The Mother, Grandmother, Daughter and Nephew are in a small clearing in the woods. They are unpacking a few bags of things, making up beds and setting up camp.
DAUGHTER: So if your bed is here, and my bed is here, where shall we put this fellow’s bed?
NEPHEW: You could put him in between us
DAUGHTER: No way—what if you roll over in the night and squash him—that would definitely be the end of him
NEPHEW: Okay, how about here—on this tree trunk, that way he’s raised up a bit too so when the wolves come they won’t get him
DAUGHTER: Wolves?
NEPHEW: Yes—everyone knows there are wolves in this forest—and wild boar too
DAUGHTER: Is that true?
GRANNY: Yes
MOTHER: No
GRANNY: Come, we must tell the child the truth, she’s old enough to hear it now—she can’t be protected forever
MOTHER: She’s just a child
NEPHEW: She’s the smallest here
DAUGHTER: No I’m not—Mousey is
GRANNY: Listen—there are horrid things that live in the forest—once when I was a little girl your great grandfather—he was a tyrant—he sent me to this very wood to collect branches for the fire. It was the middle of winter and freezing and I could hardly see my hand in front of my face . . . I walked in through a path on the other side and began gathering different twigs. But I kept thinking I heard things behind me—it was terrifying. Then, just as I had enough wood, I looked up to find myself nose-to-nose with a wolf
NEPHEW: You didn’t?
GRANNY: I’d been so busy looking over my shoulder I hadn’t seen him walk right up to me, bold as you like, and start salivating
DAUGHTER: It’s awful
MOTHER: Mother enough
NEPHEW: What did you do?
GRANNY: I saw in those big yellow eyes of his that he liked the look of me, so I threw the wood at him and jumped up the nearest tree. He was down below looking up at me, and I clung on up there . . . He was prepared to wait for dinner, so he sat himself down
MOTHER: I thought wolves could climb trees
GRANNY: Not this one. Well there I am getting colder and colder and I know if I stay up there too long, I’ll drift off and fall out and that’ll be the end of me, or I’ll freeze to death
NEPHEW: What did you do?
GRANNY: It was him or me. So I very quietly maneuvered myself so I was above him and jumped down hard so I landed on his back
NEPHEW: Didn’t he bite you?
GRANNY: No—I broke him—he just lay there, sprawled in the snow with blood coming out of his mouth, moaning . . . I ran back to the house
DAUGHTER: Gosh—what did your father say?
GRANNY: Nothing, he was too busy knocking me black and blue for forgetting the firewood . . . So you see the forest is like the world, there are horrid things out there too, but look—you’ve your cousin and your mother and me and here’s Grandad’s gun—and he’d never let any harm come to us
DAUGHTER: And Father
GRANNY: Yes of course
DAUGHTER: Where is he?
MOTHER: Don’t fret, he’ll join us in a while—he wanted to check on the animals
DAUGHTER: And the man—he’s coming too isn’t he?
MOTHER: Yes
DAUGHTER: I like him, don’t you, Mother? He’s handsome. Is he going to stay with us?
GRANNY: Not for long so don’t get too attached to him
You two help me find wood—we are going to build a pyre in the middle here and that’ll keep all the nasties away in the night
(The three begin collecting pieces of wood together from the vicinity of the camp.
The Mother continues to sort things out. She stops and watches the Daughter, Nephew and Grandmother collect the wood.)
MOTHER (To the Nephew): Come here my boy
NEPHEW: Yes Auntie
MOTHER: Give me a kiss
(He does so.)
NEPHEW: Are you all right?
MOTHER: Yes
NEPHEW: We aren’t just here on an adventure are we?
MOTHER: Yes of course we are—it’s a game and I’ve a task for you. Will you do it?
NEPHEW: Anything Auntie
MOTHER: I want you to climb that tree over there and keep watch
NEPHEW: What for?
MOTHER: For when our men come back—when they do, you call down to me—okay, can you do that?
NEPHEW: Of course
MOTHER: Go on then
(He climbs up the tree stealthily.)
DAUGHTER: Shall I go too?
MOTHER: No—you help me by finding a good place to dig a hole. Mother, come here
(The Grandmother goes to her.)
NEPHEW (From the tree): I can see the whole village from up here
MOTHER: What do you see?
NEPHEW: It’s dead—there’s no one about—but there’s smoke coming from a few chimneys—people must be inside having their lunches
GRANNY: At ten in the morning?
(A beat.)
Good boy—you keep watch for me and tell me if anything changes—all right?
NEPHEW: Eye, eye, Captain!
DAUGHTER: How about here, Mother?
MOTHER: Somewhere further away—but don’t go anywhere we can’t see you
(A beat.)
Give it to me Mother—we are going to bury it
GRANNY: What about the boars?
MOTHER: We’ll bury it deep—no one will find it
DAUGHTER: How about here?
