THE MOONMAN
Tamia a Yupik (Siberian Eskimo) girl
Mitan a magic reindeer
The Moonman
Scene snowy plain. Later a choom.
ENTER STORYTELLER
STORYTELLER
Many, many dark winters ago,
on far north plains of ice and snow
there lived a herdsman, in the vast, white wilds,
who had a daughter, his dearest child:
Tamia, Trustworthy-Is-Her-Word.
In summer she'd take the reindeer herd
each day to graze wherever lichen grew.
But when cold winds of winter blew,
swept in by the spinning of the year,
she would be found
far south of summer's ground,
looking for food and shelter for the deer.
EXIT STORYTELLER
ENTER TAMIA AND HER DEER, MITAN
TAMIA
How magically bright shines the moon tonight.
MITAN
Yes, brightly it shines with its ghostly, white light;
for now is the time when, as wise men do say,
the moonman leaves his home, far in the silent sky,
and travels on a moonbeam sleigh
to wander over the slumbering earth.
O woe to anyone whom he passes by.
TAMIA
Why is that, Mitan?
MITAN
When the moonman comes to call
better not be there at all!
For when he comes visiting
he spirits you away with him,
back to his white home in the sky.
MITAN POINTS TO THE SKY WITH A STRAIGHT LEG
But look, look there, the moonman's flying by!
He's flying so silently through the deep sky;
he's flying to earth from his home up on high!
MITAN LOOKS AROUND
Come- quickly hide, hide will you!
TAMIA
But where shall I hide? What shall I do?
MITAN
Just trust me and you'll soon see.
MITAN RAKES A HOLE IN THE SNOW WITH HIS HOOF
MITAN
I'll rake a hole here in new-fallen snow.
I'll make a hole and hide you down below.
Come, quickly bundle into this hole,
and so be hidden: body and soul.
TAMIA HIDES IN THE HOLE
THE MOONMAN ENTERS
MOONMAN
I have flown from the darkened sky,
I have flown from the icelight on high,
I've voyaged from the distant moon.
On the silent rays of light,
through the calm deeps of night,
I have ridden to earth's sleeping gloom.
THE MOONMAN TURNS TO MITAN
Where is she, earthly deer:
that girl that I saw here
when, from the far, far sky,
she first caught my eye?
MITAN
Good evening, moonman.
Isn't it a pleasant night?
MOONMAN
Where is the girl I caught within my sight?
MITAN
Don't ask me!
I can't see
any girl
anywhere.
Are you sure, are you clear,
you've found the right place?
MOONMAN
Yes. Yes. I saw her as I gazed from space.
She's here somewhere, I know.
MITAN
O is that so?
How do you know?
MOONMAN
Now listen here, brown deer.
I know she's here.
MITAN
There's no-one here.
It was your own bright light,
glancing off the snow-cold white,
that dazzled your eye
while you sat in the sky.
MOONMAN
H'mmm. Maybe.
But if you're lying to me
then I'll take you instead
to fly before my sled.
THE MOONMAN EXITS
TAMIA RE-APPEARS FROM UNDER THE SNOW
TAMIA
What can we do? O, what can we?
So that the moonman won't catch me?
MITAN AND TAMIA ENTER THE CHOOM
TAMIA
Here in our tent, here in our room,
here in our home, here in our choom.
now here, perhaps, here we can hide,
here I can hide away inside.
TAMIA LOOKS AROUND
There's nowhere here to hide,
Oh, now what shall we do?
MITAN
I'll change you into something new
so that the moonman won't find you.
What will it be? A block of ice, let's say?
TAMIA
No. I might melt away.
MITAN
How about a block of granite?
TAMIA
No, it's too hard- I'd hate it.
MITAN
Then-how about a lamp? What do you say?
TAMIA
Yes- yes!
He might not see me for his own bright ray.
MITAN
By the powers that rule the sight,
by the weaving of the light,
spread a mist of sense confusion,
weave us now a great illusion.
MITAN STAMPS THREE TIMES.
TAMIA CHANGES INTO A LAMP.
THE MOONMAN ENTERS.
MOONMAN
This time, without a doubt,
I'll find her out.
Now where is she?
MITAN
Now don't ask me.
I cannot see
Anyone else around here.
MOONMAN
Don't try to fool me, long-nosed deer.
I know she's here.
MITAN
But can't you understand, moon-clown,
there's no-one else around?
MOONMAN
I just don't understand.
I'm sure she's near to hand.
MITAN
Perhaps then she's shrunk flat,
And now lies hidden under the mat.
THE MOONMAN LIFTS THE MAT, IN SLOW MOTION, RIGHT OFF
THE GROUND AND LOOKS AT THE GROUND VERY CAREFULLY AND THEN LOOKS AT
THE UNDERSIDE OF THE MAT. FINDING NOTHING, HE THROWS THE MAT BACK IN
A HEAP.
MOONMAN
No, she's not under that!
MITAN
Perhaps then she's spread tall
and now is hidden against that wall.
MITAN POINTS A HOOF. THE MOONMAN GOES OVER TO THE WALL
AND INSPECTS IT CAREFULLY
MOON MAN
No, she's not THERE at all.
THE MOONMAN SCRATCHES HIS HEAD
MITAN
Perhaps she rose up high
and flew into the sky.
MITAN DEMONSTRATES WITH A GESTURE. THE MOONMAN GOES
OUTSIDE AND SCANS THE SKY
MOONMAN
No. no- she's not flying by.
