Produced by Curtis Weyant, Diane Monico, and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
THE DRAMATIZATION OF BIBLE STORIES
THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PRESS
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
THE BAKER & TAYLOR COMPANY
NEW YORK
THE CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
LONDON
THE MARUZEN-KABUSHIKI-KAISHA
TOKYO, OSAKA, KYOTO, FUKUOKA, SENDAI
[Illustration: A SHEPHERD]
THE DRAMATIZATION
OF BIBLE STORIES
AN EXPERIMENT IN THE RELIGIOUS
EDUCATION OF CHILDREN
_By_
ELIZABETH ERWIN MILLER
(_Elizabeth Miller Lobingier_)
[Illustration]
THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PRESS
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
COPYRIGHT 1918 BY THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PUBLISHED APRIL 1918
SIXTEENTH IMPRESSION OCTOBER 1934
COMPOSED AND PRINTED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PRESS
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, U.S.A.
TO MY LITTLE FRIENDS, THE CHILDREN IN THE
DRAMATIC CLUB OF THE HYDE PARK CHURCH OF DISCIPLES,
THIS BOOK IS LOVINGLY DEDICATED
GENERAL PREFACE
The progress in religious education in the last few years has been
highly encouraging. The subject has attained something of a status as a
scientific study, and significant investigative and experimental work
has been done. More than that, trained men and women in increasing
numbers have been devoting themselves to the endeavor to work out in
churches and Sunday schools the practical problems of organization and
method.
It would seem that the time has come to present to the large body of
workers in the field of religious education some of the results of the
studies and practice of those who have attained a measure of
educational success. With this end in view the present series of books
on "Principles and Methods of Religious Education" has been undertaken.
It is intended that these books, while thoroughly scientific in
character, shall be at the same time popular in presentation, so that
they may be available to Sunday-school and church workers everywhere.
The endeavor is definitely made to take into account the small school
with meager equipment, as well as to hold before the larger schools the
ideals of equipment and training.
The series is planned to meet as far as possible all the problems that
arise in the conduct of the educational work of the church. While the
Sunday school, therefore, is considered as the basal organization for
this purpose, the wider educational work of the pastor himself and that
of the various other church organizations receive due consideration as
parts of a unified system of education in morals and religion.
THE EDITORS
CONTENTS
PAGE
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xiii
INTRODUCTION BY EDWARD SCRIBNER AMES 1
CHAPTER
I. EDUCATIONAL AIMS IN DRAMATIZATION 5
II. THE METHOD OF DRAMATIZATION 9
III. THE DRAMATIZATION OF "JOSEPH" 17
IV. THE DRAMATIZATION OF "DAVID AND GOLIATH" 44
V. THE DRAMATIZATION OF "MOSES IN THE BULRUSHES" 52
VI. THE DRAMATIZATION OF "RUTH" 59
VII. THE DRAMATIZATION OF "QUEEN ESTHER" 68
VIII. THE DRAMATIZATION OF "ABRAHAM AND THE THREE GUESTS" 84
IX. THE DRAMATIZATION OF "DANIEL IN THE LIONS' DEN" 93
X. THE DRAMATIZATION OF NEW TESTAMENT PARABLES 98
XI. THE DRAMATIC QUALITIES IN A GOOD STORY 109
XII. BIBLE STORIES SUITABLE FOR DRAMATIZATION 113
XIII. STAGE SETTING AND PROPERTIES 130
XIV. COSTUMING 144
XV. THE ORGANIZATION OF A CHURCH DRAMATIC CLUB 152
INDEX 161
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
A SHEPHERD Frontispiece
FIGURE PAGE
1. PHARAOH'S COURT 42
2. A SCENE FROM DAVID AND GOLIATH 47
3. ESTHER AND MORDECAI 73
4. ESTHER DANCES BEFORE THE KING 75
5. THE KING HOLDS OUT THE SCEPTER TO ESTHER 79
6. QUEEN ESTHER PLEADS FOR HER PEOPLE 81
7. THE THREE GUESTS BLESS ABRAHAM AND SARAH 88
8. THE WISE AND FOOLISH VIRGINS 101
9. THE GOOD SAMARITAN 104
10. WATER JUGS AND OTHER CLAY UTENSILS 132
11. WOMAN CARRYING WATER JUG 133
12. ANCIENT WELLS IN PALESTINE 134
13. ANCIENT WEAPONS 135
14. A SHEPHERD'S SLING AND LOOM FOR WEAVING SLING 136
15. SICKLES 137
16. SCEPTER 138
17. SHIELDS 139
18. TRUMPETS 140
19. SIGNET RING 141
20. LAMP 141
21. EGYPTIAN DESIGNS 142
22. HELMETS AND CROWNS 143
23. A GROUP OF CHILDREN, SHOWING COSTUMES AND A TRUMPET 145
24. THE COSTUME OF ABRAHAM 147
25. TWO KINDS OF COSTUMES--THE RICH SHEPHERD AND THE SERVANT 148
26. COSTUMES SHOWING SANDALS MADE BY THE CHILDREN 149
27. COSTUMES 150
INTRODUCTION
BY EDWARD SCRIBNER AMES
This book is its own best commendation, for it is a most convincing
record of an important experiment in education. It is the more
interesting because it is a real contribution to educational method
from the field of religious education, which too often only
appropriates and imitates what has been achieved elsewhere.
This experiment is founded upon the powerful dramatic impulse of
children and upon the educative value of the natural expression of that
impulse under the mutual self-criticism of the participating group. The
function of the leader has been that of an unobtrusive member of the
group contributing such suggestions from a wider experience and deeper
insight as would naturally elicit and guide that criticism. That this
fine art of teaching has been realized with unusual skill in this
experiment will be apparent to the discerning readers of this record,
as it has been by those who have watched the progress of the work
itself.
Too much emphasis cannot be given to the fact that the primary aim of
this use of dramatization is the education of the children and not the
entertainment of spectators, although, when such dramatization is
rightly estimated, nothing could be more genuinely entertaining. Those
who are expecting to find here ready-made plays for children, with
directions for staging them, will be properly disappointed, while those
who are seeking illustrations of vital methods of education through the
cultivation and use of the dramatic impulse will be amply rewarded.
The latter will appreciate the frank portrayal of the early and cruder
efforts of the children and their own critical reactions due to further
reflection and experimentation. These will understand something of the
ability and patience that Miss Miller has employed in allowing the
native impulse to develop naturally and to mature through the reactions
of the children themselves. They will realize that the little people
actually formulated the scenes and the lines of the dramas even if it
required many weeks in some cases to do so; that it is better for the
actors to make their own costumes and stage properties, however simple
they may be; that it is more educative for each child to be familiar
with all of the parts, and thus with the drama as a whole, than to be
coached ever so cleverly to impersonate a single character; and that
facility and power in dramatization are thus attained which are
permanent sources of pleasure and understanding.
It need scarcely be added that the biblical stories are exceptionally
well suited to such use and that when so employed they yield their
profound religious quality directly in deep and lasting impressions.
The children who have been so fortunate as to belong to this dramatic
club not only "know" these stories, but they have lived them in an
intimate and durable experience.
CHAPTER I
EDUCATIONAL AIMS IN DRAMATIZATION
Dramatization is not commonly recognized as a means of vitalizing the
religious education of children. The public school has found it to be
one of the most effective methods for enriching the pupil's ideas of
given units of subject-matter and for leading to the establishment of
permanent interests and of habitual modes of action.
The use of dramatization in the school in order to accomplish these
ends finds its justification in certain fundamental principles of
teaching. Subject-matter is so presented that the important ideas stand
out clearly. These ideas are mastered by utilizing them in some form of
activity which leads to self-expression on the part of the children.
Judgments are formed and conclusions are reached when children enter
actively into a situation which presents a problem; ideas become their
own through experience. Through dramatization children give expression
to these ideas in the light of their own interpretation. The
formulation of standards, the placing of values, and the realization of
truths and ideals follow as direct results of actively entering into
the life-experience of others.
From a psychological point of view ideas and ideals, whether religious
or secular, are developed according to the same general laws.
Furthermore, the principles of teaching which are effective in the
daily classroom must be equally significant in religious training. It
follows, therefore, that dramatization and other forms of
self-expression are as valuable in attaining the aims of the Sunday
school as they are in teaching the curriculum of the day school.
Through dramatizing a Bible story children come into a comprehension of
the life-experiences of a highly religious people; they are forming
their own standards and ideals through meeting and solving the simple
life-problems of the Hebrews. Each child has as great an opportunity
for self-expression through dramatizing a Bible story as that afforded
through dramatizing any other story. He not only develops his
individuality, but through this kind of work he must necessarily come
into the realization of his place within the group, as is the case in
all well-directed dramatization.
The period is rapidly passing in which dramatics is looked upon by
church members as being sinful and not in any way to be connected with
the church. This view is a relic of a conception of religion in which
all forms of freedom and pleasure were considered evil. People
interested in religious education are now realizing that dramatization
is not an activity foreign to children, but that it is an outgrowth of
the play interest which is natural to all children. They are aware of
the fact that dramatization becomes evident in the earliest stages of
childhood through the desire of children to imitate in play the
surrounding social activities. Many churches have already made use of
these natural tendencies by incorporating organized play as one of
their activities. Since dramatization is but a specialized form of
organized play, and inasmuch as it can be used very effectively in
vitalizing the religious training which all children should receive, it
deserves a wider recognition and adoption.
This book contains a description of a children's dramatic club which
has been conducted as a part of the work of the Sunday school of the
Hyde Park Church of Disciples, Chicago, Illinois, for the purpose of
accomplishing the ends stated above. Before this dramatic club was
organized a small amount of dramatization was attempted in certain of
the classes during the Sunday-school period. The enthusiastic response
from the children to this new phase of the work revealed the need for
more of this kind of activity, and as a consequence it was decided to
devote one hour each Sunday afternoon to the dramatization of Bible
stories. The membership of the club included children ranging from six
to fourteen years of age. The average attendance has been from twenty
to thirty children each Sunday throughout these four years of the
club's existence.
This organization was attempted more or less as an experiment with the
hope that definite results could be accomplished. The practical
problems which have arisen, the details of method of procedure, and the
results which have been secured will be discussed in the following
chapters.
Several of the stories are given in the dramatic form which the
children have worked out. This is done for the sake of showing what
kind of a result may be secured. It is hoped that these plays, as they
are written here, will not be given to children to learn and act; such
a procedure would be entirely contrary to the spirit and purpose in
which this experiment is set forth.
