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Sing-a-Long with Esther: If I perish
Cartoon’s transcript
Narrator: In the dry, desert landscape of ancient Iraq, lies hidden ruins which hold enchanting stories from the sands of time.
Kid: Wait a second!? Sands. Of. Time.? Oh I see what you did there… please continue.
Narrator: Eh-hem. A long, long time ago in a land far, far away the city of Shushan was ruled by a powerful king of such splendor and majesty, his name was King Ahasuerus. The king decided that he ought to display riches of his glorious kingdom and demonstrate his power by holding a feast for one hundred and eighty days!
Kid: Whoa, whoa whoa, didn’t people have jobs to do? Didn’t they go to school? You can’t have a party for 180 days, that’s just silly.
Narrator: Never-the-less! During the party the king called for his beautiful wife, Queen Vashti, to stand before him so that everyone could admire her beauty. However, she refused! The king was enraged with anger (spoken quickly) and after quickly conversing with his closest advisors, the seven princes of Persia and Media he issued a royal decree so that all wives will honour their husbands and Queen Vashti was to never again come before the king. And so, our story begins…
Narrator: Mordecai was a Benjamite Jew who raised his younger cousin, Esther, like she was his own daughter. The Benjamites and other Jews had come to Shushan as captives from the land of Judah and were now living among the people of Persia. One day there was a knock at the door…
Officer: “By order of the king! “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king” You have been summoned to the palace on account of your most pleasing beauty. Follow me!
Mordecai: You had better go Esther but don’t reveal to anyone our people or our family!
Narrator: Mordecai followed Esther to the palace and each day he paced outside the woman’s quarters hoping to find out what was happening to her.
Haman comes walking by and a nervous Mordecai steps in his way as he paces.
Haman: Move out my way you nincompoop!
Mordecai: I’m sorry sir, I am just so concerned about…
Haman: blah blah blah, can’t you see how important I am?
Esther: Oh Hegai, thank you for your kindness towards me but I am so completely, utterly and absolutely terrified to see the king. What if he doesn’t like me and I am cast aside along with all his other concubines or worse!
Hegai: Esther, you’re the most beautiful one here and more importantly than that you are the most thoughtful, sincere and warm hearted of all the women brought before the king.
Officer: Bring hither the one they called Asthma!
Hegai: I think that’s you. Don’t worry about a thing!
Narrator: After twelve months of preparations each young woman went in to meet with the king. Only the ones that pleased the king were called by name to appear before him a second time. Esther had found favour in the sight of all who saw her and the king loved Esther more than any other woman. He made a feast for her and set the royal crown upon her head.
Narrator: As Mordecai sat outside the kings gate he overheard two doorkeepers plotting to kill the king. (mumbling in the background “he’s a rotter, what a lousy king, a real no good so n so”) After reporting this plot to Esther, she then informed the king and the two men were hanged on the gallows. Thus, Mordecai’s loyalty to the king was recorded in the book of chronicles.
Narrator: After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the Agagite, and so all the king’s servants within the king’s gate would bow down to him. All, that is, except Mordecai!
Officer #1: Oi! Why do you transgress the king’s command?
Officer #2: He should be bowing down to Haman shouldn’t he?
Officer #1: Yeah, he should!
Narrator: Mordecai remained standing when Haman passed by which filled Haman with wrath! The other servants within the kings gate had informed Haman that Mordecai was a Jew and so from then on Haman sought to destroy all the Jews in the kingdom!
Haman: My king, there are certain people scattered among the people of the kingdom, they keep different laws and do not keep the king’s laws. Therefore, if it please the king, let a decree be written that they be destroyed!
King Ahasuerus: My dear Haman, that sounds like a reasonable request. Do to them as seems good to you!
Narrator: And so by written decree instructions were sent out across the kingdom that on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month of Adar everyone was to turn and attack the Jews and plunder their possessions.
Kid: That’s not very nice! That mean old Haman needs a good telling off.
Narrator: Yes, well when Mordecai learned about the decree he and the other Jews cried out in mourning and with much fasting, weeping and wailing they called on their God. Mordecai sent word to Esther saying:
Mordecai: Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and our father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
Narrator: Esther then responded saying:
Esther: Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!
Narrator: After this Esther then entered the royal court where the king sat on his throne. Anyone who does this without being summoned is put to death, unless! Unless the king holds out his golden scepter to allow this person to approach him.
King Ahasuerus: What do you wish, Queen Esther?
Esther: If it please the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him.
King Ahasuerus: Bring Haman quickly, that he may do as Esther has said!
King Ahasuerus: What is it that you want Esther? Ask and it shall be done for you!
Esther: If I have found favour in the sight of the king then please come to a banquet that I will prepare tomorrow and I will then ask that you fulfill my request.
Narrator: So Haman left the banquet filled with joy but when he saw that Mordecai would still not bow before him he became angry.
Haman: Queen Esther invited no one but me to come with the king to her banquet, and tomorrow I am invited again! But that sniveling, no good nincompoop Mordecai still won’t bow down to me!
Zeresh: Why don’t you make some gallows and ask the king in the morning if it’s ok to hang Mordecai on them and then go on your merry little way to the banquet?
Narrator: That night the king could not sleep and so he commanded that the book of the chronicles be read to him. When he heard the matter of Mordecai’s loyalty to the king regarding the two doorkeepers who plotted to kill him he asked:
King Ahasuerus: What honour has been bestowed to Mordecai for his loyalty?
Officer: Nothing your majesty.
King Ahasuerus: My dear Haman, what shall be done for the man whom the king delights to honour?
Haman: ooh well you should give him your royal robe, and then, and then put him on your horse, yes and then parade me, er him, through the city! With someone shouting “Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor”!
King Ahasuerus: What a jolly good idea! This is what shall be done to Mordecai!
Zeresh (Haman’s wife): oh dear, oh dear, oh dear this doesn’t look good for you. For if Mordecai is really Jewish then all your plans will fail.
Officer: Haman, you are promptly requested to attend her royal highness, Queen Esther’s banquet.
King Ahasuerus: So, what is it that you want Esther? Ask and it shall be done for you!
Esther: If I have found favour in your sight O king let my life and that of my people be saved as my request. For we are to all be killed!
King Ahasuerus: Who is he, where is he, who would dare do such a thing?
Esther: The enemy is this wicked man Haman!
Haman: Queen Esther! Darling, I mean your majesty, you most royal highness I am so speechless… please, pleaasssee don’t do this to me
King Ahasuerus: Will he also assault the queen while I am in the house?!
Officer: Look your majesty, the gallows which Haman was to hang Mordecai on!
King Ahasuerus: Hang him on it!
Narrator: And so it was that the evil plans of the wicked man Haman came back on his own head. The king promoted Mordecai to rule over all that Haman possessed and a new written decree was sent out through all the kingdom instructing the Jews to protect their lives against all who would attack them on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month which is the month of Adar. This day became known as Purim.
Esther: “I’m only a small little girl, what is it I could possibly do? I’ve not lived nearly long enough, to be of any service to you.”
Mordechai: “My dear you are in the right spot, the right place the right time and whatnot, you must go before the king and this is what you must sing.”
Esther: “If I have favour in your sight, then please come and eat this night, at the banquet I will prepare and my request to you declare.”
Mordechai: “And my dear please don’t forget, invite Haman to the banquet and explain before the king how he plans this wicked thing.
Both: Our people are in distress…
Mordechai: Their lives are your ultimate test…
Esther: Will I go before the king, and risk everything?
Mordechai: If you perish, you perish,
Esther: If I perish, I perish. Wicked Haman won’t have his way. Please fast these next three days, and then I will do as you say.”