The Green Pastures (1929)/Part 1/Scene 9
Scene IX
In the middle of the stage is the Ark. On the hillside, below the Ark, a dozen or more men and women, townspeople, are watching Noah, Shem, Ham and Japheth on the deck of the Ark. The three sons are busily nailing boards on the cabin. Noah is smoking a pipe. He wears a silk hat, captain’s uniform and a “slicker.”}}
Noah
[To Shem.] You, Shem, tote up some ol’ rough lumber, don’ bring up any planed up lumber, caize dat ain’t fo’ de main deck.
Shem
Pretty near supper time, daddy.
Noah
Maybe tis, but I got de feelin’ we ought to keep goin’.
First Woman
You gonter work all night, Noah, maybe, huh?
Noah
[Without looking at her.] If de sperrit move me.
Second Woman
Look yere, Noah, whyn’t you give up all dis damn foolishness? Don’ you know people sayin’ yo’ crazy? What you think you doin’ anyway?
Noah
I’se buildin’ a Ark. [Other men and women join those in the foreground.] Ham, you better stop for a while ’n see whether dey bringin’ de animals up all right. [He looks at his watch.] Dey ought to be pretty near de foot o’ de hill by dis time; if dey ain’t you wait fo’ dem and bring ’em yo’se’f.
[Ham goes down a ladder at the side of the ship and exits during the following scene. The newcomers in group have been speaking to some of the early arrivals.]
Second Woman
[To Third Woman, one of the newcomers.] No, you don’t mean it!
Third Woman
I do so. Dat’s what de talk is in de town.
First Man
You hear dat, Noah? Dey say yo’ ol’ lady is tellin’ everybody it’s gonter rain fo’ fo’ty days and fo’ty nights. You know people soon gonter git de idea you all crazy.
Noah
Lot I keer what you think. [To Japheth.] Straighten up dem boards down dere, Japheth. [Indicates floor of deck.]
First Man
[To Third Woman.] Was I you, I wouldn’ go ’round with Mrs. Noah anymore, lady. Fust thing you know you'll be gittin’ a hard name, too.
Third Woman
Don’ I know?
Second Woman
A lady cain’t be too partic’lar dese days.
[Zeba and Flatfoot, a tall, black, wicked-looking buck, enter, their arms around each other’s waist.]
Zeba
Dere it is baby. Was I lyin’?
Flatfoot
Well, I’ll be split in two!
First Man
What you think of it, Flatfoot?
Flatfoot
I must say! Look like a house wit’ a warpin’ cellar.
Noah
Dis yere vessel is a boat.
Flatfoot
When I was a little boy dey used to build boats down near de ribber, where de water was.
[The others laugh.]
Noah
Dis time it’s been arranged to have de water come up to de boat. [Japheth looks belligerently over the rail of the Ark at Flatfoot. To Japheth.] Keep yo’ shirt on, son.
Second Woman
[To Third Woman.] Now, you see de whole fam’ly’s crazy.
Third Woman
Listen, dey ain’t gonter ’taminate me. It was me dat started resolvin’ dem both out o’ de buryin’ society.
Zeba
When all dis water due up yere, Noah?
Noah
You won’t know when it gits yere, daughter.
Zeba
Is she goin’ to be a side-wheeler, like de Bessy-Belle?
Flatfoot
No! If she was a side-wheeler she’d get her wheels all clogged wid sharks. She gonter have jus’ one great big stern wheel, like de Commodore. Den if dey ain’t ’nuf water why de big wheel kin stir some up.
[General laughter. Two or three of the Gamblers enter and join the group, followed by Cain the Sixth.]
Cain the Sixth
Dere’s de fool an’ his monument, jest like I said!
[The Gamblers and Cain the Sixth roar with laughter, slap their legs, etc., the members of the main group talk sotto voce to each other as Cain the Sixth catches Zeba’ eye. Flatfoot is on her right and is not aware of Cain the Sixth’s presence.]
Noah
See how dey makin’ out inside, son. [Stops hammering.]
[Japheth exits into Ark.]
[Noah turns and gazes towards the east.]
Cain the Sixth
Hello, honey.
Zeba
[Frightened but smiling.]
Hello, sugah.
Cain the Sixth
[Pleasantly.] Ain’ dat my ol’ frien’ Flatfoot wid you?