CHAPTER II
THE METHOD OF DRAMATIZATION
Two very different aims are revealed in the present-day employment of
dramatization. Children are often required to give a dramatic
production at some entertainment or social event. For this purpose a
story is selected which has already been put into dramatic form. The
parts are assigned by the leader, and the children are asked to
memorize these parts in exact form and order. The children are then
trained to give their parts according to directions. Throughout the
preparation of the play the finished production is the goal of
endeavor. In such instances as this the children are a means to an end,
and their own training and development are usually sacrificed in the
leader's attempt to secure a highly finished product.
In contrast to the case just mentioned, dramatization is looked upon as
an important educational factor in the development of children. From
this point of view dramatization is utilized in developing on the part
of the child intense and permanent interests in the words and deeds of
noble characters, in developing power of natural expression in them as
individuals and as members of a group, and in raising standards of
action to higher levels by giving forceful expression to worthy ideals.
These aims are realized through the use of informal methods which give
the children abundant opportunity for initiative and choice. The
children themselves prepare their dramatization under the guidance of a
leader who has a vision of the results which may be secured and who is
skilful in directing the activities toward these ends.
The little dramatic club herein described adopted at the outset the
point of view outlined in the preceding paragraph. Its organization was
based on the belief that the development of boys and girls is a much
more vital consideration than the development of a dramatic production.
Throughout its history the chief purpose of the club has been to
promote the growth of children through the free, spontaneous
dramatization of Bible stories. In order to accomplish this aim, an
informal method of working out dramatizations has been used. The public
presentation of a play is only incidental to the children; there is no
need for them to act out a story that has been dramatized by someone
else. Their aim is realized in the joy of actually living the story
over each time they play it, though this may result in the highest form
of entertainment. That children should "speak lines" given them to
memorize for the sake of entertainment is deadly--to the child as well
as to the audience.
There is some difference of opinion as to the value of the classic
language of the Bible for children, and many advocate the use of modern
or simplified versions. If, however, the children have made their own
efforts to dramatize the story, using first of all their own words, it
is easy to help them to adopt much of the beautiful classic language in
putting the work into its final form. The biblical wording helps to
give the play its proper dignity and atmosphere, at the same time
acquainting the children with the exact language of a piece of good
literature.
The method of procedure which is followed in leading children to work
out their own dramatizations varies slightly according to circumstances
but in the main is as follows:
A story is chosen by the leader which includes the elements essential
for a good dramatization, and it is told to the children in such a way
that the action or events are emphasized. Direct discourse is used in
the telling, and an effort is made to develop simple and vivid mental
pictures. The children divide the story into its most important
pictures or scenes. They then suggest in detail what should take place
in the first scene, and some of them are asked to act it out as they
think it should be done. This first presentation is sometimes stiff
and more or less self-conscious. The leader raises such questions as,
"Which parts did these children do best?" "Why?" "Where can they
improve it?" "What would you do to make the part better?" "What do you
think should have been said here?" This leads to constructive criticism
of the scene by the children themselves rather than by the leader in
charge. Each child is eager to offer suggestions at this point and is
anxious for an opportunity to give his own interpretation of the part
by acting it out. He formulates his words as he acts. He forgets
himself in the genuine interest which arises as he relives the
experience of someone else. Each scene is developed in a similar
manner.
The leader encourages freedom in individual interpretation, yet she is
ever keeping before the children the fact that they are trying to give
a true portrayal of the characters or conditions. It is often valuable
to have a discussion of individual characters for the purpose of
securing clear ideas concerning them. After all have tried various
parts and have offered many suggestions, they may be led to choose that
interpretation which seems most adequate, or they may all work out the
interpretation of a part which will involve the ideas of many. After
the story has been played through a few times, each child should be
able to assume any character. It is an essential part of this method
to see that every child has a different part each time.
Very often, when the play develops to this stage, some one child, or
several, will suddenly become aware of repetitions in the scenes and
will suggest that some scenes are unnecessary. It is then the time to
refer to the number of scenes in a good drama, and to lead the children
to realize that in any good play much is left to the imagination of the
audience, and that only the essential scenes need be shown. By means of
discussions the play is worked over again, and it is finally reduced to
the three or four scenes that seem absolutely necessary.
In many instances the dramatization needs no further development. None
of the words have been accepted as definite, for, although the thought
given is the same each time, exactly the same words are never said
twice. The story is interpreted slightly differently with each
performance. This interpretation, without obtaining a highly finished
result, is best for short stories or incidents. Fables and parables may
be used well in this way. The action follows continuously with the
development of the thought.
In the case of a story which has a more detailed plot and which
involves more complicated situations the development may go further:
the wording is carefully worked out by the children and the language of
the Bible is employed. The words which are finally used by the
children may be composite results developed by the group as a whole, or
after they have gone as far as they can with them the leader, or a
committee composed of several children with the leader, may suggest a
final form which is good from a literary standpoint.
Children either volunteer or are chosen by the others to take finally
certain parts. There is a marked socializing influence evident in the
fact that a child is chosen by the other children for the good of the
group and not for self-aggrandizement or partiality toward a friend. It
is always the case after a few rehearsals that each child knows every
part and can easily adapt himself to the part of any character. There
is no trouble about a substitute when one or two children fail to
arrive. Each child has lived the story until it has become a very vital
part of him. The finished product belongs to the children; they have
developed it; it is not the production of someone else which they have
learned by heart.
At the final presentation of the play the children invite parents and
friends. This is not thought of as a climax toward which they have been
working; it is hardly more important than any of the rehearsals; it is
simply an opportunity for others to enjoy the story with them. The
encouragement of this attitude toward the public presentation of a
play is important in that it does away with the self-conscious feeling
of a child that he is acting before people, or that people are
interested in him rather than in the character that he portrays. Much
harm can be done by allowing a child to feel that he is "showing off"
on a stage.
This mode of procedure in developing a dramatization illustrates the
general method which is employed in order to secure the results herein
discussed. It should be helpful as a method which may be varied or
built upon according to the circumstances. Detailed descriptions of
exact modes of procedure in presenting different kinds of Bible stories
to the dramatic club will follow. Costumes and stage settings have
always been of the simplest nature and will be discussed at length in a
separate chapter.
In order that this method may be of greatest practical value to those
who are unfamiliar with it, a summary may give the steps in logical
sequence. This outline is not to be taken as unchangeable, but merely
as a working basis for the beginner.
1. Select a story with care; then adapt it for telling.
2. Tell the story, emphasizing the essential parts.
3. Let the children divide the story into pictures or scenes.
4. Have a discussion of what should take place in each
scene.
5. Let volunteers from among the children act out one scene
as they think it should be done, using their own words.
6. Develop criticism by the other children with suggestions
for improvement.
7. Have a second acting of the scene for improvement.
8. Let each of the other scenes be worked out in the same
manner.
9. See that every child has the chance to try out many parts.
10. Play the story through many times. Change it often
according to the criticism, until the children recognize the
result as a product of their best effort.
11. With the help of the children change the words into
biblical form.
12. Let the group assign definite parts to be learned for the
final performance.
CHAPTER III
THE DRAMATIZATION OF _JOSEPH_
As will be noted in the following chapter, it is well in beginning
dramatic work with children to use for the first efforts very simple
stories. _Joseph_ is too long and complicated for an early experiment.
We may begin our exposition of method with this story, however, as it
illustrates especially well the details of the developing process.
At the first meeting the story was told in terms that followed closely
the Bible version. The children were asked to select the big events, or
pictures, in Joseph's life. They readily spoke of his life in Canaan as
a boy; his being put into the pit and sold to the merchants; his life
in Egypt with Potiphar; the prison experience and the interpretation of
Pharaoh's dream; the change of fortune in becoming ruler of the land;
the famine and the visits of his brothers; and, finally, his kindness
to his father and brothers in giving them a home in Egypt.
The story was told to the children very much as follows:
Jacob was an old man, too old to care for his large flocks.
He sat in the door of his tent day after day, and sent his
twelve sons off with the sheep and goats to find grassy
fields.
Now of all the twelve sons Jacob loved Joseph, a lad of
seventeen years, the best. Joseph was next to the youngest
and often stayed with his father while the older brothers
went away. Jacob gave Joseph a coat of many colors and
showed him often that he was the favorite. This made the
older brothers very jealous of Joseph, and they began to
dislike him.
Once Joseph dreamed a dream, which he told to his brothers,
and it made them hate him all the more. He said to them,
"Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: Behold,
we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf
arose, and stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood
round about and bowed down to my sheaf." Then his brothers
said to him, "Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou
have power over us?"
Then Joseph dreamed yet another dream, and he told it again
to his father and brothers, and said, "Behold, the sun and
moon and the eleven stars bowed down to me." And his father
said unto him, "What is this dream that thou hast dreamed?
Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow
down ourselves to thee?" And the brothers remembered what
their father had said, and they wished that harm might come
to Joseph.
It happened soon after this that Jacob sent his ten older
sons with the flocks to Shechem, a place some distance away
where there was good grass. Now the brothers were gone for
so long a time that their father became anxious and decided
to send Joseph after them. He said to Joseph, "Do not thy
brethren feed the flock in Shechem? Go, I pray thee, see
whether it be well with thy brethren and well with the
flocks; and bring me word again." So Joseph took money and
food in his bag, and his staff in his hand, and went out to
find his brothers.
At Shechem there were no brothers to be seen. Joseph was
wondering what he should do next, when he saw a man coming
toward him over the field. "What seekest thou?" said the
man. And Joseph answered, "I seek my brethren; tell me, I
pray thee, where they feed their flocks." "They have
departed from here," said the man, "and have gone to
Dothan." Then Joseph went after his brothers and found them
at Dothan.
Now when the brothers saw Joseph afar off, they knew that it
was he from his coat of many colors, and they plotted
against him. One of them said, "Behold, this dreamer cometh.
Come, now, let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and
we will say unto our father that some evil beast hath
devoured him; and we shall see what will become of his
dreams." Reuben, one of the brothers, felt more kindly
toward Joseph than did the others and said to them, "Let us
not kill him, but let us cast him into this pit that is
near." Reuben thought that he would come back later after
the brothers had gone and help Joseph out of the pit and
take him to his father.
When Joseph came to his brothers, they quickly took the coat
of many colors from him and bound him and cast him into an
old well which was dry. Then they sat down to eat bread.
