Three Plays | Page 3

wants to go home and I'm goin' with her and enjoy de consequences. Court's adjourned.
CURTAIN

"FORTY YARDS"
by
ZORA *[Handwritten: (Neale)] HURSTON

"FORTY YARDS"
(A Negro football game with the popular concept of Negro life)

TIME: Present
PLACE: Washington, D.C.
SCENE: The Ball Park
PERSONS: The Howard and Lincoln teams, the Howard band, cheer leaders, spectators.
SETTING: The park with grandstands on either sides and up-stage.
ACTION: At rise, the grandstands are full, the cheer leaders are violently gyrating to whip up the mob. The Lincoln colors fly from the right. The Howard from the left. Both have cheer leaders. First is heard the Lincoln mob singing "DIDN'T HE RAMBLE, RAMBLE."
Lincoln Mob
And didn't he ramble, ramble, ramble all around, in and out of town He rambled, he rambled, rambled till Ol' Lincoln cut him down
Howard Mob
There'll be nothing but sweetmeats, for our football team There'll be nothing but sweetmeats for our football team Baked Hampton, boiled Shaw, fried Union, Lincoln Slaw, There'll be nothing but sweetmeats, for our football team.
(Enter the HOWARD BAND, led by a hot-strutting drum major. They parade the field and the men students pile down and fall in behind the team. They sing and shout to the TEAM SONG:)
This is the t-e-a-m team On which the hopes of Howard lean Beat Ol' Hampton, beat Ol' Union Sweep Ol' Lincoln clean
We are the b-e-s-t best Of the r-e-s-t rest Come and watch us put Ol' Howard On top of Lincoln's chest.
We'll hit the l-i-n-e line For a hundred ninety-nine For we love Ol' Howard, yes we love her All the t-i-m-e time.
(At the conclusion the teams takes the field. The ball is put into play and LINCOLN kicks off to Howard. As the ball is caught and when the player who is carrying the ball plunges, followed by his team, the Lincoln players fall on their knees and begin to sing I COULDN'T HEAR NOBODY PRAY. The HOWARD team charges down shouting Joshua fit de battle of Jericho. Whenever a player is tackled there is a duet of dancing. Every step is a dance. Finally the grandstand catches fire and the dancing and the shouting runs riot up there. When the ball is on Lincoln's ten-yard line, they hold Howard there by rounding up both teams into a huddle and the bunch-shout and sing to a QUICK CURTAIN.)
CURTAIN
LINCOLN'S PRAYER:
Ah, ah, they shall not ah pass us Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord They shall not pass us, Ah-h-h-h.

*[Handwritten (Jul. 21, 1931)]
_"WOOFING"_
By
_ZORA *[Handwritten (Neale)] HURSTON_

_"WOOFING"_
TIME: Present.
PLACE: Negro Street in Waycross, Ga.
PERSONS: Loungers, two children, guitar players, women, band--
SETTING: Porch and side walk, etc.
ACTION: Thru the open window of 'one' of the shacks a WOMAN is discovered ironing. A MAN is sitting on the floor of the porch asleep. She hums a bar or two, then comes to the window and calls to the man.

Woman Good Black, why don't you git up from dere and carry dese white folks clothes home? You always want money but you wouldn't hit a lick at a snake!
Man Aw, shut up woman. I'm tired of hearin' bout dem white folks clothes. I don't keer if dey never git 'em.
Woman You better keer! Dese very clothes took and brought you out de crack. 'Cause de first time I saw you you was so hungry till you was walkin' lap-legged. Man, you had de white-mouf, you was so hungry.
(Enter another MAN leisurely. Good Black sees him and calls)
Good Black Hey, Cliffert, where you headed for?
Cliffert Oh, no where in particular.
Good Black Come here then, fish, and lemme bend a checker game over yo' head. Come on, youse my fish.
Cliffert (Comes to the porch and sits) Git de checkers and I'll have you any, some or none. I push a mean chuck-a-luck myself.
Woman (Voice inside quarreling) Dress up and strut around! Yes! Play checkers? Yes! Eat? Yes! Work? No!!
(The game starts. A period of silence in which they indicate their concentration by frowns, cautious moves, head scratching. GOOD BLACK is pointing his index finger over the board indicating moves. He wig-wags, starts to move, scratches his head thoroughly, changes his mind and fools around without moving)
Cliffert Police! Police! Come here and make dis man move!
Good Black Aw, I got plenty moves. (Scratches his head) Jus' tryin' to see which one I want to make. But when I do move, it's gointer be just too bad for you.
(A guitar is heard off stage and Cliffert brightens. He cups his hand and calls)
Cliffert Hey Lonnie! Come here! Ha, ha, ha! I got me a fish. (Enter LONNIE picking "East Coast" on his box and stands watching the game. He ceases to play as he stops walking) Ha, ha! You see ol' Good Black goes for a hard guy. He tries to know more than a mule and a mule's head longer'n his'n. Ha, ha! I set a trap for him and