Advent Calendar Day 11: Little Drummer Boy

Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum

A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum

Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum

To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum,

rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

So to honour Him, pa rum pum pum pum,

When we come.

Pum pum pum pum pa rum pum pum

pum pum pum pum pa rum pum pum

pum pum pum pum pa rum pum pum

pum pum pum ahh

Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum

I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum

I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum

That’s fit to give a king, pa rum pum pum

rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum,

On my drum?

(pum pum pum part)

Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum

The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum

I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum

I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum,

rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

(pum pum pum part)

Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum

Me and my drum.

“The Little Drummer Boy” (originally known as “Carol of the Drum”) is a popular Christmas song written by the American classical music composer Katherine Kennicott Davis in 1941. It was recorded in 1955 by the Trapp Family Singers. The song has been recorded many times since.

In the lyrics the singer relates how, as a poor young boy, he was summoned by the Magi to the nativity where, without a gift for the infant Jesus, he played his drum with Mary’s approval, remembering “I played my best for Him” and “He smiled at me.”

Do you know the story of the Magi? Can you fill in the gaps in this short version?

After Jesus was born in (1) ………… Magi from the east came to Jerusalem during the time of King Herod and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his (2)…. when it rose and have come to worship him.”

Then Herod called the (3) …… secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and (4) ……… him.”

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother (5)…… , and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their (6) ……………. and presented him with gifts of (7)…….., (8) ……………. and (9)……….. And having been warned in a (10) …………. not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Key

1. Bethlehem

2. star

3. Magi

4. worship

5. Mary

6. treasures

7. gold

8. frankincense

9. myrrh

10. dream