The Green Pastures (1929)/Part 2/Scene 4
Scene IV
The Children of Israel are marching on the treadmill and now singing fortissimo. They are of all ages and most of them are ragged. The men have packs on their shoulders, one or two have hand carts. The line stretches across the stage. It is nearing twilight, and the faces of the assemblage are illumined by the rays of the late afternoon sun. The upper treadmill carries a gradually rising and falling middle distance past the marchers. The foot of a mountain appears; a trumpet call is heard as the foot of the mountain reaches stage center. The marchers halt. The picture now shows the mountain running up out of sight off right. The singing stops. A babel of “What's de matter?” “Why do we stop?” “Tain’t sundown yet!” “What’s happened?” “What’s goin’ on?” “What are they blowin’ for?” etc. Those looking ahead begin to murmur. “It’s Moses,” “Moses.” “What’s happened to him?” The others take up the repetition of “Moses,” and Moses enters, on the arm of Aaron. He is now an old man, as is his brother, and he totters toward the center of the stage. Cries of “What's de matter, Moses?” “You ain’t hurt, is you?” “Ain’t that too bad?” etc. He slowly seats himself on the rock at the foot of the mountain.
Aaron
How you feelin’ now, brother?
Moses
I’m so weary, Aaron. Seems like I was took all of a sudden.
Aaron
Do we camp yere?
Moses
[Pathetically.] No, you got to keep goin’.
Aaron
But you cain’t go no further tonight, brother.
Moses
Dis never happened to me befo’.
A Young Woman
But you’s a ol’ man, now, Father Moses. You cain’t expect to go as fas’ as we kin.
Moses
But de Lawd said I’d do it. He said I was to show you de Promised Land. Fo’ty years, I bin leadin’ you. I led you out o’ Egypt. I led you past Sinai, and through de wilderness. Oh, I cain’t fall down on you now!
Aaron
Le’s res’ yere fo’ de night. Den we’ll see how you feel in de mo’nin’.
Moses
We tol’ de scouts we’d meet ’em three miles furder on. I hate fo’ ’em to come back all dis way to report. ’Tis gettin’ a little dark, ain’t it?
Aaron
It ain’t dark, Brother.
Moses
No, it’s my eyes.
Aaron
Maybe it’s de dust.
Moses
No, I jest cain’t seem to see. Oh, Lawd, dey cain’t have a blind man leadin’ ’em! Where is you, Aaron?
Aaron
I’se right yere, Moses.
Moses
Do you think— [Pause] Oh! Do you think it’s de time He said?
Aaron
How you mean, Moses?
[Crowd look from one to another in wonder.]
Moses
He said I could lead ’em to de Jordan, dat I’d see de Promised Land, and dat’s all de further I could go, on account I broke de laws. Little while back I thought I did see a river ahead, and a pretty land on de other side. [Distant shouts “Hooray!” “Yere dey are!” “Dey travelled quick.” etc.] Where’s de young leader of de troops? Where’s Joshua?
[The call “Joshua” is taken up by those on the right of the stage, followed almost immediately by “Yere he is!” “Moses wants you!” etc.]
[Joshua enters. He is a fine looking Negro of about thirty.]
Joshua
[Going to Moses’ side.] Yes, suh.
Moses
What’s de shoutin’ ’bout, Joshua?
Joshua
De scouts is back wid de news. De Jordan is right ahead of us, and Jericho is jest on de other side. Moses, we’re dere! [There are cries of “Hallelujah!” “De Lawd be praised!” “Hooray!” “De Kingdom’s comin’!” etc. With a considerable stir among the marchers, several new arrivals crowd in from right, shouting “Moses, we’re dere!” Joshua seeing the newcomers.] Yere’s de scouts!
[Three very ragged and dusty young men advance to Moses.]
Moses
[As the shouting dies.] So it’s de River Jordan?
First Scout
Yes, suh.
Moses
All we got to take is de city of Jericho.
First Scout
Yes, suh.
Moses
Joshua, you got to take charge of de fightin’ men, an’ Aaron’s gotta stay by de priests.
Joshua
What about you?
Moses
You are leavin’ me behind. Joshua, you gonter get de fightin’ men together and take dat city befo’ sundown.
Joshua
It’s a big city, Moses, wid walls all ’round it. We ain’t got enough men.
Moses
You’ll take it, Joshua.
Joshua
Yes, suh, but how?
