The Green Pastures (1929)/Part 1/Scene 10
Scene X
When the lights go up on scene, the Ark is at sea. Stationary waves run in front of it. The hillside has disappeared. The Ark is in the only lighted area.
Shem is smoking a pipe on the deck, leaning on the rail. A steamboat whistle blows three short and one long blast. Shem is surprised. In a moment Ham appears, also with a pipe, and joins Shem at the rail.
Shem
Who'd you think you was signallin’?
Ham
Dat wasn’t me, dat was daddy.
Shem
He think he gonter git a reply?
Ham
I don’ know. He’s been gittin’ a heap of comfort out of dat likker.
Shem
De kag’s nearly empty, ain’t it?
Ham
Pretty nearly almos’. [They look over the rail. A pause.] Seen anythin’?
Shem
Dis mornin’ I seen somethin’ over dere migh’a’ been a fish.
Ham
Dat’s de big news of de week.
Shem
How long you think dis trip’s gonter las’?
Ham
I don’ know! Rain fo’ty days ’n’ fo’ty nights an’ when dat stop’ I thought sho’ we’d come up ag’inst a san’ bar o’ somethin’. Looks now like all dat rain was jest a little incident of de trip. [The whistle blows again.] Doggone! I wish he wouldn’t do dat. Fust thing we know he’ll wake up dem animals ag’in.
[Japheth appears.]
Shem
What de matter wit’ de ol’ man, Jape?
Japheth
Doggone, he say he had a dream dat we’re nearly dere. Dat’s why he pullin de whistle cord. See kin he git a’ answer. [He looks over the rail.] Look to me like de same ol’ territory.
[Mrs. Noah appears on deck.]
Noah’s Wife
You boys go stop yo’ paw pullin’ dat cord. He so full of likker he think he’s in a race.
Japheth
He claim he know what he’s doin’.
Noah’s Wife
I claim he gittin’ to be a perfec’ nuisance. Me an’ yo’ wives cain’t hardly heah ou’sel’es think. [Noah appears, his hat rakishly tilted on his head. He goes to the railing and looks out.] You ’spectin’ company?
Noah
Leave me be, woman. De watah don’ look so rough today. De ol’ boat’s ridin’ easier.
Noah’s Wife
Ridin’ like a ol’ mule!
Noah
Yes, suh, de air don’t feel so wet. Shem! ’Spose you sen’ out ’nother dove. [Shem goes into the Ark.] Ham, go git de soundin’ line. Jape, keep yo’ eye on de East.
[Japheth goes to the end of the boat.]
Noah’s Wife
As fo’ you, I s’pose you'll help things along by takin’ a little drink.
Noah
Look yere, who’s de pilot of dis vessel?
Noah’s Wife
Ol’ Mister Dumb Luck.
Noah
Well, see dat’s where you don’ know anythin’.
Noah’s Wife
I s’pose you ain’t drunk as a fool?
Noah
[Cordially.] I feel congenial.
Noah’s Wife
An’ you look it. You look jest wonderful. I wonder if you'd feel so congenial if de Lawd was to show up?
Noah
De Lawd knows what I’m doin’, don’ you worry bout dat.
Noah’s Wife
I wouldn’t say anythin’ ag’inst de Lawd. He suttinly let us know dey’d be a change in de weather. But I bet even de Lawd wonders sometimes why he ever put you in charge.
Noah
Well, you let de Lawd worry’ bout dat.
[Shem appears with the dove.]
Shem
Will I leave her go, Paw?
Noah
Leave ’er go.
[There is a chorus of “Good Luck, Dove,” from the group as the dove flies off stage. Ham appears with the sounding line.]
Throw ’er over, Boy.
[Ham proceeds to do so.]
Noah’s Wife
An’ another thing———
Ham
Hey!
Noah
[Rushing to his side.] What is it?
Ham
Only ’bout a inch! Look! [They lean over.]
Japheth
It ’s gettin’ light in de East.
[As Ham works the cord up and down, Noah and Noah’s Wife turn toward Japheth. The Choir begins “My Soul Is a Witness for the Lord.”]
