The Story of Saint Nicholas

A Play for Young People

~ adapted by the Saus Family

Set:

Table, Chairs, Cooking pot, shoes

[NARRATOR enters, MERCHANT is seated at the table, head in hands, looking worried, perhaps muttering to himself at the table set stage right, with chairs around it . Cookpot and shoes set closer to center stage (symbolizing the fireplace).]

NARRATOR: A Merchant of the town of Myra, sad because he has no money and fears that he must sell his daughter into slavery to support the family. A sad scene for Myra indeed - or it would be, if he had not entered... The Christmas Zone! [Exeunt]

[ELDEST DAUGHTER enters stage right, goes to cookpot, acting as if getting dinner ready. Eventually, she realizes her father looks worried.]

ELDEST DAUGHTER: Father, what is the matter? You look tired!

MERCHANT: (sighs) You may as well know, daughter. (Pause) I have been working hard in the shop lately. Morning and night. Only stopping to sleep and have a bite to eat.

ELDEST DAUGHTER: Yes Father, you are working yourself to an early grave!

MERCHANT: It is not enough! You are almost too old to be married. I don't have enough money for you to get married. I don't even have enough money for you to enter a convent. I don't even have enough money for food. So, I have to sell you into slavery tomorrow to feed the rest of us.

ELDEST DAUGHTER: ummmmm.. 'Scuse me? I thought I heard you were going to sell ME tomorrow, like I was a used car or something!

MERCHANT: Well, no, cars haven't been invented yet. This is only the Middle Ages. But I do have to sell you. They will be here tomorrow to pick you up.

ELDEST DAUGHTER: I can't believe this! [ELDEST DAUGHTER kicks off her shoes by the "fire" and rants and raves as she storms out]

MERCHANT: [Faces audience as if looking out the window] God. I don't want to sell her. But I don't see what other choice I have. If you happen to have a spare miracle, we could really use one. Thank you for listening, Lord. Goodnight. [He exits]

[NICHOLAS enters - possibly from audience for greater effect]

NICHOLAS: Poor guy. Well, I'm not exactly a miracle. But my parents died and left me a ton of money. I don't need it all. [NICHOLAS puts some gold in a shoe by the fire, then sneaks back offstage.]

MERCHANT and ELDEST DAUGHTER enter together, yawning.

ELDEST DAUGHTER [trying to put on shoe]: I don't want to be a slave! I don't!

MERCHANT: Shush, dear, there's no other choice.

ELDEST DAUGHTER [removing money from shoe]: Maybe there is! Look at this money in my shoe!

MERCHANT: Praise God! That's enough money to get you married, and to last the rest of the year besides! [They begin to exit stage left, smiling] Maybe by that time I'll have your other two sisters married off! [NARRATOR enters]

NARRATOR: But the other two daughters did not get married that year, and soon the Merchant was out of money.

[ELDEST DAUGHTER, MIDDLE DAUGHTER and YOUNGEST DAUGHTER enter, sit at the table.]

MIDDLE DAUGHTER: [To ELDEST DAUGHTER] You've had such a happy life since you got married. But it's not for me.

YOUNGEST DAUGHTER: Why not, older sister? I want to be a doctor, but why don't you want to get married?

MIDDLE DAUGHTER: We're out of money, and I'm going to be sold into slavery tomorrow to pay the bills.

ELDEST DAUGHTER and YOUNGEST DAUGHTER: [exasperated] AGAIN?

ELDEST DAUGHTER: You would think he'd have learned since last year.

YOUNGEST DAUGHTER: I hope he learns before next year!

MIDDLE DAUGHTER: There's nothing to be done about it. I suppose you should be getting home to your husband, and we should get to bed.

ELDEST DAUGHTER: [Pauses, turns to MIDDLE DAUGHTER] Sister, let me put your shoes away.

MIDDLE DAUGHTER: What? Are you crazy?

ELDEST DAUGHTER: Trust me. [ELDEST DAUGHTER takes one of MIDDLE DAUGHTER's shoes and puts it by the "fire", giving the audience a wink] You never know what will happen.

[All DAUGHTERS exit, NARRATOR enters, followed shortly by NICHOLAS]

NARRATOR: [NICHOLAS mimes placing gold again and exits.] Again, Nicholas left money for the Merchant. [NARRATOR pauses as MERCHANT enters, finds money, acts overjoyed, mimes praying, exits]. And the middle daughter was married, and again, the money lasted for another year besides. But at the end of that year...

[NARRATOR exits, YOUNGEST DAUGHTER and MERCHANT enter. They are clearly having an argument.]

YOUNGEST DAUGHTER: Oh, no, not again!

MERCHANT: Yes, daughter, we've become poor again, and I must sell you into slavery.

YOUNGEST DAUGHTER: Have you ever considered a career change? I want to be a doctor!

MERCHANT: Have you seen the prices for medical school lately? It's too late now. They will be here in the morning for you, no matter how sad it will make me. Goodnight, daughter. [He exits to the edge of stage, but stays there listening.]

YOUNGEST DAUGHTER: Oh, it's SO not fair! Both my sisters got married, and now I'm being sold into slavery! And I wanted to be a doctor! [she thinks for a minute] Hmmmm....Maybe gold will appear in my shoe tonight as well! [YOUNGEST DAUGHTER places her shoe by the "fire", and exits on the OPPOSITE side from MERCHANT].

MERCHANT: [As YOUNGEST DAUGHTER leaves, MERCHANT speaks to the audience] Maybe the generous person will stop by again. I'll stay up and watch. [MERCHANT sits and pretends to go to sleep, giving the audience a big wink]

[NICHOLAS enters again, headed for the shoe]

NICHOLAS: A third time to help this family! Still, no matter how often they fall on hard times, I must help them. Jesus doesn't put a limit on generosity, and I won't either. [As NICHOLAS goes to put money in a shoe, the MERCHANT "awakes"].

MERCHANT: Nicholas! I have seen you in my store many times! It's you that has been helping my family! Why would you do such a good thing and not tell anyone?

NICHOLAS: Because you needed the help. I didn't tell anyone because it's good to give and have only God know about it. I don't want personal fame, just to help those who don't have as much as I do.

MERCHANT: Bless you, Nicholas, and praise be to God! [NICHOLAS and MERCHANT hug]

[MERCHANT and NICHOLAS exit, NARRATOR enters]

NARRATOR: The merchant was so happy that he told everyone he knew, and soon the story of Nicholas, who placed gifts in a shoe - or stocking - had spread far and wide. So we continue to remember this example of generosity every year when we remember the real story of Saint Nicholas, the bishop of Myra, otherwise known as "Santa Claus".