MOTHER: Clever girl, that’s perfect, now here we are
(She gives the Daughter and Grandmother a spoon and takes one herself.)
Right let’s dig a hole
DAUGHTER: What for?
MOTHER: Treasure—it’s part of the game—but this is a girls’ secret—you can never tell your father
DAUGHTER: Or the man?
GRANNY: Definitely not him
DAUGHTER: Or him? (Pointing to the Nephew)
MOTHER: Boys aren’t good at secrets like us
(The three females begin to dig a hole with their spoons.)
GRANNY: Good girl—deeper, deeper
NEPHEW: What are you doing down there?
MOTHER: Never you mind—you just keep watching and tell me what you see
NEPHEW: Nothing yet
DAUGHTER: It’s getting hard
(They keep going.)
MOTHER: Darling I want you to go and find a special stone—one we will recognize to mark the place—yes?
DAUGHTER: Okay. (She gets up) This is fun
(She goes to look for a stone. The Mother and Grandmother continue to dig.
A beat.)
MOTHER: That should be enough, do you think?
GRANNY: I’d say so—a couple more for luck
(They continue.)
DAUGHTER: What about this?
GRANNY: That’s a pebble—it’s far too small
DAUGHTER: Oh, okay
(The Mother and Grandmother check to be sure the children aren’t watching.)
MOTHER: Quick Mother—put it in
(The Grandmother fishes the pouch from her cleavage, kisses it and drops it into the hole.)
NEPHEW: I think I see something—yes—it’s them, they are walking across the fields, Auntie
MOTHER: Both of them?
NEPHEW: Yes
MOTHER: Alone?
NEPHEW: Yes. Shall I come down then?
MOTHER: No stay there a while longer
GRANNY: Quickly—fill it
(They both begin to refill the hole. The Daughter comes over with a large white stone—she is struggling under its weight.)
DAUGHTER: This?
MOTHER: Perfect—put it down sweetie
GRANNY: Help us
(They all fill the hole, then put some leaves over it and place the stone on top.
They are brushing off their hands as the men come through the clearing. The Mother studies the Father’s face anxiously.)
DAUGHTER: Daddy, Daddy, look—we made camp and built a pyre and everything—and I made up the bed for you and Mummy over here away from everyone else’s—see—under a canopy—isn’t it lovely— like a fairy bower
COUSIN: Where’s the boy?
NEPHEW: I’m up here—keeping lookout
COUSIN: In the crow’s nest
NEPHEW: No we’re not on a boat
FATHER: Like a monkey in a tree
GRANNY: Come on child let’s clean these spoons
(She gets a cloth and wipes them.)
DAUGHTER: Shouldn’t we wash them, they’re dirty
GRANNY: They have the soil of your homeland on—they are not dirty
MOTHER: What happened?
COUSIN: Nothing—no houses were hit, this time
MOTHER: And the animals?
COUSIN: Restless
FATHER: They were fine. This is nonsense, I vote we go back to the house
MOTHER: I hate this place
COUSIN: Don’t be stupid—at least leave it a day or two to see if anything happens
FATHER: Everyone’s gone—for nothing—nothing has happened. Running from ghosts—things that aren’t there
NEPHEW: Can I come down now?
MOTHER: Come down darling—come down
(The Nephew comes down and instinctively goes to the Mother and puts his arms around her waist.)
NEPHEW: Did I do it right?
MOTHER: You did it perfectly
(A beat.)
COUSIN: Well look at you two
NEPHEW: What?
COUSIN: There’s a striking family resemblance
GRANNY: Make yourself useful boy and fill the pitcher with water, there’s a well that way
MOTHER: He can’t go alone
COUSIN: I’ll come with you
NEPHEW: No
MOTHER: Please darling
(The Nephew sighs in assent.)
(The Cousin puts his hand under the Nephew’s chin and looks into his face. He then looks pointedly at the Mother.)
Remarkable
GRANNY: Go on!
(They move away through the woods. The Grandmother and Daughter take things out of the bags to make a kitchen area.)
FATHER: Look at the bed she made us—isn’t it sweet . . .
MOTHER: Does he have to stay?
FATHER: My cousin? He’s a good worker and I don’t mind having another man around with these things in the air
MOTHER: But you think this is all nonsense—let him go home—you’re probably right
FATHER: Why don’t you like him?
MOTHER: He wants to make trouble—turning everything upside down
FATHER: It’s harmless enough
MOTHER: I want him gone now
FATHER: What’s this?
MOTHER: I ask very little of you as a wife, I’ve been good to you and ministered to all your needs, I just want you to do this one thing for me. This one thing. I’ll never ask more of you as long as I live
FATHER: But—
MOTHER: He means to do us harm, I know it
FATHER: There is more to this
MOTHER: Don’t ask me, if you love me don’t ask me, just do what I say
FATHER: You look so anxious my darling, uncrease your frown, come here
(They embrace.)
