Scene 5

 

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 Regina,

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 Regina,

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.