WHILE HE IS OUTSIDE, TAMIA RE-APPEARS
TAMIA
Mitan. Mitan, has he gone back?
Has he gone off on his sky track?
MITAN
No. Quickly change back into a lamp.
Three times I'll stamp my magic stamp!
MITAN STAMPS HIS HOOF THREE TIMES.
TAMIA CHANGES BACK INTO A LAMP.
MEANWHILE MOONMAN HAS GLANCED BACK AND SEEN HER.
HE RE-ENTERS THE CHOOM.
MOONMAN
Where's she gone? Where's she gone?
MITAN POINTS A HOOF AT HIS HEAD
MITAN
Is there anything wrong?
MOONMAN
That girl? Where is she now?
MITAN
What's up with you, friend, anyhow?
Perhaps you're blinded by the snowy whiteness?
Your own shine, bouncing off its brightness,
seems spinning strange visions before your eyes.
MOONMAN
Don't try to trick me with such lies!
I know which way the wild goose flies!
And so I know, I know it's clear,
it's perfectly clear that she is here,
Come on. come on, now, where is she?
MITAN
Beg pardon. are you talking to me?
MOONMAN
I know she's near. I know she's near.
This time she won't escape me here.
MITAN
Your mind is quite confused, I fear.
Why do you search for people who aren't here?
Why can't you see there's no-one to be seen?
MOONMAN
What do you mean?
MITAN
Well then, where is she now?
Is she behind you, mad mooncow?
THE MOONMAN SWINGS AROUND
MITAN
Or beneath your feet instead?
THE MOONMAN CAREFULLY LIFTS UP ONE FOOT AND LOOKS UNDER
IT. THEN HE PEERS AT HIS SOLE. HE PUTS THAT FOOT DOWN CAREFULLY AND
DOES THE SAME WITH THE OTHER
MITAN
Or over your head?
THE MOONMAN LOOKS UP CAREFULLY, TURNING AROUND IN A
SMALL CIRCLE AS HE DOES SO
MITAN
She's not above, as you perceive.
Perhaps, instead, she's crept up your left sleeve?
THE MOONMAN SHAKES HIS ARM AND PEERS UP HIS SLEEVE
MITAN
Perhaps the right one after that?
THE MOONMAN DOES THE SAME FOR HIS RIGHT SLEEVE
MITAN
Well, maybe she's sitting up under your cap?
THE MOONMAN TAKES OFF HIS CAP, FEELS HIS HEAD WITH HIS
HAND AND SEARCHES INSIDE THE CAP, THEN PUTS IT BACK ON HIS HEAD,
LOOKING PUZZLED
MITAN
You see, there's no one here to find.
It's all just in your loony, moony mind.
MOONMAN
I know she's somewhere round about.
My light, my light will find her out.
I will not let her get away;
I'll find her with my white, white ray.
THE MOONMAN SWINGS AROUND WILDLY, HIS ARMS OUT, HIS
FINGERS OUTSPREAD, AS IF RAYING LIGHT FROM HIS FINGERS. HE REVOLVES
SEVERAL TIMES.
MOONMAN
Moonshine, moonshine from the sky,
gleam and glitter from on high;
moonlight, moonlight from the night,
shine and shimmer with white light;
brightly shine on all I see,
find her, bind her silently,
spy the hidden one for me!
MOONMAN DROPS HIS RAYING
MOONMAN
Well, after all she is not here. I know-
perhaps she hid beneath the snow.
This search is tiring me: I feel my ray
is slowly fading, fading right away.
THE MOONMAN STARTS TO GO OUTSIDE, SLOWLY, WITH GREAT
WEARINESS. BUT HE DOES NOT NOTICE THE CRUMPLED DOORMAT AND SLIPS ON
IT AND FALLS (SLOWLY, ALMOST LIKE A SLOW MOTION EFFECT)
TAMIA SLIPS THE LAMP AWAY AND RE-APPEARS. SHE TIES THE
EXHAUSTED MOONMAN TO THE LAMP BOX
TAMIA
You won't take me away today!
MOONMAN
If you don't set me free then my light will all die.
I know how you're feeling. I deserve every curse
for trying to take you away to the sky.
But if you free me then I promise I'll never,
never come back to earth but stay up forever
far away in the sky. And I'll shine on the earth
and brighten the dark of the night with my light.
And I shall ever change my face; and my phase
shall be a clear sign of the passing of days,
a signpost in the turning year.
And I shall shine in the summertime,
when grass grows high and skies are clear,
and herds of deer graze peacefully.
And I shall warn of autumn storm,
when chill winds whip the leaves from trees
and dance the swirls of yellow and red.
And I'll get old with winter's cold,
as first, wild-howling snows are sped
in blasts that whirl across the frozen waste.
And I shall smile on spring's new cheer,
on the thaw, on the first, starry snowdrop's white face,
and welcome the season of the mating of deer.
TAMIA
Then I'll set you free;
but promise me
you'll never return to the earth,
not even as near as the most distant bird.
MOONMAN
You have my word.
TAMIA STARTS UNTYING THE MOONMAN. LIGHTS FADE.
THE STORYTELLER COMES FOWARD
STORYTELLER
And the moonman never came back again.
And if you look up to the sky, why then
you'll see he's stayed that way to this very day.
Labels: folk tale, Moonman, Play, Siberia, Verse play