They had hardly become settled when one of them cried out,
"Behold, I see a caravan! It is a company of Ishmaelites,
with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going
down to Egypt." Then Judah said, "Why do we slay our brother
and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to these
Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our
brother and our flesh." The brothers were content to do as
Judah had said. They drew Joseph up out of the well, and
when the Ishmaelites came near they sold him to them for
twenty pieces of silver. And the brothers went away to kill
a goat so that they might dip Joseph's coat into the blood,
that their father might think that he had been killed by
some wild animal.
Reuben did not know that Joseph had been sold, and returned
unto the pit after the brothers had left. When he saw that
Joseph was not there, he rent his clothes, and ran after the
others, crying, "The child is not, and I, whither shall I
go?"
And when the brothers brought Joseph's coat to their father,
they said, "This we have found, thou knowest if it be thy
son's coat." And Jacob knew it, and said, "It is my son's
coat; an evil beast hath devoured him." Then Jacob put on
sackcloth and ashes and mourned for Joseph many days.
Now the Ishmaelites brought Joseph down into Egypt and sold
him to Potiphar, a captain of King Pharaoh's guard. And
Joseph was faithful and served the Lord, and Potiphar saw
that he could be trusted with great responsibility and made
him ruler over his household. But Potiphar's wife grew
jealous of Joseph and disliked him, and told Potiphar things
which were untrue about Joseph. After awhile Potiphar began
to believe his wife and he decided that Joseph was not a
good man, so he had Joseph cast into prison.
And it came to pass that the butler and the baker of the
king of Egypt were put into prison at the same time that
Joseph was there, and they were placed in his ward. One
morning Joseph found them both very sad and he said unto
them, "Wherefore look ye so sadly today?" And they said, "We
have dreamed a dream and there is no one to interpret it."
Then Joseph said, "Do not interpretations belong to God?
Tell me your dreams, I pray you." And they told him their
dreams, and he gave them the meaning thereof. To the chief
butler he said, "Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up
thine head and restore thee to thy place." But to the chief
baker he said, "Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up
thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree." And
it came to pass that on the third day Pharaoh gave a feast
to his servants, and he restored the chief butler to his
place, but he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had
interpreted.
At the end of two years Pharaoh dreamed a dream. He was
greatly troubled, and sent for all the wise men of the land
to tell him the meaning of his dream, but there was none
that could interpret it unto Pharaoh. Then the chief butler
spoke to the king and said, "I do remember this day, that
when Pharaoh was wroth with his servants and put both me and
the chief baker into the prison, that we each dreamed dreams
in one night; and there was a young man there, a Hebrew, who
interpreted to us our dreams, and they came to pass as he
interpreted, for the chief baker was hanged and I was
restored to my office."
Then Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and they brought him in
hastily out of the dungeon. And Pharaoh said, "I have
dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it,
and I have heard say of thee that thou canst understand a
dream to interpret it." And Joseph answered Pharaoh, "It is
not in me; God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace." Then
Pharaoh said, "In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of
a river; and there came up out of the river seven fat cows,
and they fed in a meadow. And, behold, seven other cows came
up after them, lean and ill favored; and the lean and
ill-favored cows did eat up the fat and well-favored cows.
Then I dreamed again, and, behold, seven full ears of corn
came upon one stalk, and then seven ears, withered and thin,
came up after them, and devoured the good ears."
And Joseph said to Pharaoh, "God hath shewed Pharaoh what he
is about to do. This is the thing which he is about to do:
Behold, there will come seven years of plenty throughout the
land of Egypt; and there shall rise up after them seven
years of famine, and the famine shall consume the land. Now,
therefore, let Pharaoh look out a man, discreet and wise,
and set him over the land of Egypt, and let him gather up
all the food during the years of plenty and lay it up in the
cities, so that the land shall not perish in the famine."
And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and he said,
"Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the spirit
of God is? Forasmuch as God has shewed thee all this, there
is none so discreet and wise as thou art; thou shalt be over
my house, and according to thy word shall all my people be
ruled." Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand and clothed
him in fine linen and put a golden chain around his neck.
Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went over
all the land of Egypt. He gathered up the food for seven
years, and laid up the food in the cities. And the seven
years of plenteousness that were in all the land of Egypt
were ended, and the seven years of famine began, and there
was famine in all the lands. Then Joseph opened the
storehouses and sold to the Egyptians, and other countries
sent to buy grain from Joseph because they had stored none.
Now in Canaan Jacob and his eleven sons were suffering from
the famine. They heard that there was food in Egypt, so
Jacob sent down all the brothers, except Benjamin, to buy
food. When they came before Joseph and bowed themselves to
the earth, they knew him not. But Joseph saw his brothers,
and he made himself strange unto them, and treated them
roughly, that they should not know him. And when they bowed
before him Joseph remembered the dreams that he had dreamed
of them. "Ye are spies," he said, "ye are come to see the
bareness of the land." They answered him, "We are true men,
we are no spies. Thy servants are twelve brothers, the sons
of one man in Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day
with our father, and one is not." "Hereby ye shall be
proved," said Joseph, "if ye be true men; let one of your
brethren be bound in the prison while ye go and carry grain
to your father's house, but bring back your youngest brother
to me."
The brothers took the food back to Canaan, to their father's
tent, and told him what the ruler in Egypt had said. Jacob
mourned and was loath to let Benjamin, his youngest son, go
back to Egypt with them. "My son shall not go down with
you," he said; "for his brother is dead and he is left
alone: if mischief befall him, then shall ye bring down my
gray hairs with sorrow to the grave." But the famine was
great in the land, and they had eaten up all the grain which
they brought from Egypt. The brothers would not go down
again until Jacob had consented to let them take Benjamin
with them. And Judah said unto his father, "Send the lad
with me and we will rise and go, that we may live and not
die. I will be surety for him; if I bring him not back unto
thee, then let me bear the blame forever." Then Jacob
answered, "If it must be so, do this: take the best of the
fruits in the land, and carry down the man a present, a
little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts,
and almonds and take double money, and take also your
brother, and arise and go unto the man; and God Almighty
give you mercy before the man, that he may send you away
with your other brother and Benjamin."
And the men took the present and double the money and
Benjamin, and went down into Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
When Joseph saw Benjamin, he ordered that the men be brought
to his home, and that a feast be made ready, and that the
other brother be brought out of the prison. But the men were
afraid because they were brought into Joseph's home, and
they bowed themselves to the earth before him and presented
their gifts. Then Joseph was greatly moved and said unto
them, "Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is
he yet alive?" And they answered, "Thy servant, our father,
is in good health; he is yet alive." And they bowed down
their heads. Then Joseph lifted up his eyes and saw
Benjamin, his mother's youngest son, and said, "Is this your
younger brother of whom ye spake unto me?" And he said to
Benjamin, "God be gracious unto thee, my son." Joseph was so
overcome by his love for Benjamin that he hastened out of
the room where he could weep alone. And he washed his face
and composed himself and commanded that the food be served.
They all ate and were merry, and Joseph helped Benjamin to
five times as much as he did the others.
Then Joseph commanded the steward to fill the men's sacks
with food, and to put each man's money back into his sack,
and to put his silver cup into the sack of the youngest. As
soon as the morning was light the men were sent away. And
when they were gone out of the city and were not yet far
off, Joseph sent a servant after them to search their sacks
for his silver drinking-cup, and he sent word that the one
who had it should be brought back to him.
Now the brothers were greatly distressed and protested that
they knew nothing of the cup. What was their astonishment at
finding their money in their sacks and the cup in Benjamin's
sack! Then they rent their clothes and returned to the city.
And Judah came to Joseph and fell on the ground and said,
"What shall we say unto my lord? or how shall we clear
ourselves? God hath found out our sin, behold we are my
lord's servants." Then Joseph said, "Get up and go in peace
unto thy father; I shall keep for my servant only the man in
whose sack the cup was found." And Judah came near to Joseph
and besought him that he allow Benjamin to return to their
father; he told him that he had promised his father to bring
the lad back safely, and that it would kill the old man if
they returned without Benjamin. "Now therefore, I pray
thee, let thy servant abide as a bondman, instead of the
lad." Then Joseph could not refrain himself, and he wept
before his brothers and made himself known to them. "I am
Joseph, do ye not know me? Is my father yet alive?" And the
brothers were troubled, and they did not know how to answer
him. "Come near, I pray you." And they came near, and he
said again, "I am Joseph, your brother, whom ye sold into
Egypt. Now be not grieved nor angry with yourselves that ye
sold me hither, for God did send me before you to preserve
your lives. Haste ye, go up to my father, and tell him that
Joseph, his son, still liveth, and bring him down unto me."
And Joseph fell upon Benjamin's neck and kissed him, and he
kissed all his brothers, and they were astonished, for they
knew now that this was Joseph whom they had sold.
Now the word was spread over Pharaoh's house that Joseph's
brethren had come, and it pleased Pharaoh greatly. He came
in where they were and said unto Joseph, "This do ye: Say to
your brethren that they are commanded to go back into
Canaan, and to pack all their household goods, and to bring
their father and their families, and all their flocks, and
to return into the land of Egypt, for all the good of the
land shall be theirs."
Then the brothers were joyful, and gave thanks unto Pharaoh
and to their brother, Joseph, and they left the city to go
back to their father. And when they came unto Jacob and told
him all, and showed him the wagons which Joseph had sent to
bring him down into Egypt, his soul rejoiced, and he said,
"It is enough; Joseph, my son, is still alive: I will go and
see him before I die."
The children decided that it would take a great many scenes in order to
act out the story adequately. At first they mentioned seven or eight.
One child was asked to describe the first scene as he thought it ought
to be, and several others added to the description. Volunteers were
then called upon to act it out then and there.
The first scene was placed in front of Jacob's tent. Jacob is anxiously
awaiting the return of his ten sons with the flocks. He becomes worried
because they do not come, so he sends Joseph to seek his brothers.
Joseph accepts the command and leaves the tent.
This scene was acted very naturally and spontaneously by several groups
of children. Each time it was changed, for no two groups of children
interpreted the action or words alike.
The children who were not acting were made to feel their responsibility
also, for they were asked to make note of the best parts. A general
discussion was held at the end of each presentation, in which the good
points were emphasized and suggestions were given as to improvement.
The criticism in all of this work comes for the most part from the
children; the leader in charge directs it, but keeps from imposing her
opinions.
