The King of Kings

Merry Christmas, Uncle! God save you!

Bah, humbug!

A small Christmas donation

to help the poor, Mr. Scrooge?

Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?

If they would rather die, they had better do it

and decrease the surplus population.

How sad to die with no friends or family around you

or to know that nobody loves you

because you loved nobody in your life.

Money can't buy a happy life.

Or a peaceful death.

No, spirit! No! No! Spirit! Hear me!

I am not the person I was!

I will not be the man I must have been before this!

Oh, spirit! I can change! I can become a better person--

Spirit! Assure me that I yet may change

these shadows you have shown to--

Willa! How did you--

Yes, well, oh, everyone's a critic!

Ladies and gentlemen, if you'll excuse me for just a moment.

I have her.

Why is the cat here and how did it get on stage?!

You know Willa

is Walter's most trusted knight of the round table.

What? Walter? W-W- Where is he?

Never! I am King Arthur!

Boys! Boys! You come down from there this very instant!

Wooah!

Oh dear!

Oof

Wooah!

Behold! The mighty Excalibur!

Catherine! I am in the middle of this show!

This is a disaster!

And now! I'll smite the dragon with it!

Have at you! Ha!

Oh!

What do you think you're doing?

Charles, dear, please.

Now is not the time

-for vexation. -That boy...

You know how obsessed he's been

with all things King Arthur lately.

Shh, dear, dear. I know, dear.

And I'm sure he didn't mean to smite you quite so hard.

-Ah... -Give me the sword!

Never!

Oh... Heavens!

Sorry, Daddy.

So sorry, Papa!

Mary, Charley, Walter!

This is not a playground.

This is where Daddy wor--Where's the cat?

Sir Willa is my faithful knight of the Round Table.

It is a cat. It is not a knight of any kind

of any table of any shape or size.

And as King Arthur's faithful knight,

Sir Willa follows the one true king wherever I go!

And you are most certainly not King Arthur!

Hm!

That is it!

Ah! My manuscript!

Huh?

Ahh.

Quickly, children! Quickly!

It's snowing!

We'll fix this, Father!

Move.

Move!

I said move!

-What Willa. -No!

Gotcha!

Walter!

Huzzah!

Ladies and gentlemen,

allow me to introduce my adorable youngest son...

I am King Arthur!

And this is Sir Willa,

my faithful Knight of the Round Table.

Ha, ha, yes!

My adorable and imaginative son, Walter!

And his cat-- His knight

Sir Willa, who have popped by the theater

just because they want to say--

This is Excalibur! My magical sword!

And did I mention spirited?

It can only be wielded by the one true king!

Yup, yes, yes. Thank you so much,

but alas, all good things must come to an end.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, such a pity.

So, Your Highness, if would be so good

as to bid your royal subjects goodnight.

Say goodnight, Walter. Walter!

Walter...

The king wishes to bid you all goodnight.

So goodnight to you all!

Good night to you!

And to you. And to you.

-And you, and you! -Alright. Your Highness,

-And you, and you, and you! -yes, yes!

-And you, and you! -Time to go! Of course,

-And you, and you, and you! -you wouldn't want to wear out

-Camelot lives! -your royal welcome.

Thank you!

Ah, ah, ah!

I think you've had quite enough of this sword for one night.

What? Why?

Because behavior has consequences.

I--

We will discuss this when I get home.

But, wait, I can't have my sword till you get home?!

When I get home, we will discuss

if you'll ever even see this sword again!

But, please, why can't I have it?!

I said no! And that's final!

What--Where are you going?

Home. Because behavior has consequences.

Walter, I--Walter, I didn't mean--Wal--

Hmmm.

Charles! The sword.

Um, I'd like to just, uh,

so sorry, ladies and gentlemen!

Now, uh, where were we? Yes, yes, yes. Scrooge

Scrooge telling the spirit,

"Spirit, I can become a better person!

I will honor Christmas in my heart

and try to keep it all the year!

I will live in the past, the present and the future!

The spirits, all three, shall strive within me! I will not...

Hmm.

Dear.

Ah, the children. Are they in bed?

Charley and Mary are.

Walter is in the study.

What?! The study?!

Shh! Sh!

My study! Why?

I told him you were going to tell him a great story.

What? Catherine, what were you think--

He's so excited!

What--Excited? I didn't even know what--I,

Shh! Sh, sh, sh, sh!

Wh--What story are you--

I saw a bit of what you wrote

while I was gathering your manuscript at the theater.

Well, I--

You wrote it for the children, yes?

Yes, uh--

Well, Walter's mad about King Arthur, right?

Yeah...

So why don't you tell him about the true King of Kings?

- But--... Why-- - He'll love it!

As I recall, there's a fair bit in there about forgiveness

and understanding, among other things.

But... How shall I--

You know what to do, Charles. Go. Work some of your magic.

Oh!

My magic.

Can we do this without the cat?

Hmph!

Fine, but if that cat so much as--

Your magic.

Walter.

Hmph!

-I have something for you. -Hmph!

Hmm.

Hm?

Excalibur! My magical sword!

I'd like to tell you a story, son.

Hmph. If it's not about a king, then I'm not interested.

Oh! Well then, you're in for a treat.

Isn't that right, Charles?

Right! Yes!

It just so happens that this story is about a king.

The King of Kings.

Hm? Hm.

Does this story have wizards and dragons?

Better! It has angels

and wicked kings, jealous rivals and miracles!

Hm?

Some say it's the greatest story ever told!

In fact, your King Arthur's story is based on this story!

But, if you don't want to hear it, I understand.

Hm.

Hm. Oh, um, maybe just the first part.

Good.

Right. Now, our story be--

Get off of that.

Now, as I was saying,

our story begins 2,000 years ago

in the little town of Bethlehem in Israel.

Wow!

Where a man named Joseph

and a young woman named Mary

would soon bring a beautiful baby into the world.

W-Wait! Whoa! Stop!

Is this a kind of a baby story?

Well, this story does begin with a baby,

but this particular baby is the Son of God.