  (The Story of a National Hero and a National God.) THE PEOPLE
THE PLACE
(The same blue curtain, or out of doors, will do for both scenes.) THE PROPERTIES
For the head of Goliath take a fierce-looking mask; attach it to helmet. Sew long swaggering locks of hair on either side, and a sweep of red cloth at back. So, when David removes mask from Goliath's face, in cutting off his head, the red cloth will give the whole a solid appearance. If possible, have a harp for the music. DAVID AND GOLIATHAct I. A field in Bethlehem, near the home of Jesse.(Enter Eliab, polishing his sword. He practices fighting an imaginary enemy. Presently he turns and calls.) Eliab: Ho, David, tend my sheep for me; I make me ready to fight the Philistines. And see thou that no lion enter in, Else 'twill go hard with thee. (The sounds of a shepherd's pipe, or of a harp are heard, receding in the distance. Jesse enters and speaks mildly and with remonstrance.) Jesse: My son, this night the first new moon arises of the new year; My son, this night we feast, And make our sacrifices on God's altar. My son, first be thou reconciled with thy brother David. Eliab (impatiently): I have done him no wrong. Jesse: Thou and thy brothers are too harsh with him. He is a tender lad; be thou more gentle. (Lays hand on Eliab's arm.) Eliab (shaking off hand): He is a babe, fit only to tend sheep. Jesse: Where hast thou sent him? Eliab: To the hillside, away from Bethlehem. Jesse: Where are thy brothers? Eliab: They make them ready to fight the Philistines. Jesse: Who tendeth their sheep? Eliab (sullenly): David. Jesse (with mild sarcasm): And if a bear or a lion attack the flocks, The little David is alone; While his brave brothers abide here in safety. He perchance fighteth, while they make them ready. Eliab (sneers): Thou ever didst make much of David. The very name of "David" means "beloved." Jesse: Nay, all my sons are equal in my love. But David—he is indeed a gentle lad. (He turns as though to go out. Left.) (The Prophet Samuel enters slowly from the right.) Eliab: My father, who comes there? Nay, there, through the budding barley? The old man with so lofty a bearing? Jesse: Mine eyes are dim. (He shades them and peers out. Suddenly he speaks.) My son, it is the prophet Samuel. What can his coming bode of good or evil? Haste, haste, my son. (They advance to meet the prophet, bowing low.) Jesse: O Samuel, O mouthpiece of the Lord, Comest thou in peace to Bethlehem? Samuel: In peace! Jesse: Make us to know thy will. Samuel: Thou art Jesse, the Bethlehemite? Jesse: Thou hast said it. Samuel: I am the mouthpiece of the most high God. For the Lord spake unto me, saying: Mourn not over King Saul; For I repent me that I made Saul king over Israel. Fill thine horn with oil and go; I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite; For I have provided me a king among his sons. Jesse: A king! Eliab: A king!! Jesse: Eliab, wind thy horn and call thy brothers; And bid thy sister bring both meat and wine To set before our guest. (Eliab runs out to the left, winding his horn. He passes several of his brothers who are entering, and points out the prophet. Jesse motions Samuel to a seat in the center. Samuel sits. The Daughter of Jesse enters with food and drink, which Samuel rejects.) Samuel: And now make thou thy sons to pass before me, That I may choose. (Eliab enters with other brothers. Abinadab slips beside his sister and eats the food. The Daughter stands beside her father, at right of Samuel.) Jesse: My sons, pass ye in order of your years, Before this man of God. (Eliab advances and kneels. Samuel rises and regards him uncertainly.) Samuel: Surely the Lord's anointed is before me. Eliab (triumphantly): Ah, father, art so ready now to chide me? Samuel: Nay, pause, my son, for the Lord hath said unto me: Look not on a man's countenance, Nor the height of his stature; For the Lord seeth not as man seeth. For man looketh on the outward appearance, But the Lord looketh on the heart. Thy heart is proud, and thou shalt not be king. (Eliab passes with hanging head to the right. Abinadab advances.) Abinadab: And I, sir, look on me. Samuel: The Lord rejects thee, For thou art a wine-bibber and a glutton. (Abinadab swaggers defiantly over to Eliab, who grins at him. Shammah bows low and speaks slyly.) Shammah: Sir, if thou crown me king, I'll make thee rich in the spoils of the Philistines. Samuel (briefly): The Lord rejects thee for a thief and robber. (Shammah shrugs and joins others. Nathaneel advances.) Nathaneel: Make me king, sir, And I will drive out the Philistines, And all men shall bow down to the God of Israel. Samuel: The Lord rejects thee, for thou boasteth thyself, And sayest thou canst do much, When thou canst do little. (Nathaneel passes angrily to right. Raddai advances.) Raddai (cunningly): Thou