The Dramatization of Bible Stories: An experiment in the religious education of children — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
The Dramatization of Bible Stories: An experiment in the religious education of children
John Stuart Mill · en
Fig. 2 gives one of the scenes from _David and Goliath._ The play
follows as it was given.
DAVID AND GOLIATH
CHARACTERS: David, David's Three Brothers, King Saul,
Goliath, Israelite Soldiers, Philistine Soldiers.
SCENE I. THE CHALLENGE
PLACE: On the battlefield.
_First Brother:_ Have ye seen this Philistine who is come
up, this giant who has defied the armies of the living God?
_Second Brother:_ Who has seen him?
_Third Brother:_ I have seen him; he is verily a giant. His
height is six cubits and a span. He weareth an helmet of
brass upon his head, and he is armed with a coat of mail,
and he hath greaves of brass upon his legs, and the staff of
his spear is like the weaver's beam; and one bearing a
shield goeth before him. Our soldiers are truly afraid. They
flee as he approacheth.
[Illustration: FIG. 2.--A scene from _David and Goliath_]
_Goliath_ [_apart from the king and soldiers_]: Why are ye
come out to gather your armies to battle? Am I not a
Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? Choose you a man for
you, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight
with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants; but
if I prevail against him and kill him, then shall ye be our
servants and serve us. I defy the armies of Israel this day;
give me a man, that we may fight together.
[_Some of the soldiers turn and flee._]
_Saul:_ Hear the words of this Philistine. I know not what
we can do. Have we no man among us with the strength or
boldness to fight this giant? I will enrich him with great
riches.
_Second Brother:_ In truth, he is a mighty giant, O King.
Our soldiers are greatly dismayed; no one will accept this
challenge.
[_The king and two soldiers go out. Enter_ DAVID. _He
runs up to his brothers and salutes them._]
_First Brother:_ This is David, our younger brother! How
cometh it that thou art here?
_Second Brother:_ I thought we left thee tending the sheep.
_Third Brother:_ What news dost thou bring of our father? Is
all well with him?
_David:_ My father commanded me, saying, "Take now for thy
brethren this parched corn and these ten loaves, and run to
the camp of thy brethren; and carry these ten cheeses unto
the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren
fare." And I rose up early in the morning, and left the
sheep with a keeper, and came as my father commanded.
[_Brothers take food from_ DAVID.]