The man who saw the sun
ACT I
COURTROOM
We hear dripping water. The stage is in darkness. A man with a hood carries a lantern and begins to work his way around the stage lighting a great many gas lanterns and the stage gradually falls into light. We see a typical courtroom, the judge’s seat, dock and the prosecutors table become visible, carved out of stone. We see a man with a hood stood in the dock, we are unable to see his face, his hands are bound. Once the majority of lanterns have been lit, two men in conversation enter, these being the Judge and Mr Prosecutor. The Judge and Mr prosecutor finish their conversation, take their seats and the man with the lantern exits.
Judge.
Remove your hood.
[the man in the dock does, he is badly beaten and his hands and neck are tied]
Are you Arthur Andrew Davis Brown?
Arthur Brown
Yes.
Judge
Do you know why you are here?
Mr Brown. Do you know why you are here?
Arthur Brown
[quietly] No.
Judge
What was that?
Arthur Brown
No.
Judge
Do you know where you are?
[Arthur Brown looks at his surroundings, then at his bonds]
For god sake man, answer the bloody question.
Do you know where you are?
[Arthur Brown shakes his head]
I take that to mean no. You, Mr Brown, are in a courtroom. You are in court because you have been a very bad man. Isn’t that so Mr Prosecutor?
Prosecutor
Yes, yes, he has been a very bad man.
Judge
You see Mr Brown, you have been a very bad man, very bad.
Prosecutor
Very Bad indeed.
Judge
Quite, Quite
Mr Brown, when somebody causes trouble, or is very, very bad, they end up here. In court.
They stand before me, as you are so doing, and they are tried. If, when they are tried, they are found guilty, they are punished. Sometimes harshly, sometimes more leniently, it all depends.
Arthur Brown
Depends on what?
Judge
Guilt Mr Brown. It depends on guilt. Are you guilty Mr Brown?
Arthur Brown
I don’t know.
Judge
You don’t know? You don’t know? Are you saying that you might be guilty?
Arthur Brown
No. I am saying that I don’t know if I am guilty, because I don’t know what I have done.
Judge
You’ve been a very bad man Mr Brown. A very bad man.
Prosecutor
Very bad… very very bad.
Arthur Brown
But I don’t know what I’ve done. What have I done? It doesn’t make any sense?
Judge
Doesn’t make any sense. It makes a lot of bloody sense. You have been a BAD MAN Mr Brown. A VERY BAD MAN.
Arthur Brown
Oh.
So what happens now then.
Judge
You mean you don’t know?
Arthur Brown
No.
Judge
Ha! [pause] Ha! You will be tried, Mr Brown. We are going to try you, find you guilty and then punish you.
Mr Brown
Oh.
Judge
Oh? Oh? Is that all you can say?
Mr Brown
Well, what else can I say?
Judge
What else can you say? Are you some kind of imbecile Mr Brown? Plead your innocence man. Plead your Innocence!
Unless that is, you are guilty. Are you guilty Mr Brown.
Mr Brown
I don’t know.
Judge
Are you saying you don’t know, or that you are, but you just don’t want to say?
Arthur Brown
[angry]
How can I say if I am guilty or innocent if I don’t know what I’ve done!
Judge
You’ve been a bad ma….
Arthur Brown
Why? Why have I been a bad man? I don’t understand. Tell me, what have I done? What have I done!
Judge
[pause]
There’s no need to shout Mr Brown. Mr Prosecutor, could you please inform Mr Brown and also the ladies and gentlemen of the jury [indicates audience] of Mr Brown’s wicked deeds.
Prosecutor
It would be a pleasure your honour.
[Turns]
Mr Arthur Andrew Davies Brown you are charged with incite to riot.
Judge
Oh dear. [tuts and shakes head]
Mr Brown, How do you plead.
Arthur Brown
I’m sorry?
Judge
Plead Mr Brown, How do you plead?
Arthur Brown
Shouldn’t I have a lawyer?
Judge
Did you ask for one?
Arthur Brown
When?
Judge
Before.
Arthur Brown
No.
Judge
Well there you go.
Mr Brown, To the charge of incite to riot, how do you plead?
Arthur Brown
Not guilty?
Judge
Not guilty eh? [pause] Very Well, the defendant pleads not guilty. Mr prosecutor, can we please hear the prosecution’s case on behalf of the crown?
Prosecutor
Thank you your honour. Arthur Andrew Davis Brown you are charged with the offence of spreading malicious gossip with intent to incite riot by claiming to look for, seek out and bare witness to the sun.
Arthur Brown
Oh.
Mr Prosecutor
Oh? Oh?
Judge
Oh?