wilt anoint me, Samuel; For lo, the Lord came unto me in the night watches, Saying, Awake, awake, thou shalt be king of Israel. (The brothers stare angrily at him.) Samuel: The Lord rejects thee, for thou art a liar. (The brothers double up with mirth. Raddai joins them, shaking his fist at Samuel. Ozem advances and bows meekly.) Ozem: For me, I would not be the king in Israel, Except the Lord command. Samuel (praying): Lord, give me light! (Then he motions Ozem away.) Thou art not the chosen one. (Ozem joins others. Elihu advances triumphantly.) Elihu: O mouthpiece of the most high God, behold me! I am the last. Anoint me, and let the oil run down to the hem of my garment! Anoint me, for I shall be a mighty king over Israel. Daughter of Jesse (starting forward): O brother, thou hast forgotten little David. (Turns to Samuel.) O sir, if thou despiseth these, my brothers, O let me show thee David. 'Tis the youngest, And the best loved by me. (The brothers surge forward angrily.) Eliab and Others: No, no! He is a babe—a child—a— Samuel (waves them back and turns to Jesse): Are all thy children here? Or hast thou another son? Jesse: There remaineth yet the youngest; And behold, he keepeth the sheep. He is my dear-beloved. His years are yet too tender to rule Israel. Daughter of Jesse: O let me go and bring him! Samuel: Send and fetch him; For we will not sit down till he come hither. (The Daughter of Jesse starts running out toward left.) Jesse: Nay, daughter, blow the horn till he appear. (She blows horn.) Samuel: Speak not of his tender years; For the Lord knoweth the times and the seasons. (She blows horn.) Neither will he cause the flower to blow on the seedling; Nor the fruit on the sapling; Nor an old head on young shoulders. (She blows horn.) (There is a pause while all listen; then she blows again.) Daughter of Jesse: He cometh, for I hear his harp in the distance. (The song is heard, beginning faintly, but growing stronger. David enters on the last two lines.) Song: "The Lord is My Shepherd," Music by S. Liddle. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul; The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Samuel (advancing to meet him): O sweet singer of Israel, The Lord commandeth me, Arise, anoint him; for this is he. (He raises his horn of oil. David kneels. Samuel pours oil upon him.) For the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth: And he shall give strength unto his king, And exalt the horn of his anointed. Daughter of Jesse (embracing David): O David, I am glad. Jesse: Come now to the feast. (All pass out but David and his sister. She waits for him as he stands in prayer.) David: O God, thou hast anointed me with the oil of gladness, Above my fellows. I will sing a song unto thee, O God; Upon a psaltery of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee. (He takes his harp and sings.) Song: Music, Continuation of Psalm. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. (He passes slowly out while singing the last lines followed by his sister.) Act II(Saul's pavilion in the Israelite encampment. The scene takes place just outside the pavilion, where may be placed a couch for the king. To the right is the army of Israel; to the left, the army of the Philistines, and the road to Bethlehem. Sound of trumpets to the left.) (King Saul's Attendants run in, from right, shading their eyes and peering into distance. Soldiers follow.) Attendant (cries): King Saul! Go summon the king; the king must know. (An Attendant runs back.) (Shouting from the left. A Messenger runs in blowing his horn.) Messenger: News for King Saul! Where is the king? The king? (Trumpets on the right. Enter King Saul and his Armor-bearer. The Messenger rushes to him and kneels.) Messenger: O my lord, I bear news; The Philistines with their thousands approach; They gather themselves together, And there is none to withstand them. Saul: Cursed be the day I was born, Or ever the Lord anointed me king over Israel! For a sickness is fallen upon me, And I know not where to look for help. (He advances to couch and rests.) Attendant: Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee. Let my lord now command his servant to seek out a man who is a cunning player on the harp, and it shall come to pass when the evil spirit is upon thee, that he shall play and sing, and thou shalt be well. Saul: Do so. For I would hear of peace, and not of war. Attendant: Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse, David, a shepherd lad, that is cunning in playing. He is called "The sweet singer in Israel." Saul: Take thou this word to Jesse. Say to him: "Send me David, thy son, who is with the sheep." Attendant: Lord, I obey. (He bows and goes.) Messenger: O king, there be three young men, sons of Jesse, Who came but now to serve 'gainst the Philistines. Saul: