"NARRATOR:" "And it came to pass that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed, and all went to be taxed, everyone, to his own city, for to disobey the Roman emperor meant certain death." "Oh, there were young people and old people." "There were the famous and mighty, and some not yet known, but whose names would eventually linger and be revered for all time." "There were good people who could ill afford the cruel tax about to be imposed upon them, and there were others." "And there were others." "Observe, Ali, the little drummer boy Aaron." "Are those animals dancing, Ben haramed?" "BEN:" "They certainly are." "Faster, old friends." "Faster." "You, samson, smile." "Hee-haw!" "And you, bimbaba, be lighter, happier." "Baa!" "Baa!" "Oh, Joshua, you can do better." "[BRAYING]" "[BRAYING]" "Oh, with this marvel in my show caravan," "I will be as rich as Solomon." "But it is said Aaron dislikes all humans." "He will not join us willingly." "BEN:" "Fool!" "Why do you think we brought the rope?" "Ah!" "Ah!" "Let me go!" "Do you hear me!" "Let me go!" "Let me go!" "Get the camel!" "Get the camel!" "BEN:" "Ah!" "The donkey, too, fool!" "BEN:" "Ah!" "The donkey, too, fool!" "The lamb, you oaf!" "Grab the lamb!" "How?" "I have only two hands!" "Stop concerning yourself with details!" "Do it!" "Do it!" "Drummer boy, you may not believe me, but this is the luckiest day of your life." "But this is the luckiest day of your life." "CHORUS: ♪♪ come, they told me ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ Pa rum pum pum pum ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ Our newborn king to see ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ Pa rum pum pum pum ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ Our finest gifts to bring ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ Pa rum pum pum pum ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ To lay before the king ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ Pa rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ Rum pum pum pum ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ So to honor him ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ Pa rum pum pum pum ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ When we come ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ When we come ♪ ♪" "NARRATOR:" "The little drummer boy Aaron fought Ben haramed and Ali with all his might." "He most definitely did not want to join the showman's caravan, a journey into the crowded city," "FOR IT WAS TRUE:" "Aaron hated people..." "All people." "No!" "No!" "I won't go with you!" "Stop struggling, boy!" "There is money to be made." "We can be rich!" "While those taxpayers are waiting to be counted, they will grow bored." "They will crave the entertainment which only I..." "Ben haramed, king of the desert showmen... and of course you, too, can provide." "But I do not want to go near that mob." "I hate people!" "All people!" "Do you think ilovepeople?" "What a beautiful world it would be without people." "But, alas, one must exist with people." "And indeed, it is better to be crowded and rich..." "Than crowded..." "And poor." "Than crowded..." "And poor." "♪ ♪ When the day is good and the wind is dry ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ And the goose is hanging high ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ I can't work like other men do ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ When the goose is hanging high ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ When the sun is bright in the big blue sky ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ And the goose is hanging high ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ The devil steals my heart away ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ When the goose is hanging high ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ Gold and silver on my mind ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ Mischief in my soul ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ I want to live like a rich man lives ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪♪ With life in my control ♪" "♪ ♪ When the day is bad and the wind is wet ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪♪ and the goose is flying low ♪" "♪ ♪ I've got to work like other men do ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪♪ when is goose is flying low ♪" "♪ ♪ But..." "When..." "The... ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ Day is good and the wind is dry ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ And the goose is hanging high ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ I can't work like other men do ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ When the goose is hanging high ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ When the goose is hanging high!" "♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ When the goose is hanging high!" "♪ ♪" "NARRATOR:" "Oh, Ben haramed was a wily old desert jackal." "Only he could have talked Aaron into visiting the crowded city." "For you see, Aaron truly did hate all people." "Now, it wasn't always this way, for Aaron was once a happy farm lad, the son of a Shepherd." "Father!" "Mother!" "Father!" "Mother!" "And why this exceptional greeting today, my son?" "Oh, no reason." "Happy Birthday, Aaron." "Oh, father!" "Mother!" "Did you bring me something?" "I don't suppose..." "This would interest you, young man?" "A drum!" "My very own drum!" "Oh, father!" "Try it out, Aaron!" "NARRATOR:" "And perhaps because it was a gift of love, the drum had an almost magical quality." "And the animals, when they heard it, began to dance to its