St Nicholas

  St Nicholas

Nicholas, turks (2), man, daughters (3), slave trader

(Enter Nicholas, Turks)

Nicholas lived in a place called Myra, in modern day turkey.  His fellow turks used to waddle around, saying “gobble gobble, gobble gobble!” Until Finally Nicholas said “Hey!  No foul language!”

(Enter man, daughters, exit turks)

Nicholas was the Bishop of his region, and many people came to him with their concerns.  One day a man came to Nicholas and said “I am a poor man.  I cannot afford to have my daughters get married.  I cannot even afford the rent on my house!  I owe a slave trader all my money, and if I don’t pay him, he will turn my daughters into slaves! If I don’t give him a bag of gold each day for the next 3 days, he will take my daughters!  He’s coming for the oldest one tomorrow!”

The three girls began crying, and the father kissed each one on the forehead.

Nicholas said “Don’t be afraid.  God will take care of you!”

That night, Nicholas snuck over to the house where the father and daughters were sleeping.  The father snored very loudly.  Nicholas took a bag of gold, and threw it in through the window.  Then he snuck away.

(Exit Nicholas. Enter slave trader)

The next day the slave trader came to the mans house.  “Well old man” he said loudly, “unless there was a miracle, I guess you can’t afford to pay me!  I will take your oldest daughter now!”  Then he laughed maniacally.

But the man said “here is your gold!” handing the slave trader the bag Nicholas had thrown through the window.

The trader was very angry.  He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.  “Where did you get this?” he demanded.  “Never mind, I’ll have your second daughter by tomorrow.”  And he stormed out. 

(Exit slave trader)

The father  and daughters hugged each other, but they were very afraid for the next day!

(Enter Nicholas)

Again that night, Nicholas snuck to the man’s house.  When he heard the man snoring obnoxiously, he threw another bag of gold in the window.  Then he snuck away.

(exit Nicholas, enter Trader)

The next day, the trader came again to the man’s house. “Give me your second daughter, and no more nonsense!”  He yelled.  But again the man presented him with a bag of gold.

The trader was flabbergasted!  He sputtered and spat, pulling out his hair and slapping himself in the face.  Then he pointed a trembling finger at the father and said “you win again.  But you won’t get so lucky next time!  I am coming back tomorrow, for your youngest daughter!” And he stomped away, slamming the imaginary door.

(exit trader)

The 3 girls fell on their knees and began to beg their father.  “Please daddy!  Help us!”

The father said “My children, twice gold has appeared by our window as if by miracle. Let us pray and see if the kind stranger comes again tonight!”  So they all prayed.

That night, they turned out the lights, and hid, to see who was giving them the money.  

(Enter Nicholas)

St Nicholas came sneaking over… but he listened, and he did not hear the sound of snoring!  All he heard was the sound of crickets and a low wind. (Have audience make the sounds.)

So Nicholas climbed onto the roof of the house, and threw the gold down the chimney instead.  It landed in the socks of the youngest girl, who was drying them by the fire!

(Exit Nicholas, Enter Trader)

And so the family celebrated, and when the trader came a third time, they paid him, and had money left over-  so they threw a party!

St Nicholas-  Pray for us!