As the meetings of this dramatic club last but one hour, nothing more
could be done than work out one scene at this first time. The children
were asked to think the story over and to come the next Sunday prepared
to suggest the second and third scenes in detail.
At the next meeting the second and third scenes were worked out in the
same manner as the first.
The second scene places Joseph at Shechem. Here he meets the man who
tells him that his brothers have gone to Dothan.
In the third scene the brothers are seated on the ground eating and
resting, with their shepherd staffs beside them; they begin to talk
about Joseph and to tell of his dream and their hatred of him. Just at
this point Joseph runs in and gives his father's message. He also tells
of his experience in Shechem in not finding them there. Then the
brothers take him and bind him and throw him into the pit. The caravan
comes along and Joseph is sold and taken away. After the brothers
depart, Reuben, not knowing that Joseph has been sold, comes back to
the pit, hoping to help him out. When he finds the boy gone, he weeps
and goes sorrowfully away. (A doorway which leads off from the stage at
the back was used for the pit. There were no camels in the caravan; the
men walked by.)
During the next hour scenes which describe Joseph's life in Egypt were
roughly blocked out. The children made up their words as they acted the
parts. The language at this stage was very modern, but for the time
being the emphasis was placed upon the thought expressed and upon the
action.
Several of the older girls volunteered to write out the first few
scenes in order to bring the language into better form. At the fourth
meeting these were brought in and discussed by the children. The
following is a version of the first scene just as it was written by a
girl of twelve years. It is given here that the contrast may be seen
between this as a piece of work which may be made better and the final
play at the end of the chapter.
SCENE I
_Jacob:_ It is time my sons are returning with their flocks.
See if thou canst see them coming.
[_Exit servant._]
_First Lady:_ Yes, they have been gone a long time. We have
only Joseph and Benjamin with us.
[_Enter servant._]
_Jacob:_ What didst thou see?
_Servant:_ Master, I saw nothing of your sons.
_Jacob:_ I shall send Joseph after them. Bring Joseph
hither. [_Turns to another servant._] Bring a bag of food
for him to take with him on his journey.
[_Servants leave._ JACOB _looks away, hoping to see his
sons._]
_Jacob:_ I do not see them. What can be the matter?
[_Enter_ JOSEPH _with servant._]
_Second Lady:_ Joseph will be sure to find them.
_Jacob:_ Joseph, my son, I am sending thee after thy
brethren. Take this food to Shechem and bring thy brethren
back to me.
_Joseph:_ I will do as thou bidst.
[JACOB _stands and puts his hand on Joseph._]
_Jacob:_ May the Lord go with thee.
END
The third scene was written by a girl of eleven years and was as
follows:
SCENE III
[_All brothers look down the road._]
_All Brothers:_ What shall we do with him?
_Seventh Brother:_ I know; let's kill him!
_All except Reuben:_ Yea! Yea!
_Reuben:_ Nay, do not kill him; let's put him in a deep pit.
_Tenth Brother:_ Well, all right.
[JOSEPH _appears; exit_ REUBEN.]
_Joseph:_ Ah, I have found ye at last, my brethren.
[_All grab_ JOSEPH.]
_Joseph:_ What have I done to deserve this?
_Fourth Brother:_ Get some rope!
[_Exit sixth brother and brings some rope back with him.
Eighth and ninth brothers bind_ JOSEPH _with ropes. All
take hold of him and push him into the pit._]
_Tenth Brother:_ But what shall we tell our father?
_Eighth Brother:_ Let's tell him that Joseph was killed by a
wild beast.
_Ninth Brother:_ We will take his coat of many colors, which
our father gave him, and dip it in the blood of a goat.
_All:_ Yea! Yea!
[_Seventh brother sees some merchants._]
_Seventh Brother:_ I see merchants in the distance. Let's
sell Joseph to them.
[_One brother goes after the merchants, while the
others bring_ JOSEPH _from the pit. Merchants enter._]
_Tenth Brother:_ What will ye give us for this lad?
_Merchant:_ I guess we can give ye about twenty pieces of
silver.
[_Merchants take_ JOSEPH _with them. Brothers go on
their way. Enter_ REUBEN _after his brothers have gone.
He runs to the pit._]
_Reuben:_ Joseph! Joseph! Where art thou? The lad is gone.
Whither shall I go?
[REUBEN _goes away, sobbing and wringing his hands._]
END
* * * * *
At the meeting when these were read the children began to criticize the
length of the play. One little boy made the remark, "We keep telling
the same things over; why can't we leave out that second scene? It is
so short, and Joseph could tell his brothers in the third scene that he
didn't find them at Shechem." This suggestion was readily accepted, and
as a consequence the second scene was omitted. Then the entire group
consciously worked on the play to see what parts were unnecessary.
Several children had recently been to the theater and had seen some
good plays. They told the others that there were few scenes and that
there was much left to the imagination of the audience. The result was
that this long-drawn-out play was cut down to three essential scenes.
The first scene was placed at Dothan, and was much the same as the
original scene iii. The second scene was placed at Pharaoh's palace
where Joseph was brought to interpret the king's dream. The third
represented the brothers coming to Joseph with Benjamin, the youngest,
ending with Joseph's forgiveness of them and his sending for Jacob,
their father.
After these three scenes were decided upon, the older children were
asked to begin writing them out in final form.
At the fifth meeting of the club all the children sat in a circle with
Bibles and pencils and paper and, together with the leader, they
formulated the speeches, making them conform as nearly as possible to
those in the Bible. The work that had been done outside was discussed
and built upon. This part of the procedure did not take as long a time
as it may seem, because the children knew so well what thoughts they
wanted to express--they had lived the story so many times. They
practiced after this, using the words they had decided upon.
For the next meeting or two the children acted out the play, trying
each time to improve it by better interpretations of the parts. The
fact that they had learned definite words did not in the least check
the freedom of the action or cause the play to lose the spontaneity
which first characterized it, for the reason that the story had quite
become a part of the children before they decided upon the set
speeches.
The question arose as to which children should take certain parts. In
some instances several wanted to learn the part of one particular
character. They were each given the opportunity of learning it, and
then at the next meeting each acted it as best he or she could before
the group. The other children were judges and decided upon the one who
seemed to represent the character best. Whenever this method of
choosing characters has been employed there has never been any hard
feeling on the part of a child because he was not chosen. The justice
of the choice is quickly recognized when it comes in this way rather
than from the leader.
There were many little children in this club who were scarcely old
enough to learn a part or to say very much. They were easily worked
into the caravan, or they took such parts as servants in Pharaoh's
court. Each child was made to feel that one part was just as important
as another and that those who had nothing to say were very essential
elements because of their acting.
Eight or nine meetings were needed before the play was entirely
finished. The children had very simple slips for costumes which they
had been wearing at each rehearsal. Bright-colored sashes and
headdresses they brought from home. Pharaoh was more gaily dressed than
the others. The child who took the part made for himself many ornaments
from gilt paper.
Very little attention was given to stage setting, what was used was
extremely simple. A few of the older girls made designs from the
Egyptian lotus to stand around the walls of Pharaoh's palace or to be
carried by the servants. Colored illustrations of Bible stories by
Tissot were suggestive helps in these details. The ten brothers made
themselves shepherd staffs from limbs of trees. This small amount of
stage setting and costuming was used at many rehearsals and was all
that was necessary to produce the right atmosphere.
As soon as the children felt that the play represented their best
effort they invited their parents and friends and presented it before
them one Sunday afternoon at the time for the regular meeting.
It happened that a few days before the final presentation four of the
principal characters were taken ill with measles and chicken-pox. Four
others, who had not given special attention to these parts, but who had
minor parts, assumed the important roles and went straight through the
play with no trouble whatever. The audience never knew the difference
and the children thought that it was entirely natural that they should
be able to do this. The play all the way through was characterized by a
spirit of dignity and seriousness.
As direct results of this work in dramatization it was noted that all
the children had acquired a certain freedom of expression, a
self-confidence, without conceit or too much sureness, and the ability
to work harmoniously with the group. One or two timid children learned
to forget themselves, and one overconfident child was helped by seeing
that others could learn to do the part even a little better than
herself.
The children who took part in this little play of _Joseph_ will never
forget it. Several years after the play was given they were frequently
referring to it with great happiness. Joseph is one of their favorite
characters because they have lived through his experiences with him.
The following is the play as it was given in its final form. It is not
to be taken as a play which may be given to children to be learned as
it is; it is given here that there may be some idea of the standard
which may be reached.
JOSEPH
SCENE I
PLACE: Dothan.
CHARACTERS: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar,
Zebulun, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Joseph, Several
Ishmaelitish Merchants.
[_The ten brothers are sitting and lounging on the
ground, eating bread._]
_Reuben:_ Shall we stay longer in this place? Our flocks
have fed well in Shechem and Dothan. Let us return again
unto Canaan and to the tent of our father, Jacob.
_Judah:_ Oh, why should we go back? Our father loveth us
not! It is Joseph, our younger brother, that he favoreth!
_Levi:_ Yes, this Joseph! This dreamer of dreams! He
thinketh he is greater than we. He thinketh he shall rule
over us!
_Judah:_ Ye heard him when he said, "Hear this dream which I
have dreamed: Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field,
and, lo, my sheaf arose, and stood upright; and, behold,
your sheaves stood round about, and bowed down to my sheaf."
_Simeon:_ Ha! Shall he indeed reign over us? Or shall he
have dominion over us?
_Levi:_ Yea, and he dreamed yet another dream, for he said,
"Behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars bowed
down unto me."
_Dan:_ What is this dream which he has dreamed? Shall his
mother and father and eleven brethren indeed come to bow
down themselves to him?
_Simeon:_ Joseph and his dreams are hateful unto me! I was
glad when our father said to us, "Take the flocks to feed in
Shechem," for now we are free of him.
_Levi:_ It seemeth to me that I see this Joseph, this
dreamer whom we hate. He is yet afar off, but he surely
approacheth us!
_Reuben:_ Can it be he?
_Dan:_ Yes, for I see the coat of many colors, the coat our
father made for his favorite son.
_Levi:_ Why should he come to us? Cannot our father trust
the flocks to our hands without sending this Joseph to spy
on us?
_Dan:_ It is he! It is Joseph!
_Simeon:_ What shall we do?
_Judah:_ Our time is come. We despise him; let us slay him.
_Reuben:_ Nay, thou dost not mean to slay him!
_Several:_ Nay! Nay!
