The “lamb” was life-size, ingeniously made out of cotton-wool, with a cotton skin on which were painted eyes and mouth. It is wrapped throughout in a piece of sacking, so that no more of it need be finished than the head and front legs.
In the fourth scene the chief property is the crib. A box was taken about four feet long, by three by two, and set on one of its long sides upon a table. The whole of the box and table was then covered with crumpled and painted brown paper, resembling that fastened to the wings; straw was laid inside, and a silver lamp hung from the edge to the upper side. The starry sky at the back was variegated by a large hurdle projecting from behind the crib. The bambino was supplied by a well-known firm in London.[11]
In the fifth scene, from which the crib is absent, the principal property is the throne and dais. This needs little comment. The dais came from a schoolroom; and the chair was a very tall armless one of yellowish wood. Two tall mahogany candlesticks stood on either side upon the dais. The book used by the boy was a large leather volume bound by strings.
III. THE COSTUMES
Before treating these in detail, it is necessary to treat first the general principles that were followed.
These were:
- 1. That the drapery should be voluminous.
- 2. That the colours should be dark and soft.
- 3. That the dresses should be shaped after Eastern models.
- 4. That all such things as tinsel and spangles should be utterly eschewed.
Now the foundations of Eastern dress are the following:
1. The Tunic.—This is a long-sleeved garment resembling an alb. It may be of any colour, or white. In the case of young men and boys it is drawn through the girdle up to the knees.
2. The Burnous or Mantle.—This is more difficult to describe; but it may be constructed by taking a large rectangular piece of stuff, about four feet deep by six feet wide. Imagine this spread out on the ground. Then take the top corners and fold them in about eighteen inches along the top edge, folding in at the same time the whole length of the stuff below. Sew along the top edge only to right and left, thus making supports for the shoulders. Then cut at either side, near the top, in the crease of the stuff, two wide arm-holes. Finally, fix about eighteen inches down the front, on the folded stuff, a strong hook and eye on either side.