Chapter IV: The Dramatization of David and Goliath

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.

The story of _David and Goliath_ is short, simple, and yet contains vivid action. It was chosen as one of the first stories to be given to the dramatic club because of these qualities. After the children had gone through the experience of dramatizing it they had gained a self-confidence and a realization of their own power in interpreting a story through dramatization.

The methods employed in presenting _David and Goliath_ were much the same as those described in connection with _Joseph._ The point that must be kept in mind in all of this work is that the dramatization of a story begins with the action and that the words are developed. The play is never written first and acted afterward.

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.

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.

_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.]

_Goliath:_ 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.

[DAVID _listens. The soldiers seem disturbed and
frightened._]

_David:_ What meaneth this?

_Soldier_ [_walks up to_ DAVID]: Have ye seen this man who
is come up? Surely to defy Israel is he come up. And it
shall be that the man who killeth him the king will enrich
with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make
his father's house free in Israel.

_David:_ Who is this Philistine that he should defy the
armies of the living God?

_First Brother_ [_showing anger against_ DAVID]: Why camest
thou hither? And with whom hast thou left those few sheep in
the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thy
heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the
battle.

_David:_ What have I now done? [_He turns from his brothers
and speaks to the people._] What shall be done with the man
that killeth this Philistine and taketh away the reproach
from Israel? For who is this Philistine that he should defy
the armies of the living God? I will fight him, and if I
prevail against him and kill him, then will the Philistines
be our servants and serve us. The Lord God of Israel will
deliver him into my hands.

_Soldiers:_ Saul, the king, shall hear these words!

SCENE II. DAVID BEFORE SAUL

PLACE: Saul's tent.

_David_ [_comes in and salutes the king_]: Let no man's
heart fail because of this giant; thy servant will go and
fight with this Philistine.

_Saul:_ Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to
fight with him; for thou art but a youth, and he a man of
war from his youth.

_David:_ Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and when there
came a lion or a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock, I
went out after him and smote him, and delivered it out of
his mouth; and when he rose up against me, I caught him by
the beard and smote him and slew him. Thy servant slew both
the lion and the bear; and this Philistine shall be as one
of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.
The Lord that hath delivered me out of the paw of the lion,
and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of
the hand of this Philistine.

_Saul:_ Go, and the Lord go with thee. [_To soldiers_]:
Bring forth armor; this youth must be ready to meet the foe.

[_The soldiers bring armor._ SAUL _puts the armor, a
helmet and a coat of mail, on_ DAVID. DAVID _puts on his
sword, then walks a few steps. He suddenly throws the
sword down and begins to take off the armor._]

_David:_ I cannot go with these, for I have not proved them.
[_He takes the armor off and keeps only his shepherd's staff
and sling._] The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of
the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me
out of the hand of this Philistine.

[_He bows to the king and goes out._]

SCENE III. THE BATTLE

PLACE: The battlefield.

[DAVID _picks up five smooth stones and puts them into
his shepherd bag._ GOLIATH _comes toward him. He is
dressed in armor, and the man that bears his shield
comes before him._ GOLIATH _looks surprised and
disgusted when he sees_ DAVID.]

_Goliath:_ Am I a dog that thou comest to me with staves?
Come to me and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the
air and unto the beasts of the field.

_David:_ Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear
and with a shield; but I come to thee in the name of the
Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I
will smite thee, and take thy head from thee; and I will
give the bodies of the Philistines unto the fowls of the
air, and unto the beasts of the field, that all may know
that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall
know that the Lord saveth not with the sword and with the
spear, for the battle is the Lord's and he will give you
into our hands!

[DAVID _puts his hand into his bag and takes out a
stone and slings it, so that it hits the giant in the
forehead. The giant falls. The Philistines flee._ DAVID
_stands with his foot on the body of the giant._]

_Israelite Soldiers with David:_ The battle is the Lord's!

END