, speaks to his Followers.)
Lay-byThese tokens, men! Your spears! Your spears!This wise man shall learn wisdom nowIn Herod’s name.
Lay-by
These tokens, men! Your spears! Your spears!
This wise man shall learn wisdom now
In Herod’s name.
BELSHASAR
BELSHASAR
(Interposing)
(Interposing)
Forbear! He raves.
Forbear! He raves.
(HeandMelchiordraw theCaptainmomentarily aside.)
(HeandMelchiordraw theCaptainmomentarily aside.)
RUTH
RUTH
(ToCaspar)
(ToCaspar)
Alas! How can you help us nowAnd have no kingdom?
Alas! How can you help us now
And have no kingdom?
CASPAR
CASPAR
Ha, my dears!A joyful heart finds many a jobCan earn a kingdom.
Ha, my dears!
A joyful heart finds many a job
Can earn a kingdom.
(Taking the littleBoyandGirl, one on each knee, he speaks to them and their Mother.)
(Taking the littleBoyandGirl, one on each knee, he speaks to them and their Mother.)
Cheerly, woman!Thy goodman plied a goodly trade.—Poor Claus he was a pedlar: Ho!A pedlar now will Caspar be,And take thy goodman’s pack and name,And ply his trade of children’s toysBy neighbor chimneys, house to house,With jingling bells in winter air;And hearth to hearth the mirth shall spreadAround the fire, and yule logs blaze,And apples toast, and stockings spillWith candy dolls and popping tricks;And tiptoe boys and girls shall peepTo spy the pedlar with his sack,And pay his wage in wonder coinLeft on the hearthstone; and through allThe evergreen and evergreen,Around the tree of light shall run—With fairy twinklings of His star—The laughter of a Manger Child.
Cheerly, woman!
Thy goodman plied a goodly trade.—
Poor Claus he was a pedlar: Ho!
A pedlar now will Caspar be,
And take thy goodman’s pack and name,
And ply his trade of children’s toys
By neighbor chimneys, house to house,
With jingling bells in winter air;
And hearth to hearth the mirth shall spread
Around the fire, and yule logs blaze,
And apples toast, and stockings spill
With candy dolls and popping tricks;
And tiptoe boys and girls shall peep
To spy the pedlar with his sack,
And pay his wage in wonder coin
Left on the hearthstone; and through all
The evergreen and evergreen,
Around the tree of light shall run—
With fairy twinklings of His star—
The laughter of a Manger Child.
(Rising, he lifts theChildrenin his arms.)
(Rising, he lifts theChildrenin his arms.)
Up, kiddies, now, with Pedlar ClausTo find His kingdom!
Up, kiddies, now, with Pedlar Claus
To find His kingdom!
CAPTAIN
CAPTAIN
(ToBelshasar, brushing him andMelchioraside)
(ToBelshasar, brushing him andMelchioraside)
Nay, no more!He bowed not down, and shall pay dearFor Herod’s anger.
Nay, no more!
He bowed not down, and shall pay dear
For Herod’s anger.
CASPAR
CASPAR
(Swinging the Pedlar’s pack upon his back)
(Swinging the Pedlar’s pack upon his back)
Ho, good hearts!Now, Sorrow, come! and Poverty!And you, dear Song, that serve on them!You, Elf and Gnome, and desert beasts!Ye children all, both old and young,Come, gather by this holy TreeAnd share with Pedlar Claus his pack!
Ho, good hearts!
Now, Sorrow, come! and Poverty!
And you, dear Song, that serve on them!
You, Elf and Gnome, and desert beasts!
Ye children all, both old and young,
Come, gather by this holy Tree
And share with Pedlar Claus his pack!
CAPTAIN
CAPTAIN
(Mocking)
(Mocking)
Ho, Claus, the Pedlar-King! Hail Claus!
Ho, Claus, the Pedlar-King! Hail Claus!
THE HOST OF HEROD
THE HOST OF HEROD
Hail, Claus, the Pedlar-King! King Claus!
Hail, Claus, the Pedlar-King! King Claus!
(They crowd toward him; his cap is struck off.)
(They crowd toward him; his cap is struck off.)
CAPTAIN
CAPTAIN
(Raising the cap on a spear)
(Raising the cap on a spear)
Lo, Claus, his crown! Behold the crown!
Lo, Claus, his crown! Behold the crown!
THE HOST
THE HOST
Hail to the crown! The Pedlar’s crown!
Hail to the crown! The Pedlar’s crown!
CAPTAIN
CAPTAIN
Ye Spears of Herod, spill him wine!Yea, with his blood anoint him!
Ye Spears of Herod, spill him wine!
Yea, with his blood anoint him!
(Pointing their spears, theHostturn to rush uponCaspar, when suddenlya Blaze of Lightchecks and astounds them: silverlya Blast of Trumpetssounds; the Evergreen branches burst into bloom of stars, while TREE, asAngel, comes forth, holding sheathed a shining Sword, its hasp in a Crown of Holly.)