Go, bring them hither. (The Messenger goes out, left. At the same moment there is a loud shouting from the left, and the Second Messenger runs in.) Second Messenger: News! News for the king! Saul: Hither, man! Speak! Second Messenger: O king, I bear evil tidings: For every thousand Israelites, There are ten thousand Philistines. And there is none to withstand them. Saul: Go ye and summon the warriors of Israel. (Second Messenger goes out to right. Gradually the Soldiers of Israel enter and group at back. The First Messenger reenters with the three elder Sons of Jesse.) First Messenger: Here are the sons of Jesse, lord. Saul: Come nearer, men. (They stand before him.) And are ye sons of Jesse the Bethlehemite? Eliab: Yea, O lord king! Saul: Is one among you called by the name of "David," Or "The sweet singer in Israel"? Eliab: Nay, lord king, For we be men and warriors; But David is a little shepherd lad. Saul: But shepherd lads must needs defend their flocks. (The Attendant enters with David.) Saul: How now, returned so soon? Attendant: I met him, lord. He came but now to see his brothers there. (Nods toward them.) Eliab (angrily): What do you here? And why art thou come down? And with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride and the naughtiness of thine heart; Thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle. David: My father bade me seek thee with this loaf, And flask of wine. (Offers them. Eliab turns angrily away, but Abinadab accepts and eats.) Saul: Peace, men! And art thou he that's called "The sweet singer in Israel"? David: My lord, I—I— Saul: Be not ashamed, but sing thou sweetly to me. David: What shall I sing? Saul: Of peace and pleasantness and quiet ways. (Reclines on couch.) David (sings as before): The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness, for his name's sake. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Saul (to attendant): Go, bid the Princess Michal bring a crown To crown his brow. For he is the sweet singer of Israel. (Attendant goes out.) Sing yet again. David (sings continuation of psalm): Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, For thou art with me: Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (The Attendant enters from right and is followed by the Princess Michal and her slave girls bearing fans.) Attendant (announces): The Princess Michal! Saul: Come thou, Michal, here, And crown the sweetest singer in all Israel. Michal (bowing): My father, as thou biddest! (She turns to David.) Sir, I crown thee, The sweetest singer in all Israel. (Crowns him.) (Loud shouting to the left. Prince Jonathan enters running.) Jonathan: Where is my father? O my father, hear: The army of the Philistines is at hand. And thy people fear, O father. For lo, one of the Philistines, A champion among them, And a giant for strength, He sendeth a challenge to the people of Israel. Saul: Admit the challenger. (Enter from the left the Challenger of Goliath of Gath. He surveys the people sneeringly.) Challenger: Give ear, O ye Israelites, Hear the words of Goliath of Gath: "Choose ye a man for your champion And let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me and kill me, Then will we be your servants; But if I prevail against him, Then shall ye be our servants and serve us. I defy the armies of Israel this day." (The Israelites sway forward murmuring: Ho! Indeed! Swaggerer!) Saul: We will consider. Go! (The Challenger goes.) Jonathan: This challenge hath been cried before the army, And none is found who dare hope for the victory. Saul: Perchance a champion for Israel is here. (Beckons.) Ho, sons of Jesse, ye are come to fight; Ye are big men. Which one of you will fight 'gainst this Philistine? (There is a pause: all look on ground.) Unto the champion who kills Goliath, The king will give great riches. And to that man the king will give his daughter. (There is another pause.) Eliab (uncertainly): I fear, lord king, For if I fail, then Israel is doomed to servitude. Abinadab: I am not strong. Shammah: I am not yet full-grown. David (steps forth): Let no man's heart fail because of him. Thy servant will go and fight with the Philistine. (Laughter and derision from his brothers. Smiles from others.) Saul: Thou art but a youth, and he a man of war. David: Thy servant kept his father's flocks, and when there came a lion or a bear and took a lamb out of the flock, I went down after it and killed it. Eliab: O foolish one! Abinadab: Back to thy sheep! Shammah: Thou braggart! David: The Lord delivered me out of the paw of the lion, He will deliver me out of the hand of the Philistine. Saul: Go, and the Lord be with thee. And take my armor and my sword and shield. (The Armor-bearer advances and offers weapons.) David: I have not proved them. But give me rather five smooth stones from the brook; Thus