Arthur Brown
Oh.
Mr Prosecutor
Mr Brown, this is a very serious matter. You are a trouble maker. A hoodlum, a, a, a, very Bad Man.
Judge
Very Bad.
Arthur Brown
So I gather.
Judge
This is no time for flippancy Mr Brown.
Would you continue Mr Prosecutor?
Prosecutor
Mr Brown, you were arrested by his majesty’s guard on the 15th of September, three weeks ago exactly, do you remember that day?
Arthur Brown
I remember, [clears throat] I remember I was in the square, I had just spoken to my wife and a… man. I don’t know who he was, but he seemed, he seemed tense. Then, then I remember nothing. I’d turned to walk away, then nothing.
Mr Prosecutor
So you do remember
Mr Brown
Remember what?
Prosecutor
Your wife.
Mr Brown
Yes, of course I remember my wife. Where is she?
Judge
Your wife is taken care of Mr Brown.
Mr Brown
But…
Judge
She’s taken care of Mr Brown
Arthur Brown
Oh.
Mr prosecutor
Mr Brown, Is it true that you spoke unto your wife and whilst speaking, said words of a story of a journey you say you took. A horrific, fantastical, whimsical journey. And this, this is why you were arrested three full days after the 12th of September on the orders of His Majesty the King, who whilst sitting upon his throne, overheard his maid [refers to notes] ‘known as ghurta’ say something of your story to his other maid [refers to notes] ‘huna‘, who, overwhelmed by what she was being told, dropped her water bowl and ran off screaming. His Majesty, questioned his storytelling maid [refers to notes] ‘known as ghurta’ and after some considerable detective work by his Majesty’s Chief Inspector Detector, found the story to originate from your wife, [refers to notes] a Mrs Jacana Brown. Who was at that time working as a cook in the court, and under interrogation by his Majesty’s Chief Inspector Detector Interrogator, named you Mr Brown, [refers to notes] her husband, as the source of these horrible and dangerous lies. Where upon, his majesty ordered your arrest, as he thought, (aside) and rightly so, that you, Mr Brown, are a heretic and you, Mr Brown, were trying, by means of verbal lies and obscene gestures, to start what may be perceived, Mr Brown, as an exodus. An uprising against society on the whole as well as, his Royal Majesty himself.
Do you agree this to be the case Mr Brown?
Mr Brown
Well…
Judge
Mr Brown, the question is simple enough, did you speak to your wife?
Arthur Brown
Yes.
Prosecutor
And the words you spoke, Mr Brown, were they as reported?
Arthur Brown
Possibly
Prosecutor
Possibly?
Arthur Brown
It all depends on what my wife told the maid and what the king overheard.
Prosecutor
Mr Brown, according to your wife, for many months, you have been spending quite some time roaming the outer regions of this kingdom in search of something, is that so?
Arthur Brown
I have been roaming yes, and searched definitely, for many months.
Mr Prosecutor
And what is it that you have spent many months roaming in search of?
Arthur Brown
The Sun.
Prosecutor.
The Sun?
Arthur Brown.
Yes.
Prosecutor.
How absurd.
Judge
No such thing. No such thing!
Prosecutor
Definitely not. Could you imagine?
[The Judge tries to say something but is lost for words. Has a large drink]
The sun indeed. Mr Brown, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, as I am sure you are aware, it is believed that philosophers once wrote that there may have been such a thing, and history tells us that there was once great debate about the subject but no parchment remains of the outcome of those philosophies and debates, and so now, general consensus, at least in educated society, is that the story of the sun was made up to assist in the calming of crying young, However, the telling of this fable, was banned in 483ED after it’s telling led to the riot of Banamore and the great tunnelling which led to the deaths of 15 juveniles, 326 rioters and six, yes SIX officers of his Majesties Court.
Judge
Where you aware of this ban Mr Brown.
Arthur Brown.
I was aware that my mother was extremely fearful whilst trying to calm me as a babe, for you see, she was not a great singer of lullabies. And I was aware that one night, she told me a story, although I remember not what the story was about, and I do remember that the following morning, she was arrested and taken away by officers of her majesty’s court, and was beheaded three weeks later, which happened to be the same day as my seventh birthday.
Judge
Ah.
Mr Prosecutor
Ah.
Judge
Yes well, thankfully, times have changed a little since then, however the ban is still in place. And therefore it is still… banned.
Mr Prosecutor
Yes it is, and still Mr Brown, you went looking for it?
Arthur Brown
Yes, that is correct.
Judge
Why Mr Brown, why on earth would you do such a thing?
Arthur Brown
I became encouraged.
Judge
Encouraged?
