Scene 7

 

(W1 Starts up his chainsaw when suddenly Solones comes running in from the back of the theater, screaming at the top of his lungs: )

 

S:                     STOP! STOP! BY HEAVEN’S LAWS

                        I BEG OF YOU, PUT DOWN YOUR SAWS!

 

(S. climbs onto his chair, panting and our of breath, and W1 turns off the saw. NOTE: Throughout this scene percussion played by the Dryads will be playing increasingly aggressively and increasingly loudly. )

 

E:                     Come good fellow, catch your breath.

                        You’ve nearly scared my men to death.

                        You’re here to work?

 

S:                     (courteously to E. ) Your Lordship, no.

 

E:                     Then why have you been shouting so?

 

S:                     I’ve come to ask your Lordship’s grace,

                        And beg you spare this peaceful place

                        From what you are about to do.

 

E:                     From logging trees?

 

S:                                                         Yes, Lord.

 

E:                                                                                 It’s true

                        I’ve planned to cut these trees

                        And I will do just as I please

                        With these estates, my brother’s land,

                        I’ll harvest it as I have planned.

 

S:                     With due respect, I beg you hear

                        My reasons why you should not clear

                        Away these oaks and pines.

 

E:                                                                     Speak on.

                                                                        (Chorus begins light, rhythmic drumming )

S:                     The time will come when we’ll be gone,

                        When all our bones will fall to dust,

                        Our swords and saws will cake with rust,

                        When royal estates shall be forgot

                        And power and might be brought to nought.

                        And though our ports shall launch no ships,

                        And though our names shall cross no lips,

                        From plain to hill, from stream to sea,

                        The land itself will testify

                        Of us and be our legacy

                        Forever in eternity.

 

E:                     You speak with passion – that is good,

                        You speak as young men do, and should.

                        But praising only Nature’s glory

                        Ignored the might of Mankind’s story.

                        The works of Man are great as well,

                        And last as long, for who can tell

                        If Thodes’ Colossus will be gone

                        Before the wood of Lebanon.

 

S:                     But Nature bears a beauty rare

                        To which Man’s work can not compare.

 

E:                     It’s true this is the finest grove

                        For miles about: a treasure trove

                        Of planks and boards, of twigs and sticks

                        But you are not the one who picks

                        The timber for my daughter’s home.

 

W4:                  (To S. )            You’ve talked enough.

 

W3:                                                                  Leave us alone.

                        (Chorus shifts to regular thrumming punctuated by sudden strikes )

S:                     You claim the right to log this spot,

                        But if this is yours, then what is not?

                        Do you own all the stones up here?

                        The air as well?

 

E:                                             I think it’s clear

                        I have the right to take what’s mine:

                        Those stones, this oak, that field, that pine.

 

S:                     That’s arrogance! Or surely greed –

                        When you take more than what you need.

 

E:                     I take no more than what I want.

 

S:                     But palaces are made to flaunt

                        Man’s wealth, Man’s power, Man’s pride –

 

E:                                                                                             Man’s Art!

                        The beauty which comes from Man’s heart.

                        Man is the keeper of the earth

                        Without our care, it has no worth.

 

S:                     Man’s care for earth is poor indeed,

                        He scars her flesh and makes her bleed,

                        And furthermore destroyed the places

                        Her children dwell. When Man erases

                        Forest land, he takes the birds

                        And beasts and drives them out. Man’s words

                        Spell death for both the wolves and deer,

                        Whose numbers drop from year to year.

 

W1:                  Perhaps he’s got a point.

 

W3:                                                      No way!

                        I’m not about to waste all day

                        To hear his talk concerning owls.

                        It makes me sick.

 

W4:                  Churns up my bowels.

 

S:                     (To the W’s ) But more than beasts and birds survive

                        On what makes your axes soon fell:

                        Our healers frequently derive

                        Their cures from sources here as well.

 

W2: (timidly )  We’re just doing our jobs.

 

W4:                                                      And we all need to work.

 

W3:                  Ignore this idealistic, intellectual jerk.

 

W1:                  Besides, we could replace these trees

                        With saplings grown from hybrid seeds

 

S:                     (Turning to W1) Replace, what did you say?!  Replace this wood!

