Podcast Summary: Harold's Old Time Radio

Episode: Family Hour of Stars 48-12-19 (12) Lullaby of Christmas
Date: December 6, 2025
Host: Harold’s Old Time Radio

Overview

This special holiday episode revisits a timeless radio drama, “Lullaby of Christmas,” originally aired during radio’s golden age. Through evocative narration, the story explores themes of kindness, the search for belonging, and the miraculous events of Christmas—all seen through the eyes of Ayu (later revealed as Ezekiel), a voiceless child in Bethlehem whose longing for acceptance leads him to a wondrous, silent communion with the natural world. The narrative climaxes in a moving encounter with the child in the manger, symbolizing the inclusive spirits of Christmas and hope for all outcasts.

Key Discussion Points & Story Highlights

1. The Legend of the Tongueless One — Setting the Scene

• Timestamps: 00:28–01:55
• The episode opens with a reflective narration, comparing the story’s antiquity with the Christmas tradition itself and introducing “the tongueless ones”—nature’s elements who alone remember this tale.
  • Quote: “This story is as old as Christmas, and yet it's neither remembered nor told except by the tongueless ones—the water, the wind, the rain and the snow...” (00:28, Narrator)

2. Meet Ayu/Ezekiel — The Voiceless Child

• Timestamps: 00:58–03:27
• Ayu is described as a ragged, mute child, only called "Ayu" (“hey, you!”) because he cannot speak his name.
  • The painful reality of his condition is depicted with tragic vividness:
    • Quote: “Instead of words would come a horrible deformity of sound, a scourging, piercing, ear-scraping babble of howls and braying gibberish.” (02:10, Narrator)

3. Ayu’s Secret Longing

• Timestamps: 02:29–05:14
• Each night, Ayu prays for speech and song, fantasizing about the ordinary joys of greeting animals, playing, and joining in songs—simple things denied to him.
  • Quote: “Just suppose…a miracle should take place during the night and tomorrow morning he could walk over to that stall and say, ‘Good morning, Mr. Cow… Hello, Mr. Sheep.’” (02:41–02:47, Narrator & Au/Ezekiel)
• He vows, if granted his wish, to always use his voice kindly and joyfully.

4. Finding Friendship in the Tongueless Ones

• Timestamps: 05:23–08:28
• Rejected by townsfolk, Ayu finds peace and acceptance in nature's company. The brook, wind, rain, and trees “sing” with him, indifferent to his lack of melody.
  • Notable Moment: The poetic depiction of nature accepting Ayu, no matter his “din.”
    • Quote: “If he answered or even if he sang, the brook didn't care a ripple, if the sounds he made were harsh and unmusical.” (06:28, Narrator)
  • Gratitude becomes Ayu’s nightly ritual, thanking God for “his generosity,” even if it isn’t the miracle he once prayed for.

5. The Dreadful Day — Rejection and Humiliation

• Timestamps: 08:28–13:22
• A day of torment unfolds: Ayu is abused by adults, mocked by other children, and publicly humiliated by a centurion and the inn’s guests, forcing him to sing to their cruel amusement.
  • Quote: “At every tuneless howl the crowd shouted its mockery. At every unmelodious screech, it roared its derision.” (12:19, Narrator)

6. The Night of Silence — Nature Withdraws

• Timestamps: 13:22–14:06
• After his ordeal, Ayu seeks solace in the hills, but for the first time, the “Tongueless Ones”—nature—are silent, waiting.

7. The Miracle in the Stable — A Gift at Christmas

• Timestamps: 14:31–16:01
• The Christmas miracle arrives: Ayu, drawn to the radiant stable, approaches the Holy Family, and as he greets the Christ child, words flow beautifully from his mouth at last.
  • Quotes:
    • “So he whispered, hello there. And the words Ayu spoke were as clear and melodious as the water of the brook.” (15:15, Narrator)
    • “The words that came from Ayu's lips were as sweet as the winds, as perfect as each raindrop, and as soft as the long flowing grasses.” (15:20, Narrator’s Assistant)

8. The Meaning of His Journey

• Timestamps: 16:01–17:45
• Ayu understands his purpose: his lifelong voicelessness prepared him for this moment—to express the silent song of all nature to the child in the manger. The “Tongueless Ones” were waiting to lend him their voice for this sacred encounter.

9. Epilogue — The Story Endures

• Timestamps: 17:45–18:47
• The episode closes by returning to its opening theme: this “old as Christmas” story is retold each year by wind, water, and earth for the few who will listen—a song with the “bright, joyful, exultant tone of the boy who sang for them…one Christmas morning in Bethlehem.”
  • Quote: “The few ears that hear will wonder at the strange, childlike quality in the voices of all the storytellers. But that's so very easy to understand—it's the bright, joyful, exultant tone of the boy who sang for them…one early morning one Christmas morning in Bethlehem.” (17:57, Narrator)

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “This story is as old as Christmas…” — 00:28, Narrator
• “My name's Ezekiel.” — 03:05, Au/Ezekiel
• “If he answered or even if he sang, the brook didn't care…” — 06:28, Narrator
• “At every tuneless howl the crowd shouted its mockery…” — 12:19, Narrator
• “So he whispered, hello there. And the words Ayu spoke were as clear and melodious as the water of the brook.” — 15:15, Narrator
• “Now they were his voice, and he was their tongue, and his was their song to the child in the manger.” — 16:03, Narrator

Tone & Original Style

The episode is poetic, lyrical, and suffused with gentle nostalgia for classic radio storytelling. The language is rich, tender, and often heartbreaking, evoking a timeless sense of longing and hope. The narration never lapses into sentimentality, instead portraying Ayu’s plight and miracle with understated grace and emotional sincerity.

Thematic Takeaways

• Transformation through acceptance: The voiceless finds his true voice not through miracle but through communion—with nature, with faith, and finally, with the sacred.
• Kindness and connection: Even outcasts are seen and valued in the Christmas miracle.
• Enduring traditions: The story is a reminder of the resilience and quiet beauty in “old” tales—those whispered every year by “the tongueless ones” for those willing to hear.

This episode is a moving, evocative slice of radio history—an ideal listen for those seeking a thoughtfully told Christmas parable with heart, humility, and hope.