ACT II: SATHAN IN THE WOOD
Scene: A Black Forested Landscape, at night. The trees are immense and twisted, and owls call in the distance.
NARRATOR (who speaks with Stefhen’s Voice):
For many years long passed, in this nighted realm
The forests of the Basques have been forsaken
With misdeeds so dark and hellish, filled to the brim,
No path so tangled nor stone so sharp as the evil
That in elder times came here to dwell within;
The hosts of the regions of Hades have long held
This wood sacred to their Lord, his charnel house;
This place, darkly, this swath of brambled earth,
Here, be unknown the words of a just God, here
Untouched by the redeeming grace of his birth.
Nowhere else in the troubled landscape does grow
Trees of such immensity, such wicked intensity,
Branching like skeletal spiders to enclose the paths;
As giants of biblical lore, hated enemies of heaven,
They live yet, and thrive, as this cursed wood lasts.
(The CHOIR OF EVIL TREES WHO HATE HEAVEN all enter and begin their dance, singing):
The Dance of the Evil Trees
Here we bury our accursed roots
In Blackest Ground,
Our acorns found,
A purchase dim in the soil so grim,
Where heathens sing,
Their holy hymn,
…And here we grow and darkly thrive!
We mutter silent by the devil’s caves
So far north,
All his slaves,
Happy to serve a god so beautiful
The fallen light,
Lord of night,
…The black-bearded Goat buck of Old!
We have seeded here for all our time
In deep grime,
Darkly fine,
We are the ancient ones of legends old
Secrets kept,
Cold windswept,
…The Trees who hate the heavens bright!
(Trees suddenly freeze and become still, and continue lowly humming the tune)
(A group of CHRISTIAN MISSIONARIES, dressed in traveling cloaks enter the forest, carrying their bibles and crosses)
MISSIONARY LEADER
Here, brothers, let us make our camp:
This wood is so cold and damp
Let us bring it the warmth of our Lord
As we shall bring it soon to the souls within!
(The Missionaries all sit in the midst of the trees, in a kneeling circle, and begin praying)
(The EVIL TREES WHO HATE HEAVEN suddenly all move and seize the missionaries with their branches, and devour them, amid shadow play and screaming).
(The Trees continue their song and dance):
Some people try but never understand
We won’t change,
We are the land,
They come with books and torches burning bright
To cut us down,
To break the night,
…But it lasts forever in the wood
An ancient place above the hollow Earth
Before mankind,
Was given birth,
We waved and muttered under stars quite bright
Dropped our leaves,
And our seeds,
…And we will do it evermore.
May we choke the heaven’s garish light
Keep our paths,
Cloaked in night,
Lead mortal men all to a painful end,
Scour their bones,
With our wind,
…May their cries please the goat of the wood!
Here we wait with branches twisting well
Growing up,
Out of Hell,
Come now and lay your emerald seed on us
Lucifer,
Fallen One,
…Great twin to our black bearded Goat
Here we wait for you to send your seed
Onto us,
Hear our need,
We wait in the wood for the hidden deed
The secret light,
Green stone bright,
…An acorn free from heaven’s reign
(The trees all end their dance and song and return to their places and become still)
NARRATOR
Here also, secret amongst the trees, and forsaken-
Hidden and outcast from the company of decent men,
Are those who meet here in secret, those fiends,
The devotees of the goat-angel, who worship his lies,
Who trust his dark blessing for their unholy means.
(The DARK THRONG of JANICOT WORSHIPPERS all appear from behind the trees one by one, and gather in a crowd to the left of the stage)
NARRATOR
The old serpent of deceit, who so long ago descended,
To deceive heathen men- the old Goat, who tainted
The nations, whom even the worthies of Rome adored,
As the High God in the Oak, Giver of Light, Janicot,
Whom Christ’s power has conquered and abhorred.
(Two of the Trees part to reveal a Great Tree Beyond, with JANICOT within its hollow).
NARRATOR
Still, as in old Latium’s nights, here is he beheld!
In this evil forest of intrigue, this foul pagan time
Is adored, and celebrated, the covenant of the horns
Is kept. He is praised, Goat-deceiver, the enemy of man,
Against whose pride and error the holy gospel warns.
(The DARK THRONG all move to the center before the Tree with JANICOT within it and begin singing)
The First Song of the Dark Throng (Ecstatic Chant)
EEAH!
EEAH!
HOO!
JANIKOT!
HOO MEE AHH
BEE LAH MAH
JANIKOT!
Praise!
Praise!
HOO!
JANICOT!
Raise the Bough,
Break the Bone,
JANIKOT!
EEAH!
EEAH!
HOO!
JANIKOT!
HOO MEE AHH
BEE LAH MAH
JANIKOT!
Sing!
Sing!
HOO!
JANIKOT!
Curse the Wren,
And the Hen,
JANIKOT!
EEAH!
Dance!
HOO!
Sing!
Make the sign
Bitter wine
JANIKOT!