sound." "And the animals, when they heard it, began to dance to its sound." "But Aaron's happiness was to end all too soon, for one night, bandits of the desert attacked." "For one night, bandits of the desert attacked." "What's going on out there?" "Father!" "You must run, my son." "Escape!" "But... run!" "But... run!" "NARRATOR:" "They burned the farm and took the sheep, and Aaron's happy life had changed forever." "And so, Aaron roamed the land a lonely orphan, his only friends 3 of the farm animals who had escaped." "He vowed to hate all humans for what they had done to his family, and he kept that vow." "And he kept that vow." "BEN:" "Ah, Jerusalem at last." "Here we shall make our fortune." "AARON:" "All these people!" "Aha!" "The rest of my show caravan." "Hello!" "Hello!" "Jameel and mesaal!" "Jameel and mesaal!" "Set up our performing carpets, and let us be on with the show." "And let us be on with the show." "[HORN]" "[HORN]" "Ladies and gentlemen!" "Fellow taxpayers!" "The day need not be all gloomy." "For I, Ben haramed, king of the desert showmen, have brought at great expense direct from the palace of the emperor of China, the toast of royalty, mesaal and jameel, tumblers extraordinary!" "Hup!" "Hup!" "Hup!" "Hup!" "Wonderful, wonderful!" "Perhaps you will show your appreciation for such a performance." "For such a performance." "Philistine!" "And now, let's move it right along with Ali of Arabia, greatest juggler under the stars." "Greatest juggler under the stars." "Boy, you perform next." "The crowd is restless." "You must appease them." "Are you ready?" "I'm ready." "No, no." "Smile." "Smile!" "See, only a smile pleases the crowd." "Smile." "Smile!" "I cannot." "Not at..." "Them." "You stubborn little fool!" "Then wear a painted one." "There." "That's better." "When do I go on?" "Now, before the dope juggles me out of my life savings!" "Now, before the dope juggles me out of my life savings!" "♪ ♪ ♪♪ you never heard a lion laugh" "♪ ♪ you never saw a gator grin ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ A goose in a gaggle never gives a giggle ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ ♪♪ why can't the animals smile?" "♪ ♪ ♪♪ you never saw a smiling frog" "♪ ♪♪ a tickled lamb, a happy hog ♪" "♪ ♪ A lighthearted camel, a merry old mammal ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ ♪♪ why can't the animals smile?" "♪ ♪ A barrel of monkeys, a pack of silly donkeys ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ An elephant, a caribou ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ Have never been heard to chuckle a word ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ Or Twitter like people do ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ You never heard a mouse guffaw ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ A crow that did much more than caw ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ Is an eagle too regal, or is it all illegal?" "♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ ♪♪ why can't the animals smile?" "♪ ♪ Why can't the animals smile?" "♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ Why can't the animals smile?" "♪ ♪" "More!" "More!" "More!" "More!" "You heard them!" "More!" "More!" "Don't let them get away before I pass the hat!" "NARRATOR:" "But as Aaron looked at the faces of the cheering mob, a great rage rose up inside him." "How dare they laugh and be happy after what their kind did to his family!" "Stop!" "Quiet!" "I hate you all for what you did!" "You're all preying thieves and bandits and knaves and... and knaves and... run for it!" "NARRATOR:" "And so, the troupe was chased out of Jerusalem by the mob." "BEN:" "Boy, you shall pay for this indignity." "Ben haramed!" "Look!" "Ben haramed!" "Look!" "BEN:" "By the hounds of heaven, it is the caravan..." "Of a king!" "We're in luck!" "Can I believe my luck?" "Two kings!" "Hold me up!" "Three!" "Three kings!" "Three kings!" "NARRATOR:" "And behold, there came wise men from the east, three kings of the orient, and lo, the star which they saw went before them." "Went before them." "Yes, it was the star of Bethlehem which shone so brightly and graced the lonely darkening desert with its silver light." "But the little troupe did not see the star's beauty, for the souls of Ben haramed and Ali were too filled with greed and the heart of Aaron too overflowing with hatred to take any note of the wonder just above them." "Now you listen, drummer boy." "If you give this one performance, half the money shall be yours." "Then you are free." "NARRATOR:" "Aaron agreed, only because he knew that with the kings' money, he would be free to go his own way and never again have to trouble himself with humans." "AND SO THEY APPROACHED THE THREE KINGS:" "Melchior, caspar, and balthazar." "'Tis night." "We must break camp." "And swiftly!" "The star waits not for us." "Strike the tents!" "Pack the camels!" "Strike the tents!" "Pack the camels!" "No!" "Don't go!" "We just got here!" "Halt!" "Out of my way!" "We must perform!" "Down, knave!" "Down!" "Ben haramed..." "A knave?" "Ben haramed..." "A knave?" "I am crushed." "Lower your Spears." "These desert vagabonds seem to mean us no harm." "Why do you come to us?" "We are a troupe of players, your majesty... uh, majesties." "We have no time for making merry, as you see." "We break camp, and... well, that's ridiculous." "Begging your pardon." "Nobody travels the desert by night!" "We do..." "For we follow the star." "For we follow the star." "BEN:" "How very..." "Convenient." "But, uh..." "Enough." "Begone." "Now, to resume our journey." "Now, to resume our journey." "So close." "My fortune was so close!" "And see what they load on the