Noah
Praise de Lawd, so it is.
Noah’s Wife
Oh, dat’s pretty.
Noah
[To Ham.] An’ de boat’s stopped. We've landed. Shem, go down n’ drag de fires an’ dreen de boiler. Yo go help ’im, Ham.
Japheth
Look, Paw.
[The dove wings back to the Ark with an olive branch in its mouth.]
Noah
’N’ yere’s de little dove wid greenery in its mouth! Take ’er down, Jape, so she kin tell de animals. [Japheth exits after Shem and Ham carrying the dove. To Mrs. Noah.] Now, maybe you feel little different.
Noah’s Wife
[Contritely.] It was jes’ gittin’ to be so tiresome. I’m sorry, Noah.
Noah
Dat’s all right, ol’ woman. [Noah’s Wife exits. Noah looks about him. The lights have changed and the water piece is gone and the ark is again on the hillside. Two mountains can be seen in the distance and a rainbow slowly appears over the Ark. The singing has grown louder.] Thank you, Lawd, thank you very much indeed. Amen.
[The singing stops with the “Amen.” God appears on the deck.]
God
Yo’ welcome, Noah.
[Noah turns and sees him.]
Noah
O, Lawd, it’s wonderful.
God
[Looking about him.] | sort of like it. I like de way you handled de ship, too, Noah.
Noah
Was you watchin’, Lawd?
God
Every minute. [He smiles.] Didn’t de ol’ lady light into you?
Noah
[Apologetically.] She was kinda restless.
God
That’s all right. I ain’t blamin’ nobody. I don’ even min’ you’ cussin’ an drinkin’. I figure a steamboat cap’n on a long trip like you had has a right to a little redeye, jest so he don’ go crazy.
Noah
Thank you, Lawd. What’s de orders now?
God
All de animals safe?
Noah
Dey all fin’n’ dandy, Lawd.
God
Den I want you to open dat starboard door, an’ leave ’em all out. Let ’em go down de hill. Den you an’ de family take all de seeds ’n de sprouts an’ begin plantin’ ag’in. I’m startin’ all over, Noah.
[Noah exits. God looks around.]
God
Well, now we’ll see what happens. [God listens with a smile, as noises accompanying the debarking of the animals are heard. There are the cracks of whips, the voices of the men on the Ark, shouting: “Git along dere.” “Whoa, take it easy.” “Duck yo’ head.” “Keep in line dere,” etc. Over the Ark there is a burst of centrifugal shadows, and the sound of a myriad of wings. God smiles at the shadows.] Dat’s right, birds, fin’ yo’ new homes. [Bird twitters are heard again. God listens a moment and rests an arm on the railing. He speaks softly.] Gabriel, kin you spare a minute?”
[Gabriel appears.]
Gabriel
Yes, Lawd?
[The sounds from the other side of the Ark are by now almost hushed. The Lorn indicates the new world with a wave of the hand.]
God
Well, it’s did.
Gabriel
[Respectfully, but with no enthusiasm.] So I take notice.
God
Yes, suh, startin’ all over again.
Gabriel
So I see.
God
[Looking at him suddenly.] Don’ seem to set you up much.
Gabriel
Well, Lawd, you see— [He hesitates.] ’Tain’t none of my business.
God
What?
Gabriel
I say, I don’ know very much about it.
God
I know you don’. I jest wanted you to see it. [A thought strikes him.] Co’se, it ain’ yo’ business, Gabe. It’s my business. ’Twas my idea. De whole thing was my idea. An’ every bit of it’s my business ’n nobody else’s. De whole thing rests on my shoulders. I declare, I guess dat’s why I feel so solemn an’ serious, at dis particklar time. You know dis thing’s turned into quite a proposition.
Gabriel
[Tenderly.] But, it’s all right, Lawd, as you say, it’s did.
God
Yes, suh, it’s did. [Sighs deeply. Looks slowly to the right and the left. Then softly.] I only hope it’s goin’ to work out all right.
CURTAIN