The Green Pastures (1929)/Part 2/Scene 2
Scene II
The tableau curtains frame the opening of a cave, which is dimly lighted. A large turkey-berry bush is somewhere near the foreground. Moses is seated on the grass eating his lunch from a basket in his lap. Zippporah, his wife, stands watching him. He is about forty, Zippporah somewhat younger. They are dressed inconspicuously. Moses stutters slightly when he speaks. He looks up to see Zippporah smiling.
Moses
What you smilin’ at, Zipporah?
Zipporah
Caize you enjoyin’ yo’self.
Moses
You is a good wife, Zipporah.
Zipporah
You is a good husband, Moses. [Moses wipes his mouth with a handkerchief and begins putting into the basket the various implements of the meal which had been on the ground about him.] Why you suppose it’s so dark yere today? Dey’s no rain in de air.
Moses
Seems like it’s jest aroun’ dis cave. Yo’ father’s house is got de sun on it. [He looks in another direction.] Looks all clear down toward Egypt.
Zipporah
Co’se it would be fine weather in Egypt. De sky looks all right. Maybe it’s gonter rain jest right yere. Why don’t you move de sheep over to de other pasture?
Moses
[A bit puzzled.] I don’ know. It got dark like dis befo’ you come along wid de dinner an’ I was gonter stop you on de top of de hill. Den somethin’ kep’ me yere.
Zipporah
S’pose it could be de Lawd warnin’ you dat dey’s ’Gyptians hangin’ ’roun’?
Moses
Dey may have fo’gotten all about dat killin’ by now. Dey got a new Pharaoh down dere.
Zipporah
An’ I hear he’s jest as mean to yo’ people as his pappy was. I wouldn’t put it pas’ him to send soljahs all the way up yere fo’ you.
Moses
Dat’s all right. De Lawd’s looked after me so far, I don’t ’spect him to fall down on me now. You better be gittin’ home.
Zipporah
[Taking the basket.] I’ll be worryin’ about you.
Moses
[Kissing her and then smiling.] ’Parently de Lawd ain’t. He knows I’m safe as kin be. Lemme see you feel dat way.
Zipporah
You is a good man, Moses.
Moses
I’s a lucky man. [Zipporah exits with the basket. Moses looks up at the sky.] Dat’s funny. De sun seems to be shinin’ everyplace but right yere. It’s shinin’ on de sheep. Why ain’t dey no cloud dere?
God
[Off stage.] Caize I want it to be like dat, Moses.
Moses
[Looking about him.] Who's dat?
God
[Off stage again.] I’m de Lawd, Moses.
Moses
[Smiling.] Dat’s what you say. Dis yere shadow may be de Lawd’s wukk, but dat voice soun’ pretty much to me like my ol’ brother Aaron.
God
[Off stage.] Den keep yo’ eyes open, son. [The turkey-berry bush begins to glow and then turns completely red. Moses looks at it fascinated.] Maybe you notice de bush ain’t burnin’ up.
Moses
Dat’s de truth.
[Moses is full of awe but not frightened.]
God
[Off stage.] Now you believe me?
Moses
Co’se I does. It’s wonderful.
[The light in the bush dies and God appears from behind it.]
God
No, it ain’t, Moses. It was jest a trick.
Moses
’Scuse me doubtin’ you, Lawd. I always had de feelin’ you wuz takin’ keer of me, but I never ’spected you'd fin’ de time to talk wid me pussunly. [He laughs.] Dat was a good trick, Lawd. I’se seen some good ones, but dat was de beatenest.
God
Yo’ gonter see lots bigger tricks dan dat, Moses. In fac’, yo gonter perfo’m dem.
Moses
[Incredulously.] Me? I’m gonter be a tricker?
God
Yes, suh.
Moses
An’ do magic? Lawd, my mouth ain’t got de quick talk to go wid it.
God
It’ll come to you now.
Moses [Now cured of stuttering]
Is I goin’ wid a circus?
God
[Slowly and solemnly.] Yo’ is goin’ down into Egypt, Moses, and lead my people out of bondage. To do dat I’m gonter make you de bes’ tricker in de worl’.
Moses
[A little frightened.] Egypt! You know I killed a man dere, Lawd. Won’t dey kill me?
God
Not when dey see yo’ tricks. You ain’t skeered, is you?
Moses
[Simply and bravely.] No, suh, Lawd.
God
Den yere’s what I’m gonter do. Yo’ people is my chillun, Moses. I’m sick and tired o’ de way ol’ King Pharaoh is treatin’ dem, so I’se gonter take dem away, and yo’ gonter lead dem. You gonter lead ’em out of Egypt an’ across de river Jordan. It’s gonter take a long time, and you ain’t goin’ on no excursion train. Yo’ gonter wukk awful hard for somethin’ yo’ goin’ to fin’ when de trip’s over.
Moses
What’s dat, Lawd?
God
It’s de Land of Canaan. It’s de bes’ land I got. I’ve promised it to yo’ people, an’ I’m gonter give it to dem.
Moses
Co’se, ol’ King Pharaoh will do everything he kin to stop it.
God
Yes, an’ dat’s where de tricks come in. Dey tell me he’s awful fond of tricks.
Moses
I hear dat’s all he’s fon’ of. Dey say if you can’t take a rabbit out of a hat you cain’t even git in to see him.
God
Wait’ll you see de tricks you an’ me’s goin’ to show him.
Moses
[Delightedly.] Doggone! Huh, Lawd?
God
Yes, suh. Now de first trick—
[God is lifting a stick which he carries.]
Moses
Jest a minute, Lawd. [God halts the demonstration.] I’m gonter learn de tricks and do just like you tell me, but I know it’s gonter take me a little time to learn all dat quick talkin’. Cain’t I have my brother Aaron go wid me? He’s a good man.
God
I was gonter have him help you wid de Exodus. I guess he can watch, too.
Moses
I’ll call ’im. [He turns as if to shout.]
God
Wait. [Moses turns and looks at God.] I’ll bring him. [Softly.] Aaron!
[Aaron appears between God and Moses in the mouth of the cave. He is a little taller than Moses and slightly older. He, too, is dressed like a field hand.]
Aaron
[Blankly.] Hey!
[Moses goes to him, takes his hand and leads him, bewildered, down to where Moses had been standing alone. Aaron then sees God.]
Moses
[Almost in a whisper.] It’s all right.
God
Don’t worry, son, I’m jest showin’ some tricks, Bringin’ you yere was one of dem. [Aaron stares at God as if hypnotized.] Now den, you see dis yere rod? Looks like a ordinary walking stick, don’ it?
Moses
Yes, Lawd.
God
Well, it ain’t no ordinary walkin’ stick, caize look. [Moses leans forward.] When I lays it down on de groun’———
[The stage is darkened. The Choir begins, “Go Down, Moses,” and continues until the lights go up on the next scene.]