SCENE II _is Mount Moriah.

The Prologue takes the place of scenery or program.

THE PROPERTIES

A chair or bench. A bundle of wood. A knife.

THE PROVING OF ABRAHAM

(_The_ PROLOGUE, _or the_ SERVANT _of_ ABRAHAM (_acting as_ PROLOGUE), _enters and bows low; then, drawing himself erect, points to imaginary scenery._)

PROLOGUE: This is the tent of Abraham, the father of his people, where he lives with Sarai, his wife, and his son, Isaac, whom he loves above all else.

I am the servant of Abraham.

Lo, Abraham enters now with Isaac. (_The_ PROLOGUE _goes._)

(ABRAHAM _enters, leaning on_ ISAAC.)

ISAAC (_pointing_): My father, behold the lambs yonder!

ABRAHAM: Aye, my son, they are for the sacrifice. I offer them up to God for a thank-offering that he hath given thee to me, O my son. (_Seats himself._)

ISAAC (_clinging close to him_): Dost thou love me more than the little lambs?

ABRAHAM (_embracing him_): I love thee more than all that is in heaven or earth.

ISAAC (_struggling_): My father, let me go; I would go play with the lambs.

ABRAHAM (_releasing him_): Then go, my son.

(ISAAC _runs out._ ABRAHAM _remains seated; then suddenly he starts, rises, and stands with arms uplifted in prayer._)

ABRAHAM: Here am I, Lord. (_He listens with strong emotion._) O Lord, Lord, what is this thou dost require of me? Must I give up Isaac to thee, Isaac the joy of mine old age? (_There is a pause while he prays silently; then he speaks humbly._) Nevertheless, not my will, O Lord, but thine be done. (_There is another pause; then he calls._) Isaac! Isaac!

(ISAAC _runs in._)

ISAAC: Here am I, father.

ABRAHAM: Get ye wood for a burnt-offering, and saddle ye the ass, for I will go up upon the mount to sacrifice.

ISAAC: Aye, father, and shall I go with thee?

ABRAHAM: Thou shalt indeed go with me, thou and the servant. Get thee gone. (ISAAC _runs out._) Not my will, O Lord, but thine! O Lord, I will trust in thee.

(ISAAC _enters, carrying a bundle of fagots._)

ISAAC: My father, all is ready. The ass is saddled, and I have here wood for the burnt-offering.

ABRAHAM (_placing his arm about him_): Come, my son. (_They go slowly out._)

(_The_ PROLOGUE _or_ SERVANT _enters._)

PROLOGUE: Behold, now Abraham and Isaac approach the mountains of Moriah. I, the servant, follow after. (_He follows them._)

(ABRAHAM _and_ ISAAC, _having made the circuit of the room, approach._)

ABRAHAM: This is the mountain on which I shall sacrifice. (_To servant._) Abide thou yonder with the ass. I and the lad will worship; then I will come again to thee. (_The_ SERVANT _bows and withdraws._)

ISAAC: My father?

ABRAHAM: Here am I, my son.

ISAAC: My father, behold the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt-offering?

ABRAHAM: O my son, God will provide the sacrifice. (_Bends over him._) O my son, before thou wert born I longed for thee, and since thou wast a little lad I have loved thee with a greater love than I have given my God. Now I am punished. For the Lord hath commanded me, saying: "Take thou thine son, thine only son whom thou lovest, even Isaac, and offer him up for a burnt-offering upon the mountains." O my son, I shall do even as the Lord hath commanded me, for all his ways are perfect. Fare thee well. (_He embraces him._)

ISAAC (_fearfully_): Father--father--I--I fear--

ABRAHAM: Kneel thou upon the wood.

(ISAAC _kneels_; ABRAHAM _raises his knife to slay; a voice calls from distance._)

VOICE OF MESSENGER: Abraham! Abraham!

ISAAC: Hark, O my father! A voice calls, "Abraham."

ABRAHAM (_with knife still raised_): Here am I, Lord!

(_The_ MESSENGER _enters and stays_ ABRAHAM'S _hand._)

MESSENGER: O Abraham, thus saith the Lord: "Because thou hast put thy trust in me, therefore will I deliver thee. Lay not thine hand upon the lad, for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me."