Arthur Brown
By signs, [Pause] and people.
Judge
And how did this encouragement work
Arthur Brown
Very well, it kind of drove me.
Judge
Are you trying to say it controlled you?
Arthur Brown
No, I am saying that it drove me.
Judge
I don’t understand, [drinks] Mr Prosecutor?
Prosecutor
Mr Brown, are you saying you were driven by people?
Arthur Brown
And signs, yes.
Prosecutor
Ah, so you are saying… no, no, I haven’t a clue either.
Judge
For gods sake. Mr Brown, please explain for the benefit of the prosecution, the ladies and gentlemen of the jury and my good self what the bloody hell you are talking about.
Arthur Brown
Your honour, for many years I did as we all do. I worked hard and wed and worked harder. My wife was a good woman. We lived happily. I worked hard during the day and returned home in the evening to be loved by my wife.
Judge
Mr Brown, what do you do for a living?
Arthur brown
I work in the water mines as a head line man, your honour.
Judge
A good and fair job Mr Brown. A good and fair job.
Arthur Brown
Yes it is, it was. But it was never enough.
Judge
Never enough?
Arthur Brown
No.
Judge
Why ever not man?
Arthur Brown
It was… well , it was boring.
Judge
How dare you! It is a good and fair job Mr Brown, a good and fair job.
Mr Prosecutor
Yes, a good and fair job, a good and fair job
Arthur Brown
Yes I know, I know. It is a good and fair job, it is, I know, but It never fulfilled me. I was bored, I wanted more. I wanted… I wanted… excitement.
Judge
Well I never.
Arthur Brown
that’s why I started walking
Judge
You did?
Arthur Brown
Yes. I went for walks
Judge
What kind of walks
Arthur Brown
Short ones… at first. I used to walk to work, and then in the evenings I would walk back home, however, one day, quite out of the blue, I decided that on my way home I would walk a different route. And so I did.
Judge
And where did this new route take you?
Arthur Brown
Well, eventually it took me home.
Judge
So what was the point?
Arthur Brown
It was different.
Judge
Different?
Arthur Brown
Quite
Judge
Quite?
Prosecutor
Quite?
Judge
Quite?
Arthur Brown
Quite different.
Judge
That’s all well and good Mr Brown, but it does not explain why you have now come to stand before me here today, unless that is, it was on one of your alternative routes!
[Both Judge and Mr Prosecutor laugh]
Arthur Brown
Well, in a way, I suppose you could say it was.
Judge
Then perhaps Mr Brown, you should have stayed on your usual route and followed your path.
Prosecutor
Indeed. Indeed.
Arthur Brown
Perhaps I should, but then I would not have happened across the man.
Judge
Man? What man?
Arthur Brown
The man with the pipe.
Judge
Oh.
Prosecutor
[looks through paperwork] man with the… oh?
Arthur Brown
Please your honour, allow me to explain.
Judge
Please do.
Prosecutor
Yes. Yes.
Arthur Brown
Thank you Your Honour. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury, Mr Prosecutor, Your Honour, I have worked hard, and have always tried to lead a good and just life. I still do try to lead such a life although it is now somewhat different. Please allow me to take you to the day in question when my life was changed, when it was changed quite dramatically .
I awoke early that day, and had eaten a great breakfast of mushrooms. I had set out for work as usual, As you are already aware, I had by this time started, tentatively at first, then with vigour, to deviate from my usual path from work, However on this day I had felt unusually troubled since half light, and had not managed to find it in me to attend the water mines., instead I simply wandered. It was the afternoon by the time this event occurred and I had wandered for many miles, I found myself in the caves over by Yeovil Strint. The day had been dark, and somewhat muggy, and I came upon a passage I had never come across before, the air in this passage was somehow sweeter than the usual air we breathe. I’ve often found the air to be quite stale around my home town, this was different. This was AIR. Proper air! It was fresh, if fresh be a word one can use to describe air and it flowed as a breeze.
Judge
A breeze?
Mr. Prosecutor.
A breeze?
Arthur Brown
[looks at Prosecutor triumphantly]
A breeze.
[Prosecutor looks at judge]
[Judge looks at prosecutor then Arthur Brown]
[then]
Judge
So you went for a walk. You smelt some air. And you told your wife of your walk and your smelling? You told your wife of your smelling?
Mr Prosecutor
Don’t forget the other people as well your honour. His wife told lots of people. Lots of people. Didn’t she, didn’t she?
Arthur Brown
Yes.
Mr Prosecutor
And that caused a rumour, didn’t it, didn’t it?
Arthur Brown
Yes.
Mr Prosecutor
And rumours are bad. Oh yes, rumours are bad. Very bad.