TREE
TREE
Stay!Bow, Host of Herod! Bow ye downAnd hail our Saint of Evergreen:HailSantaClaus!
Stay!
Bow, Host of Herod! Bow ye down
And hail our Saint of Evergreen:
HailSantaClaus!
(Treeplaces the Holly Crown onCaspar’shead.A Burst of Sleigh-Bellssounds, filling the air with their circlings of silver music.)
THE CHILDREN, FAIRIES AND BEASTS
THE CHILDREN, FAIRIES AND BEASTS
(Shout with wild joy)
(Shout with wild joy)
Hail, Santa Claus!
Hail, Santa Claus!
THE CAPTAIN AND THE HOST
THE CAPTAIN AND THE HOST
(Falling back, murmur in awe)
(Falling back, murmur in awe)
Hail, Santa Claus!
Hail, Santa Claus!
(Overwhelmed, they bow down. Choirs of shrilly gladness break forth in Chorus, as the jingling sleigh-bells change toPealing Chimes.)
Eleventh Chorus: A,8 and B,5. Chorus of the Christmas Tree
Part I. (Chorus A) The Pedlar-King
CHORUS
CHORUS
Hail—Santa Claus!Saint of our Evergreen!Hail, dear Pedlar of starry joys!
Hail—Santa Claus!
Saint of our Evergreen!
Hail, dear Pedlar of starry joys!
On your own shouldersNow you have liftedAll the world’s weariness—Pack of old burdens,Sack of our sorrows:Lifted it, stored anew,Crammed with enchantment,Bursting with merryAnd magical laughter,Wonder of children—Mirth of our Lord!Hail, dear Pedlar—King of our Evergreen:Santa! Santa!Holly-crown’d saint of us!Hail, eternalWise man and child!
On your own shoulders
Now you have lifted
All the world’s weariness—
Pack of old burdens,
Sack of our sorrows:
Lifted it, stored anew,
Crammed with enchantment,
Bursting with merry
And magical laughter,
Wonder of children—
Mirth of our Lord!
Hail, dear Pedlar—
King of our Evergreen:
Santa! Santa!
Holly-crown’d saint of us!
Hail, eternal
Wise man and child!
(During this Chorus and while it continues,Santa—with beaming face—opens his great pack and distributes forth gifts to theChildren, theOutcasts, and theHost of Herod, who now rise joyfully and press round him.Chorusnow answersChorusacross the assembled People, the deep voices of the Men’s Chorus (B) now singing in Antiphony.)
Part II. (Choruses A and B) The Tree
CHORUS A
CHORUS A
Who wakened her heart with song for the coming of light?Who harked for the morning stars their singing together?
Who wakened her heart with song for the coming of light?
Who harked for the morning stars their singing together?
Antiphonal
CHORUS B
CHORUS B
The Tree! The Tree!The Evergreen Tree!The light of her heart hath blossomed—Hath bloomed with starsIn the places of desert.
The Tree! The Tree!
The Evergreen Tree!
The light of her heart hath blossomed—
Hath bloomed with stars
In the places of desert.
CHORUS A
CHORUS A
Who nourished a dream in the lone wilderness,Where wild beasts kill one another and weary of killing?
Who nourished a dream in the lone wilderness,
Where wild beasts kill one another and weary of killing?
Antiphonal
CHORUS B
CHORUS B
The Tree! The Tree!The Evergreen Tree!The power of her dream hath blossomedWith blinding starsIn the hearts of the terrible.
The Tree! The Tree!
The Evergreen Tree!
The power of her dream hath blossomed
With blinding stars
In the hearts of the terrible.
CHORUS A
CHORUS A
Herod, lord of the world! Who hath defeated his power?
Herod, lord of the world! Who hath defeated his power?
Antiphonal
CHORUS B
CHORUS B
A star! A star doth confound him!
A star! A star doth confound him!
CHORUS A
CHORUS A
Herod, sword of the world! Who hath surmounted his cunning?
Herod, sword of the world! Who hath surmounted his cunning?
Antiphonal
CHORUS B
CHORUS B
A child! A child hath disarmed him!
A child! A child hath disarmed him!
CHORUS A
CHORUS A
Herod, wrath of the world! What hath o’erthrown his dominion?
Herod, wrath of the world! What hath o’erthrown his dominion?
Antiphonal
CHORUS B
CHORUS B
A dream! A dream hath survived him!
A dream! A dream hath survived him!
Part III. (Choruses A and B) The Child
CHORUS A
CHORUS A
(Appearing in their over-garments ofWhite, look toward the place ofHerodwhile they sing.)
Where are ye that through the blindness of the slaughter,Through the terror and the tempest of the night,—Where are ye that bowed you down to a helmet and a crown?Have you seen the Child His stars?Have you heard the morning stars—His stars that sing around the Tree of light?
