StoryTeller:

Welcome friends, to the Forest of Ruritania. Where woodcutters, fir trees and forgotten tales are all around. This is a cold night, hey? And Christmas is coming here too, in the land of the Midnight Sun and Frost. In this Forest dwell a family of 4 children of the Woodcutter, miles from town. And here they come now, looking for their Father.

[They cross the stage, looking about them for their Papa. Klara is oldest, then Karl, then Johann and youngest is Rosa.]

StoryTeller:

Yes, as you can see, it has been some while since they had a Mother’s care. Their Father is a good wood cutter, but he is not good at sewing. Klara does her best, but she is only eleven years old.

Klara:

Come on Rosa- goodness, what are you wearing?

Rosa:

My nightie. I didn’t see any point in getting changed. We’re not going to school today

Karl:

But aren’t you cold? It’s freezing!

Johann:

Some of those socks are mine - you put them on when I took them off did you?

Klara:

I did wonder what that smell was

Karl:

I can’t smell anything except the pine smell of the trees.

[Forest of fir trees enters, singing. These are reception or year one children dressed all in green, brown socks, and little hoods with fringes; festooned across chest and waist with more fringes.]

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, we love your shining branches
Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, we love your shining branches
Not only in the winter time, but when in snow or sun they shine
Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree we love your shining branches

Karl:

Just listen to the wind in the branches, Klara

Klara:

Yes, it sounds just like words

Rosa:

Where is Father, Karl?

Karl:

I can’t understand why we haven’t met him yet. He doesn’t usually chop wood this far from the cottage. There are plenty of trees that fell in the last storm.

Klara:

Oh - the poor trees, what a pity. But these trees did not get blown down.

[Trees sing chorus again]

Rosa:

It’s getting dark- where can Father be?

Johann:

Oh- but didn’t I tell you? He said he was going into town today.

Karl:

Johann- you turnip head! Why did he bother telling you anything? He would have done better to tell these trees.

Klara:

The trees seem to be listening, don’t they?

Rosa:

I love their green smell, and their pine cones.

Girls Sing:

Oh evergreen, oh evergreen, you never lose your colours
Oh evergreen, oh evergreen, you never lose your colours
In summer sun, or winter chill
Your leaves they stay and  charm us still
You never die and make us know
The spring  will come after the snow
The spring  will come after the snow
Trees sing chorus again.

[Trees sit and form background. Father enters, with ‘step mother’ hiding behind him.]

Father:

Rosa! Karl! What are you doing so far from the cottage?

Klara:

We were looking for you Father!

Father:

You’re here too Klara? Who is getting on with supper? I expect the fire will have gone out before we get back.

Karl:

Where have you been Father?

Father:

Well- I’ll tell you about it when we get back home. Come along!

Rosa:

Who is this Father? Someone you met on the road?

Johann:

Are they lost?