Haman the prime minister to the Persian king, Ahasuerus, plans the extermination of all blacks in the empire, including Queen Esther, the kings black and beautiful wife from Ethiopia. With the kings permission, the queen invites Haman to a banquet in the kings palace. Now read and see what happens next.
AHASUERUS: A good wine and sumptuous dinner this is, Esther!
ESTHER: My duty is to please the king.
AHASUERUS: You are a good queen, Esther.
HAMAN: The best, Your Majesty. I thank the queen for giving me this honor to attend her banquet, of all the kings princes.
ESTHER: (Sarcastically) You are the best prince in the empire, Haman.
HAMAN: If it pleases the king, I will be promoted.
ESTHER: The king will promote and honor the prince after my request.
HAMAN: (Prostrating) May the queen request the kings honor for Haman, even as His Highness did the Ethiopian!
ESTHER: The prince will be honored if only the king would hear my request.
AHASUERUS: What is you request, Esther? Are you not my queen? Even if it is half of my empire, it will be given you.
ESTHER: I am not worth half the kings empire
AHASUERUS: You are more that the whole Asia and Persia put together, Esther. What is your petition?
ESTHER: (Kneeling) If it pleases the king, let him spare my life and the lives of my people. If we are sold as slaves I would not bother the king, but we are sold to be slain in one day by one man!
AHASUERUS: (Infuriated) What did my ears hear? Queen Esther and her people sold?
ESTHER: (Soliciting) We are sold for ten thousand talents of silver, my lord. If the king pleases, save us!
AHASUERUS: Who is the one that would sell Queen Esther and her people? Is he living or dead?
ESTHER: Alive, my lord!
AHASUERUS: Name the rogue, Esther!
ESTHER: (Rising and sitting down triumphantly) He is no other than this fiendish man, Haman!
AHASUERUS: Queen Esther. Do you mean the blacks?
ESTHER: Yes, my lord. Haman sold the blacks, even the kings queen and his savior, Rada!
AHASUERUS: (Irritated) Did I partake of a strange brew to forget my beautiful queen? Or did I drink of your poisoned waters, Haman? Answer to that and quickly too! (Haman terrified)
HAMAN: The decree has the seal of the king.
AHASUERUS: (Raging) And must you answer the king in such a manner, Haman? That you deceived the king to issue a decree to kill the kings wife and her people?
HAMAN: (Soliciting) I know not that the kings wife is a Ethiopian. I plead the kings mercy!
AHASUERUS: (Pointing angrily at him) Must you know the roots of the kings wife to issue a decree, my prime minister?
HAMAN: (Apologetic) May the king forgive his prince! (Standing to make his point) But blacks are not fit to live. Destroy them and let the wild beasts take their place. It is for the good of the kingdom, Your Majesty. Better live with beasts than with people seven years backward!
ESTHER: (Spreading her palms before the king) Hear him, my lord!
AHASUERUS: A bad prince you are! Haman, I must think of what to do with you. A prime minister that kills the kings wife and her people! Haman, the king must think of what to do with your life. (Exit Ahasuerus to the garden followed by attendants)
HAMAN: (Soliciting Esther) The king is angry and my life is in your hands, Your Majesty. I pray you, forgive me.
ESTHER: (Sarcastic) The king will honor you, Haman. You are a good prince of the king!
HAMAN: (Falling on Esthers couch and leaning on her) Must the king honor a man who has planned such harm on the queen and her people? Your Majesty, pardon me!
ESTHER: Do you now know it was harm that you planned against the blacks? You are a wicked man, Haman. Dont talk to me, and in the kings name stop leaning on me! (Re-enter Ahasuerus from the garden followed by attendants)
AHASUERUS: And what are you doing, Haman? Must you even rape my wife in my presence and even in my palace?
ESTHER: I warned him, my lord.
HAMAN: Please pardon. your servant.
ESTHER: But when you took Rada to the king, did you pardon him?
AHASUERUS: This man hates blacks and even Rada, but would sleep with the kings wife!
HARBONA: Even now, Your Highness, Haman has prepared a stake for Rada the queens cousin.
AHASUERUS: Harbona, is it true?
HARBONA: I saw it with my own eyes in Hamans house. A fifty-cubits-gallows Your Highness, for Rada, who saved the king!
ESTHER: My lord, the king. must this man live?
HAMAN: A lie, Your Highness. Harbona is a liar!
HARBONA: The gallows stands even nowin his house!
AHASUERUS: (To servants) Take Haman at once and hang him on the gallows! And go, bring me Rada!
(servants take struggling Haman away to be hanged)
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