ABRAHAM (_raising arms to heaven_): O Lord, blessed be the man that trusteth in thee.

ISAAC (_jumping up_): Lo, father, a ram is there, caught in the thicket. Lo, I shall fetch the ram for sacrifice. (_He runs out._)

MESSENGER: Moreover, thus saith the Lord God: "In blessing, I will bless thee, and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, for I have PROVED thee." (_The_ MESSENGER _goes out._)

(ISAAC _runs in with great excitement._)

ISAAC: My father, the ram is caught; I will carry the wood yonder. (_Runs out._)

ABRAHAM: O God, thou hast tried me and known me. O see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (_Goes with arms upraised._)

(_The_ SERVANT _or_ EPILOGUE _advances._)

EPILOGUE: Mark the perfect man, and behold the up-right: for the end of that man is peace. (_He goes out._)

MOSES IN THE BULRUSHES

THE PEOPLE

PROLOGUE and EPILOGUE. (The Prologue is introduced for clarity, where there is no scenery or program.) THE BABY MOSES. (Have a real, live baby.) THE LITTLE SISTER OF MOSES. THE MOTHER OF MOSES. THE DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH. FIRST SLAVE. SECOND SLAVE. SOLDIERS.

THE PLACE

A marshy place by a river. If a little scenery is desired, take an old window-shade, sketch upon it reeds and cat-tails, and cut it so that when the little sister hides behind it she may appear to be looking through the reeds. The Prologue may unfold this as she speaks, and then hold it up so as to conceal herself.

THE PROPERTIES

A curtain of reeds (if desired). An ark (a basket bound with reeds or raffia). A piece of gold. Two fans. Spears for soldiers.

MOSES IN THE BULRUSHES

(_The_ PROLOGUE _advances. She unfolds the curtain of reeds as she speaks._)

PROLOGUE: This is Egypt. The wicked Pharaoh holds the children of Israel in bondage; but they are grown so many that he fears them. Therefore he has commanded that all boy babies be taken from their mothers' arms and put to death.

But the mothers seek to hide their babies.

Look and behold the marshy waters of the River Nile; tall reeds grow here; it is the hiding place one mother has chosen. See, she and the sister of the babe come now to hide him from the soldiers of Pharaoh. (_She raises the curtain of reeds above her head, or passes out._)

(_Enter the little_ SISTER _bearing the ark of bulrushes. She looks this way and that way; then she calls softly._)

SISTER: Mother, this way! The wicked soldiers will not find him here.

(_The_ MOTHER _enters bearing the_ BABY.)

MOTHER: Is there no one in sight? (_She looks anxiously about._)

SISTER: No one!

MOTHER (_embracing the child_): O my son, the cruel Pharaoh would slay thee, but the Lord is gracious; he will save.

SISTER: Here is the ark of bulrushes; I have daubed it well with pitch. Shall I lay it among the flags at the river's brink?

(_The_ MOTHER _nods. The_ SISTER _arranges the coverings in the basket. The_ MOTHER _hugs the child._)

MOTHER: O my baby! (_She places child in basket._)

SISTER (_peering into distance_): Mother, sh-h-h! I see the daughter of Pharaoh in the distance; she cometh to bathe in the river. Oh--if she should discover us!

MOTHER (_looking up anxiously_): God's will be done!

SISTER (_still peering out_): One of her maidens is a child of Israel, but the other is a proud Egyptian. See, now they stop to bathe.

MOTHER (_rising from her knees_): I must return lest I be missed at home when the soldiers make the daily search for children; but do thou watch beside the child, and in the nighttime I will return with food.

SISTER: That will I, mother. I will hide in the tall reeds yonder. (_The_ MOTHER _moves away_; SISTER _runs after her._) But, mother, if they discover the babe, what must I do?

