Nay, for none in Herod’s kingdom knows Where Child and Mother and Manger and guiding Star Are vanished away. Only you, dear folk of the desert, Share now our secret. TREE And shall ward it full well. So enter into my shelter, with your good Shepherds, Joseph and Mary and Manger-Child—and rest. (TREE and MARY pass behind within shadow. As the SHEPHERDS with the MANGER follow, a sweet, lulling VOICE sings from within.) [Sidenote: _Carol 4. The Tree-Child’s Lullaby_] THE VOICE _Babe of my love,_ _Lull thee to rest!_ _Bird of my heart,_ _Night is thy nest._ _Evergreen bough,_ _Shadow my babe!_ _Shelter my bird,_ _Evergreen bough!_ _Star of my dreams,_ _Soon thou wilt shine:_ _Dream of the stars,_ _Splendor be thine!_ _Evergreen bough,_ _Shine with my Star!_ _Shelter his dreams,_ _Evergreen bough!_ (JOSEPH, pausing a moment before he follows, speaks to his lantern.) JOSEPH Now lantern, that dost hide His holy light, Show forth on high thy little Master’s star! (He blows out the lantern. Instantly a shining Star appears on the top of the Tree. Staring upward with gestures of surprise, the CREATURES murmur aloud.) BEASTS, ELF AND GNOME The star! The star! (In wonder, while the CHORUS sings, they follow after the others.) [Sidenote: _Third Chorus: A,3. The Star_] _CHORUS_ _Where shineth in whiteness the star of the new Master?_ _Alleluia!_ _Lo, from the tree that sheltereth a child’s dreaming_ _Shineth His star: Alleluia!_ [Illustration: THE LIGHT-CHILD _CHORUS_ _Where sleepeth till dawn-break the light of the new morrow?_ _Alleluia!_ _Lo, as a babe it sleepeth in a little manger:_ _Light of the World! Alleluia!_] FIFTH ACTION (“Sword of the World”) _STAGE B: THE PLACE OF EMPIRE_ Gateway and Steps in front of HEROD’S Palace. With spears and in armor, the CAPTAIN and the HOST OF HEROD are assembling. With deep, pounding reverberation, VOICES of the male CHORUS conflict with the far, high singing of the other CHORUS, now dying away. [Sidenote: _Fourth Chorus: B,1. The Might of Herod_] _CHORUS_ _Herod—Herod—Herod—Herod, the mighty_ _Lord of the world!_ _Hail him, hail him, hail him Herod the Master!_ _Bow to his will!_ _His power what star can confound?_ _Or cloud can darken his splendor,_ _Who bindeth his brow with the lightning_ _And girdeth his loins with the storm!_ _For he maketh the world of men_ _The winnowing floor of his glory:_ _And he weareth the mail of the Most High,_ _And shareth the mantle of God.—_ _Millions obey him,_ _Man is his tool._