BACK BABYMOSE 5'2m2f Pharaoh's daughter adopts baby Moses MOTHER -- (enters with Father, sobbing) He's gone! My baby is gone! FATHER -- (arm around Mother's shoulder) Please don't cry, my love. Tell me what happened. MOTHER -- I put him in a basket and hid him in the river, just as we planned. FATHER -- Yes, in the thick reeds by the river bank. MOTHER -- Yes. But when I went back to feed him, he was gone! FATHER -- The basket and everything? MOTHER -- Yes! Do you think a crocodile ate him? FATHER -- No. A crocodile wouldn't have eaten the basket too. Maybe the basket just floated down the river. MOTHER -- That's impossible. I wedged the basket in among some thick reeds. You don't think that the worst might have happened, do you? FATHER -- (turns away) I... I don't want to think about it. MOTHER -- Perhaps the Egyptian soldiers found the basket and killed our baby. FATHER -- (restrains tears) He was such a wonderful baby. I always thought that some day he would be a leader for our people. MOTHER -- (sobs) PHARAOH -- (enters) What are you two slaves doing in my palace? FATHER -- (points, loud whisper) It's the Pharaoh, king of Egypt. MOTHER -- (bows, tries to stifle tears) FATHER -- (bowing) I'm sorry, your majesty, the slave driver assigned us to serve here in the palace. We were told to report to the head servant here. PHARAOH -- Why is that woman crying? FATHER -- I'm sorry, your majesty, she... we just lost our baby. We think your soldiers killed him. PHARAOH -- Listen, I'm not a vicious person. You Jews were just having too many babies. My advisors told me that if I didn't take action soon, you Jews would outnumber us Egyptians and we would lose control of you. Pretty soon you would be the masters and we would be your slaves. FATHER -- I understand, your majesty. PHARAOH -- Well, get busy! There's work to be done. (points over shoulder as he crosses) The head servant is right through that door. (Father and Mother face and bow to Pharaoh as he passes) FATHER -- (exiting with Mother) Yes, your majesty. PRINCESS -- (enters opposite carrying baby) Father! A miracle has happened! PHARAOH -- What is that in your arms? A baby? PRINCESS -- Yes! Oh, yes! You know how my husband and I have been wanting to have a baby, but we couldn't have one of our own? PHARAOH -- Yes. PRINCESS -- Now the gods have given us a baby! PHARAOH -- Yes, but where did he come from? PRINCESS -- He came from the god of all gods, from the River Nile. PHARAOH -- But how? The River Nile doesn't just grow babies like it grows reeds and lily pads! PRINCESS -- I went down to the river this morning to take my bath. And on the way there, I prayed to the gods that I would some day be a mother. And when I got there, a baby, this baby, a boy baby, was waiting for me in the river floating in a basket! Isn't that wonderful father?! PHARAOH -- So, the River Nile is indeed the greatest god of all! PRINCESS -- (pats baby) Oh, he's fussing, father. I'll bet he's hungry. But I have no milk to give him. PHARAOH -- The gods are truly smiling down upon you today, my daughter. PRINCESS -- Why, father? What do you mean? PHARAOH -- Just a moment ago, two new slaves were assigned to work here in the palace and one of them, a woman... her baby just... died. PRINCESS -- Oh, I'm sorry. PHARAOH -- But she will be able to nurse your new baby! MOTHER -- (enters hurriedly) My daughter just came and told me that the princess found a baby. FATHER -- (follows Mother, whispers loudly) Darling, you mustn't approach the royal family without being invited! (bows, encourages Mother to bow) MOTHER -- (rises boldly) May I see the baby? FATHER -- (tries to restrain Mother, whispers) Darling, please! PRINCESS -- Yes, look, the gods gave him to me just this morning. MOTHER -- (recognizes baby, gasps) FATHER -- Him? Did she say the baby is a boy?! (tries to peek) PRINCESS & MOTHER -- It's a miracle! PRINCESS -- Isn't he beautiful? I shall call him Moses because he came "out of the water". MOTHER -- (aside to Father, whispers) It's him! It's our baby! FATHER -- (aloud) Praise God! PHARAOH -- Yes, praise be to all the gods, but especially to the greatest God of all, the River Nile! He gave the royal family an heir to the throne of Egypt! FATHER -- You mean, you're going to make our.... you're going to make that baby a king?! PHARAOH -- Some day he will be Pharaoh, King of Egypt! It is the will of the gods. FATHER -- Praise God! PRINCESS -- (pats baby) Oh, the baby is fussing! And I have no milk. PHARAOH -- This is the woman I told you about. The one who lost her baby. MOTHER -- I will nurse the baby for you! PRINCESS -- (hands baby to Mother) Then, I shall make you the royal nanny and you shall raise my baby for me. You shall love him and care for him as if he were your own. MOTHER -- I would be honored! PRINCESS -- (crosses to exit) Come then, let us make preparations to move you into the palace. MOTHER -- (follows smiling) Yes, your majesty. PHARAOH -- (follows) You won't mind living in the palace and helping to raise my grandson, will you, slave? FATHER -- (follows) It is the will of God! ©2008 Bob Snook. Conditions for use: Do not sell any part of this script, even if you rewrite it. Pay no royalties, even if you make money from performances. You may reproduce and distribute this script freely, but all copies must contain this copyright statement. http://www.bobsnook.org email: bob@bobsnook.org BACK |