The Exile Book of Native Canadian Fiction and Drama
Page 22
BOY
Who would marry him?
UNCLE
Sh!
OLD MAN
Someone will marry me, little boy. I’m a catch!
FATHER
I’m sorry, Grey Hair. Boy, pack up! Go on! Get your stuff and go.
BOY
What? Why?
UNCLE
Go! We’ll catch up at the midday camp. Go on. You remember where? Then light a fire. We’ll cook some meat for a change.
The BOY grabs his bedroll, his bow and another pack and walks off.
FATHER
I’m sorry about my nephew. He’s a child with a big mouth.
OLD MAN
Too big for his own good! No, no, I like him.
FATHER
Forgive him.
OLD MAN
Don’t worry, Chief. What do I care about children? There are more important things in the world.
UNCLE
I’ll start packing too.
OLD MAN
Fresh meat for lunch! You’re so generous.
UNCLE
You’re our guest.
OLD MAN
Still, I won’t let my wife have children. She’ll have enough to carry.
FATHER
More tea before I dump it?
OLD MAN
So Chief. These times we’re living in. Stories of war, of cannibals.
UNCLE
Cannibals?
FATHER
Where do you hear this?
OLD MAN
Upriver. At the west end of the lake. So tell me. How are things at home?
FATHER
What do you mean?
OLD MAN
I could cry, thinking about it. Every time I come home. The same old story.
FATHER
Can’t this wait? The day’s half over.
OLD MAN
I’m sorry. Help me. I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings by mentioning names I shouldn’t. I know how I felt when, I suppose, my own mother was the first...
UNCLE
Since the spring?
FATHER
We shouldn’t have to talk about this.
UNCLE
Since the spring my wife, my child have died.
FATHER
My father too.
OLD MAN
That’s all?
UNCLE
It’s enough.
OLD MAN
It’s too much.
FATHER
Come on. It’s a long day to get home.
UNCLE
Can I carry something for you?
OLD MAN
Would you? I hope I can keep up.
Exeunt.
SCENE 3
Mid-morning. The GIRL meets her GRANDmother, carrying a load of sticks along a path through the woods.
GIRL
Grandma!
GRAND
Sleepy head!
GIRL
Let me help you.
GRAND
Careful. It’s heavy.
GIRL
You didn’t wake me up?
GRAND
You need your rest.
GIRL
I’m tired of resting!
GRAND
I’m tired of working. Time for a breather. You should rest while you can. You were awake in the middle of the night.
GIRL
I had a dream.
GRAND
Everyone’s having a hard time sleeping.
GIRL
The dream woke me up.
GRAND
Even Mother Earth. There was an earthquake.
GIRL
An earthquake?
GRAND
Like the beat of a heart. You woke right up. Squeaked like a little bird! I was awake anyway.
GIRL
I was scared.
GRAND
Scared?
GIRL
When I woke up. This morning. There was nobody around.
GRAND
We all have work to do.
GIRL
Mama usually wakes me up.
GRAND
I made her let you sleep.
GIRL
They in the cornfield?
GRAND
Don’t tire yourself out now. We don’t want to have to lug you home again. Your father’s still out in the woods.
GIRL
I’ll be careful.
GRAND
I’ll be back out there soon as I stack this.
GIRL
Grandma, why don’t they live together, Mama and my father?
GRAND
He wouldn’t do what he was told, so I sent him back to his sister.
GIRL
Because of me?
GRAND
What?
GIRL
Because I’m sick all the time?
GRAND
Yes, that must be the reason. And why he always helps us out when he can.
GIRL
But it doesn’t make sense.
GRAND
It doesn’t. Come here.
The Girl’s GRANDmother hugs her.
GRAND
Now go on. There’s work to do.
Exeunt separately.
SCENE 4
The midday camp. The OLD MAN is snoring. The BOY and the Girl’s FATHER and UNCLE wait.
UNCLE
What a noise!
BOY
Sounds like someone dying.
FATHER
Be quiet.
BOY
It’ll be dark by the time we get home. I’m going.
FATHER
We’ll all go soon as he wakes up.
BOY
Let’s wake him.
FATHER
He’s an old man. Don’t offend him.
BOY
He offends me.
UNCLE
You’re downwind.
FATHER
Go ahead then. I’ll wait for him.
UNCLE
You sure?
BOY
We’ll be upwind!
FATHER
I’ll say you saw game or something, maybe there’ll be really fresh meat for him when we get home.
BOY
The way he chews!
UNCLE
Three teeth maybe. Come on.