_Judah:_ We must surely slay him. We must rid ourselves of
this dreamer. Think how he said he should reign over us! Let
us be rid of him!
_Simeon:_ Yes, thou art right--we must slay him.
_Several:_ Yea, yea, slay him! Destroy him! He shall dream
no more such dreams!
_Simeon:_ Behold, this dreamer cometh near! Come, now, and
let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will
say, "Some evil beast hath devoured him," and we shall see
what will become of his dreams.
_Reuben:_ Let us not kill him. Shed no blood, but cast him
into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand
upon him.
[REUBEN _goes away._]
[JOSEPH _runs up._ GAD _lays one hand roughly on his
shoulder._]
_Gad:_ How comes it that thou art here? What is thy
business?
_Joseph:_ My father commanded me and said, "Go, I pray thee,
and see whether it be well with thy brethren and well with
the flocks; and bring me word again." So he sent me out of
the vale of Hebron, and I came to Shechem. And you were not
there, and I came on after you and found you here. What
troubleth you? Hath aught happened to the flocks?
_Simeon:_ Hear his tale! This dreamer of dreams! So he would
reign over us, would he! Strip him of his coat of many
colors! This favored son!
[_Brothers bind_ JOSEPH _and cast him into the pit._]
_Joseph:_ What have I done to deserve this?
[_Brothers sit down again to eat their bread._]
_Gad:_ Behold, I see a caravan!
_Simeon:_ From what country?
_Gad:_ It is a company of Ishmaelites, from Gilead, with
their camels, bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going down
into Egypt.
_Judah:_ What doth it profit if we slay our brother and
conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to these
Ishmaelites and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our
brother and our flesh.
_Several:_ So be it.
_Gad:_ Hail the caravan, and bargain with these men.
_Simeon_ [_salutes the head man of the caravan; the brothers
listen attentively;_ GAD _brings_ JOSEPH _out of the pit_]:
What wilt thou give us in exchange for this lad? We would
sell him.
_Merchant_ [_looks_ JOSEPH _over, then consults with his
men_]: Twenty pieces of silver will we give for him.
_Simeon_ [_to the brothers_]: These merchants will give us
twenty pieces of silver for this dreamer.
_All:_ Sell him! Sell him!
[JOSEPH _is taken over by the merchants and they all
move on. The brothers are dividing out the money._]
_Gad:_ The lad is gone with the merchants, but what excuse
shall we make unto our father?
_Simeon:_ Say unto him that a wild beast hath devoured him.
Here is his coat of many colors--we will kill a goat and dip
the coat in the blood! Then our father, Jacob, will grieve
for his son!
_All:_ As thou sayest, so let us do!
[_Brothers move off stage, discussing the money._ REUBEN
_comes back. He runs and looks in the pit. He tears his
clothes when he finds that_ JOSEPH _is not there._]
_Reuben:_ The child is not, and I, whither shall I go?
SCENE II
PLACE: Egypt. In Pharaoh's palace.
CHARACTERS: Pharaoh, Joseph, Wise Men, Chief Butler,
Servants.
[_Pharaoh is sitting on his throne; many wise men come
in and bow down before him._]
_Pharaoh:_ Arise, O wise men of Egypt! I have sent for you
this day because of a dream which troubleth me.
[_Men stand up._]
_Wise Men:_ What is thy dream, O King?
_King:_ I dreamed, and, behold, I stood by a river, and
there came up out of the river seven fat cows, and they fed
in a meadow. And, behold, seven other cows came up after
them out of the river, ill-favored and lean. And the
ill-favored and lean cows did eat up the seven well-favored
and fat cows. Then did I awake, but the second time I slept
and dreamed. And, behold, seven good ears of corn came up
upon one stalk, and, behold, seven thin ears sprung up after
them, and the seven thin ears devoured the seven full ears.
And I awoke again, and, behold, it was a dream. Now, is
there one among you who can tell me the meaning of these
dreams, for my spirit is troubled because of them?
[_The wise men in turn come out and bow before the king
and say_]:
_First Wise Man:_ O my lord King, thy dream troubleth me,
but I am not able to interpret it.
_Second Wise Man:_ O King, also, I cannot tell thee the
meaning of thy dream.
_Third Wise Man:_ Most gracious King, I, also, am unable to
interpret thy dream.
_Fourth Wise Man:_ O great Pharaoh, I regret that I am
unable to help thee.
_Pharaoh_ [_angrily_]: Are ye called the wise men of Egypt,
and yet are ye not able to interpret a dream?
[_The chief butler comes forward and falls before the
king._]
_Butler:_ O great King, I am only thy chief butler, but I
beg of thee allow me to speak.
_King:_ Speak, butler, what wouldst thou say?
_Butler:_ O King, I do remember my faults this day. When
Pharaoh was wroth with his servants and put me in prison,
both me and the chief baker, behold, we dreamed a dream in
one night, and there was a young man, a Hebrew, and we told
him, and he interpreted to us our dream. And it came to pass
as he interpreted unto us, for I was restored unto mine
office and the baker was hanged.
_Pharaoh:_ Send for this young Hebrew; bring him into my
presence. [_Servant goes out for_ JOSEPH.] Butler, who is
this boy that interpreted thy dream?
_Butler:_ His name is Joseph, O King. He was brought down
from Canaan by a caravan and was sold to Potiphar, the
captain of Pharaoh's guard. But he displeased Potiphar, so
he was thrown into prison at the time thy servants were
there.
[_Enter_ JOSEPH. _He falls on his face before_ PHARAOH.]
_Pharaoh:_ I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that
can interpret it, and I have heard say of thee that thou
canst understand a dream to interpret it.
[JOSEPH _rises._]
_Joseph:_ It is not in me; God shall give Pharaoh an answer
of peace.
_Pharaoh:_ [_Repeats his dream to_ JOSEPH.]
[JOSEPH _comes nearer to_ PHARAOH.]
_Joseph:_ What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh:
Behold, there will come seven years of great plenty
throughout all the land of Egypt. And there shall arise
after them seven years of famine. And all the plenty shall
be forgotten throughout Egypt, and the famine shall consume
the land, and it shall be very grievous. Now therefore let
Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise and set him over
the land of Egypt, and let him appoint officers over the
land. And let them gather all the food of those good years
that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh. And
let them keep food in the cities. And that food shall be
stored against the seven years of famine, that the land may
not perish through famine.
_Pharaoh:_ This plan seemeth good unto me. Can we find such
a one as this is, a man in whom the spirit of God is?
_The Wise Men:_ Nay, O King, he is most wise.
_Pharaoh:_ Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, thou
shalt be over my house, and according to thy word shall all
my people be ruled, only in the throne will I be greater
than thou. See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.
[_To his servants:_] Bring a golden chain, and fine raiment
for this man.
[_He puts a ring on_ JOSEPH'S _hand. When the clothes
are brought they are put around him, the chain on his
neck, etc._]
_Pharaoh:_ Thou shalt ride in the second chariot and all my
people shall bow the knee unto thee. [_All people in the
room bow._] I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift
up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.
_Joseph:_ May the Lord God give me power to do his will.
SCENE III
PLACE: Pharaoh's palace.
CHARACTERS: Joseph, His Eleven Brothers, Servants,
Pharaoh.
[JOSEPH _is seated on his high seat. A servant comes
in._]
_Servant:_ Master, the men that came down from Canaan to buy
food of thee have returned and would have a word with thee.
_Joseph:_ Bring them in. [_To another servant_]: Go see that
a feast is prepared for these men.
[_The brothers enter bringing_ BENJAMIN. _They all fall
on their faces._]
_Joseph:_ Arise! And have you returned bringing with you
your youngest brother?
_Reuben:_ O sir, we have brought our youngest brother; he is
here.
[BENJAMIN _is led forward._ JOSEPH _goes near and puts
his hand on_ BENJAMIN.]
_Joseph:_ And is this your younger brother of whom ye spake
unto me? God be gracious unto thee, my son! [_To the
brothers:_] Is your father well, the old man of whom ye
spake? Is he yet alive?
_Levi:_ Thy servant, our father [_all bow heads_], is in
good health; he is yet alive.
[JOSEPH _turns away and begins to weep; he leaves them
abruptly and walks to the other side of the room._]
_Joseph_ [_to the servants_]: Cause every man to go out from
me! [_All begin to leave the room, brothers included._] [_To
the brothers. He walks quickly after them and holds his arms
out toward them._] Stay! I am Joseph; doth my father yet
live? Come near to me, I pray you. [_They come somewhat
nearer and fall to the ground._] I am Joseph, your brother,
whom ye sold into Egypt. Now, therefore, be not grieved nor
angry with yourselves, that ye sold me thither, for God did
send me before you to preserve life. For these two years
hath the famine been in the land; and yet there are five
years more. God hath sent me before you to save your lives.
Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, "Thus
saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt.
Come down unto me, and tarry not. And thou shalt be near
unto me, thou and thy children, and thy flocks, and thy
herds and all thou hast. Oh, do you not see that I am Joseph
that speak unto you?" [_He weeps again and turns away._]
[Illustration: FIG. 1--Pharaoh's court]
_Brothers:_ Joseph, our brother Joseph! Can he forgive us?
[PHARAOH _enters here_]
_Joseph:_ O King, these are my brethren, and from my
father's tent.
_Pharaoh:_ Say unto thy brethren: "This do ye: Go back unto
the land of Canaan and take your father and your household
goods, and come unto me. And I will give you the good of the
land of Egypt, and ye shall eat of the fat of the land. Now
ye are commanded: This do ye: Take ye wagons out of Egypt
for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your
father, and come, for the good of the land shall be yours."
_One Brother:_ We thank thee, O great Pharaoh, and our
brother Joseph. This is greater than we deserve. We will
bring our father down straightway.
_Joseph:_ Praise be to God who has done this good thing!
END
CHAPTER IV
THE DRAMATIZATION OF _DAVID AND GOLIATH_
When beginning dramatic work with a group of children who have never
had the training before, it is always well to select as the first story
to be dramatized one that is short, simple in structure, and full of
action. If children undertake a long story which involves complicated
situations, they easily become discouraged and lose the joy and
spontaneity which are essential elements in successful dramatizations.
Fables, such as "The Boy and the Wolf" or "The Fox and the Grapes," are
excellent to begin with, because they contain the necessary qualities
which make up a good short story. Situations as simple as those which
are presented in these fables are entered into with great freedom, and
they seem to pave the way for more ambitious dramatizations.
