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I COME tell us the story again, | |
| You told us when we were young, | |
| Of Esther, the great Jewish queen, | |
| And Haman—the one they hung; | |
| And how the tables were turned, | 5 |
| And Mordecai came to be great, | |
| How he won the respect of the king, | |
| Though sprung from low estate. | |
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II We clustered around the broad table, | |
| On which all the dainties were spread, | 10 |
| And the rays seemed as soft as moonbeams, | |
| From the seven star lamp overhead; | |
| And we seemed once more to be children, | |
| Aglowing with youthful glee, | |
| The youngest—a baby of twenty, | 15 |
| Perched up on his mother’s knee. | |
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III Well, father read out the Megillah, | |
| We knew it all, through and through, | |
| Though it’s wonderful, how in that small book, | |
| One always finds something that’s new; | 20 |
| So we wept again where Esther | |
| Risked her own life to see the King, | |
| And cried “Bravo” when Haman was ordered | |
| Upon his own gallows to swing. | |
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IV But when we came to the hero, | 25 |
| (Who used to sit out by the gate,) | |
| Led all over Shushan by Haman,— | |
| And robed in the king’s own state,— | |
| We clapped our hands for wonder, | |
| How strangely things came about, | 30 |
| And thought we could hear the thunder, | |
| That echoed the people’s shout. | |
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V And then the ten sons of Haman, | |
| And those that rejoiced at the news— | |
| That ranged on the side of the wicked, | 35 |
| And perished instead of the Jews— | |
| We thought how God in His wisdom | |
| His breath to each creature doth give, | |
| And yet how he blots out millions, | |
| That millions of others may live. | 40 |
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VI Our reading and feasting had ended, | |
| And father looked wisely at all, | |
| And told us the lesson extended, | |
| That Esther’s brave life did recall:— | |
| “The path of the righteous is ever | 45 |
| God’s vigilant care and cause, | |
| And honesty, virtue and justice, | |
| Are heaven’s immutable laws. | |
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VII “The lowly shall rise from their thralldom, | |
| And sit on the kingly throne, | 50 |
| And God, in his infinite mercy, | |
| Will gather them for his own; | |
| While those who sit in high places, | |
| And mingle not justice with power, | |
| Shall merit the wrath of th’ Almighty | 55 |
| And perish from that dread hour. | |
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VIII “The outward has nothing to boast of, | |
| Nor figure, nor color of skin, | |
| The image of God is implanted, | |
| Engraved on the heart within; | 60 |
| The gift to rule self is to each one, | |
| To rule over many, to few; | |
| But a single brave heart may work wonders, | |
| If only that one heart be true.” | |
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