Moses
Move up to de walls wid our people. Tell de priests to go wid you with de rams’ horns. You start marchin’ ’roun’ dem walls, and den—
Joshua
Yes, suh.
Moses
De Lawd’ll take charge, jest as he’s took charge ev’y time I’ve led you against a city. He ain’t never failed, has he?
Several Voices
No, Moses. [All raise their heads.]
Moses
And he ain’t goin’ to fail us now. [He prays. All bow.] Oh, Lawd, I’m turnin’ over our brave young men to you, caize I know you don’ want me to lead ’em any further. [Rises.] Jest like you said, I’ve got to de Jordan but I cain’t git over it. An’ yere dey goin’ now to take de city of Jericho. In a little while dey’ll be marchin’ ’roun’ it. An’ would you please be so good as to tell em what to do? Amen. [To Joshua.] Go ahead. Ev’ybody follows Joshua now. Give de signal to move on wid e’vything. [A trumpet is heard.] You camp fo’ de night in de City of Jericho. [Moses seats himself on the rock.]
Joshua
Cain’t we help you, Moses?
Moses
You go ahead. De Lawd’s got his plans fo’ me. Soun’ de signal to march. [Another trumpet call is heard. The company starts marching off. Aaron lingers a moment.] Take care of de Ark of de Covenant, Aaron.
Aaron
Yes, Brother. Good-bye.
Moses
Good-bye, Aaron. [The singing is resumed softly and dies away. The last of the marchers has disappeared.] Yere I is, Lawd. De chillun is goin’ into de Promised Land. [God enters from behind the hill. He walks to Moses, puts his hands on his shoulders.] You’s with me, ain’t you, Lawd?
God
Co’se I is.
Moses
Guess I’m through, Lawd. Jest like you said I’d be, when I broke de tablets of de law. De ol’ machine’s broke down.
God
Jest what was it I said to you, Moses? Do you remember?
Moses
You said I couldn’t go into de Promised Land.
God
Dat’s so. But dat ain’t all dey was to it.
Moses
How you mean, Lawd?
God
Moses, you been a good man. You been a good leader of my people. You got me angry once, dat’s true. And when you anger me I’m a God of Wrath. But I never meant you wasn’t gonter have what was comin’ to you. An’ I ain’t goin’ to do you out of it, Moses. It’s jest de country acrost de River dat you ain’t gonter enter. You gonter have a Promised Land. I been gettin’ it ready fo’ you, fo’ a long time. Kin you stand up?
Moses
[Rising, with God’s help.] Yes, suh, Lawd.
God
Come on, I’m goin’ to show it to you. We goin’ up dis hill to see it. Moses, it’s a million times nicer dan de Land of Canaan. [They start up the hill.]
Moses
I cain’t hardly see.
God
Don’t worry. Dat’s jest caize you so old.
[They take a step or two up the hill, when Moses stops suddenly.]
Moses
Oh!
God
What’s de matter?
Moses
We cain’t be doin’ dis!
God
Co’se we kin!
Moses
But I fo’got! I fo’got about Joshua and de fightin’ men!
God
How about ’em?
Moses
Dey’re marchin’ on Jericho. I tol’ ’em to march aroun’ de walls and den de Lawd would be dere to tell em what to do.
God
Dat’s all right. He’s dere.
Moses
Den who’s dis helpin’ me up de hill?
God
Yo’ faith, yo’ God.
Moses
And is you over dere helpin’ them too, Lawd? Is you goin’ to tell dem poor chillun what to do?
God
Co’se I is. Listen, Moses. I’ll show you how I’m helpin’ dem.
[From the distance comes the blast of the rams’ horns, the sound of crumbling walls, a roar, and a moment's silence. The Choir begins “Joshua Fit De Battle of Jericho” and continues through the rest of the scene.]
Moses
You did it, Lawd! You’ve tooken it! Listen to de chillun’—dey’s in de Land of Canaan at last! You’s de only God dey ever was, ain’t you, Lawd?
God
[Quietly.] Come on, ol’ man. [They continue up the hill.]
[The stage is darkened.]
Mr Deshee [In the dark]
But even dat scheme didn’ work. Caize after dey got into the Land of Canaan dey went to de dogs again. And dey went into bondage again. Only dis time it was in de City of Babylon.
[The Choir, which has been singing “Cain’t Stay Away,” stops as the next scene begins.]