SIMPLE SHEPHERDS’

CHRISTMAS STORIES

CHRISTMAS SHEPHERDS’ stories – These are “shepherdly-simple” retellings of old stories along the lines of the “Uberufer Shepherd's Plays”, a cycle of religious plays which have been in continuous production since the 16th or 17th Century.

I came across these plays when my kids were in Waldorf schools. These plays have been traditionally performed at Waldorf / Steiner schools around the world. I have had the occasion to act in productions of these plays. When my kids graduated, I lost contact with the productions. Our culture in America got more complex, technical, and “harder” in many ways, and I found myself longing to re-experience these stories in some form.

So, in an effort to reexperience these Christmas stories in an old, culturally simplistic form, I have written them as a part of the annual cycle of my blog at www.threesimplequestions.blogspot.com.

So, these offerings are written in the “three simple questions”: “Who Am I?”, “Why Am I Here”, and “What Do I Want?” I hope I’ve captured the simple innocence of the working guys (Shepherds), the awe of Angelic inspiration and their responses, and the political power of Herod who works through the Magi. I write this at the time of the Gaza tragedy and each evening see “Innocence slain by Power.” Here are the simple stories:

CHAPTER 1 – SHEPHERDS AFIELD - The Shepherds make their way to Bethlehem to sell their sheep to pay for taxes. They pass the time complaining about taxes, drinking wine, and dancing to stay warm. An Angel appears and sends them to Bethlehem to find a child.

CHAPTER 2 – MARY AND JOSEPH AT THE STABLE. Joseph worries about the taxing day. A Child of Light is born in the darkness.

CHAPTER 3 - A SURLY INNKEEPER that “only takes in people with money in purse” puts Mary and Joseph into his stable and sends the Shepherds off with “a kick and a curse!”

CHAPTER 4 – THE SHEPHERDS VISIT THE STABLE where they give their gifts to The Child “most High”. The Conclusion of this shepherdly-simple retelling of the Christmas story is the question: why is He is born in such a poor place?

CHAPTER 5 - Innocence Slain By Power – The Three Magi and King Herod.