will I fight. Saul: Go, bid the champion of the Philistines come. (The First Messenger goes out left. Michal goes to David.) Michal: O shepherd, O sweet psalmist of Israel, O do not let the giant get too near! Be careful, David. Jonathan, go with him. And come back safe to Michal. God go with thee. (She goes out.) (David stands as though in prayer, while everyone sings very softly the following lines:) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, For thou art with me: Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. (Or, merely the music may be played.) (The Attendant brings stones to David.) (Enter the Challenger for Goliath followed by Philistines.) Challenger: Tremble, O people of Israel, For Goliath cometh. And the champion of Israel will fall down before him As barley before the sickle. Tremble, O Israelites! Have ye a champion? Have ye a man to stand before him? (David stands forth.) Challenger: Ha, ha, ha! Is Goliath a babe, that thou sendest forth an infant against him? David: He cometh against me with a sword and spear; But I come against him in the name of the God of the armies of Israel, Whom he hath defied. Come forth, Goliath, for thou diest this day. Eliab (to David): O lad, I fear for thee; I'll take thy place. David: Be not afraid. Though I be little, I've the strength of ten. Israelites: Huzzah! Huzzah! Though he be little, he's the strength of ten. David (cries): Come forth, Goliath! THE CHALLENGER FOR GOLIATH THE CHALLENGER FOR GOLIATH THE CHALLENGER FOR GOLIATH (Goliath, a heavy man, enters like a lion loosed from his cage. He brandishes his sword, and attacks David. David dodges and flees; Goliath follows him, hacking the air with his sword. Again David dodges and runs to a sufficient distance to use his sling. Goliath crashes to earth. David runs and stands over him, seizes Goliath's sword and cuts off his head.) (The Challenger and other Philistines flee, crying, "Woe! Woe!") Israelites: Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah! David (holding up Goliath's head): Give ear, O ye people, O ye Israelites, and O ye Philistines: For so shall all they triumph Who put their trust in the Lord! Israelites (shout): For so shall all they triumph Who put their trust in the Lord! First Messenger (with wild enthusiasm): Where now are the Philistines? Israelites: They are fled. Saul: Proclaim through Israel the mighty tidings. (The Second Messenger takes Goliath's head from David, and repeats the tidings three times, standing at center, at right and at left of stage. While he speaks the Soldiers remove Goliath.) Second Messenger (blowing horn): Give ear, O ye people: Slain is Goliath of Gath by the shepherd, David. Who put their trust in the Lord. Jonathan (goes affectionately to David): O David, thou who art to me as a brother, I, Jonathan, prince of Israel, ask thy friendship. Take thou my robe in token of my love. David: O Jonathan, I am but a shepherd of the sheep, But I return thy love. (They exchange shepherd skin and velvet.) (Enter Michal and her dancing women, with cymbals. They chant as they dance.) Chant: musical notation (Repeat three times in three different keys.) Saul (angrily): Peace, women! Ye ascribe unto David ten thousands, And to me ye ascribe but thousands. What more can he have but the kingdom? Michal (runs and kneels before him): O my father, be not wroth at my song. Saul (wearily): I have sworn thee to the man who slew Goliath; And that which the king sweareth will he do. David, I give thee Michal for thy wife. (He turns away.) David: The king's daughter within the palace is all-glorious. Michal (smiling upon him and extending her hand): O David! But see, my father is wroth at my song. Come and sing thou to him. And so shall he forget the mighty warrior, In listening to the sweetest singer in all Israel. (She runs to Saul, who is reclining on couch.) Father, would'st hear again the shepherd's psalm? Saul (heavily): Yea, for I have a sickness, daughter; And the song is verily one of delight. (Michal leans beside Saul as David sings.) David (sings): The Lord is my shepherd: I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. The Lord is my shepherd: I shall not want. I will fear no evil, For thou art with me: Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil: My cup runneth over— Saul (rises threateningly): What sayest thou? Who hath anointed thy head with oil? David: O king, the prophet Samuel, sent of God! O king, one day I shall be king of Israel. (Saul's head sinks on his breast. He passes slowly out, followed by his Attendants.) David (sings): Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. (All turn to go, singing): Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life. And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. |
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