The Legend Of The Little Drummer Boy

Zack, having tired of playing the drum all through the night and all through the day, stopped playing. And then, he had a most marvelous idea. The servant had just said something about a new king, and he was here. Perhaps he could peer in through the window and see this king. And so, as the Wise Men made their way through the front door of the house, Zack crept around the side, hoping for a glimpse into the living room of the house.

And what he saw amazed him. These three grown men, richly dressed, knelt on the dirt floor in front of...a baby! Zack couldn’t believe his eyes. He watched as each of the men brought out a gift. The light glinted off the shiny gold, and the air was filled with the aroma of sweet spices. “It can’t be,” he thought, “Those men are giving those expensive gifts to a...baby. That must be one very important baby.”

As Zack looked through the window, he wondered what he could give the King. He didn’t have any gold or spices. Even if he went home, he couldn’t find anything at home that was worthy of giving to this King. But, here he was, in the presence of a great King...and he had nothing to bring.

So Zack slumped down outside the house. He cried, for he had nothing of value to offer the king. He cried and he sobbed as the three men bowed down to the baby. Soon, Zack realized that the men had left the house and were getting ready to leave again. Zack just didn’t have the heart to get his drum and play for them as they left town. “My drum!” Zack thought, “I know what I’ll give the baby! I’ll play my drum for him!”

And Zack started to get up, excited to know that he had a gift for the baby King inside the house. And just as Zack began to strap his drum over his shoulder, he remembered. He remembered the people yelling out the windows. He remembered the Wise Men scowling at him, and the servant who tried to take his drumstick. He remembered the children who threw mud at him, and King Herod’s guard who had taken his drum away for a while.

“That baby doesn’t want to hear my drum,” he thought. “Babies don’t like loud noises any better than grumpy old men, wise men, or palace guards do. Forget it!” And Zack started to trudge off home to Jerusalem.

“Boy!” the voice behind him said, “Can I help you? Are you lost?”

Zack looked back, and saw the mother of the baby. She had come outside to watch the Wise Men leave, and had spotted him outside the house. Zack started to run away, but something stopped him. Perhaps it was the memory of that bright star above the house, it might have been the knowledge that it was a long way home to Jerusalem, or maybe it was a voice inside of him that told him to stop.

Zack turned around, his head hung and his shoulders hunched over. Tears continued to flow down his face as he looked at the beautiful lady before him. “I don’t have anything to bring the King...” he stammered, “only...I...could play for Him...on my drum, but nobody likes it when I play my drum”

And Mary, with kindness in her eyes, looked at the poor disheveled boy in his tattered clothes and welcomed him into her house. He wiped the tears from his eyes, and started slowly and quietly, “Pa-rum-pum-pum-pum, Pa-rum-pum-pum-pum, Pa-rum-pum-pum-pum.” And, as Zack looked in wonder, he saw a smile spread across the face of the great King who was pleased with Zack’s simple gift.