 

W1:                  It has been done.

 

W2:                                               You think we could?

                                                (Chorus moves to crecendoing rolls with sudden bursts)

 

S:                     I’m sure you can’t – You’ll lose the soil

                        As soon as Winter’s rains come down.

                        However much you strain and toil

                        These slopes will wash right into town.

 

E:                     (Shouting over S.)  We’ve all heard enough.  Now, quickly, please go!

 

S:                     (Shouting over E.)  And then, when your saplings will no longer grow,

                        What next?  You can’t replace these trees.

 

W4:                  (Angrily)  We’ve got a right to work as we please.

 

S:                     (Wheeling on W4)  Your right to work?  That means a lot.

                        What of my right to enjoy this spot?

                        And will my children have the right

                        To see a forest on this site?

 

W3:                  We might as well clear-cut this hill:

                        If we don’t log it, someone will.

 

S:                     There’s fine thinking!  (Mimicking)  “We might as well,

                        ‘Cause if we don’t then who can tell

                        Who’ll get the chance which we would pass

To kiss our Lord and Master’s ass.”

 

E:                     (Clearly angry)  Leave now!  Before I drive you out!

                        This is not the reason which you shout.

                        It’s plain invective sophistry,

As base as any words can be.

 

S:                     My lord, I meant not to offend!  (Chorus backs down)

                        I only seek to try to end

Your plans to cut and trip this land.

 

E:                     You’ve said enough!  I will not stand  (Chorus resumes)

                        To hear your wild impertinent speech.

                        If what you want to do is preach

                        Obscenity don’t do it here.

 

S:                     Perhaps I’ve not made my point clear.              

 

W3:                  Perhaps you’d better clear out now.

 

S:                     I only wanted to show how                  

                        These trees are better left alone.

 

W4:                  I think you’ve really only shown

                        Yourself to be a pompous prick.

 

S:                     Oh, be the gods your skulls are thick!

                        Why can’t you see we all depend

                        On what I’ve come here to defend:

                        This grove is yours as well as mine.

                        A sacred place!  A gift divine!

 

W2:                  (To the other W’s)  Perhaps the gods have sent this man

                        To warn us any way they can

                        Against our logging off this spot!

 

S:                     (Contemptuously to W2)  How pathetic!  You have not

                        Been listening to a single bit

                        Of what I’ve said.

 

W3:                                          You’re  full of shit!

 

S: (to W2)        I’m not concerned with deities

                        I’m only trying to save these trees.

                        By cutting these you all must see,

                        You’re triggering catastrophe!

 

E:                     Men, ignore this foolish man.

                        Now let’s get working while we can

 

W4:                  Go back to town you nature freak!

 

W3:                  (to W4)  Don’t waste your breath upon that geek.

                                                (begin to build moderate pounding)

 

S:                     You dolts!  You stupid simpletons!

Can’t you see the way he runs

Your lives to suit his selfish ends.

Of course he treats you now like friends,

But when your work is finally through

It’s clear how he’ll be treating you:

However loyal you remain

He’ll always hold you in disdain.

The same disdain he’s shown these woods:

Disdain for things, for used-up goods.

A tool he’ll use, then cast aside.

 

W1:                  He treats us well.

 

W2:                                          He’s never lied

                        To us at all about our pay.

 

S:                     Just wait and see! There’ll come a day

                        When you shall reap as you have sown

                        You’ll all repent with tears and moan

                        With grief and pain.  And all the while,

                        Your master will look on and smile,

                        Sitting snug and safe inside

                        The palace you plan to provide.

He’ll be happily feasting on

Imported fruits and venison,

Thus you’ll become his feast of meat

For it’s your flesh he’ll truly eat.

 

E:                     (Barely containing his anger)  I’ve had enough!  Enough, I say!

                        If my words won’t drive you away

                        Perhaps by fists and use of force

                        You’ll be convinced to leave.

 

S:                                 (Angrily)  Of course

                        I’ll leave, when I’ve been threatened so;

                        But hear me well, before I go:

                        I came here at a friend’s behest

                        To put your stubborn will to test.

                        I came to stop your fruitless task.

 

E:                     (Menacingly)  Who sent you here, if I may ask?