EEAH!
EEAH!
HOO!
JANIKOT!
HOO MEE AHH
BEE LAH MAH
JANIKOT!
Bowl!
Cup!
HOO!
JANIKOT!
Blood the fool!
Virgin Wool!
JANIKOT!
HOO MEE AHH
BEE LAH MAH
JANIKOT!
HOO MEE AHH
BEE LAH MAH
JANIKOT!
(Song fades out, and the THRONG fades into the Trees, leaving just lit torches highlighting the Goat-beast JANICOT in the Tree, as lightning flashes continue in the background).
NARRATOR
And lo: Into these heathen nights of fleshy adoration,
Comes one who should concern us: this man, Nicolas.
Nicolas of Arrien, blinded by his lust, or some say love-
Nicolas, who went far from grace, in his frantic race
To have a woman; despite the laws of heaven above.
Born of a woman, herself sent to the stake, this villain
Was of witch-blood himself, a bastard of Satan.
Nicolas, who as a child was insolent and irresolute
In the eyes of the priests, and the masters of books-
For some are unhallowed, and from birth of foul root.
And desirous was he, of one so precious and pure,
The daughter of Lord Isadora, his young Rosalyn.
No strangers were they to one another, for before
They had met and loved beneath the harvest moon.
Hence the desire of this knave for more, ever more.
So into the brotherhood of the haunted wood did
Nicolas pledge his faith and true strength undying;
For the promise of power, and for will over Rosalyn,
Did he disgrace to flirt with the Shades of Hades.
For no price was too high for she; not hell, not sin.
(NICOLAS enters and begins his song, wandering about the stage):
All For My Lady: Nicolas’ first Song
I’ve heard birds singing in the morn
As they joyfully greet the new sun:
I never did feel, such joy at the world,
‘Till I met my Rosalyn.
I’ve seen flowers open their face
To sprinkle fields with color and grace
I overlooked nature’s hues, and then-
I saw my lady, and saw them again.
Rosalyn, Rosalyn,
No price for you is too high…
Rosalyn, Rosalyn,
To the devil now I travel nigh
I’ve seen rain clouds pour out tears
Upon cold lands that wanted none
A pointless arrangement, to my eyes
‘Till I met my Rosalyn
I’ve mocked the broken hearted
Ignored them for so long, so dim,
I knew no broken heart, not before,
And now, I have become him.
For my lady, for my love
No price is too high…
For my lady, for my love,
To the devil I go now nigh.
NARRATOR
Before the Black Oak at the wood’s heart, one night,
A night since old sacred to the unholy pagan rite,
Before the hollow eyes of the unearthly Goat, manifest
Deep in the heart of that witch-oak, said Nicolas:
NICOLAS
Master, my soul be yours, if you heed this request!
A woman is she, Rosalyn, that no force can keep
Not from me, in tortured waking, or in fitful sleep,
No concerns of spirit or of souls’ destiny matter
When she is the goal of my efforts- I was truly born
Only to be with her, and as mine, I must have her.
Grant her to me, make her mine, mine, for sure
And to you will go my soul, the best that I have
Within or without. Whatever you find in me pure,
Call that thing your own- just give her up as mine,
And this dark contract I shall honor, be you sure.
(Lightning flashes and thunder rolls here)
JANICOT
I do not ask as much as a soul, sir,
But a price will be paid, and yours she shall be.
NICOLAS
Not as much as a soul? What’s this?
Certainly you speak mistakenly! What else have I
That could turn your fancy?
JANICOT
A high price will be paid, for this thy wish.
Go now. You have heard said all that is allowed.
(Nicolas bows once, deeply, and leaves the stage)
NARRATOR
And, giving adoration to the demonic one, Nicolas
Then left that place. The dark throng called out chants
Of blasphemy and disgrace, from their hateful lore.
Under that twisted moon and its shrouding clouds,
Nicolas felt a joy he hardly remembered before.
(The Dark Throng comes back onto the stage, entering from behind the Trees, and begins singing)
Chants of Blasphemy and Disgrace (second song of the Dark Throng)
Oh Great Goat Lord,
Come and Darken our Eyes…
Take us to you,
Precious Lord of Lies…
EEE AHHH…. JANIKOT…
Oh, Lord of Fear!
Keep us with you,
Dead faces now leer
Eyes in your Trees
Now beckon our prayers,
EEE AHH JANIKOT
Open the stairs:
From dark to dark
Steps carven of old,
EEE AHH JANIKOT
Secrets tenfold
Oh Great Goat Lord,
Come and Darken our Eyes…
Take us to you,
O Lord of the Flies…
EEE AHH EEE AHH
EE AHH HOO AHH HOO
Oh Great Goat Lord,
Our love is for you…
(Hear our prayer!)
EEE AHH EEE AHH
EE AHH HOO AHH HOO
Oh Great Goat Lord,
Our love is for you…
(repeats)
(Song fades out, and curtain comes down for the end of the act).
Go to ACT III