Adar I 21

That day Haman went out happy and lighthearted. but when Haman saw Mordecai in the palace gate, and Mordecai did not rise or even stir on his account, Haman was filled with rage at him. Nevertheless, Haman, controlled himself and went home. He sent for his friends and his wife Zeresh, and Haman told them about his great wealth and his many sons, and all about how the king had promoted him and advanced him above the officials and the king's courtiers. "What is more," said Haman, "Queen Esther gave a feast, and besides the king she did not have anyone but me. And tomorrow too I am invited by her along with the king. Yet all this means nothing to me every time I see that Jew Mordecai sitting in the palace gate." Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, "Let a stake be put up, fifty cubits high, and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai impaled on it. Then you can go gaily with the king to the feast." The proposal pleased Haman, and he had the stake put up. Esther 5:9-14. The Writings--Kethubim: A new translation of The Holy Scriptures according to the Masoretic text, Third Section, The Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia, 1982. Crayon on cardstock; edited on IrfanView.
A cubit is 18-27 inches, so 50 cubits is 75-112.5 feet. Where do you get a stake that large? How do you impale someone on a stake that high? Why did they teach us it was a gallows? Was a stake too gorey?
When I sketeched these images in the 1980's I thought this was a drawing of Vashti that turn out poorly, but now I see my error -- it's Zeresh! When I was a kid, no one ever mentioned Zeresh, much less, dressed-up to be her!
While this noisemaker is made of simple materials -- paper, string, and wood -- it's pretty effective. Very lightweight paper is glued in place to form the decoration and drum head. The string (twine?) is attached to a small piece of wood inside the drum. The noise is created when the drum is spun by the handle causing the small piece of wood to scrape against the drum head; the sound is magnified inside the drum. Simple, clever, and effective -- just like Esther's plan.
Drum: 1.75" diameter x 1.5" high; 5" handle.