Judge
Yes yes, rumours are bad Mr Prosecutor.
Mr Prosecutor.
Yes your Honour, they are.
Judge
Very disturbing.
Mr Prosecutor
Yes, yes, quite.
Judge
Mr Brown, this man you talk of, this man with a pipe, was he smelling as well?
Arthur Brown
Possibly, although he seemed to be concentrating on his playing.
Judge
Playing?
Arthur Brown
Playing, yes, as I say, I came upon a passage I had never come across before. Upon entering the passage I was struck in the ear, by my hearing, for it had heard a sound. A light, delicate music came unto me as if being emitted from a pipe. Whereupon I came upon a man with a pipe, playing, for he was not cross and indeed seemed happy and so his music said so. Your honour, if I may, I’d like to call my first witness, the man with the pipe.
Judge
Bring in this man with the pipe.
Arthur Brown
THE man with the pipe.
Judge
THE man with the pipe. Bring in THE man with the pipe.
NOW
[The man with the lantern enters and lights some more lanterns around a witness stand, this can take quite some time. Once it is complete the man with the pipe rises up from the stand as if he was always there.]
Man with the pipe
I am here.
Judge
Please will you state your name for the jury and tell us what you know.
Man with the pipe
I am the man with the pipe, although some have known me as other things, for before I had a pipe I was known as Man who has not yet got a pipe. [stops and looks at the characters on the stage individually for encouragement, only Arthur Brown gives any. The man with the pipe continues]
I do however now have a pipe and so am called the man with the pipe.
[stops and looks again at the characters on the stage individually for encouragement, only Arthur Brown gives any. The man with the pipe continues]
If, however, I have another pipe I shall daresay be called man who has two pipes. But, until then I shall be the man with the pipe, unless of course I lose said pipe and therefore would become man who has lost his pipe or man who did once have a pipe but now does not, due to it being mislaid or lost.
Arthur Brown
And what do you know friend? Please tell us for we would like to hear.
Judge
Yes and make it quick and preferably, sense!
Man with the pipe
It has often been said that music should be banned for it reminds us of things lost or forgotten. Fairy tales and fables, like a breeze upon the trees or white snow that is cold. These things may have been, and may, alas, have gone. Every day, I believe, without knowing, our hearts mourn their loss. However there is one thing that we may mourn the loss of more than anything else mentioned in fairy tales or fables, and that is the sun. Although, many do say that the sun was never a real thing, simply a story to ease the pain of troubled babes.
But, what if you believe? What if you believe? I believe, I believe that there was such a thing as the sun and there still might bloody be one if the things I have seen are to be believed. And I believe they are. For I believe them.
[Looks at audience and characters on stage triumphantly]
I met this man [Gestures Arthur Brown] one day in a tunnel, my usual haunt, for there, there is something that holds me transfixed, as if I was glued, you know what I mean?
This man [Gestures] came unto me and asked me, asked ME, what lay beyond the tunnel, I replied I did not know , for I didn’t, for I have never been further than where I was or have ever had the inclination to do so, seeing as I was glued and so could not anyway.
This man said he felt a breeze and I said unto him that it was a breeze, it was a breeze! For the music from my pipe liked to travel upon it in it’s journeys and travels to ears. I also told this man [Gestures again] that the breeze brought things with it that he may choose not to believe but I said I believed, because I had seen them, with my own eyes, And, I had seen IT, in the darkness. He said, [Gestures Again] ‘what did you see that you say you saw?‘ and I said , I said, I saw a Leaf.
Judge
A Leaf!
Prosecutor
A Leaf!
Man with the pipe
A leaf.
And I daresay, I daresay and would even speculate that it would have come from… a tree.
Prosecutor
A Tree?
Judge
A Tree…
Prosecutor
surely not.
Judge
[To Prosecutor]
Do we know someone?
Prosecutor
[to Judge]
Know someone?
Judge
[To Prosecutor]
Yes, know someone.
To shed light.
Prosecutor
[to Judge]
Ah…To shed light.
Yes.
Judge
[To Prosecutor]
Yes?
Prosecutor
[to Judge]
Yes.
Judge
[To Prosecutor]
Yes, we know someone?
Prosecutor
[to Judge]
Do we? [looks at notes] Ah yes, yes, yes we do.
Judge
[To Prosecutor]
Yes we do? yes we do?
Who? Who? Who is it we know?
Prosecutor
[to Judge]
The tree man.
Judge
[To Prosecutor]
The Tree man?
Prosecutor
[to Judge]
The tree man.
Judge
Thank fuck.
Call the tree man!
Prosecutor
Call the Tree man!
