The Acorn-Planter | Page 7

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 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}?Plowers of land, our brothers,
Of the hills and pleasant leas;?Under the sun our brothers
With their keels will plow the seas.
{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}?Mighty men are our brothers,
Quick to forgive and to wrath,?Sailing the seas, our brothers
Will follow us on our path.
{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.
_(At signal from War Chief the arrows?are discharged, and repeatedly?discharged. The Sun Men fall. The War?Chief himself kills the Sun Man.)_
_(In what follows, Red Cloud and DewWoman?stand aside, taking no part.?Red Cloud is depressed, and at the?same time is overcome with the wonder?of the knife which he still holds.)_
{War Chief}?_(Brandishing musket and drifting stifflegged,?as he sings, into the beginning?of a war dance of victory.)_?Hoh! Hoh! Hoh!?I have slain the Sun Man!?Hoh! Hoh! Hoh!?I hold his thunder in my hand!?Hoh! Hoh! Hoh!?Greatest of War Chiefs am I!?Hoh! Hoh! Hoh!?I have slain the Sun Man!
_(The dance grows wilder.)_
_(After a time the hillside begins to darken)_
{Dew-Woman}?_(Pointing to the moon entering eclipse)_?Lo! The Wolf of Darkness eats the Moon!
_(In consternation the dance is broken off?for the moment)_
{Shaman}?_(Reassuringly)_?It is a sign.?The Sun Man is dead.
{War Chief}?_(Recovering courage and resuming dance.)_?Hoh! Hoh! Hoh!?The Sun Man is dead!
{People}?_(Resuming dance.)_?Hoh! Hoh! Hoh!?The Sun Man is dead!
_(As darkness increases the dance grows?into a saturnalia, until complete