The story takes place shortly after the birth of Christ. Crippled since birth, shepherd boy Amahl, is a bright child who provides a cheerful spot in his widowed mother's otherwise dismal life: the two are tragically poor.

Amahl loves to daydream and play the flute. His imagination often leads him to stretch the truth, yes, even lie on occasion, so when he tell his weary mother about what he has seen outside, an enormous star with a long tail, she doesn't want to be bothered.He tries to tell her about what he has seen outside; an enormous star with a long tail. His mother, used to his habitual lying, grows angry; she is even angrier when Amahl tells he that a knock at the door is three kings come to visit them.

Then, a knock at the door. Amahl informs his mother that it is one... two... then three kings, and that one of them is black, so she scolds the boy. But then she herself sees Kings Kaspar, Melchior and Balthazar, and has to accept them as real, along with their search for a child king who they describe as “the color of wheat ... the color of earth.” Amahl and his mother are fascinated by the splendor of the kings' robes and by the rich gifts they are taking to the newborn king.

While Amahl's mother is out gathering the neighbors, Amahl asks the kings questions about their lives. The mother returns, and the villagers present their gifts to the visitors.

That night, Amahl's mother attempts to steal gold from one of the kings while he sleeps, but she is caught. When the kings learn that she stole only to feed her son, they explain that the gifts they carry are to go to the Christ child, who will need nothing but love to rule his kingdom. So they offer to let her keep the gold.

The widow is touched, and insists on returning the gold. Not only that, but she wants to donate something herself. Alas! she has nothing. Amahl offers his crutch — his only possession, upon which his leg is miraculously cured. The kings take Amahl with them to pay homage to the child who has healed him.

The opera has continued on as a holiday tradition internationally. AMAHL finds its appeal in the down-to-earth characters of its story. This is an opera for the whole family, of all ages and musical backgrounds. Only an hour in length, AMAHL is a wonderful way to introduce children to the world of opera through a lively story. The three Kings are as different in their personalities as they are in appearance. The villagers who bring food to the Kings bring a rustic charm to the setting and become important representations of all of us at this holiday season.