The Acorn-Planter | Page 7

in the sweat of my brow
from the beginning of time, planting
all manner
of good seeds for the harvest.
_(Looking sharply at Red Cloud's skin
garments.)_
Also am I the
Weaver and Cloth-Maker.
_(Holding out arm so that Red Cloud may
examine the cloth of the
coat)_
From the hair of the goat and the wool of
the sheep, and
from beaten and spun grasses,
do I make the cloth to keep man warm.
{Shaman}
_(Breaking in boastfully.)_
I am the Shaman. I know all
secret things.

{Sun Man}
I know my pathway under the sun over all
the seas, and
I know the secrets of the stars
that show me my path where no path is.
I
know when the Wolf of Darkness shall eat the
moon.
_(Pointing toward moon.)_
On this night shall the Wolf of Darkness
eat
the moon.
_(He turns suddenly to Red Cloud,
drawing sheath-knife and passing
it
to him.)_
More, O First Man and Acorn-Planter. I am
the Iron-Maker. Behold!
_(Red Cloud examines knife, understands
immediately its virtue, cuts
easily a strip
of skin from his skin garment, and is
overcome with
the wonder of the knife.)_
{War Chief}
_(Exhibiting a long bow.)_
I am the War Chief. No
man, save me, has
strength to bend this bow. I can slay farther
than
any man.
_(A huge bear has come out among the
bushes far up the hillside)_
{Sun Man}
I, too, am War Chief over men, and I can
slay farther
than you.
{War Chief}
Hoh! Hoh!
{Sun Man}
_(Pointing to bear)_
Can you slay that with your strong
bow?
{War Chief}
_(Dubiously)_
It is a far shot. Too far. No man can
slay
a great bear so far.
_(Sun Man, shaking off from his arms the
hands of Deer Foot and
Elk Man,
aims musket and fires. The bear falls,
and the Nishinam
betray astonishment
and awe)_

_(At a quick signal from War Chief,
Sun Man is again seized. War
Chief
takes away musket and examines it.)_
{Shaman}
There is a sign.
{People}
There is a sign.
He carries the thunder in his hand.
He
slays with the thunder in his hand.
He is the enemy of the Nishinam.

He will destroy the Nishinam.
{Shaman}
There is a sign.
{People}
There is a sign.
In the day the Sun Man comes,
The
waters from the spring will no longer flow,
And in that day will he
destroy the Nishinam.
{War Chief}
_(Exhibiting musket.)_
Hoh! Hoh! I have taken the
Sun Man's
thunder.
{Shaman}
Now shall the Sun Man die that the Nishinam
may live.
{Red Cloud}
He is our brother. He, too, is an acornplanter.
He has
spoken.
{Shaman}
He is the Sun Man, and he is our eternal
enemy. He shall
die.
{War Chief}
In war I command.
_(To Hunters.)_
Tie their feet with stout thongs that they
may not
run. And then make ready with bow
and arrow to do the deed.
_(Hunters obey, urging and thrusting the
Sea Cunies into a compact
group behind
the Sun Man.)_
{Red Cloud}
Shaman I am not.
I know not the secret things.
I say
the things I know.
When you plant kindness you harvest kindness.


When you plant blood you harvest blood.
He who plants one acorn
makes way for life.
He who slays one man slays the planter of a

thousand acorns.
{Shaman}
Shaman I am.
I see the dark future.
I see the Sun Man's
death,
The journey he must take
Through thick and endless forest

Where lost souls wander howling
A thousand moons of moons.
{People}
Through thick and endless forest
Where lost souls wander
howling
A thousand moons of moons.
_(War Chief arranges Hunters with their
bows and arrows for the
killing.)_
{Sun Man}
_(To Red Cloud.)_
You will slay us?
{Red Cloud}
_(Indicating War Chief.)_
In war he commands.
{Sun Man}
_(Addressing the Nishinam)_
Nor am I a Shaman. But I
will tell you true
things to be. Our brothers are acorn-planters,

cloth-weavers, iron-workers. Our brothers are
life-makers and
masters of life. Many are our
brothers and strong. They will come
after us.
Your First Man has spoken true words. When
you plant
blood you harvest blood. Our brothers
will come to the harvest with
the thunder
in their hands. There is a sign. This night,
and soon,
will the Wolf of Darkness eat the
moon. And by that sign will our
brothers come
on the trail we have broken.
_(As final preparation for the killing is
completed, and as Hunters are
arranged
with their bows and arrows,
Sun Man sings.)_
{Sun Man}
Our brothers will come after,
On our trail to farthest lands;
Our brothers will come after

With the thunder in their hands.
{Sun Men}
Loud will be the weeping,
Red will be the reaping,
High will be the
heaping
Of the slain their law commands.
{Sun Man}
Givers of law, our brothers,
This is the law they say:
Who takes the life of a brother
Ten of the slayers shall pay.
{Sun Men}
Our brothers will come after,
On our trail to farthest lands;
Our brothers will come after
With the thunder in their hands.
Loud will be the weeping,
Red will be the reaping,
High will be the
heaping
Of the slain their law commands.
{Sun Man}
Our brothers will come after
By the courses that we lay;
Many and strong our brothers,
Masters of life are they.
{Sun Men}
Our brothers will come after
On our trail to farthest lands;
Our brothers will come after
With the