The Acorn-Planter, Jack London [free ebook reader .txt] 📗

(Quietly)
Last night the earth shook and there was a
roaring in the air. Often have I seen, when the
earth shakes and there is a roaring, that springs
in some places dry up, and that in other places
where were no springs, springs burst forth.

{Shaman}
There is a sign.
The Shamans told it of old.
The Sun Man will bear the thunder in his hand.

{People}
There is a sign.
The Sun Man will bear the thunder in his hand.

{Shaman}
The roaring in the air was the thunder of the
Sun Man's return. Now will he destroy the
Nishinam. Such is the word.

{War Chief}
Hoh! Hoh!

(From right Deer Foot runs in.)

{Deer Foot}
(Breathless.)
They come! He comes!

{War Chief}
Who comes?

{Deer Foot}
The Sun Men. The Sun Man. He is their
chief. He marches before them. And he is
white.

{People}
There is a sign.
The Sun Man is white.

{Red Cloud}
Carries he the thunder in his hand?

{Deer Foot}
(Puzzled)
He looks hungry.

{War Chief}
Hoh! Hoh! The Sun Man is hungry. It
will be easy to kill a hungry Sun Man.

{Red Cloud}
It would be easy to be kind to a hungry Sun
Man and give him food. We have much. The
hunting has been good.

{War Chief}
Better to kill the Sun Man.

(He turns upon People, indicating most
commands in gestures as he prepares the
ambush, making women and boys conceal
all the camp outfit and game, and
disposing the armed hunters among the
ferns and behind trees till all are hidden.)

{Elk Man and Antelope}
(Running down hillside)
The Sun Man comes.

(War Chief sends them to hiding places)

{War Chief}
(Preparing himself to hide)
You have not hidden, O Red Cloud.

{Red Cloud}
(Stepping into shadow of big tree where he
remains inconspicuous though dimly
visible)
I would see this Sun Man and talk with him.

(The sound of singing is heard, and War
Chief conceals himself)

(Sun Man, with handful of followers, singing
to ease the tedium of the march, enter
from right. They are patently survivors
of a wrecked exploring skip, making their
way inland)

{Sun Men}
We sailed three hundred strong
For the far Barbaree;
Our voyage has been most long
For the far Barbaree;
So--it's a long pull,
Give a strong pull,
For the far Barbaree.

We sailed the oceans wide
For the coast of Barbaree;
And left our ship a sinking
On the coast of Barbaree;
So--it's a long pull,
Give a strong pull,
For the far Barbaree.

Our ship went fast a-lee
On the rocks of Barbaree;
That's why we quit the sea
On the rocks of Barbaree.
So--it's a long pull,
Give a strong pull,
For the far Barbaree.

We quit the bitter seas
On the coast of Barbaree;
To seek the savag-ees
Of the far Barbaree.
So--it's a long pull,
Give a strong pull,
For the far Barbaree.

Our feet are lame and sore
In the far Barbaree;
From treading of the shore
Of the far Barbaree.
So--it's a long pull,
Give a strong pull,
For the far Barbaree.

A weary brood are we
In the far Barbaree;
Sea cunies of the sea
In the far Barbaree.
So--it's a long pull,
Give a strong pull,
For the far Barbaree.

{Sun Man}
(Who alone carries a musket, and who is
evidently captain of the wrecked company)
No farther can we go this night. Mayhap
to-morrow we may find the savages and food.

(He glances about.)
This far world grows noble trees. We shall sleep
as in a temple.

{First Sea Cuny}
(Espying Red Cloud, and pointing.)
Look, Captain!

{Sun Man}
(Making the universal peace-sign, arm
raised and out, palm-outward.)
Who are you? Speak. We come in peace.
We kindness seek.

{Red Cloud}
(Advancing out of the shadow.)
Whence do you come?

{Sun Man}
From the great sea.

{Red Cloud}
I do not understand. No one journeys
on the great sea.

{Sun Man}
We have journeyed many moons.

{Red Cloud}
Have you come from the sun?

{Sun Man}
God wot! We have journeyed across the
sun, high and low in the sky, and over the sun
and under the sun the round world 'round.

{Red Cloud}
(With conviction.)
You come from the Sun. Your hair is like
the summer sunburnt grasses. Your eyes are
blue. Your skin is white.

(With absolute conviction.)
You are the Sun Man.

{Sun Man}
(With a shrug of shoulders.)
Have it so. I come from the Sun. I am the
Sun Man.

{Red Cloud}
Do you carry the thunder in your hand?

{Sun Man}
(Nonplussed for the moment, glances at
his musket, then smiles.)
Yes, I carry the thunder in my hand.

(War Chief and the Hunters leap
suddenly from ambush. Sun Man
warns Sea Cunies not to resist. War
Chief captures and holds Sun Man,
and Sea Cunies are similarly captured
and held. Women and boys appear, and
examine prisoners curiously.)

{War Chief}
Hoh! Hoh! Hoh! I have captured the
Sun Man! Like the foxes, I have captured
the Sun Man!--Deer Foot! Elk Man! The
foxes held the Sun Man. I now hold the Sun
Man. Then can you hold the Sun Man.

(Deer Foot and Elk Man seize the Sun
Man.)

{Red Cloud}
(To Shaman.)
He said he came in kindness.

{War Chief}
(Sneering.)