Voice Off
Treeman!
[Tree Man enters]
Tree man
Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes what?
[Tree Man stands In the middle of Stage.]
Judge
Are you the Treeman?
Tree Man
I am, I am. I am the man that they say talks too much about trees. Some call me fuckwit, others call me hero, for the stories I tell are folk in nature of green and brown and everything that once was but is not any more, or so I believe but I have no proof.
I do however know an awful lot about trees.
Arthur Brown
Then tell these people, kind sir, about trees.
Judge
Mr Brown, if you don’t mind, I am in charge and it is my position to conduct instruction. Mr Prosecutor, could you please instruct the Treeman to inform the ladies and gentlemen of the jury about trees?
Prosecutor
You, fuckwit, tell these people about trees.
Tree Man
Yes.
Yes.
Luckily sir I brought a diagram.
[The tree man unravels/pulls down a very large drawing of a tree.]
I shall now go into some detail to describe what my diagram shows. Please if you could pay attention as it may become a little confusing.
Here you can see a picture of a tree. It has a brown trunk; that being the big thing that is brown, which is connected to the ground. This is what we believe holds up the branches; branches being the smaller brown things that are stuck to the trunk.
The man with the pipe
Stuck, stuck like glue as in not being able to move.
Tree man
Ah yes, [looks impressed] quite, quite… but not quite. You see they can move, for they are supple. They move in the breeze, yet stay stuck to the trunk all the same.
Judge
So they can move yet they can’t move? And you wonder why people call you fuckwit?
Prosecutor
Your honour? Is there any need to continue this farce, I mean, a leaf and a tree? These men are fools, they are demented ,simpletons, storytellers who mean civil unrest. Surely you can’t allow this to continue?
Arthur Brown
Surely you can, Your Honour, for the Man with the Pipe started my journey and propelled me forth onto discovery. It would also be a shame to stop now, for I am sure the tree man is about to come to the best bit…
Judge
Are you?
Are you really coming to the best bit?
Tree man
Am I? Am I? Ah, Yes, yes I am, yes I am.
Judge
Then continue. But quickly for I have business and the Prosecutor to attend to.
Tree man
Yes yes, quickly yes. To the best bit then. I just need a second diagram, luckily I brought it, just as I brought the first. I put it in here, for it is safe here and kept very dry.
[tree man takes very very large scroll out of a small bag just like Mary Poppins]
Here we go. So far I have told you of the trunk that is brown and stuck in the ground, of the branches that are stuck to the trunk, they too are brown and can move but are stuck all the same.
Man with the pipe
Stuck, stuck like glue. I told you, I told you.
Tree man
Well, well yes, but not quite, if you remember I told you before. You do remember don’t you?
[looks at man with pipe who clearly has forgotten]
Well as I was saying, the trunk is brown and stuck in the ground, the branches are attached to the trunk , like that.
[points at diagram 1]
Well, lets see, ah yes, then we have twigs. their purpose, their purpose is to hold onto… the leaves.
Judge
Leaves?
Prosecutor
Leaves?
Tree man
Yes, leaves, they are many leafs and are green… or brown, you see they can change in rooms known as seasons.
They give the tree life but they leave [Does exaggerated gesture of leaving] it every once in a while and drop to the ground.
[pauses in amazement and bewilderment]
All in all, that is a tree. I believe they were numerous, but I have never seen one, only in books with stories.
Prosecutor
Mad mad mad mad mad. Fuckwit.
Judge
Now, now Mr Prosecutor, His Royal Majesty dictated to us the value of freedom of thoughts and speech.
Thank you fuckwit, you may go.
[Speaks into wind up telecom from behind his desk]
Please escort the next fuckwit who exits this room into custodial care for he is clearly mad.
[They watch Tree man collect his things and help direct him out.]
Judge
So Man with the Pipe, you say you saw one of these leafs?
Man with the pipe
I did, I did see a leaf, and it must have come from somewhere, mustn’t it? I mean, it was carried on the breeze, but the breeze was not always there, was it? I mean, it makes sense, doesn’t it? It must have been somewhere to be now somewhere else. where that somewhere was I know not and was unable to go and see to where it had been for alas, I was stuck. So I sent the lad [Gestures to Brown] to go see and, and, off he went.
Judge
Did he?
Man with the pipe
Yes
Judge
Did you?
Arthur Brown
Yes.
I went.
Man with the pipe
Can I go now?
Judge
Sorry?
Man with the pipe
Can I go now? Can I leave? I mean, I have no more to say, I can play you a tune if you like, for your hearing.
Judge
No, no that is quite alright, Mr Brown have you finished with your witness?