The story of _David and Goliath_ is short, simple, and yet contains
vivid action. It was chosen as one of the first stories to be given to
the dramatic club because of these qualities. After the children had
gone through the experience of dramatizing it they had gained a
self-confidence and a realization of their own power in interpreting a
story through dramatization.
The methods employed in presenting _David and Goliath_ were much the
same as those described in connection with _Joseph._ The point that
must be kept in mind in all of this work is that the dramatization of a
story begins with the action and that the words are developed. The play
is never written first and acted afterward.
While telling the story the leader placed much emphasis upon the
activities and ideals of the shepherd life of the Hebrews in the time
of David. The children made their own armor--helmets, swords,
shields--from cardboard and colored papers. Pictures and descriptions
which they secured helped them to get correct ideas as to shapes and
decorations.
The costumes were simple little slips that could be belted in at the
waist, and came only to the knees. The children helped to plan and make
them. David made his shepherd staff from a limb of a tree, and the
soldiers made their spears by fastening gilded points to long sticks.
A question arose as to how the sling was made. The children found, upon
looking up this point, that the sling was woven from different colored
wools. From a good picture they constructed looms from cardboard and
actually wove several slings like David's. Fig. 14 shows a diagram of
the loom as the children worked it out.
A very great value was derived from this construction work, in that it
came entirely from the children; it was an outgrowth of their genuine
interest in the subject. They were reliving the same experiences and
solving the same problems that had confronted David.
The gentle spirit of David had a direct influence upon the whole group.
It made no difference what part a child interpreted--whether that of
Goliath or of one of the brothers--it was evident that David's high
ideals and sweetness of character called forth admiration.
Fig. 2 gives one of the scenes from _David and Goliath._ The play
follows as it was given.
DAVID AND GOLIATH
CHARACTERS: David, David's Three Brothers, King Saul,
Goliath, Israelite Soldiers, Philistine Soldiers.
SCENE I. THE CHALLENGE
PLACE: On the battlefield.
_First Brother:_ Have ye seen this Philistine who is come
up, this giant who has defied the armies of the living God?
_Second Brother:_ Who has seen him?
_Third Brother:_ I have seen him; he is verily a giant. His
height is six cubits and a span. He weareth an helmet of
brass upon his head, and he is armed with a coat of mail,
and he hath greaves of brass upon his legs, and the staff of
his spear is like the weaver's beam; and one bearing a
shield goeth before him. Our soldiers are truly afraid. They
flee as he approacheth.
[Illustration: FIG. 2.--A scene from _David and Goliath_]
_Goliath_ [_apart from the king and soldiers_]: Why are ye
come out to gather your armies to battle? Am I not a
Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? Choose you a man for
you, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight
with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants; but
if I prevail against him and kill him, then shall ye be our
servants and serve us. I defy the armies of Israel this day;
give me a man, that we may fight together.
[_Some of the soldiers turn and flee._]
_Saul:_ Hear the words of this Philistine. I know not what
we can do. Have we no man among us with the strength or
boldness to fight this giant? I will enrich him with great
riches.
_Second Brother:_ In truth, he is a mighty giant, O King.
Our soldiers are greatly dismayed; no one will accept this
challenge.
[_The king and two soldiers go out. Enter_ DAVID. _He
runs up to his brothers and salutes them._]
_First Brother:_ This is David, our younger brother! How
cometh it that thou art here?
_Second Brother:_ I thought we left thee tending the sheep.
_Third Brother:_ What news dost thou bring of our father? Is
all well with him?
_David:_ My father commanded me, saying, "Take now for thy
brethren this parched corn and these ten loaves, and run to
the camp of thy brethren; and carry these ten cheeses unto
the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren
fare." And I rose up early in the morning, and left the
sheep with a keeper, and came as my father commanded.
[_Brothers take food from_ DAVID.]
_Goliath:_ Why are ye come out to gather your armies to
battle? Am I not a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul?
Choose you a man for you and let him come down to me. If he
be able to fight with me and to kill me, then will we be
your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him,
then shall ye be our servants and serve us. I defy the
armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight
together.
[DAVID _listens. The soldiers seem disturbed and
frightened._]
_David:_ What meaneth this?
_Soldier_ [_walks up to_ DAVID]: Have ye seen this man who
is come up? Surely to defy Israel is he come up. And it
shall be that the man who killeth him the king will enrich
with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make
his father's house free in Israel.
_David:_ Who is this Philistine that he should defy the
armies of the living God?
_First Brother_ [_showing anger against_ DAVID]: Why camest
thou hither? And with whom hast thou left those few sheep in
the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thy
heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the
battle.
_David:_ What have I now done? [_He turns from his brothers
and speaks to the people._] What shall be done with the man
that killeth this Philistine and taketh away the reproach
from Israel? For who is this Philistine that he should defy
the armies of the living God? I will fight him, and if I
prevail against him and kill him, then will the Philistines
be our servants and serve us. The Lord God of Israel will
deliver him into my hands.
_Soldiers:_ Saul, the king, shall hear these words!
SCENE II. DAVID BEFORE SAUL
PLACE: Saul's tent.
_David_ [_comes in and salutes the king_]: Let no man's
heart fail because of this giant; thy servant will go and
fight with this Philistine.
_Saul:_ Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to
fight with him; for thou art but a youth, and he a man of
war from his youth.
_David:_ Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and when there
came a lion or a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock, I
went out after him and smote him, and delivered it out of
his mouth; and when he rose up against me, I caught him by
the beard and smote him and slew him. Thy servant slew both
the lion and the bear; and this Philistine shall be as one
of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.
The Lord that hath delivered me out of the paw of the lion,
and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of
the hand of this Philistine.
_Saul:_ Go, and the Lord go with thee. [_To soldiers_]:
Bring forth armor; this youth must be ready to meet the foe.
[_The soldiers bring armor._ SAUL _puts the armor, a
helmet and a coat of mail, on_ DAVID. DAVID _puts on his
sword, then walks a few steps. He suddenly throws the
sword down and begins to take off the armor._]
_David:_ I cannot go with these, for I have not proved them.
[_He takes the armor off and keeps only his shepherd's staff
and sling._] The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of
the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me
out of the hand of this Philistine.
[_He bows to the king and goes out._]
SCENE III. THE BATTLE
PLACE: The battlefield.
[DAVID _picks up five smooth stones and puts them into
his shepherd bag._ GOLIATH _comes toward him. He is
dressed in armor, and the man that bears his shield
comes before him._ GOLIATH _looks surprised and
disgusted when he sees_ DAVID.]
_Goliath:_ Am I a dog that thou comest to me with staves?
Come to me and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the
air and unto the beasts of the field.
_David:_ Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear
and with a shield; but I come to thee in the name of the
Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I
will smite thee, and take thy head from thee; and I will
give the bodies of the Philistines unto the fowls of the
air, and unto the beasts of the field, that all may know
that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall
know that the Lord saveth not with the sword and with the
spear, for the battle is the Lord's and he will give you
into our hands!
[DAVID _puts his hand into his bag and takes out a
stone and slings it, so that it hits the giant in the
forehead. The giant falls. The Philistines flee._ DAVID
_stands with his foot on the body of the giant._]
_Israelite Soldiers with David:_ The battle is the Lord's!
END
CHAPTER V
THE DRAMATIZATION OF _MOSES IN THE BULRUSHES_
The method of presenting the story of _Moses in the Bulrushes_ differed
somewhat from that employed with _Joseph._ There was little need to
tell the story at the beginning, for every child already knew it in
detail. Consequently the leader had the children tell most of it, while
she supplemented and directed attention to important parts.
In this case the entire play was planned roughly before any of it was
acted. The story was criticized by the children as to its organization
and unity, and as a result they made up an ending (Act III) which they
felt was needed to make the story complete. Experience with the other
plays had led the children to feel the necessity for having a
satisfactory ending after the climax.
At the second meeting several girls brought in the scenes as they had
written them out. They had tried to embody the points which the
children had decided upon as the general plan of the play. The final
play varies very little from these scenes thus written by the girls
themselves.
There was no difficulty in solving the problem as to what they would do
for a baby in the first part of the play. Many dolls were brought in,
and the choice fell upon the one that received the largest number of
votes because of his likeness to the baby Moses. A woven basket served
for the cradle of bulrushes. There were many rehearsals when there was
no doll or cradle, but the children never felt the lack. Their
imaginations can supply all needs.
A few big Egyptian designs were made for the first and last scenes,
which were placed in the king's court. These were fastened on the walls
and around the king's seat, as was done in the play of _Joseph._
Before the play was given before parents and friends the children
decided to call it _The Childhood of Moses._ An older boy in the church
printed programs for the occasion that the audience might better
understand the play. They read as follows:
THE CHILDHOOD OF MOSES
Dramatized and Presented by the Children's Dramatic Club of
the Hyde Park Church of Disciples
CHARACTERS
PHARAOH King of Egypt
PRINCESS Pharaoh's Daughter
MOSES A Hebrew Boy
HEBREW WOMAN Mother of Moses
MIRIAM Sister of Moses
AARON Brother of Moses
WISE MEN Advisers of Pharaoh
Soldiers, Attendants to the Princess, Servants
SYNOPSIS OF SCENES
Act I. Pharaoh orders the killing of Hebrew boys.
Act II, Scene 1. In the home of a Hebrew family.
Scene 2. A Hebrew mother hides her child
among the bulrushes.
Scene 3. The child is found by Pharaoh's
daughter.
Act III. Moses is brought to Pharaoh's court.
The following is the play as it was given:
THE CHILDHOOD OF MOSES
ACT I
CHARACTERS: King, Wise Man, Chief Adviser, Queen,
Maids, and Soldiers.
_King:_ Behold, the people of the children of Israel are
more and mightier than we. Come, let us do wisely with them
lest they rise up and make war against us.
_Chief Adviser:_ What more can we do than we have already
done? We have made their lives bitter with hard service, and
we have made them carry our brick and mortar and work in our
fields.
_Wise Man:_ O King Pharaoh, I beg thee to let me speak.
_King:_ Speak, Wise Man.
_Wise Man:_ O King, I pray thee to be kind to these people.
When these Hebrews first came down from the land of Canaan,
a young man named Joseph saved our land from great famine.
These Israelites are his children's children and we should
treat them kindly.
_King:_ Treat them kindly! We have been kind to them long
enough; we must destroy them. I will command that every
Hebrew boy baby be killed!