MOTHER (_earnestly_): Surely God will teach thee. Pray. (_She goes._)

SISTER (_crouching beside ark_): O God, let no one hurt my little brother! O God, I pray thee. (_She sings a lullaby._)

_Lullaby_, "Coventry Carol"

_Slowly_

[Song: "Lul-lay, thou lit-tle, tin-y Child; By, by, lul-ly, lul-lay.... Lul-lay, thou lit-tle, tin-y Child; By, by, lul-ly, lul-lay." ]

(_The_ SISTER _looks up, startled, then flees behind the reeds as the_ DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH _approaches, followed by_ SLAVES _bearing fans._)

DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH: Come, maidens, we will rest by the river's brink, where the flag flowers grow. (_She approaches nearer._) But what is that, floating upon the water?

EGYPTIAN SLAVE: Lady, it is a babe.

DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH: Go fetch it, girl. No doubt it is one of the Hebrew children.

EGYPTIAN SLAVE: A Hebrew brat? I will not touch it, I!

(_The_ DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH _raises her hand and strikes the saucy maid, as the other slave, the_ MAID OF ISRAEL, _brings the babe._) (_Or kneels beside it._)

SLAVE OF ISRAEL: O lady, see how beautiful!

EGYPTIAN SLAVE: Let it die, even as Pharaoh commanded.

SLAVE OF ISRAEL: O lady, let it live! Think how the mother loved it. See how cunningly the ark is daubed with pitch and hidden here, 'midst the flag-flowers.

EGYPTIAN SLAVE: If you let it live, you let live one more enemy to Pharaoh.

DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH: Hold thy tongue, girl. (_She looks doubtfully at child._)

EGYPTIAN SLAVE (_exultingly_): Here come the guard of Pharaoh; they will see the babe and slay it. (_She points to distance. All look._)

DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH: What to do? Think, girl, use thy wits. (_To_ SLAVE OF ISRAEL.)

(_The little_ SISTER _rushes from reeds and kneels._)

SISTER: O lady, lady, shall I go and call a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?

DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH: Go--go quickly. (_She looks apprehensively about._)

EGYPTIAN SLAVE: The soldiers cross the river.

(_The little Sister returns, followed by the_ MOTHER.)

SISTER (_panting_): Lady, I have brought a nurse.

DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH: Woman, take thou this child and nurse it for me, and I will give thee wages. (_Gives a piece of gold._)

MOTHER (_taking child_): Daughter of Pharaoh, may the God of Israel bless thee.

DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH (_turning to go_): Fare thee well.

EGYPTIAN SLAVE (_cries_): The soldiers!

DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH (_turning back_): Fear ye not.

(_All huddle behind her. She faces the_ SOLDIERS _as they enter and salute._)

FIRST SOLDIER: Daughter of Pharaoh, we make search for Hebrew children. One hath escaped us.

DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH (_haughtily_): Who art thou to question me? Pass on.

SECOND SOLDIER: But--the babe yonder? (_Points._)

DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH: Is the adopted son of Pharaoh's daughter. Pass ye by. (_She waves them away. They salute and go. She takes the child in her arms and embraces him._) I love the child. (_She gives the_ CHILD _to his_ MOTHER _and turns to go; then she turns back._) Call the child "Moses," for that means, "Drawn up out of the water," and remember he is dear to me for that _I_ have saved him. (_She goes out followed by her maids._)

(_The_ MOTHER _and_ SISTER _kneel with the_ CHILD.)

MOTHER (_prays_): O God of Israel, bless thou this child, and as _thou_ hast drawn him up out of the water, grant that he may be the means, through thee, to lift his people out of slavery. (_They rise and go._)

(_The_ EPILOGUE _folds curtain, advances to front of stage, and holds up hand._)

EPILOGUE: O give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name: Make known his doings among the peoples. He sent Moses his servant, And Aaron whom he had chosen. And he brought forth his people with joy, And his chosen with singing. (_The_ EPILOGUE _goes._)

UP, UP FROM EGYPT TO THE PROMISED LAND

THE PEOPLE

PHARAOH. HIS DEAD SON. FIRST EGYPTIAN. SECOND EGYPTIAN. THIRD EGYPTIAN. PAGE. MOSES. AARON. MIRIAM. THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL (acted by the Class).

THE PLACE