ELI (_prays_): O Lord God, O let this, thy servant, find grace in thy sight. Forgive thou the iniquity of my sons. For who shall follow after me, O Lord? Who shall be judge of Israel, if not my sons? Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give unto me an answer of peace. (_He bows his head and passes out._) (_The_ PROLOGUE _reenters._) PROLOGUE: Now many years have passed. Eli is still the priest and judge of Israel, though he is blind; and his sons continue still in evil. Yonder come Hannah and her husband to give thanks for the gift of the child Samuel, and to give him to the Lord. (PROLOGUE _goes._) (_Enter_ HANNAH _and_ ELKANAH _leading the child_ SAMUEL.) HANNAH (_caressing child_): See thou, this is the very spot on which I prayed the prayer which brought me thee. SAMUEL (_roguishly_): God heard thy prayer, and sent thee a little son to boast of. (_He smiles up at her._) ELKANAH (_rumpling_ SAMUEL'S _hair_): Nay, an imp of mischief! (ELI _enters, groping blindly._ SAMUEL _regards him in amaze._) SAMUEL: There cometh the priest in raiment. (_He shrinks away._) Ai! Why walketh he in such fashion? HANNAH: He is become blind. (_She advances to him._) Sir--O Eli-- ELI: Woman, thy voice is known to me--and yet--who art thou? HANNAH: O sir, I am that woman who stood here praying, these many years ago. For a child I prayed, and the Lord hath granted my petition. (_She leads_ SAMUEL _to_ ELI, _who passes his hands delicately over the child's head._) Therefore I also have given the child to the Lord. As long as he liveth he is granted to the Lord. (_She turns to_ SAMUEL.) Kneel thou, my son, before this holy man and beseech him to take thee into the service of the Lord. SAMUEL (_pulls_ HANNAH _away and puts his lips to her ears_): Hark'ee, dear mother, I would fain go home with thee again. HANNAH: Nay, little son, night approacheth; we must leave thee. ELKANAH: Come, say, "Farewell." (SAMUEL _goes to him._) HANNAH (_prays, as though facing the altar of the Lord_): My heart exulteth in the Lord; My horn is exalted in the Lord. The Lord maketh poor and maketh rich; He bringeth low; he also lifteth up. For by strength shall no man prevail. The Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; He shall give strength unto his king And exalt the horn of his anointed. (_She turns, embraces the child, then bows before_ ELI.) O Eli, priest of God and judge of Israel, the Lord be with thee. (HANNAH _and_ ELKANAH _go._) ELI (_sits on couch and beckons to_ SAMUEL): Come hither, lad. (SAMUEL _goes to him reluctantly._) What do they call thee? SAMUEL (_sniffling_): Samuel, master. ELI: Samuel? And what hath thy mother taught to thee? SAMUEL: She hath taught me that the Lord Jehovah is one God, and there is none beside him, that I must love him and speak truth always. ELI: And what else--if there be aught beside?