THE JUDGEMENT OF SOLOMON
(The Herald enters, followed by two Soldiers. The Herald blows his trumpet; the two Soldiers flourish their spears.)
Herald: Make way, make way; he entereth now the city! Way for King Solomon, the son of David!
Soldiers: Way for King Solomon, the son of David! Way! Way! (They take positions, one on the right hand and one on the left.)
First Soldier (conversationally): He cometh hither for sacrifice, they say.
Second Soldier: Aye, and to render judgment.
First Soldier: Is it true, think you, that he is wiser than all men that have gone before him?
Second Soldier (shrugs): So men say. As for me, I shall judge for myself.
First Soldier (poses mockingly): O King Solomon, King Solomon, little thou thinkest that the while thou art judging others, a mightier shall judge thee!
Second Soldier (prodding First with spear): Be still, thou ass; he cometh.
(The Soldiers stiffen to attention as the Children enter dancing and singing.)
Song: Music, "Hail to the Monarch." (See Longer Version.)
(Cantata of Esther)
(Enter King Solomon followed by Two Women and Baby, also by Pages and more Soldiers if desired for effect. The Children bow low.)
Solomon (lifting his hand): The Lord be with you!
All: And with thee also, O thou son of David!
Child (offers silver basket of oranges): O king, a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold, in baskets of silver, and the king that faithfully judgeth the poor, his throne shall be established forever.
Solomon (in delight): Ha! Who said that?
Child (courtesies demurely): Your Majesty!
Solomon: Well done! Well spoken! I shall strive to be indeed a king whose judgments shall be like apples of gold in baskets of silver. (He turns to altar and prays.) O Lord God of my fathers, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father, and I am but a little child. I know not how to go out or to come in. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad. For who is able to judge this, thy so great a people?
(While he prays the First Woman creeps forward and kisses the hem of his robe. Solomon turns and regards her with wonder. She rises.)
First Woman: O king, because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies, but hast asked understanding to discern judgment, behold God will give to thee a wise and understanding heart, so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.
Solomon: Who art thou? For it was thus I heard the word of God ringing in my heart. Who art thou?
First Woman (prostrate): The least of thy servants—a grain of dust by the roadside.
Solomon: Why art thou come—here to the Hall of Judgment?
First Woman (rising): O my lord, I and this woman (Indicates Woman with Baby.) dwell in one house, and her son died in the night-time, and she arose at midnight and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid her dead son beside me—
Second Woman (insolently): She lieth, lord king.
First Woman: When I arose in the morning the child was dead, but when I had considered it, behold, it was not my son.
Second Woman: Nay, but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son.
Solomon (regards both silently for a few seconds): Women, approach! (Both women stand before him.) Thou sayest, "This is my son that liveth, and thy son is the dead," and thou sayest, "Nay, but thy son is the dead, and mine is the living." (To Soldier.) Bring hither a sword. (Soldier goes.)
Herald (with curiosity): What is in the king's mind? Will he slay yonder woman for bearing lying witness?
(First Soldier returns with sword.)
Solomon: I cannot judge between you; let God judge. (To Soldier.) Take thou the sword; divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half unto the other.
(The Second Woman crosses hastily to the left as though to flee; the First Woman darts between her and the Soldier and stands ready, with clinched fists, to defend the Baby. The Second Soldier throws her aside and takes the Baby from the other woman.)
Herald (laughing): O clever judge! O mighty son of David!
Second Woman (bowing low): I bow, lord king, to thy decree. Let the child be neither mine nor hers, but divide it.
First Woman (with a little panting cry, throws herself before Solomon): O my lord, my lord, give her the child, give her the living child, and in nowise slay it. Let the child live, even though it be within her arms—lord—lord—
Herald: O prince of wisdom! Through thee indeed the Lord hath spoken. Who would have thought to see such mighty judgment, yea in a beardless youth? Thy wit hath showed the truth and made this lying woman eat her lies.
Children (swarming about Second Woman and bowing to her): Hail, mother of the child!
First Soldier (raises sword and crosses to Second Soldier, who holds Baby): Is it thy will, O king, I slay this child, or give it to yon woman? (Indicates Second Woman.)
Solomon: It is my will (he raises First Woman tenderly) thou give unto this woman the living child, and in nowise slay it; for she is the mother thereof, because she loveth much. For love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave. Many waters cannot quench love; neither can floods drown it.
First Woman (eagerly receives Baby and cuddles it): O king, he who ruleth over men righteously, who ruleth in the fear of God, he shall be as the light of the morning when the sun riseth, a morning without clouds, when the tender grass springeth out of the earth through clear shining after rain. King Solomon, all hail!
All (raising palms): King Solomon, all hail!
(All pass out singing the children's song.)