23. THE GOLDEN SCEPTER IN THE PALACE OF THE LILY
(Book of Esther)
Once a King gave a great feast in his Palace of the Lily to all his people. They drank wine from cups of gold in the garden court of the palace which was paved with red marble and mother of pearl. On the seventh day of the feast, being drunk with wine, the King ordered his officers to bring out Queen Vashti in her royal robes that the princes and people might look at her, for she was very beautiful. She refused. So the King said she should be cast out of the Palace of the Lily, and another Queen chosen in her place—the most beautiful woman they could find. One was chosen whose name was Esther, a captive in Persia. Her father and mother were dead, and her cousin, Mordecai, had brought her up as his own daughter. He was a proud old man who always did what was right, and so he displeased many persons, among whom was Haman, the ruler next to the King. Because Mordecai would not bow down to him, Haman planned to kill the stern old man and with him all the Jews in the land. He persuaded the King to give a command that on a certain day all Jews, young and old, women and little children, should be slain. There was great distress among the Jews, but Haman was happy with the King, drinking wine and talking over his great decree. Esther did not know what had happened until she saw her cousin weeping, and then he told her that her life was in danger too, unless she went to the King and pleaded for her people. She said: “Every one knows that whoever goes before the King into the inner court, who is not called, is put to death, unless the King holds out his golden scepter, and for the last thirty days the King has not called me.”
Mordecai replied: “Do not think you will escape! No, if you fail us now, safety will come by others, but you will perish; and who knows whether you are not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
Then Esther said: “Go, gather together all the Jews and pray three days and three nights for me, and I will go before the King, and if I perish, I perish!” At the end of three days she put on her royal robes, went into the inner court, and stood opposite the King as he sat on his throne. When he saw her he held out his golden scepter, and said, “What is your wish, Queen Esther? Speak and you shall have it to the half of my kingdom!” She said, “May it please the King to come to-day with Haman to a banquet that I have prepared.” At the banquet the King again asked her wish, and she said, “If it please the King, come again to-morrow to a banquet with Haman.” Haman was delighted as he went home and told his wife and friends about his good fortune; but he said, “I am unhappy as long as Mordecai refuses to bow down to me!” They said, “Build a gallows, and ask the King to let Mordecai be hanged on it.” He did so. But that same night the King read in the book of golden deeds how true Mordecai had been to a former King, and he knew that this service had never been rewarded. When Haman came in the King said, “What shall be done to the man whom the King delights to honor?” Thinking it must be himself the King meant, he said: “Let royal apparel be given him and a royal horse, and a royal crown, and bid him ride through the city for the people to honor.” The King said, “Then make haste and do all this for Mordecai.” This he had to do. And when he went to the Queen’s banquet he was not happy. The King said: “What is your wish, Queen Esther? Speak and I will give it, to the half of my kingdom.” She said: “O King, let my life and my people’s life be given me; for we are sold, I and my people, to be slain and to perish.” The King said, “Who is he? where is he that dares to do so?” Esther pointed to Haman, and said, “There he is, this wicked Haman!” Haman was afraid, and pleaded with the Queen to ask the King to spare his life, but the King said, “Hang him on the gallows that he built for Mordecai.” This was done at once, and when Haman was dead Mordecai was put into his place next to the king, and all the people rejoiced. So Queen Esther, to whom the King extended the golden scepter in the Palace of the Lily, saved all her people, the Jews, that day and they lived in peace and prosperity.
VII
BIBLE STORIES FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT
(Adapted for Children, Six to Twelve Years.)