Ox 1 I am tired. I've been up and down and up and down all day pulling that plough, and that new lad's so ill tempered! It's good to lie down and rest where it's quiet.
Ox 2 It certainly is
Ass: You're lucky. At least you're out in the fields. I've been prodded and poked up and down the town all day, and humans can be very mean when they've a mind! I've never seen so many people - drinking and shouting and banging about. Can't think what's happening in the town - really I can't! Oh, I am hungry. Where's the hay? Late again, I suppose, and it's nearly dark already! I expect he's forgotten us. We might as well settle down for the night. I can smell hay. Supper at last. Oh, I am hungry.
Ox 2 Maybe. But looks like more work for you. There's someone with the master - a man and a woman.
Ass: Oh, I hope not. Well that's funny. They're sitting over there on that pile of hay. And what's this? A donkey to share our supper!! There's little enough of it as it is!
Ox 1 Where've you come from then, Donkey?
Donkey: I've walked from Nazareth carrying my mistress. It's been a long journey. I feel very tired and hungry.
Children sing on verse of little Donkey
Ox 2 What's that? What's that noise? Sounded like a baby crying.
Ass: Oh Ox, must you wake me. You've been dreaming again I expect. Go to sleep.
Ox 2 But look over there. They're awake and it's still dark outside.
Ass: Oh, do go to sleep, Ox.
Ox 1 I can feel a cold draught now. Someone's opened that door again. Funny. I can smell a smell of sheep. Not more company, I hope.
Ass: What's this then. Shepherds? I don't know what they want here in the middle of the night. Thank goodness they don't want us. They've gone over there to talk.
Ox 2 They sound very excited. Wonder why.
Ox 1 What's that bright thing up there? It's gone light all at once
Ass: Oxen, at times you are very stupid. It's a star, of course!
Ox 1 Donkey's sleeping well. I wish I could settle. These humans do some strange things - being awake when they should be asleep, people coming and going ...
Ox 2 ... Look, the shepherds are going now. Perhaps we can get some peace and quiet now!
Angels move to the front, The Children sing lullabye Jesus
Ox 2 Ass, Ass, wake up. Look, look!
Ass: Oh, not again, Ox! You're surely not dreaming again ...
Ass: ... Well now, they smell different. They don't smell of sheep. They smell very different. What bright clothes they have! I wonder who they are.
Ox 2 They look very important. Could they be kings? They're kneeling down now. They sound happy and excited. I wonder why.
Ass: What's that noise? Ox, I don't think you were dreaming after all. It was a baby's cry. They are all looking into the manger.
Ox 1 They have brought gifts. They are giving them to the donkey's mistress.
Donkey Have missed anything, what's going on, where have all these people come from?
Ox 2 They're going. I wonder why they came.
Ass: Something special I expect but I don't know what. There's only the donkey's master and mistress and that new baby here besides us. They don't look very important.
Ox 1 They've gone. Perhaps we can get some sleep now. There will soon be a new day dawning.