Where are ye that through the blindness of the slaughter,
Through the terror and the tempest of the night,—
Where are ye that bowed you down to a helmet and a crown?
Have you seen the Child His stars?
Have you heard the morning stars—
His stars that sing around the Tree of light?
Will you hasten? Will you heed?Will you bind His wounds that bleed?Will you build his works of joy and charity?Are you risen? Do you hark?Are you coming through the dark—Are you coming, are you coming to the Tree?
Will you hasten? Will you heed?
Will you bind His wounds that bleed?
Will you build his works of joy and charity?
Are you risen? Do you hark?
Are you coming through the dark—
Are you coming, are you coming to the Tree?
CHORUS B
CHORUS B
(In their over-garments ofRed, rise from the place of their singing, and move forward in procession toward theChorus in White.)
Here are we that knew the blindness of the slaughter,Knew the terror and the tempest of the night:Here are we that bowed us down to a helmet and a crown,But we’ve seen the Child His stars,We have heard the morning stars—His stars that sing around the Tree of light.We will hasten! We will heed!We will bind His wounds that bleed;We will build His works of joy and charity.We are risen, and we hark!We are coming through the dark—We are coming, we are coming to the Tree!
Here are we that knew the blindness of the slaughter,
Knew the terror and the tempest of the night:
Here are we that bowed us down to a helmet and a crown,
But we’ve seen the Child His stars,
We have heard the morning stars—
His stars that sing around the Tree of light.
We will hasten! We will heed!
We will bind His wounds that bleed;
We will build His works of joy and charity.
We are risen, and we hark!
We are coming through the dark—
We are coming, we are coming to the Tree!
(As they approach the Tree, the Singers ofChorus Blay off theirRedover-garments and join theChorus in White. The twoChorusesnow form one.
Joined, in their singing, by theHost of Herod, theOutcasts, and byAll the Assembled People, they raise their Voices together.)
ALL
ALL
Child of God, forgive the blindness and the slaughter!Child of Pity, calm the terror of the night!Yea, and all that bow them down to a helmet and a crown—Let them see, like us, Thy stars!Let them join the morning stars—Thy stars that sing around the Tree of light!
Child of God, forgive the blindness and the slaughter!
Child of Pity, calm the terror of the night!
Yea, and all that bow them down to a helmet and a crown—
Let them see, like us, Thy stars!
Let them join the morning stars—
Thy stars that sing around the Tree of light!
Child of Heaven, now we heed!We will bind Thy wounds that bleed;We will build Thy works of joy and charity.We are risen in Thy right:We are singing through the night—We are singing, we are singing to the Tree!
Child of Heaven, now we heed!
We will bind Thy wounds that bleed;
We will build Thy works of joy and charity.
We are risen in Thy right:
We are singing through the night—
We are singing, we are singing to the Tree!
Alleluia!Amen!
Alleluia!
Amen!
The Pedlar-KingBow, Host of Herod! Bow ye downAnd hail our Saint of Evergreen:HailSantaClaus!
The Pedlar-KingBow, Host of Herod! Bow ye downAnd hail our Saint of Evergreen:HailSantaClaus!
The Pedlar-King
Bow, Host of Herod! Bow ye downAnd hail our Saint of Evergreen:HailSantaClaus!
Bow, Host of Herod! Bow ye downAnd hail our Saint of Evergreen:HailSantaClaus!
Bow, Host of Herod! Bow ye downAnd hail our Saint of Evergreen:HailSantaClaus!
Bow, Host of Herod! Bow ye down
And hail our Saint of Evergreen:
HailSantaClaus!
The Morning StarsCHORUSChild of Heaven, now we heed!We will bind Thy wounds that bleed,We will build Thy works of joy and charity:We are risen in Thy right,We are singing through the night—We are singing, we are singing to the Tree!
The Morning StarsCHORUSChild of Heaven, now we heed!We will bind Thy wounds that bleed,We will build Thy works of joy and charity:We are risen in Thy right,We are singing through the night—We are singing, we are singing to the Tree!
The Morning Stars
CHORUSChild of Heaven, now we heed!We will bind Thy wounds that bleed,We will build Thy works of joy and charity:We are risen in Thy right,We are singing through the night—We are singing, we are singing to the Tree!
CHORUSChild of Heaven, now we heed!We will bind Thy wounds that bleed,We will build Thy works of joy and charity:We are risen in Thy right,We are singing through the night—We are singing, we are singing to the Tree!
CHORUS
CHORUS
Child of Heaven, now we heed!We will bind Thy wounds that bleed,We will build Thy works of joy and charity:We are risen in Thy right,We are singing through the night—We are singing, we are singing to the Tree!
Child of Heaven, now we heed!
We will bind Thy wounds that bleed,
We will build Thy works of joy and charity:
We are risen in Thy right,
We are singing through the night—
We are singing, we are singing to the Tree!