Arthur Brown
Yes your honour.
Judge
Very well, Man with the Pipe, you may step down, but no blowing.
Man with the pipe.
Right, good… I’ll be off then.
[as Man with the pipe exits, the judge speaks into telecom from behind his desk]
Judge
You will shortly see another fuckwit exiting this room, please also escort him into custodial care for he is also clearly mad.
[to Arthur Brown]
So you went?
Arthur Brown
Yes
Judge
And what happened?
Arthur Brown
I met someone else your honour.
Judge
You met someone else?
Arthur Brown
After I left the man with the pipe, I went down the passage and met someone else.
Prosecutor
Who? Who did you meet?
Judge
Mr prosecutor, please.
Mr Brown, who did you meet?
Arthur Brown
I met a beautiful witch
Judge
A beautiful witch?
Arthur Brown
Yes, I remember her for she was very beautiful
Prosecutor
And no doubt, a witch?
Arthur Brown
Yes, that she was, she had the markings… do you know of her?
Prosecutor
No I do not!
Imbecile.
Arthur Brown
Well you shall meet her now for I would like to call the beautiful witch.
Prosecutor
Do we really have to go on with this your honour?
Judge
Well Mr Brown, Is your next witness essential to your defence or is she simply another ignoramus who has found sanctuary in the farther regions of our world?
Arthur Brown.
Forgive me your wise-ness if my first witness was not so simple to understand. It is not his fault, seeing as he was stuck and had been stuck for quite some time I believe.
My second witness, the beautiful witch should make far more sense as she holds the key. So please, your honour, please allow me to call her.
Judge
Very well.
Bring forth the beautiful witch.
[There is a pause whilst the beautiful witch enters, the beautiful with enters carrying a number of suitcases, places them at the witness stand then goes off stage to bring on more suitcases this may be continued three for four times.
Each time the witch can begin her line then trail off whilst she remembers her off stage cases and retrieves them.]
Beautiful Witch.
Who called forth.
What reason for it?
Judge
Please state your name for the people here present.
Beautiful Witch
I am Dabi Die.
Judge
Your skin is dark, where might you be from witch?
Beautiful Witch
My skin is porcelain, as is yours, but I do bear the markings. I am from many places
Judge
Many Places?
Beautiful Witch.
Yes, many places.
Judge
Well I…
Beautiful Witch
I started my journey in Germania where I was given unto this world in an unusual manner, carried by a magical vessel, a cow…
Prosecutor
A Cow?
Beautiful Witch
..was used to carry my mother from a cave in Tilberg. For four days she travelled far, bearing me, in search of water, for, in Tilberg, there was little enough, and non to be spared for the ceremony.
Judge
The Ceremony?
Beautiful Witch
My Birthing. My mother had sensed I would be marked, she needed water to perform the ceremony of the oweyoo. My mother found a cave with a pool, and I was born unto her on the fourth night. We did not stop however. Once the ceremony was complete , my mother continued on her journey. For four more days she travelled, carrying me in her arms arriving in Tamer at about seven before lasten bell where she settled upon a firm outcrop overlooking a lake where my father, whom I had not met, was supposed to be , upon a raft, fishing.
Judge
Did you find him?
Beautiful Witch
Yes.
Prosecutor
Had he caught any?
Beautiful witch
Caught any?
Prosecutor
Fish?
Beautiful Witch.
I know not, I was barely four days old.
It did not take long for my mother to find my father though, for she had sensed where he would be, and there indeed she did find him, lying on the shore beneath an outcrop. He was dead.
Judge
So he had died.
Beautiful witch
No, not died. But he was dead all the same, a spear was found, broken. He had the markings
Judge
These markings…
Beautiful Witch
Are the markings of one of my kind.
Prosecutor
A conjuror.
Beautiful Witch.
A Shaman
Prosecutor
As I said, a Conjuror.
Beautiful Witch
There is a difference. A conjuror merely plays tricks, a shaman has the energy of the earth within them and controls time, space and the laws by which we live.
Judge
I think you’ll find that I control the laws witch.
Beautiful Witch
Natural laws.
Prosecutor
There is only one law and that is of the King, not of some magic making harlot.
Judge
Well said Mr Prosecutor.
Beautiful Witch
How dare you dismiss so rashly that which you do not know. My power is not simply magic. It is life. And death. And all in between.
Prosecutor
Quiet witch . Is there need to continue your honour? Mr Brown’s witness seems to be somewhat mad. It appears Mr Brown has an affinity with those among us who are ‘not quite seeing the rock face’!
Arthur Brown.
