Chapter IV: Prologue: This is Egypt. The wicked Pharaoh holds the children of

Israel in bondage; but they are grown so many that he fears them.
Therefore he has commanded that all boy babies be taken from their
mothers' arms and put to death.

But the mothers seek to hide their babies.

Look and behold the marshy waters of the River Nile; tall reeds grow
here; it is the hiding place one mother has chosen. See, she and the
sister of the babe come now to hide him from the soldiers of Pharaoh.
(_She raises the curtain of reeds above her head, or passes out._)

(_Enter the little_ SISTER _bearing the ark of bulrushes. She looks this way and that way; then she calls softly._)

SISTER: Mother, this way! The wicked soldiers will not find him here.

(_The_ MOTHER _enters bearing the_ BABY.)

MOTHER: Is there no one in sight? (_She looks anxiously about._)

SISTER: No one!

MOTHER (_embracing the child_): O my son, the cruel Pharaoh would
slay thee, but the Lord is gracious; he will save.

SISTER: Here is the ark of bulrushes; I have daubed it well with
pitch. Shall I lay it among the flags at the river's brink?

(_The_ MOTHER _nods. The_ SISTER _arranges the coverings in the basket. The_ MOTHER _hugs the child._)

MOTHER: O my baby! (_She places child in basket._)

SISTER (_peering into distance_): Mother, sh-h-h! I see the daughter
of Pharaoh in the distance; she cometh to bathe in the river. Oh--if
she should discover us!

MOTHER (_looking up anxiously_): God's will be done!

SISTER (_still peering out_): One of her maidens is a child of
Israel, but the other is a proud Egyptian. See, now they stop to
bathe.

MOTHER (_rising from her knees_): I must return lest I be missed at
home when the soldiers make the daily search for children; but do
thou watch beside the child, and in the nighttime I will return with
food.

SISTER: That will I, mother. I will hide in the tall reeds yonder.
(_The_ MOTHER _moves away_; SISTER _runs after her._) But, mother, if
they discover the babe, what must I do?

MOTHER (_earnestly_): Surely God will teach thee. Pray. (_She goes._)

SISTER (_crouching beside ark_): O God, let no one hurt my little
brother! O God, I pray thee. (_She sings a lullaby._)

_Lullaby_, "Coventry Carol"

_Slowly_

[Song:
"Lul-lay, thou lit-tle, tin-y Child;
By, by, lul-ly, lul-lay....
Lul-lay, thou lit-tle, tin-y Child;
By, by, lul-ly, lul-lay."
]

(_The_ SISTER _looks up, startled, then flees behind the reeds as the_ DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH _approaches, followed by_ SLAVES _bearing fans._)

DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH: Come, maidens, we will rest by the river's
brink, where the flag flowers grow. (_She approaches nearer._) But
what is that, floating upon the water?

EGYPTIAN SLAVE: Lady, it is a babe.

DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH: Go fetch it, girl. No doubt it is one of the
Hebrew children.

EGYPTIAN SLAVE: A Hebrew brat? I will not touch it, I!

(_The_ DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH _raises her hand and strikes the saucy maid, as the other slave, the_ MAID OF ISRAEL, _brings the babe._) (_Or kneels beside it._)

SLAVE OF ISRAEL: O lady, see how beautiful!

EGYPTIAN SLAVE: Let it die, even as Pharaoh commanded.

SLAVE OF ISRAEL: O lady, let it live! Think how the mother loved
it. See how cunningly the ark is daubed with pitch and hidden here,
'midst the flag-flowers.

EGYPTIAN SLAVE: If you let it live, you let live one more enemy to
Pharaoh.

DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH: Hold thy tongue, girl. (_She looks doubtfully at
child._)

EGYPTIAN SLAVE (_exultingly_): Here come the guard of Pharaoh; they
will see the babe and slay it. (_She points to distance. All look._)

DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH: What to do? Think, girl, use thy wits. (_To_
SLAVE OF ISRAEL.)

(_The little_ SISTER _rushes from reeds and kneels._)

SISTER: O lady, lady, shall I go and call a nurse of the Hebrew
women, that she may nurse the child for thee?

DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH: Go--go quickly. (_She looks apprehensively
about._)

EGYPTIAN SLAVE: The soldiers cross the river.

(_The little Sister returns, followed by the_ MOTHER.)

SISTER (_panting_): Lady, I have brought a nurse.

DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH: Woman, take thou this child and nurse it for me,
and I will give thee wages. (_Gives a piece of gold._)

MOTHER (_taking child_): Daughter of Pharaoh, may the God of Israel
bless thee.

DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH (_turning to go_): Fare thee well.

EGYPTIAN SLAVE (_cries_): The soldiers!

DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH (_turning back_): Fear ye not.

(_All huddle behind her. She faces the_ SOLDIERS _as they enter and salute._)

FIRST SOLDIER: Daughter of Pharaoh, we make search for Hebrew
children. One hath escaped us.

DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH (_haughtily_): Who art thou to question me? Pass
on.

SECOND SOLDIER: But--the babe yonder? (_Points._)

DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH: Is the adopted son of Pharaoh's daughter. Pass
ye by. (_She waves them away. They salute and go. She takes the child
in her arms and embraces him._) I love the child. (_She gives the_
CHILD _to his_ MOTHER _and turns to go; then she turns back._) Call
the child "Moses," for that means, "Drawn up out of the water," and
remember he is dear to me for that _I_ have saved him. (_She goes out
followed by her maids._)

(_The_ MOTHER _and_ SISTER _kneel with the_ CHILD.)

MOTHER (_prays_): O God of Israel, bless thou this child, and as
_thou_ hast drawn him up out of the water, grant that he may be the
means, through thee, to lift his people out of slavery. (_They rise
and go._)

(_The_ EPILOGUE _folds curtain, advances to front of stage, and holds up hand._)