_Haman_ [_aside_]: Whom would the King like to honor more than myself? [_To the_ KING]: For the man whom the King delighteth to honor, let the royal apparel be brought which the King useth to wear, and the horse which the King rideth upon, and the royal crown which is set upon his head; and let these be given the man whom the King delighteth to honor; and let him ride on horseback through the streets of the city; and proclaim before him, "Thus it shall be done unto the man whom the King delighteth to honor!" _King:_ Make haste and take the royal apparel and the horse as thou hast said and do even so unto Mordecai, the Jew, that sitteth at the King's gate. Let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken. [HAMAN _bows his head low and goes out to_ MORDECAI.] _Servant:_ O King, Haman hath built a gallows upon which to hang Mordecai, the Jew, this day. [HAMAN _returns with_ MORDECAI _and puts on the crown, etc._] _King:_ Let him who hath made the gallows hang upon it! [_Servant takes_ HAMAN _out._] _King:_ Come near, Mordecai. Thou hast found great favor in mine eyes. From henceforth thou shalt be my chief counselor, and thou shalt rule the land in Haman's place. Thy people shall be spared, and letters shall be sent over all the land and into every province which shall state that the Hebrew people shall not be destroyed, but instead they shall be honored and have joy and feasting. _Mordecai:_ I thank thee, O King and Esther, my Queen, for the great deliverance and for this great honor to me. May the Lord give me strength to deal wisely with these peoples. _Esther:_ This is a great happiness which thou hast bestowed upon me, O King. CHAPTER VIII THE DRAMATIZATION OF _ABRAHAM AND THE THREE GUESTS_ This incident should be simplified and adapted before it is told to children. The dramatization is best worked out in the form of a short, free play which involves only one act. It is unnecessary to carry it to the point of fixed words and actions. The emphasis should be placed upon the customs of the times which are so well brought out in the story; for example, the hospitality of Abraham to the strangers represents the feeling toward strangers among the nomad peoples, and the manner in which he showed his hospitality makes children acquainted with customs peculiar to those people. There is excellent opportunity here for enriching the children's understanding of the life of a shepherd people, of which the Israelites are an example.