Prologue
Human nature (The Person) remembers exile from paradise and falls into despair. Faith and Hope are trying to calm The Person and say that peace, love and eternal joy are always with him.
Seven positive human qualities are contrasted with seven negative human qualities. There is a struggle between Life and Death. Death proclaims itself to be the winner. The Person sets off, and seven positive and seven negative human qualities follow him.
Act I
In the vicinity of Bethlehem, the shepherd Afonya awaits his comrades Avram and Boris. They went to the city to buy bread and leſt Afonya to guard the sheep. The shepherds returned from the city and sat down to eat.
Suddenly, the shepherds heard singing. The Archangel and two angels appear who say that the Savior was born. The shepherds set off to look at the child. Angels sing lullaby to Jesus.
Magi surprised by the appearance of a new star in the sky. The star calls them behind him and the wise men go aſter her.
Act II
Palace of King Herod.
The Messenger appears and informs Herod that a new king has been born. Upon learning that magi are going to the child with expensive gifts, Herod goes into a rage. One of the senators persuades Herod to invite the magi to his place and find out
where they are headed.
The wise men come to Herod and tell that a new star has appeared in the sky, which tells about the birth of a new king, kind and wise. The star’s light indicates to them his place of birth, where they will come to give gold, incense and myrtle.
Senators read in the Talmud that the new king of Judea should be born in Bethlehem. Herod orders to kill all boys up to two years. Warriors of a cruel ruler carry out order and the land of Bethlehem has been covered in blood. Then the warriors bring the heads of the slain children
to Herod. Death appears and starts to dance. Herod wants to sleep. Angels sing him a lullaby and say that he will die soon. The Angel brings a cup of blood to Herod; the Archangel says that soon the cruel king will go to hell.
Senators complain about the stench they feel from Herod. The King says he feels bad. Healer comes. He says that Herod is sick with plague, jaundice, pleurisy, dysentery, paralysis, brain stroke. The King asks for help, but no one wants to help the villain. Herod dies in terrible agony and falls into the abyss.
Epilogue
Seven positive and seven negative human qualities are trying to understand what can prevent
a person from going to paradise. They conclude that human nature is eternal and will be able to prolong its existence by good deeds.
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Art. Lebedev Studio