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. follows.] MIRIAM 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, [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: [MIRIAM runs out.] 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 |