BOY
Why don’t we just leave?
FATHER
He’s an old man.
UNCLE
He’s our guest. Here. You carry his pack. We’ll go fishing. We can get fish for sure.
BOY
Not fish!
The BOY and the Girl’s UNCLE exit. The Girl’s FATHER pours himself more tea. The OLD MAN sits up.
OLD MAN
I need to talk with you, Chief.
FATHER
You’re awake!
OLD MAN
They think old ears are deaf!
FATHER
That boy, I’m sorry about—
OLD MAN
Never mind. He’s a child. They both are. I don’t mind either of them. I need to talk to a grown-up alone. This is so embarrassing.
FATHER
Tea?
OLD MAN
It’s— The sickness in the village.
FATHER
What about it?
OLD MAN
I know what to do about it. That’s why I’m coming home now.
FATHER
You have a cure?
OLD MAN
I have a cure. I wasn’t sure before.
FATHER
How do you know this?
OLD MAN
Do you really want me to say? Whisper the story in your ear? Something like this happened out west. It seems there was this witch around—
FATHER
I won’t listen to gossip. Some things shouldn’t be said out loud.
OLD MAN
But you believe me?
FATHER
We’ll try anything on
ce.
OLD MAN
Good. But then there’s this embarrassing part.
FATHER
What?
OLD MAN
Embarrassing for you. I want to make a trade.
FATHER
A trade.
OLD MAN
We’re the same age, but I’m an old man. Remember when we were that boy’s age?
FATHER
What do you want?
OLD MAN
I need a wife. Who would marry me? I’ll tell you. I’ll cure the village, but you, you’ll give me your daughter.
FATHER
You’re crazy.
OLD MAN
I know she’s sickly. No loss to you, giving her to me. And I might make her better too. I’ll find the medicine for it. Good for her.
FATHER
She’s not mine to give. My daughter’s mother, her grandmother—
OLD MAN
Even to save the village?
FATHER
I don’t know.
OLD MAN
How embarrassing for you, Chief.
SCENE 5
Dusk. A bucket under a tree at the edge of the corn field. The GIRL and her GRANDmother enter.
GRAND
It’s thirsty work, pulling weeds. Hand me that ladle. Oh that’s good.
GIRL
That’s the last. Should I go get more?
GRAND
No. Sit back. We’re almost done. See?
The Girl’s MOTHER enters.
MOTHER
You look like a couple of old women.
GRAND
We’re tired enough for maybe four.
MOTHER
The water?
GRAND
I just drank it up.
MOTHER
Gone! I give you one job to do all day and you can’t even—
GIRL
I’ll go to the spring now.
GRAND
No, wait. We’re done for the day. What’s the point now?
GIRL
I’m sorry, Mama.
MOTHER
Don’t whine.
GRAND
I told her she could wait.
MOTHER
Stop covering up for her.
GRAND
I’m not covering up—
MOTHER
Stop it. I know how useless she is.
The GIRL exits with the bucket.
GRAND
What’s the matter with you?
MOTHER
Nothing. A girl who’s good for nothing.
GRAND
Look at me. I said look at me.
MOTHER
I’m tired.
GRAND
Did I teach you to act like this? Did I ever treat you like that? No wonder her father left you.
The Girl’s AUNT enters.
AUNT
Water! I’m dying here.
GRAND
The girl’s gone to the spring.
MOTHER
I didn’t sleep last night.
AUNT
I’ll go help her.
MOTHER
No, wait.
AUNT
What’s wrong?
MOTHER
Someone saw lights travelling along the creek last night. To the spring.
GRAND
Lights?
AUNT
Witch lights?
GRAND
Who? Who saw them?
MOTHER
I did.
GRAND
Up wandering around in the middle of the night! Serves you right.
AUNT
You all right?
GRAND
Why did you say “someone”?
AUNT
Something bad going on?
GRAND
You really saw lights?
MOTHER
She really saw lights.
GRAND
Can you make sure the girl gets back before dark?
AUNT
Don’t worry.
The Girl’s AUNT exits in the direction the Girl went.
GRAND
Come on. Let’s go home.
Exeunt toward the village.
SCENE 6
The Girl’s UNCLE, bow at the ready on the creek bank, watches for fish. The BOY enters.
BOY
Let’s go.
UNCLE
Not yet.
BOY
I’m hungry.
UNCLE
Eat it raw.
BOY
I’m tired of fish.
UNCLE
Be quiet.
BOY
They’ll be home before us at this rate.
UNCLE
Fine with me.
