Part 5 (2/2)

I?

Yes, you, King. For if you stayed out of it, instead of coming into it, then the King would begin to abuse the Poet and send for Sruti-bhushan again. And then there would be no hope of salvation for him. For the World Poet himself would be defeated.

And the South Wind of Spring would have to retire, without receiving its homage.

ACT I

_The Heralds of Spring are abroad. There are songs in the rustling bamboo leaves, in birds' nests, and in blossoming branches._

SONG-PRELUDE

_The purple secondary curtain[1] goes up, disclosing the elevated rear stage with a skyey background of dark blue, on which appear the horn of the crescent moon and the silver points of stars.

Trees in the foreground, with two rope swings entwined with garlands of flowers. Flowers everywhere in profusion. On the extreme left the mouth of a dark cavern dimly seen. Boys representing the ”Bamboo” disclosed, swinging._

[Footnote 1: Neither the secondary curtain nor the drop is again used during the play. The action is continuous, either on the front stage, or on the rear stage, the latter being darkened when not actually in use.]

SONG OF THE BAMBOO

_O South Wind, the Wanderer, come and rock me, Rouse me into the rapture of new leaves.

I am the wayside bamboo tree, waiting for your breath To tingle life into my branches._

_O South Wind, the Wanderer, my dwelling is in the end of the lane.

I know your wayfaring, and the language of your footsteps.

Your least touch thrills me out of my slumber, Your whisper gleans my secrets._

(_Enter a troop of girls, dancing, representing birds._)

SONG OF THE BIRD

_The sky pours its light into our hearts, We fill the sky with songs in answer.

We pelt the air with our notes When the air stirs our wings with its madness.

O Flame of the Forest, All your flower-torches are ablaze; You have kissed our songs red with the pa.s.sion of your youth.

In the spring breeze the mango-blossoms launch their messages to the unknown And the new leaves dream aloud all day.

O Sirish, you have cast your perfume-net round our hearts, Drawing them out in songs._

(_Disclosed among the branches of trees, suddenly lighted up, boys representing champak blossoms._)

SONG OF THE BLOSSOMING CHAMPAK

_My shadow dances in your waves, everflowing river, I, the blossoming champak, stand unmoved on the bank, with my flower-vigils.

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