You sense something don’t you?
(She nods.)
You feel something coming that’s bigger than both of us
MOTHER: I do, I do
FATHER: I have always trusted your intuition
MOTHER: Trust me again—do as I ask, please
(The Cousin and Nephew return with the water.)
COUSIN: Are you sure you can carry it alone, it’s heavy
NEPHEW: Let go, I can I can, everyone, watch me
(They all watch as the Nephew tentatively lifts the heavy pitcher. Slopping a bit of water at first, but then with growing confidence, he carries it the final steps to the kitchen area. The Grandmother and Daughter receive him with a round of applause and then the three of them busy themselves with preparing the food.)
COUSIN (Seeing the Father and Mother embracing): Are you okay?
FATHER: She’s an intuitive woman, my wife, she’s apprehensive
COUSIN: She should be
(A beat.)
FATHER: Maybe it’s time you went back
COUSIN: I can’t—I made a promise
FATHER: You’ve done your bit, go, I can take care of my own
COUSIN (Directly to the Mother): This is a dangerous time—you are at great risk, your husband, your family, your children, it’s all in the balance
(The Mother breaks from the Father and turns to glare at the Cousin.)
MOTHER: This is too much, to my face . . . to my very face . . . why are you here? What do you want? I can’t take any more of your insinuations, your comments—just go will you, you are not wanted here—leave us alone
FATHER: Hey, hey, enough
(The Grandmother has noticed this and leads the children into the woods out of earshot.)
What’s this about, eh?
MOTHER: You allow him to threaten me before my face
COUSIN: Not threaten, warn—I’ve come here to warn you
MOTHER: It’s all the same, I won’t allow you to do this—go—just go—I know what this is—well I won’t allow it
COUSIN: I understand you are afraid of what will come next, but you have to face it
MOTHER: What? That you want to destroy my home?
COUSIN: If you don’t listen to me your family will be destroyed. It seems like an impossible situation but really you have no choice in the end—you knew this was coming
(A beat.)
Didn’t you?
(A beat.)
I knew
(A beat.)
Fine. I’ll tell him. But you go
COUSIN: What?
FATHER: Tell me what?
MOTHER: You go
FATHER: Hold on—tell me what?
MOTHER: You’ve heard him, all his comments
COUSIN: My what?
MOTHER: Be quiet, I’m doing it
COUSIN: Wait!
FATHER: What’s going on?
MOTHER: You must know, don’t you? You must . . .
COUSIN: Stop!
FATHER: What?
MOTHER: The boy. My boy. He’s mine.
FATHER: Your nephew—
MOTHER: No
(The Mother shakes her head.
A beat.)
Mine.
(The Father grabs her by the throat at arm’s length. He doesn’t squeeze, just stares at her.
The Cousin approaches.)
COUSIN: Don’t do anything you’ll regret
FATHER: You knew,
COUSIN: None of this is important now—these are dangerous /
FATHER: you knew!
(The Father punches the Cousin and walks into the woods at a pace. He sees the children and Grandmother and turns away from them with his head in his hands.
The Nephew runs into the clearing.)
COUSIN: Just another game
GRANNY: No game
MOTHER: Climb that tree again for me, look out will you?
NEPHEW: Yes
(He does so. The Grandmother hands the Cousin a wet cloth for his face.)
GRANNY: You deserved that
COUSIN: What for?
MOTHER: You can go now
COUSIN: I’m going nowhere
MOTHER: Your work is done. He knows. Now leave us
COUSIN: I had no intention of telling him anything
MOTHER: You liar
(A beat.)
COUSIN: I thought he knew
MOTHER: What? But you have been insinuating since you came
GRANNY: You have, I heard
COUSIN: You misunderstood, I . . . I thought he knew
(A beat.)
GRANNY: You kept saying how they look alike
COUSIN: Well they do . . . Why didn’t you warn me?
(A beat.)
I wouldn’t have said—I heard how it happened—it wasn’t your fault /
MOTHER: DON’T
(A beat.)
COUSIN: He didn’t know
MOTHER: No.
(A beat.)
COUSIN: These things don’t matter in times like this, there’s more at stake
MOTHER: They matter to me, and him
What have I done?
COUSIN: Told him, for no reason
MOTHER: It’s your fault
COUSIN: Pointless
MOTHER: I wish you’d never come here
COUSIN: I came to help you
DAUGHTER: Stop arguing, you are upsetting Mousey, he’s hiding in the straw
NEPHEW: Someone’s coming
GRANNY: What?
COUSIN: Who is it?
NEPHEW: I can’t see
COUSIN: Look harder
DAUGHTER: I’m scared
NEPHEW: It’s . . . it’s . . . a man
(They all move together, into a group. The Cousin stands in front and takes the Grandmother’s gun. The Nephew remains in the tree.)