BOY
You don’t like that old man any more than I do.
UNCLE
I saw him looking you over. Did he pinch your bum?
BOY
Shut up. Why do you treat him so good?
UNCLE
You going to be quiet?
BOY
He’s not from here.
UNCLE
He used to be. We treat our elders with respect.
BOY
But he doesn’t live here now.
UNCLE
He just lives over on the island.
BOY
Above the falls? But that island’s haunted.
UNCLE
Ah!
BOY
What? You see one?
UNCLE
You scared it off.
BOY
Sorry.
UNCLE
The women, they say he has medicine.
BOY
You said he’s a trader.
UNCLE
Maybe that’s how he gets his medicine.
BOY
Medicine. I’d kill him if...
UNCLE
Maybe he’s just an ugly old man.
BOY
My father’s with him.
UNCLE
He’s safe. Doesn’t have a big mouth.
BOY
Don’t laugh at me.
UNCLE
I’m not laughing at you. Sometimes you almost make sense. You should speak up in council. Be quiet now.
A moment of silence. Then the GIRL, with bucket, enters from the woods.
GIRL
Uncle! Welcome back.
UNCLE
I give up!
BOY
Hello, cousin.
GIRL
Cousin. Water?
BOY
Sure.
UNCLE
How’s your mother?
GIRL
Working hard.
BOY
It tastes fishy.
GIRL
It’s from the spring. Uncle, it’s going to be dark soon.
UNCLE
I’m going back the long way.
GIRL
All right.
UNCLE
Your father should be home by now.
The Girl’s UNCLE exits.
BOY
Come on.
GIRL
My father went straight home?
BOY
We met this old trader.
GIRL
A trader!
BOY
The Grey Hair.
The Girl’s AUNT enters.
AUNT
Pumpkin!
BOY
Ma!
AUNT
I’m just glad to see you. I’m your mother. How’d you do? You’ll do better next time. Was that your uncle?
BOY
No, hers.
AUNT
Where’s he off to?
GIRL
That path.
AUNT
Past the platforms. Oh, the poor guy.
GIRL
He’ll want to be alone anyway.
BOY
Can we go? I’m hungry.
GIRL
My father’s got some trader with him.
AUNT
He might have fresh herbs?
BOY
He said he had medicines.
Exeunt.
SCENE 7
The Girl’s GRANDmother and MOTHER are in their lodge.
MOTHER
It’s late, isn’t it?
GRAND
Just sunset.
MOTHER
Where are they?
GRAND
Sit down, rest.
MOTHER
She’s the one who rests. What good is she to us?
GRAND
Sit down. What were you doing, wandering around in the dark?
MOTHER
You were awake too.
GRAND
Who sleeps these days?
MOTHER
Who will take care of them if I die? You’re too old.
The Girl’s FATHER and the OLD MAN enter.
FATHER
Can we talk with you? I’ve brought the trader with me.
OLD MAN
Long time, no see, grandmother.
GRAND
You’re welcome. Both of you. Have a seat, Grey Hair.
MOTHER
What do you want here?
GRAND
Forgive her. She’s tired.
OLD MAN
Hard times, hard times everywhere.
MOTHER
You want to help me?
OLD MAN
I want to help you, child.
FATHER
He wants to help all of us.
GRAND
What is it?
FATHER
It’s hard to say this.
MOTHER
You know what’s going on here, don’t you?
OLD MAN
I know enough of the story.
MOTHER
What do you know?
GRAND
Be patient.
FATHER
He knows what to do now. Against the sickness.
GRAND
What do you know?
FATHER
He says it’s witchery.
MOTHER
Witches!
GRAND
Is this true?
OLD MAN
It’s hard to explain it. They’re watching us.
MOTHER
I knew it. I knew it.
GRAND
Nobody’s seen strangers.
OLD MAN
They’ve been watching all along. They’re all around the village.
GRAND
What do you want? What’s he want?
OLD MAN
To make a trade.
GRAND
A trade?
FATHER
We’re here to ask your permission for my daughter to marry Grey Hair.
OLD MAN
Your daughter’s so lovely.
MOTHER
Who would want a wife so sickly?
OLD MAN
I do. I’ll take her.
GRAND
You’re old. And you’re no hunter. Why would she want to marry you?
OLD MAN
If she marries me, I’ll put a stop to the dying.
MOTHER
You’ll stop the dying! How?
FATHER
You said it yourself, clan mother. His medicine’s powerful.
OLD MAN
Convince her. You’ll all be saved. If only I’d known how before my own mother died.