 

(The percussion which has built up to this point suddenly drops to a low rumble, but will climb to a frenzy as the argument progresses.)

 

S: (long pause) Your daughter, sir, has bid me come.

 

E:                     MY DAUGHTER?!  WHAT?! This must be some          (D1: o · · )

                        Demented joke.  Who sent you boy?

 

S:                     (snidely)  Your daughter thought I might enjoy    (D1-2: o · · )

                        A little chat to talk you out

                        Of cutting down these trees.

 

E:                     (With growing anger)              I doubt                            (D1-3: o · · )

                        My daughter even knows your face                  

                        And if she does, it’s her disgrace

                        That ever she should speak to you.

 

S:                     We’ve spoken much, to be quite true.                               (D1-4: o · · )

                        And thus on her account I’ve come

                        To stop you and these filthy scum.

 

E:                     (moving aggressively to S., giving him a shove)

                        My child can speak to me at will                                       (All: o · · )

 

S:                     Or so you’d like to think.  But still

                        She’s feared you far too much to say

                        The truth:  We’ve shared our love each day

                        Since first we met, behind your back.

 

E:                     Shut up, you liar!  Or I’ll attack             (Chorus does long rolls)

                        You here and now.  How dare you claim

                        The right to use my daughter’s name!

 

S:                     I love her, sir, as she loves me!

 

E:                     (In a low angry voice)  Your filthy tongue does treachery

                        To your own life.  You have no right

                        To let my daughter in your sight!

 

S:                     I’ve held her more than in my eyes,

                        (sarcastically : )  My lord!

 

E:                                                         You’ll never see your prize  (Cresc. rolls)

                        Again, you wretched son of a whore!

                        I’ll throw you out, and what is more

                        I’ll have you whipped if you pass near

                        My house again!

 

S:                     (Backing down)  I speak for her –

                        I have her love as you can never

                        Dream of having!

 

E:                     (Striking S. across the face)                Don’t you ever

Speak to me like that again!

You bastard cur!  Stand by me men!

 

S:                     You pig!  You don’t deserve her love!

 

E:                     Ill cut you lying tongue

                        Out of your wretched mouth!

 

S:                                                         I’m not afraid                (Pounding and crescendo!)

                        Of you at all!

 

E:                                 You can be made

                        To learn to fear!  I think you’d best

                        Run while you can.

 

S:                                             Your bluffing jest

                        Betrays the kind of beast you are!

                        A monster wallowing in power!

                        (E. starts up the chainsaw and swings it at S.)

                        WAKE UP, YOU FOOLS!  BEHOLD THE MAN                 (Wild frenzy!!!)

                        YOUR MASTER IS!!!

 

W2:                                                      LEAVE WHILE YOU CAN!

 

S:                     IT’S BY A MADMAN YOU’RE EMPLOYED!

                        HE’S GOING TO HAVE YOU ALL DESTROYED!!

 

W3:                  SHOVE OFF!  (Starts up his saw.)

 

E:                                             NOW LEAVE!!!  (W1 and W2 start up their saws.)

 

S:                                                                     YOU WILL NOT CUT

                        THESE TREES!  I SAID-

 

W4:

                                                            WHY CAN’T YOU SHUT

                        YOUR WHINING MOUTH!?  (Starts up his saw.)

 

W1:                  (Screaming, pleading, and enraged)  GET OUT OF HERE!!

 

S:                     (To E.)  HER LOVER FOR ME IS WHAT YOU FEAR?

                        FOR MESTRA’S SAKE I’LL STAY TO PROVE

                        THAT ONLY I DESERVE HER LOVE!

 

E:                     LEVEL THE FOREST!

 

S:                                                         NO!

 

E:                                                                     LEVEL IT MEN!!  (pause)

I SAID LEVEL IT!  NOW!! LET THE CUTTING BEGIN!!!  (At the top of his lungs.)

 

S:                     (Screaming.)  NO!!!!

 

E:                     YES!!!!!

 

(S. lets out a blood-curdling scream accompanied by the D’s, as the percussion and chain saws explode in a frenzy of sound, S. is hacked to pieces by E.  W1 will cut through a board with the saw and when the pieces fall the saws will be turned off and then everyone will fall silent.  All characters then leave stage for intermission.)