The Green Pastures (1929)/Part 1/Scene 3
Scene III
Enclosing the stage is a heterogeneous cluster of cottonwood, camphor, live oak and sycamore trees, youpon and turkey berry bushes, with their purple and red berries, sprays of fern-like indigo fiera and splashes of various Louisiana flowers. In the middle of the
stage, disclosed when the mistiness at rise grows into warm sunlight, stands Adam. He is a puzzled man of 30, of medium height, dressed in the clothing of the average field hand. He is bare-headed. In the distance can be heard the choir continuing. “Bright Mansions Above.” A bird begins to sing. Adam smiles and turns to look at the source of this novel sound. He senses his strength and raises his forearms, his fists clenched. With his left hand he carefully touches the muscles of his upper right arm. He smiles again, realizing his power. He looks at his feet which are stretched wide apart. He stamps once or twice and now almost laughs in his enjoyment. Other birds begin trilling and Adam glances up joyfully toward the foliage. God enters.
God
Good mo’nin’, Son.
Adam
[With a little awe.] Good mo’nin’, Lawd.
God
What’s yo’ name, Son?
Adam
Adam.
God
Adam which?
Adam
[Frankly, after a moment’s puzzled groping.] Jest Adam, Lawd.
God
Well, Adam, how dey treatin’ you? How things goin’?
Adam
Well, Lawd, you know it’s kind of a new line of wukk.
God
You’ll soon get de hang of it. You know yo’ kind of a new style with me.
Adam
Oh, I guess I’m gonter make out all right soon as I learn de ropes.
God
Yes, I guess you will. Yo’ a nice job.
Adam
Yes, Lawd.
God
Dey’s jest one little thing de matter with you. Did you notice it?
Adam
Well, now you mentioned it, Lawd, I kind of thought dey was somethin’ wrong.
God
Yes suh, you ain’t quite right. Adam, you need a family. De reason for dat is in yo’ heart you is a family man. [Flicking the ash off his cigar.] I’d say dat was de main trouble at de moment.
Adam
[Smiling.] Yes sir. [His smile fades and he is puzzled again.] At de same time—dey’s one thing puzzlin’ me, Lawd. Could I ask you a question?
God
Why, certainly, Adam.
Adam
Lawd, jest what is a family?
God
I’m gonter show you. [Indicates a spot.] Jest lie down dere, Adam. Make out like you was goin’ to slumber.
Adam
[Gently.] Yes, Lawd.
[He lies down. God stands beside him and as he raises his arms above his head the lights go down. In the darkness God speaks.]
God
Eve. [Lights go up. Eve is standing beside Adam. She is about twenty-six, and quite pretty. She is dressed like a country girl. Her gingham dress is quite new and clean. God is now at the other side of the stage, looking at them critically. Eve looks at Adam in timid wonder and slowly turns her head until she meets the glance of God. Adam stands beside Eve. They gaze at each other for a moment. God smiles.] Now you all right, Eve. [Adam and Eve face him.] Now I’ll tell you what I’m gonter do. I’m gonter put you in charge here. I’m gonter give you de run of dis whole garden. Eve, you take care of dis man an’ Adam you take care of dis woman. You belong to each other. I don’ want you to try to do too much caize yo’ both kind of experiment wid me an’ I ain’t sho’ whether you could make it. You two jest enjoy yo’self. Drink de water from de little brooks an’ de wine from de grapes an’ de berries, an’ eat de food dat’s hangin’ for you in de trees. [He pauses, startled by a painful thought.] Dat is, in all but one tree. [He pauses. Then, not looking at them.] You know what I mean, my children?
Adam and Eve
Yes, Lawd. [They slowly turn their heads left, toward the branches of an offstage tree. Then they look back at God.]
Adam
Thank you, Lawd.
Eve
Thank you, Lawd.
God
I gotter be gittin’ along now. I got a hund’ed thousan’ things to do ’fo’ you take yo’ nex’ breath. Enjoy yo’selves———
[God exits.]
[Adam and Eve stand looking after Him for a moment, then each looks down and watches their hands meet and clasp.]
[After a moment they lift their heads slowly until they are again gazing at the tree.]
Eve
Adam.
Adam
[Looking at the tree, almost in terror.] What?
Eve
[Softly as she too continues to look at the tree.] Adam.
[The Choir begins singing “Turn You Round” and as the lights go down the Choir continues until there is blackness. The Choir suddenly stops. The following scene is played in the darkness.]
Mr. Deshee’s Voice
Now, I s’pose you chillun know what happened after God made Adam ’n’ Eve. Do you?
First Girl’s Voice
I know, Mr. Deshee.
Mr Deshee’s Voice
Jest a minute, Randolph. Didn’t I tell you you gotta tell yo’ mammy let yo’ sister bring you. Carlisle, take way dat truck he’s eatin’. You sit by him, see kin you keep him quiet. Now, den, Myrtle what happened?
First Girl’s Voice
Why, den dey ate de fo’bidden fruit and den dey got driv’ out de garden.
Mr Deshee’s Voice
An’ den what happened?
First Girl’s Voice
Den dey felt ver bad.
Mr Deshee’s Voice
I don’ mean how dey feel, I mean how dey do. Do dey have any children or anything like dat?
First Girl’s Voice
Oh, yes, suh, dey have Cain ’n’ Abel.
Mr Deshee’s Voice
Dat’s right, dey have Cain an’ Abel.
Boy’s Voice
Dat was a long time after dey got married, wasn’t it, Mr. Deshee? My mammy say it was a hund’ed years.
Mr Deshee’s Voice
Well, nobody kin be so sure. As I tol’ you befo’ dey was jest beginnin’ to be able to tell de time an’ nobody was any too sure ’bout anythin’ even den. So de bes’ thing to do is jest realize dat de thing happened an’ don’t bother ’bout how many years it was. Jest remember what I told you about it gittin’ dark when you go to sleep an’ it bein’ light when you wake up. Dat’s de way time went by in dem days. One thing we do know an’ dat was dis boy Cain was a mean rascal.
[The lights go up on the next scene.]