[_Exeunt_ KING _and courtiers followed by soldiers._]
_Princess:_ O most gracious father, have mercy upon them.
ACT II
SCENE I
PLACE: The home of a Hebrew family.
CHARACTERS: Moses, Mother of Moses, Miriam, Aaron.
[_The mother is singing to the baby in her lap._ AARON
_is playing on the floor._ MIRIAM _runs in._]
_Miriam:_ O mother! The king has commanded that all the boy
babies be thrown in the river! How can we save our baby?
_Mother:_ Where shall we take him? I have hidden him for
these three months, but he is so big now and his cries are
so loud that they will be sure to find him wherever we go.
_Miriam:_ Come quickly, mother; we will go to the river and
hide him nearby. Pharaoh cannot find him there, for he will
think that he has been thrown in the water.
_Mother:_ O my poor baby!
[_The three run out._]
SCENE II
PLACE: The river bank.
CHARACTERS: Moses, Mother of Moses, Miriam.
[_The mother appears with the baby in her arms._ MIRIAM
_follows._]
_Miriam:_ O mother! We can hide him in these tall grasses!
_Mother:_ But I must have something to put him in. Gather
these rushes and I will weave a little cradle for him.
[_They both pick bulrushes and the mother weaves the
basket._]
_Mother:_ How can I leave him here alone? My little
daughter, will you stay and watch and bring me word quickly
if anything happens? We will hide the baby in this basket
among the flags, here at the edge of the water.
_Miriam:_ Good! Mother, I will hide nearby and see that no
harm comes to our baby.
[_The mother kisses the baby and puts him in the basket,
then rises and turns away._]
_Mother:_ Keep watch until I return.
[_Exit mother;_ MIRIAM _hides._]
SCENE III
PLACE: The river bank.
CHARACTERS: The Princess, Her Maidens, Soldiers, Moses,
Mother of Moses, and Miriam.
[_Several soldiers walk across the stage. Enter_
PRINCESS _and her maids._]
PRINCESS [_looking around_]: What beautiful clear water for
my bath!
_First Maid:_ Yea, Princess. Will you bathe here?
[_A baby's cry is heard._]
_Princess:_ What is it I hear? It sounds like a baby crying!
Look about, maidens! Is there something here?
[_All look about._]
_Second Maid_ [_finds baby; all come running up to her_]:
See what is here!
_Princess:_ A baby hidden in a basket! Bring him to me!
[_Third maid hands basket to_ PRINCESS, _who takes the
baby out._]
_Princess:_ Oh, what a beautiful baby! He is mine, for I
have found him! A Hebrew baby! His mother has hidden him in
the bulrushes to save his life.
[MIRIAM _runs out._]
_Miriam:_ Lady, would you like a nurse for that baby?
_Princess:_ A nurse for him? Yes, I do need a nurse.
_Miriam:_ I can get you one very quickly.
_Princess:_ Go bring her, child; I will wait here.
[MIRIAM _goes away running._]
_Princess:_ He is my boy, and I will call him Moses, for I
drew him out of the water.
[_Enter the mother and_ MIRIAM.]
_Miriam:_ Here is the nurse, lady.
_Princess:_ Will you take good care of this baby for me
until he becomes a youth? I will pay you wages. I am the
Princess, King Pharaoh's daughter. I will see that he is
educated as a prince in my father's court.
[PRINCESS _and her maids go out._]
_Mother:_ My boy is saved! My boy is saved!
ACT III
SCENE I
PLACE: Pharaoh's palace.
CHARACTERS: King Pharaoh, Princess, Maids, Soldiers,
Wise Men, Mother of Moses, Moses, Miriam, Aaron.
[_King sits on his throne, wise men and soldiers around.
Enter messenger._]
_Messenger:_ O King, the Princess awaits without and would
have speech with thee.
_King:_ Bid her enter.
[_Enter_ PRINCESS _and a few attendants._]
_Princess:_ O gracious King and father, I have a request,
and I beg that you grant it.
_King:_ Speak, my Princess; do I not always grant what you
ask?
_Princess:_ Yes, father, and I know that you will grant me
this. Several years ago I adopted a son and I ask that you
allow him to be educated in your palace.
_King:_ Adopted a son! What can be the meaning of this? I
never heard of this! Where did you get the boy?
_Princess:_ I found him, a little baby, hidden among the
rushes by the river bank.
_King:_ Why was he hidden? That is strange!
_Princess:_ He is a Hebrew boy, O father.
_King:_ A Hebrew boy! Did I not command that every Hebrew
boy should be killed?
_Princess:_ I must take the blame; I had his life spared.
Will you not let him be brought here?
_King:_ No, I will not! No Hebrew boy shall be brought here!
_Princess:_ If you would only see him, he is so beautiful,
you would love him as I do. He is without; permit me to show
him to you.
_King:_ Bring him in.
[_Maid goes to get_ MOSES. MOSES _enters with his
mother_, MIRIAM, _and_ AARON. PRINCESS _leads him to
the_ KING.]
_Princess:_ This is my son. Is he not a wonderful boy?
_King:_ He is fair to look upon, but yet he is a Hebrew.
_Princess:_ O my father, forget that he is a Hebrew and
remember only that he is my son.
_King:_ O my Princess, for your sake, I accept this boy. I
leave his training to you. May he grow up to be a prince
worthy of the house of Pharaoh.
END
CHAPTER VI
THE DRAMATIZATION OF _RUTH_
_Ruth_ was dramatized by the club during the fall of the year because
it is a story of the Hebrew harvest time. In order fully to interpret
the life of Ruth it was necessary for the children to secure
information concerning the barley harvest in ancient Palestine, and
also to become familiar with the old customs involved in the story.
Many children brought pictures which illustrated the points under
discussion, and some of them contributed by telling what they had been
able to read at home. Independence on the part of the children in
looking up data was always encouraged by the leader; the information
which she had to give enriched and supplemented that which was brought
in by them.
During the process of this dramatization constant comparisons were made
with our own harvest time, and the study of the Hebrew harvest feasts
and festivals served to increase the understanding and appreciation of
our one harvest festival at Thanksgiving.
The method of procedure in presenting this story for dramatization
follows closely that described in connection with _Joseph._ The Bible
version of _Ruth_ is so simply and beautifully told that it needed
very little adapting. When it was first given to the children parts of
it were read and parts were told by the leader. Many scenes were then
planned, but these were soon cut down to the three necessary scenes.
From the first the children used much of the Bible language as they
acted the story. The beauty and the poetry of it caused them to
remember readily the exact wording in many cases.
Seven meetings were required before the group was satisfied with the
play as a product of their best effort. As was the case with the other
plays given by the club, the children who were to take the parts in the
final presentation were selected by the group and not by the leader in
charge. Every child knew each part and could represent any character,
but children were chosen for specific parts because they seemed to
represent certain characters unusually well.
The dramatization of this story called for much construction work. The
reapers made their sickles of cardboard and covered them with gold or
silver paper or painted them. They found pictures which gave the shape,
and from these they cut the patterns (Fig. 15). One little girl brought
a real sickle which had once belonged to a Filipino. It gave her
happiness to reap with it, but the others were just as content to use
the sickles from cardboard.
The need for a harvest song was felt, and in consequence a little song
that most of the children knew was decided upon. The reapers sang it as
they reaped and while Boaz was walking through his grain field. There
was no real grain nor anything to represent it, the children deciding
to leave this to the imagination. The action of the reapers and the
words that were spoken gave evidence enough that grain was growing
there.
There was very little stage setting used in the play. The stage was
bare in the first scene in order to represent the road from Moab to
Bethlehem. In the second scene a big earthenware jar was needed from
which the reapers could drink. The third scene required a box which
represented a seat by the city gate; the door which led off the stage
at the side was used for the gate.
The action and the grouping of people in the third scene required
careful planning by the children. Women came through the gate and
passed down the street with water jugs on their shoulders; men gathered
in groups to discuss bits of news; Boaz walked toward the gate and sat
waiting for his kinsman. Finally, when the cousin appeared, Boaz hailed
him and had him sit down. The citizens who were standing near were
asked to be witnesses in this business transaction. That one man should
take off his shoe and hand it to another was a custom that created much
interest among the children. They began to examine pictures for the
kinds of shoes that were worn, and this led many of them to wear their
own sandals, which approached most nearly to those seen in the
pictures. The children who did not own sandals tried to make them with
cardboard and strips of cloth (see Fig. 26).
The costuming was very simple. The reapers wore the same little brown
slips which had been worn in every play that had been given. Boaz
enriched his costume by wearing brighter colors in his headdress and
girdle and by wearing a slip that was longer than the others.
The play follows as it was finally given.
RUTH
SCENE I
PLACE: In Moab, on the road to Judah.
CHARACTERS: Naomi, Ruth, Orpah.
SETTING: Naomi, Ruth, Orpah, are on the road going
toward Judah.
[NAOMI _stops and faces about._]
_Naomi:_ Turn back, my daughters-in-law; return each of you
to your mother's house. You have come with me far enough. I
must take the rest of my journey alone.
_Orpah and Ruth:_ Oh, do not send us back! We will not leave
thee!
_Naomi:_ Yea, you must leave me now. I am going home to my
own country and my own people, to Bethlehem, Judah! It is
ten long years since I left there to come to dwell in your
land of Moab. But now that the famine is over I must
return.
_Orpah:_ But, Naomi, our mother-in-law, we love thee. Do not
thou leave us!
_Naomi:_ I must go. I came to this country happy--with my
husband and two sons--but misfortune has dealt bitterly with
me. My husband first died, and now my two sons, your
husbands, are taken from me. I am old and sad. I have no one
left to comfort me. I must go back to mine own people. Leave
me, my daughters, and God bless you!
[_Both daughters weep._]
_Orpah_ [_weeping and kissing_ NAOMI]: If thou wilt be
happier, then thou must leave us. I will return to my
mother's house as thou sayest. [_She goes off slowly,
weeping._]
[RUTH _still stands by weeping. Takes hold of_ NAOMI'S
_hand._]
_Naomi:_ Behold, Orpah, thy sister-in-law, has gone back to
her people and unto her gods; return thou after thy
sister-in-law.
_Ruth:_ Intreat me not to leave thee, nor to return from
following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and
where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my
people, and thy God my God: where thou diest, will I die,
and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more
also, if aught but death part thee and me.
_Naomi:_ Since thou art so steadfastly minded to go with me,
Ruth, I will cease urging thee. Come, thou mayest go with me
to Bethlehem.