There is indeed need. This Beautiful Witch is not mad. Allow her to continue her story for she will show you how it came to be that I spoke to her and continued my own journey to the top side where I believe one day we will find the sun, shining in all its glory.
Prosecutor.
How, how, how can you allow him to talk this way your honour?
Judge.
It is hard. It is hard. But his Majesty ruled long ago that each man was able to have free speech.
Beautiful Witch
As long as each man says what his Majesty wants, is that not so your honour?
Judge.
That is not so witch. Continue your story or I will be forced to silence you.
Beautiful Witch.
As I said. My mother found my father dead. With a broken spear head close by.
He had been killed because he had the markings. My mother also had the markings, as do I, and she knew that we must have been in a place where the markings were not accepted by those local. So, She moved us once again, after taking on much water, and we headed north. We travelled for many years and my mother taught me well in the ways of the wild. We lived off wild mushrooms, moss seed and fish, when they could be caught, The spirit within me grew and grew and soon I started seeing.
Judge
Seeing?
Prosecutor
Seeing, seeing what, seeing what?
Beautiful Witch.
Visions.
I began my visions when I was twelve year outs. My first was of a fish, swimming, swimming close to where I was sat, on an outcrop near to where my mother had stopped to camp at that time. It was swimming closer and closer and seamed to be saying, catch me, catch me girl for I have words to say to you. In my vision it was so clear, but when I looked with my real eyes all I saw was the inky blackness of the water. I lifted my spear and threw it into the murky waters beneath, when I pulled it back in, the fish was there on the end, impaled, and it spoke unto me and said. ‘I am a good fish, take my flesh and eat it, but once you have eaten from my flesh ,be gone, for I have young ones, and they are not for your eating, Move on until you meet a man. A man who will step forward to another world. A man who you must guide and when he comes, show him, show him the way.’ the fish then died. And we ate well that night but it was then that I knew I must continue my journey alone, for the fish had not spoke of my mother. My mother gave me some milk from the cow, which was now very old and not producing much. I set off on my way and my mother waved a farewell and hoped I would find the man soon as she could not see my life in her visions, instead she only saw the cow’s nearing death and her own fall from this world. she did not tell me of these visions of hers, but later when I was on my journey to find the man I entered her head in a dream state and saw for myself what she had seen. That was when I knew she had also died .
My journey took many years and I visited many places, from Erainia and Beloch to Mardoena and Trotchen, each year my visions growing stronger, until I lived them. I always knew of a man, a man I was due to greet, however I knew not why I was due to guide him or who he was, until I was once again sat by a lake, singing, I had almost lost myself, as can easily be done when singing, when I saw a ripple in the water, about five feet out. The ripple grew and grew, until the water became quite violent and then out of the water erupted a crocodilian. It was pure white, but its eyes were not red. Its eyes were pure blue, as are mine, and that was when I knew it would not eat me, for, it was my father.
Judge
Your father?
Mr Prosecutor
Your father was a crocodilian?
Beautiful Witch.
No. Of course not. But that was how his spirit chose to show itself to me. I sat aghast. I had not seen him since I was a newborn., when he was dead, and I had no real knowledge of who he was. But his eyes. His eyes were now pure. So pure, in front of me. And that is how I knew.
The crocodilian, my father, smiled. He then spoke to me in a voice that was so light it was like singing. I knew of course it was my voice I was hearing, but the words, the words were his.
Judge
What did he say?
Beautiful Witch
‘Dabi, he began, Dabi my sweet. I am he who planted his seed. My seed grew and grew and was carried in a magical vessel until your berthing. My seed became you.‘ If I had not already known, it was at this point when I would have been certain that this was my father speaking unto me. ‘Continue your journey my sweet, for you have far to travel, continue until you reach a forest of mushrooms, for in the forest you will be met by a boar. A boar so wild and so grand that he has two golden tusks with which he holds great pride. The boar has words to say unto you and also a gift. The gift is not yours although the words are meant for you. The gift must be given unto you , and then by you. You will know when to give the gift and who to give the gift to as the boar will tell you with his words.’ The crocodilian then smiled (although I had thought that he had been smiling throughout) and then sank back into the murky blackness of his lake. I never saw him again.
Judge
My god witch, you are quite a story teller. Perhaps it is you who should be on trial and not Mr Brown. All this story telling is making me thirsty. I am very thirsty. Man. Man. Bring in drink.
[A man enters, he is hooded and wearing a gown identical to the lantern carrier. He brings in a jug and serves the Judge, Mr prosecutor and the witch and then Mr Brown. He then serves each one a biscuit in the same order. Once he has done this he takes the glasses and if unfinished the biscuits off each of the characters in the opposite order. He then leaves the chamber]
Judge
Right then, where were we?