DAUGHTER: I don’t like this game, I’m scared . . .
GRANNY: Shhh
COUSIN: What else?
MOTHER: What else do you see?
NEPHEW: He’s tall—
(A beat.)
Dark—
COUSIN: What else?
NEPHEW: He’s—he’s wearing a uniform
MOTHER: Oh my God
GRANNY: What else?
DAUGHTER: Mum
MOTHER: Shh!
COUSIN: What else?
NEPHEW: He’s coming this way—he’s—he’s
(The Nephew turns and looks at them and starts to laugh.)
Not really!
MOTHER: You stupid, stupid boy, get down here
COUSIN: This is real—can’t any of you understand that?!
(The Mother goes to the foot of the tree, grabs his legs and pulls him down. She hits him around the head.)
MOTHER: Never, ever, ever do that again you stupid, stupid boy do you hear me? Never
NEPHEW: I’m sorry—I was only playing—please! Stop! You’re hurting me—
(Suddenly she stops and holds him hard, uncomfortably hard, and then kisses him.)
MOTHER: I love you, you’re a good boy, I love you
(He pulls away from her and runs to the Grandmother.)
GRANNY: Come boy—come with me— (Indicating the gun) It’s time you learned to shoot this thing
MOTHER: He’s too young
GRANNY: No he’s not
COUSIN: He needs to be a man now—go with your granny
(They start to walk.)
Make sure you walk far into the woods
DAUGHTER: Can I come?
MOTHER: No—you stay here with me
COUSIN: I’ll come with you—in case
(The three set off into the woods.)
MOTHER: Don’t be too long—we’ll need to start the fire
DAUGHTER: Are you okay Mummy?
MOTHER: Why don’t you go and see if you can find any mushrooms, then your father and I can teach you which ones are good to eat when he gets back
(The Daughter reluctantly gets up and starts hunting.)
Don’t put anything in your mouth though
(The Mother leans on the tree and looks into the woods in the direction her husband went. She talks into the tree.)
Where have you gone?
I’m worried
(Pause.)
I’m sorry
(Pause.)
Come back
(Suddenly he appears in front of her like a ghost.)
Oh! Please, we can’t be arguing at a time like this, we need to be strong and together
FATHER: I thought we were together—solid
MOTHER: We are—we are
FATHER: But you lied to me. What else have you lied to me about—is she even my daughter?
(She goes to him.)
MOTHER: You know she is
FATHER: I don’t anymore
MOTHER: Look at her—she’s you through and through, more you than me
(A beat.
She tries to touch his hand—he pulls away.)
FATHER: Why didn’t you tell me? Who else knows? Your mother of course—oh—does everyone know?
MOTHER: No one—no one—he just guessed
FATHER: So when we were married you had already had—I don’t understand
MOTHER: It wasn’t something I wanted—it wasn’t out of love, the opposite.
(A beat.
He looks at her.)
FATHER: And?
(A beat.)
Do you want me to ask him?
How could this happen?
MOTHER: You were away. (A beat) When I found out I was afraid. I thought you’d change your mind . . . I went to visit my sister, had him and left him there. (A beat) And then when she died suddenly . . . Mother came, and brought him back
FATHER: And like a blind fool I agreed
(A beat.)
You didn’t tell me
(A beat.)
How can you look at him?
MOTHER: He’s mine. Yours too now—really /
FATHER: NO
(A beat.)
MOTHER: This is his fault—if he hadn’t come
FATHER: I’d still be ignorant
MOTHER: Things would be as they were, we’d be in our house, together, a family . . . Send him away, we don’t need him, you can protect us, we don’t need anyone—
FATHER: No . . . I can’t. I don’t want to hear anymore. I will stand by you but we don’t speak
MOTHER: What?
FATHER: Only to communicate practical things. We don’t sleep in the same bed and what I say goes—no challenging me, right?
MOTHER: But please—I
FATHER: No challenging me—that’s it. He stays. We may need him
(He gets up and goes to the Daughter.)
What did you find?
DAUGHTER: All of these—look aren’t these ones ugly—they must be dangerous
FATHER: No—they are fine, but these you have to be careful of
DAUGHTER: But they are so pretty. Mother these can’t be bad
FATHER: Your mother doesn’t know which ones are poisonous
(A shot is heard from deep inside the forest.
They all look around.)
DAUGHTER: What was that?
(A beat.)
How long are we going to stay here Daddy?
(He looks at her deeply.)
What is it? What’s the matter?
(A beat.
She hugs him.)
Don’t worry—this is just a little adventure. We’ll be back home in a few days and everything will be back to normal—the giant will have gone back to sleep and all that will be left are his footprints as a reminder that he was awake at all. Isn’t that right Mother?
MOTHER: Yes darling. That’s exactly right.
(Lights down.)