SCENE II
PLACE: In the barley fields of Boaz.
TIME: The harvest season.
CHARACTERS: Boaz, Ruth, Head Reaper, Reapers, Gleaners.
[_The reapers come in with their sickles, followed by
the gleaners._]
_Head Reaper:_ Truly we have a wonderful harvest this year!
_First Reaper:_ Yea, we will have food enough for ourselves
and for all the poor in our city of Bethlehem.
_Head Reaper:_ It is the great God that hath given us this
bounty.
[_All sing harvest song as they reap. While they are
singing_ RUTH _comes in and begins to pick up the
grain._]
_Second Reaper_ [_looking toward the entrance to the
field_]: The master is coming, the great Boaz!
[_All reapers look in that direction as they stand,
resting their sickles on the ground._ BOAZ _enters._]
_Boaz:_ The Lord be with you!
_Reapers:_ The Lord bless thee!
[_All go to work again, singing as before._ BOAZ _walks
among them; he sees_ RUTH _and watches her._]
_Boaz_ [_to the_ HEAD REAPER]: My good man, I would speak a
word with thee; come hither.
_Head Reaper:_ Speak, O master!
_Boaz:_ Whose damsel is this that gathereth grain after the
reapers?
_Head Reaper:_ My master, she is Ruth, the Moabitish damsel
that came back with Naomi, thy kinswoman. She hath been
gleaning here since early morning.
_Boaz:_ Go, bid the reapers not to harm her, and bid them
let fall purposely some of the handfuls of grain for her.
[_The_ HEAD REAPER _bows low and goes back among the
reapers._]
_Boaz_ [_to_ RUTH]: Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to
glean in another field, but stay here by my reapers. Let
thine eyes be on the reapers, and do thou glean that which
they leave behind. When thou art athirst, go unto the
vessels and drink that which the young men have drawn.
_Ruth_ [_bows to the ground_]: Why have I found such favor
in thine eyes, seeing that I am a stranger in the land?
_Boaz:_ It has been told me of thy great kindness to thy
mother-in-law, Naomi; how thou didst leave thine own people
to come with her and be among strangers; and how thou didst
leave thy gods to take the God of the children of Israel.
The Lord will bless thee for this.
_Ruth:_ I thank thee, O great Boaz, for thou hast comforted
me and thou hast spoken friendly words unto me.
_Boaz:_ Come hither at meal times and eat of the bread and
dip thy morsel in the vinegar with my reapers.
[_The reapers have departed._ BOAZ _goes off._]
_Ruth:_ The Lord God is truly good unto me!
SCENE III
PLACE: At the gate of the city.
CHARACTERS: Boaz, a Cousin of Naomi, Ten Citizens, Ruth,
Naomi.
[_Several citizens stand in groups, talking._ BOAZ
_enters._]
_Boaz_ [_speaks to one of the group_]: Hast thou seen my
cousin pass this way? I am seeking him.
_First Citizen:_ Nay, good sir, I have not seen him.
_Boaz:_ I must speak with him; I will wait here by the city
gate; perchance he will come soon.
[_One or two citizens pass by and speak to_ BOAZ,
_saying, "Good-day, sir." Enter_ KINSMAN.]
_Boaz:_ Ho, Kinsman, turn aside! I would have a word with
thee. Sit thee down.
[KINSMAN _sits down._]
_Kinsman:_ What wilt thou, Cousin?
_Boaz:_ I would speak about a matter of importance; wait
thou here until I can bring witnesses. [_He turns to
citizens._] A piece of land is about to be sold; will ten
citizens witness this deed?
_Citizens:_ Aye, indeed. [_They come forward._]
_Boaz:_ Sit ye down here. [_They sit down._] [_To_ KINSMAN]:
Dost thou remember Naomi, our kinswoman, who went with her
husband and two sons to the land of Moab?
_Kinsman:_ Yea, I do know Naomi.
_Boaz:_ She selleth a parcel of land which was her
husband's. Now, thou art nearest of kin to Naomi, so I
thought to advise thee that thou mayest have the first
chance to redeem the land in the presence of the elders of
the city. If thou dost not care to redeem it, then the right
to redeem it cometh to me, for I am next of kin. What wilt
thou do?
_Kinsman:_ I will buy the land from our kinswoman, Naomi.
_Boaz:_ On the day that thou buyest the field from the hand
of Naomi, thou also takest Ruth, the Moabitess, for thy
wife, according to our custom and law.
_Kinsman:_ Then I will not redeem the land, for I cannot
take Ruth for my wife. Take thou my right to redeem it and
buy it for thyself.
_Boaz_ [_taking off his shoe and giving it to the_ KINSMAN,
_he says to the witnesses_]: Ye are witnesses this day that
I have bought this parcel of land from Naomi and that I buy
also, as my wife, Ruth, the daughter-in-law of Naomi. Of all
this ye are witnesses.
_Citizens:_ We are witnesses. [_Bow._]
[KINSMAN _returns shoe to_ BOAZ _and walks off._ RUTH
_and_ NAOMI _come through the street._]
_Boaz:_ Ye are well met, Naomi, my kinswoman, and Ruth. I
have good news for you; I have bought your land and I can
now take Ruth for my wife. Come, all ye fellow-citizens, for
the wedding feast is prepared at my house!
[_Takes_ RUTH _by the hand._]
_Naomi:_ Blessed am I that I should live to see this good
thing come to pass! The Lord hath been most gracious unto
me!
END
CHAPTER VII
THE DRAMATIZATION OF _QUEEN ESTHER_
The story of Esther involves a much more complicated situation than any
of the others here described. It is not too difficult for
dramatization, however, if it is taken after such stories have been
worked out as _David and Goliath_ and _Joseph._
In the case of this dramatic club the story of Esther was told to the
children after they had had much experience with other plays. The
interesting plot and the beauty and richness of the court made so great
an appeal to them that they were eager to begin the dramatization. The
story was first simplified and adapted by the leader, and then told in
such a manner as to emphasize the main events. The method of procedure
followed that described in chapter iii in connection with the story of
Joseph. After the telling of the story the scenes were selected. These
were acted out very freely at first, little thought being given to the
words. Many pictures were brought in, and descriptions of the court of
King Ahasuerus were read by the children from the Bible and from books
of Bible stories.
In the second scene the children decided to have the maidens dance
before the King. Several little girls who were trying out the part of
Esther made up dances for themselves. This feature made this scene
especially attractive.
This play was longer than those that had previously been dramatized,
and it therefore took a longer period of time to bring it into final
shape. There is no reason to hurry a dramatization. If the aim of this
kind of work is kept in mind, there will be growth on the part of the
children at each meeting. The value lies, not in how many stories can
be dramatized during a year, but in how thoroughly the children are
reliving a few good stories.
The play of _Queen Esther_ made it necessary to construct several
articles. Gold dishes of various kinds were made by covering cardboard
with gold paper. These were used at the Queen's banquet. From the many
scepters that were submitted the King chose the one for final use.
Elaborate gowns and headdresses were gathered; beads and jewels of all
descriptions were made from brilliantly colored papers.
The children took the responsibility of the costuming. The majority of
them planned their own garments and either brought things from home or
selected some suitable costume from those which the club had on hand.
Two of the older girls took entire charge of the younger ones and saw
to it that each had some simple slip to wear in the play.
The play follows as it was finally worked out by the children.
THE STORY OF QUEEN ESTHER
SCENE I
PLACE: The King's palace--Shushan.
CHARACTERS: King Ahasuerus (king of Media and Persia),
Haman (chief counselor), Persian Princes, Servants.
[_The_ KING _is seated on his throne, princes seated
before the_ KING, _and_ HAMAN _is seated by the_ KING'S
_side. Servants are bringing drinks in golden vessels._]
_King:_ The seventh day of this feast hath come, and on this
day will I bring my beautiful Queen, Vashti, before you. The
princes of my land must depart, bearing a good report of my
fair Queen as well as of the great riches of my court.
Chamberlains, come forth! [_The servants come before the_
KING _and bow._] I command you to bring Vashti, the Queen,
before my presence. [_Servants withdraw._]
_First Prince:_ O King, this is a great honor that thou
bestowest upon us!
_Second Prince:_ Yea, Vashti, the Queen, is already known
over the land for her wondrous beauty. We are most happy
that thou wilt allow thy servants to behold her.
_Third Prince:_ What wonderful tidings we will spread over
thy provinces, O King. Thy people do not know the half of
thy riches and thy wonderful greatness and generosity.
[_Enter servants. They bow low._]
_King:_ Rise; what is thy message?
[_They do not rise._]
_First Servant:_ O King, be merciful unto us!
[_They bow lower._]
_King:_ What meaneth this? Speak! [_in astonishment_] I
command thee. Where is the Queen?
_Second Servant:_ O great King, we delivered thy message as
thou didst command, but the Queen has refused to come before
thy presence.
[_All the princes and the_ KING _show surprise and
anger._]
_King:_ Refused to obey me? This is impossible! Are ye
certain that she understood the meaning of my command?
_Servants:_ We are, O King.
_King:_ She hath refused! It cannot be! [_He looks absently
away._] She must be punished.
_Haman:_ What shall we do to Queen Vashti according to the
law, because she hath not performed the commandment of King
Ahasuerus?
_First Prince:_ She hath not done wrong to the King only,
but also to all the princes of the land, for this deed of
the Queen shall become known unto all the women of Media and
Persia and they shall despise the command of their husbands:
"Because," they shall say, "King Ahasuerus commanded Vashti,
the Queen, to be brought before him and she came not."
_Second Prince:_ What shall we do? This will cause great
trouble and disobedience.
_King:_ What thinkest thou, Haman, my chief counselor?
_Haman:_ If it please the King, let there go forth a royal
commandment and let it be written among the laws of the
Medes and Persians that Vashti come no more before
Ahasuerus, and let the King give her royal estate to
another that is better than she. Then when this decree
shall become known all wives shall give honor unto their
husbands.
_King:_ This saying pleaseth me greatly. I shall do
accordingly. [_To servants_]: Send letters unto every
province to every people, which shall state this decree, so
that every man shall know it.
_Haman:_ O King, I pray thee, let there be fair maidens
brought before thee from which thou shalt choose another
which shall be thy Queen.
_King:_ So be it! See that fair maidens from every province
be brought here to my palace; and the one that pleaseth me
best, I will take her for my Queen.
[_All bow._]