Zeba
Why, so ’tis! [Flatfoot is now listening.] [To Flatfoot.] He’s got a gun.
Cain the Sixth
No, I ain’t.
[He lifts his hands over his head. Zeba quickly advances and runs her hands lightly over his pockets.]
Zeba
[Relieved.] I guess he ain’t.
Cain the Sixth
No, I ain’t got no gun for my ol’ friend, Flatfoot.
[He walks up to him.]
Flatfoot
[Smiling.] Hi, Cain. How’s de boy?
[Cain quickly presses his chest against Flatfoot’s, his downstage arm sweeps around Flatfoot’s body and his hand goes up to the small of Flatfoot’s back.]
Cain the Sixth
[Quietly, but triumphantly.] I got a little knife fo’ him.
[Flatfoot falls dead.]
[The laughter of the others stops and they look at the scene. Zeba for a moment is terrified, her clenched hand pressed to her mouth. She looks at Cain the Sixth, who is smiling at her. He tosses the knife on the ground and holds his hands out to her. She goes to him, smiling.]
Zeba
You sho’ take keer of me, honey.
Cain the Sixth
Dat’s caize I think yo’ wo’th takin’ keer of. [To the others.] It’s all right, folks. I jest had to do a little cleanin’ up.
First Woman
[Smiling.] You is de quickes’ scoundrel.
First Gambler
It was a nice quick killin’. Who was he?
Second Woman
[Casually.] Dey called him Flatfoot. From over de river. He wa’nt any good. He owed me for washin’ for over a year.
Third Woman
Used to peddle muggles. Said it had a kick like reg’lar snow. Wasn't no good.
Second Gambler
Think we ought to bury him?
First Man
No, just leave him dere. Nobody comes up yere, ‘cept ol’ Manatee.
[Indicates Noah. Cries of “Ol’ Manatee! Ol’ Manatee, dat’s good!”]
Noah
[Still looking off.] You bettah pray, you po’ chillun.
[They all laugh.]
First Woman
We bettah pray? You bettah pray, Ol’ Manatee?
Zeba
You bettah pray for rain. [Laughter again.]
Noah
Dat’s what I ain’t doin’, sinners. Shem! Japheth! [To others, as he points off. Patter of rain.] Listen!
Cain the Sixth
[Casually.] Doggone, I believe it is gonter shower a little.
First Gambler
It do looks like rain.
First Woman
I think I’ll git on home. I got a new dress on.
Zeba
Me, too. I wants to keep lookin’ nice fo’ my sweet papa.
[She pats Cian the Sixth’s cheek. Cian the Sixth hugs her.]
Noah
[Almost frantically.] Ham! Is de animals dere?
Ham
[Off stage.] Yes, sir, dere yere. We're comin’.
Noah
Den bring ’em on.
[Shem and Japheth come on deck with their hammers. The stage begins to darken.]
Third Woman
I guess we all might go home ’til de shower’s over. Come on, papa.
Second Gambler
See you after supper, Noah. [Crowd starts moving off R.]
Noah
God’s gittin’ ready to start, my sons. Let’s git dis plankin’ done.
Zeba
Put a bix Texas on it, Noah, an’ we'll use it fo’ excursions.
[There is a distant roll of thunder, there are cries of “Good night, Admiral.” “See you later.” “So long, Manatee,” as the crowd goes off. The thunder rumbles again. There is the sound of increasing rain. The hammers of Shem and Japheth sound louder and are joined by the sounds of other hammerers. There is a flash of lightning. The Choir begins “Dey Ol’ Ark’s a-Movering,” the sounds on the Ark become faster and louder. The rush of rain grows heavier.]
Noah
Hurry! Hurry! Where are you, Ham?
Ham
[Just off stage.] Yere, I am, father, wid de animals.
Noah
God’s give us his sign. Send ’em up de gangplank.
[An inclined plane is thrown against the Ark from the side of the stage by Ham, who cracks a whip.]
Ham
Get on, dere.
[The heads of two elephants are seen.]
Noah
Bring ’em on board! De Lawd is strikin’ down de worl’!
[The singing and the noises reach fortissimo as Ham cracks his whip again, and the rain falls on the stage.]
[The stage is darkened. The Choir continues singing in the darkness.]