The Shepherd boys’ story - Short Christmas play with Carols

The Shepherd boys’ story 

A medley of Christmas songs strung together with the conversation of two shepherd boys on the night of one of history’s greatest days. 

C:The First Noel, the Angels did say Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay In fields where they lay keeping their sheep On a cold winter's night that was so deep. 

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel Born is the King of Israel! 

They looked up and saw a star Shining in the East beyond them afar And to the earth it gave great light And so it continued both day and night. Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel Born is the King of Israel! 

Shepherd boy 1: Hey, get up, wake up, you missed everything last night Shepherd boy 2: I missed something (yawn) This is Bethlehem...what could I have missed? Go away James. I don’t like to miss my sleep. 

Boy 1 : Wake up it was unbelievable, it was beautiful, thousands of angels burst out of the skies singing joy to... Boy2 : Angels? Skies? Singing? Go away James. I will tell your father you’ve been drinking too much of his wine Boy 1 : Come and ask the other shepherds who saw the angels. They will tell you Boy2 : Angels what angels? Angels singing in the Bethlehem sky. Ha!! Have they lowered the benchmark on Angelic demonstrations? And what were they singing? 

C: Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare Him room, And Heaven and nature sing, And Heaven and nature sing, And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing. 

Joy to the world, the Savior reigns! Let men their songs employ; While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy. 

Boy 1: See! This is the field in which we were lying down with the sheep, when the angels appeared with light and singing, it was awesome. Boy 2: Haven’t I told you before James, shepherds count sheep and go to sleep? What were you dreaming of? And where are these angels now? Singing to the fish in Galilee?? Boy 1. A star then led us to a manger behind a little Inn where a child was born. Boy 2: Now where did the star come from? It was only angels till now. Every night I have seen stars, but none of them led me anywhere. Boy 1: But this was different. The star was over this little stable and we went in and saw the baby with his parents and stable animals. 

C:What Child is this who, laid to rest On Mary’s lap is sleeping? Whom angels greet with anthems sweet, While shepherds watch are keeping? This, this is Christ the King, Whom shepherds guard and angels sing; Haste, haste, to bring Him laud, The Babe, the Son of Mary. 

Why lies He in such mean estate, Where ox and ass are feeding? Good Christians, fear, for sinners here The silent Word is pleading. Nails, spear shall pierce Him through, The cross be borne for me, for you. Hail, hail the Word made flesh, The Babe, the Son of Mary. 

Boy 2: Now let’s get this part right, James. There were angels? They were singing? And there was a star which led you to a little stable? Right? 

That must be one lost star. A star may point out treasure, or a king, or at least a palace. Your star found a stable with a manger with a child and some dirty animals. What next ? Did the moon behave itself or was it doing cartwheels in this celestial ball? Boy 1 : Come, I will take you to the place and then you will believe. 

C:Away in a manger, No crib for His bed The little Lord Jesus Laid down His sweet head The stars in the bright sky Looked down where He lay The little Lord Jesus Asleep on the hay 

The cattle are lowing The poor Baby wakes But little Lord Jesus No crying He makes Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay Close by me forever And love me I pray 

Boy 2: What is that crowd outside that house? Boy1: Didn’t I tell you? Boy 2: And what are those strange noblemen doing with their camels and horses and those big body guards with tiny eyes? Boy1: I forgot to tell you. Three kings also came from the West. Boy2: Why are you pointing East, boy? Boy1: Ok, they came from the East. And they came with gifts of gold ..and...and lots more. 

C:We three kings of Orient are Bearing gifts we traverse afar Field and fountain, moor and mountain Following yonder star 

O Star of wonder, star of night Star with royal beauty bright Westward leading, still proceeding Guide us to thy Perfect Light 

Glorious now behold Him arise King and God and Sacrifice Alleluia, Alleluia Earth to heav'n replies 

Boy2: Aaaah. I missed it all. Why didn’t you wake me up? I missed everything. But I wonder what all this means...... Kings, angels, us shepherds, a poor child in a manger.... 

But you know what James, I think we’ve seen all there is to see as shepherds. We should now try our hand at being fishermen. 

Boy1: Alright Peter, let’s go fishing then.