Mr Prosecutor
The Boar
Judge
Ah yes, the witch. You may continue.
Beautiful Witch.
Many more years passed after I had spoken with my father and I didn’t once during those years come upon a forest of mushrooms. Until I did. On a Tuesday. I saw the mushrooms. A great many of then. And they were as big as stalagmites. The light around them was phosphorous and it was as if it guided me to a point in the deepest part of the shrooms. I stopped and looked all around me, the phosphorous glowed and as I faced my front again I saw him. The boar. And he was big. He said I am Arabuu. King of the mushroom forest. You have come to hear my words. So here they are.
“when you meet the man. Give him my gift. For he needs it. It is important to him. It will help him know. It will help him see. It will change all the world”
He then knelt and beckoned me to remove the golden key on a chain that hung around his left tusk. I did as he beckoned and it was heavy. He then bade me farewell and I went. Ten years later, I met a man, Arthur Brown.
Mr Prosecutor
You just happened to bump into him, ten years after seeing a giant talking boar with a jewellery fetish, who you met on orders from your crocadilian dead father who agreed with the suicidal fish that you were destined to meet a man. Who you would know when you met?!?
And you expect us to believe this?
Beautiful Witch
No. I don’t expect you to believe it. I don’t expect anything. It is just so.
Arthur Brown.
Your honour, whether you believe the beautiful witch or not, I have asked her to stand as my witness because she saw me in the passage. And she spoke to me of what I must do and therefore did.
Judge
I see. And what did she say.
Arthur Brown
She asked me where I was going. So I told her. I said I was following a breeze. She asked me my name. I told her. She then said. ‘Mr Brown. You are going on a long long journey. You may know not your destination, but I do. And you must continue on your path, so follow your breeze and return, bearing your news.’ And she gave me a key.
Judge
Is that what you said?
Beautiful Witch
I did indeed say: ‘Mr Brown. You are going on a long long journey. You may know not your destination, but I do. And you must continue on your path, so follow your breeze and return, bearing your news’
Judge.
And did you give him a key?
Beautiful Witch.
Yes. The key from the Boar king.
Arthur Brown
And so, as the beautiful witch had told me too, I went. I followed the breeze and walked for many many miles. My steps became quicker as my heart began to race. And then, in the distance, I saw it. It was small at first, like a pin prick, but it steadily grew as I moved on, and continued to do so until it filled my vision. It was light. Pure light. And it grew, and grew, until I was standing in it. It engulfed me, and I looked around and found I was outside. I saw trees. And shrubs. And grass. And then I looked up. And that’s when I saw it. There in the sky. A cloud.
Judge.
So you clai… a cloud?
Arthur Brown
Yes, a cloud, isn’t it amazing.
Judge
What happened then, then.
Arthur Brown
Well then I knew it must be true, there must be a sun, somewhere, so I ran home to tell my wife.
Mr Prosecutor
And start a revolution against his majesty the king!
Arthur Brown
No, simply to tell her the truth, that there is more to this world than what we see, there is a greater place for us, there is a breeze, and the re are trees, there’s a sky and a cloud and somewhere, somewhere I know there is a sun!
Mr Prosecutor
It is all lies. It is all lies. LIES.
Arthur brown.
No it isn’t.
Mr prosecutor
Yes it is.
Arthur brown
No it isn’t
Mr prosecutor
Yes it is.
Arthur brown
No it isn’t
Mr prosecutor
Yes it is.
Arthur brown
No it isn’t
Mr prosecutor
Yes it is.
Yes it is.
Yes it is.
Yes it is.
Judge
Enough!
I have heard quite enough.
Witch, you may go. Mr Prosecutor please take your seat. Mr Brown, straighten your self.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury. You have heard all there is to be heard. Mr Prosecutor has done a fine job for on behalf of his majesty and the people. Mr Brown on the other hand has spread more lies and yet more stories, on his head be it. As it is now time for you to decide on his guilt. As is customary, please raise your right hand in favour of your chosen verdict. The highest number of raised hands seals this mans fate.
So, those citizens who decree this man, Arthur Andrew Davis Brown, to be guilty of the alleged crime, please raise your right hand now.
[counting]
Yes, yes… very well.
And all those who decree this man, Arthur Andrew Davis Brown, to be innocent of the alleged crime, please raise your right hand now.
[counting]
Yes, yes. Yes.
Well, there you go. Fairly unanimous.
Mr Arthur Andrew Davis Brown, for the alleged crime of incite to riot you have been fairly tried and have been found by these good people here gathered to be GUILTY as charged.
End of ACT
© simon garlick
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