“The Holy Land. Egypt... From time to time there are auctions of the fittings that made up the old dime museums, and at such an auction you should be able to pick up a revolving cyclorama of the Holy Land and Egypt, which is the scenery for this piece...”
A loquacious donkey named Hepzibah, who moves along on her own time, stars in this comic drama as she transports Mary and the baby Jesus to Egypt and safety, with Joseph traveling along on foot. Hepzibah alternately complains, gossips, and talks about politics and religion–and from her mouth comes a cosmic question that foreshadows some of the recurring questions in Wilder’s drama and fiction: What is the relationship between reason and faith?
This short play is included in the collection Thornton Wilder's Playlets: Short, Short Plays for 3-5 Persons.