camels, great one." "Gold!" "Oh, it's too painful." "[MOANING]" "AND MORE VALUABLE EVEN THAN GOLD:" "The precious eastern resins frankincense and myrrh." "Frankincense and myrrh." "She is too weak to go on, your majesties." "Poor creature." "She has been weakened by the long journey." "Have we no extra beasts?" "All are laden, almost beyond their strength." "MELCHIOR:" "Wait!" "Did that player not own a camel?" "Perhaps he would sell it." "No!" "No!" "You strike a hard bargain, player." "I've had a hard life." "CASPAR:" "Now load the beast, and let us be on our way." "And let us be on our way." "Gold." "Ah." "I adore the feel of it, the weight of it, the look of it." "Ahh." "Ahh." "Your share." "I don't want it!" "I don't want any part of you!" "Come, samson, baba." "We must find our old comrade." "No!" "BEN:" "Let him go!" "We're done with him!" "Ha ha ha!" "Ha ha ha!" "Ha ha ha!" "Ha ha ha!" "NARRATOR:" "Aaron climbed the tallest hill he could find, but the royal caravan was nowhere in sight." "But the royal caravan was nowhere in sight." "Baa!" "What is it, baba?" "Samson?" "Samson?" "The star?" "Yes." "The kings were following that star." "If we follow it, we are sure to catch up with them." "Come, quickly!" "NARRATOR:" "And so they followed the gleaming star, little realizing where it was leading them." "CHORUS:" "♪♪ you can hear the music ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ If you listen with your heart ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ One star in the night ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ Shone on Bethlehem... ♪ ♪" "AARON:" "The town of Bethlehem." "NARRATOR:" "And as Aaron glanced back out over the countryside, he saw what seemed to be a gentle army of poor Shepherds, all of them being led toward the tiny town." "Why..." "They're all following the same star." "Why..." "They're all following the same star." "[CHOIR CONTINUES]" "[CHOIR CONTINUES]" "♪ ♪ One star in the night ♪ ♪" "Look, samson!" "Baba!" "By that old stable up ahead." "See?" "[CHOIR CONTINUES SINGING]" "[CHOIR CONTINUES SINGING]" "The royal caravan!" "We found it!" "See, there is old Joshua!" "Joshua!" "NARRATOR:" "Their hearts were so full of joy that they did not look where they were going." "Suddenly, something came careening out of the darkness." "DRIVER:" "Out of my way, ragamuffin!" "Baba!" "Baba!" "Oh, baba, you mustn't die!" "You mustn't!" "Who could help me?" "Who could help me?" "Yes." "The kings." "The kings are wise." "They will be able to save baba." "They will be able to save baba." "Please, I've got to get inside to see the kings!" "You must let me through!" "NARRATOR:" "And when Aaron came to the entrance of the stable, he could hardly believe what he saw." "He could hardly believe what he saw." "And she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn." "Oh, your majesty!" "You must... shh." "You must... shh." "Oh." "The player boy." "My lamb has been injured." "You must save him." "He is near death." "Oh, lad, there is nothing I can do." "But..." "But you're a king!" "A mortal king only." "But..." "There is a king among kings who would save your little friend." "The babe?" "But I do not understand." "CASPAR:" "It is not necessary that you understand." "Go to him." "But..." "I..." "I have no gift to bring." "Go." "Look upon the newborn king." "♪ ♪ Baby jesu ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ Pa rum pum pum pum ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ I am a poor boy too ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ Pa rum pum pum pum ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪♪ I have no gift to bring ♪" "♪ ♪ Pa rum pum pum pum ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪♪ that's fit to give our king ♪" "♪ ♪ Pa rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ Rum pum pum pum ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ Shall I play for you ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ Pa rum pum pum pum ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ On my drum ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ On my drum ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ Mary nodded ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ Pa rum pum pum pum ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ The ox and lamb kept time ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ Pa rum pum pum pum ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ ♪♪ I played my drum for him" "♪ ♪ pa rum pum pum pum ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ ♪♪ I played my best for him" "♪ ♪ pa rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ Rum pum pum pum ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ Rum pum pum pum ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ Then he smiled at me ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ Pa rum pum pum pum ♪ ♪" "♪ ♪ Me and my drum ♪ ♪" "NARRATOR:" "And as Aaron looked at the babe, he thought it was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen." "AARON:" "And yet, there is something more about him..." "So much more." "Your gift, little drummer boy, given out of the simple desperation of a pure love, is the one favored above all." "See?" "NARRATOR:" "Aaron's heart was filled with joy and love, and he knew at last that the hate he had carried there was wrong, as all hatred will ever be wrong." "For more powerful, more beautiful by far than all the eons of sadness and cruelty and desolation which have come before was that one tiny, crystalline second of laughter." "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." "For they shall see God." "Captioning made possible by golden books family entertainment"