While the Narrator gives the following speech, the Woodsmen will enter with instruments and begin a rhythmic percussion improvisation which will continue throughout the Latin chant. When the chant has ended, the group will fade out its improvisation.
N: The following day, Erysichthon’s
woodsmen have agreed to meet in the Sacred Grove. Solones
has promised Mestra to try to stop them from cutting
down the ancient trees. But before any of them arrive, the priestesses of
Ceres’ grove assemble as is their daily custom to dance beneath the limbs of
the oaks and sing praises to the goddess, Ceres. Our story continues as these
women, though the superstitious in town refer to them as those magical
tree-spirits, dryads, emerge and perform their solemn ceremony of praise.
The Dryads enter the stage wearing robes and garlands, and take their seats and begin, in a slow, chanting chorus, in unison:
Salve
Mater
misericordiae,
Vita,
dulcedo
Et
spes nostra.
The following verse is to be cried out individually, spontaneously accompanying the percussion improvisation.
Ad te clamamus
Et
suspiramus,
Gementes et flentes
In hav lacrimarum valle.
D1 will begin chanting “O Clemens” 4 times when all have finished with the preceeding verse. The Dryads join her and all continue in unison.
O clemens, O clemens,
O clemens, O clemens
o
pia, o dulcis
mater nostra.
Return to original tempo and rhythm.
Salve
Mater
misericordiae,
Vita,
dulcedo
Et
spes nostra.
Pause to allow the percussion group to fade out and end.
D1: Sisters, hide quickly! Here
come four men!
Woodcutters
pick up chainsaws and whistle Tamino’s aria “Wie stark ist nicht
dein Zauberton” from The
Magic Flute, as they re-take their seats.
W1: This is the place.
W3: Where
should we begin?
W4: Who cares? Let’s just cut.
W2: Are
you sure that we should?
We might offend Ceres if
we chop down her wood.
W3: I wouldn’t worry. We are
getting paid.
So it doesn’t matter
which tree first gets flayed.
W4: Who believes in the gods
anymore anyway?
W1: Enough of this chatter, we
don’t have all day.
D1:
(whispered) I’m sure they
don’t realize what they are doing.
D2: It’s alarmingly reckless,
this course they’re pursuing.
D4: They show little regard for
the heavenly laws.
D3: Perhaps if they see us,
they’ll put down their saws.
D1: Watch me.
W2: (Surprised ) Ceres’ handmaids!
W3: It’s
an illusion.
W1: Ladies,
forgive us. We meant no intrusion,
D1: Welcome, kind gentlemen. You
are not from this place.
You appear to be
strangers – I do not know one face.
By the looks of your
tools you have business out here?
W1: It’s our first good employment
in over a year.
We’ve been sent to cut
wood for our master’s new house,
It’s designed for his
daughter and her future spouse.
It will be a
construction to behold and take pride in.
W3:
(sotto voce ) Or a stronghold for old Erysichthon to hide in.
D1:
(laughs nervously ) Bur surely you don’t think to cut
down this grove?
‘tis
sacrilege! None of the gods would approve!
W4: We are paid to do more than
just thinking about it.
W3: We’ll be starting today. I
don’t think you could doubt it.
W4: There’s only one sacrilege
that I can see
Without money I can’t
feed my own family.
D1:
(to the other D’s ) Sisters, come join me. We are all Ceres’
servants.
And our lives are
committed to Ceres’ observance.
Do you wish to
risk her divine retribution?
W2: They’re right. We should look
for some other solution.
W3: You give in too easily.
They’re telling us lies.
They’re afraid of our
chain-saws. I see fear in their eyes.
W2: Divine retribution? What do
you mean?
W3: Oh, stop your sniveling! Don’t
make such a scene!
Erysichthon
can worry, don’t be such a jerk.
W4: Who cares about goddesses, I’m
here for the work.
D1: Have you never endured the
cold Winter’s cruelty?
You shall suffer it more
if you cut down this tree.
Our sacred boughs offer
your shelter from storms.
Fallen branches and bark
feed the fire that warms,
D4: From a hot Summer’s
day, have you never sought shade?
D2: Never tasted the harvest in
the Fall that’s displayed
In our
branches?
D3: Nor breathed
the sweet perfume
Of gentle Spring’s blossoms when they waft through a room?
D1: You sweet, gentle men, can
you finally see
What the price of dismemb’ring this forest would be?
Destruction of our grove
destroys
The
blessed fruit which Man enjoys.
All
D’s: You sweet, gentle men, can you
finally see
What the price of dismemb’ring this forest would be?
Destruction of our grove
destroys
The
blessed fruit which Man enjoys.
W1: Their case is persuasive.
W2: I
agree.
W3: I
don’t know –
If we don’t log this
timber, then where should we go?
W4: Yes, we’ve got to do something, I’ve an income to make.
W1: But it’s not just our
livelihood here that’s at stake.
We could look for a
groove somewhere else to cut down.
They’d never know
differently back in the town.
W3: I suppose we can leave this
old grove here to rot.
W2: We won’t cut down these trees?
W1: No,
I guess not.
All
D’s: Blessing on you gentlemen
Your wisdom
has shown clearly
You shall
enjoy the fruits again
Of this which we love dearly.
All:
(Chorus) We/You shall
enjoy the fruits again
Of
this which we love dearly.
Dryads call their farewells to the woodcutters and raise their masks.