Read Ebook: Ireland under the Tudors with a Succinct Account of the Earlier History. Vol. 2 (of 3) by Bagwell Richard

Font size: 10 px 15 px 20 px 25 px 30 px 35 px

Background color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Text color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Apply/Save settings

Ebook has 1647 lines and 171331 words, and 33 pages

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.

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

END

The third scene was written by a girl of eleven years and was as follows:

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.

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 r?les 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 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.

SCENE II

PLACE: Egypt. In Pharaoh's palace.

CHARACTERS: Pharaoh, Joseph, Wise Men, Chief Butler, Servants.

PLACE: Pharaoh's palace.

CHARACTERS: Joseph, His Eleven Brothers, Servants, Pharaoh.

END

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.

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.

Share on: WhatsApp @Hash Facebook Tweet