ACTRESS 3: If you didn’t go running after him all the time. You wander all over the palace and the streets after him. You’re trembling.
ACTRESS 1: Will he call me again?
ACTRESS 3: Do you have fever? I’ll get a blanket.
ACTRESS 1: I think of my son sometimes, and I get afraid.
ACTRESS 3: Let’s go in—I’ll make you something hot.
11. I’ll Go Riding in the Forest
(Dance of the white horse.)
ACTRESS 1: Do my hair right. I am feeling hot. Here, take the comb. Feel how smooth my hair is. See how it falls on my shoulders. How it reaches down to my hips.
ACTRESS 3: The walls have ears.
ACTRESS 1: My long black hair on my round white hips.
ACTRESS 3: Mira, we will do your hair later. We will bathe you in milk and dip your hair in curds.
ACTRESS 2: There is evil in the air.
ACTOR 1: Is Uda looking after our guest?
ACTRESS 2: Prince Jai is only interested in his cousin. Evil entered our house when she didn’t bow to Kali.
ACTOR 1: You can’t make a horse by chopping a donkey’s ears.
ACTRESS 2: Doesn’t the Rana care if his wife is barren?
ACTOR 1: Barren?
ACTRESS 2: That’s what they say.
ACTOR 1: Who says?
ACTRESS 2: She’s been here a long time and people are talking. Of course I am not saying anything. Barren women are always strange.
ACTOR 1: She has been strange.
ACTRESS 1: Jhali, make me beautiful. Let my hair flow down like a stream—and I shall go riding in the woods with Rana and Jai.
ACTOR 2: Yes. I’ll take you for a ride in the forest.
ACTRESS 1: We’ll go flying among the trees and the animals; we’ll climb hills and descend into cool streams with white horses ahead of us, black ones behind and my hair flying in the clouds. We’ll ride fast in the winds and the cold water of the streams will be nectar to my lips.
ACTOR 2: She looks so frail.
ACTRESS 3: No herb will cure love. She never eats anymore since the Rana stopped calling her.
ACTOR 2: He hasn’t called for a month.
ACTRESS 3: They’ve spread a rumour that she’s barren. All day she tells me she has let the Rana down.
ACTOR 2: My cousin was born in the wrong place at the wrong time.
ACTRESS 1: My head is uncovered. Let me cover my face and my shame.
ACTOR 2: She is trembling.
ACTRESS 1: Jai, I am afraid. Let me hold your dry, clean hand. My hand is wet and dirty. My heart is ahead of me again. It pains so much.
ACTOR 2: My heart is heavy and I can’t bear to see you like this.
ACTRESS 1: I feel safe with you. Don’t go away. I am going to close my eyes.
ACTOR 2: Come back to Medta. I shall take care of you. Keep you safe in my arms, away from everyone. I have missed you very much. Since you left Medta, I have been wasting away in the desert. Let’s go away—tonight. We will ride through the forest, and no one will know. If they follow us, we can hide. I’ll take care of you … keep your warm.
(Clapping dance.)
ACTRESS 1: Jai, O Jai!
ACTOR 2: Mira, come!
ACTRESS 1: Jai, O Jai!
12. Can You Give Me a Son
ACTRESS 1: What are you doing? This is my home. Take your hand away from my body. Don’t touch me again.
ACTOR 2: Oh, Mira.
ACTRESS 1: Get out!
ACTOR 2: Jai leaves.
ACTRESS 1: Krishna says go; Kali says come.
Krishna, you are all I have left now. Even Jai is gone. I have nowhere to go. What shall I do? I think I’m going to cry. No, I must be brave. Krishna, I never asked you for anything. Can you do something for me? Can you give me a son? I know it’s asking a lot. But what are friends for—especially if they are gods. O please, my dear god …
(The dance of Krishna.)
(Song of Krishna.)
13. Don’t Throw Stones at a Broken Tree
ACTRESS 2: Better to sink in the sea than among men.
ACTOR 1: Our sister is still young. She should play and be gay.
ACTRESS 2: A snake’s poison and a wasp’s sting are better than an unfaithful wife.
ACTOR 2: Unfaithful wife?
ACTRESS 2: All day she dances. All night she dances.
And she sings these vulgar songs. She must have someone inside.
ACTOR 1: Is it the Prince? Oh Mother, she is going mad …
ACTRESS 2: This is known to happen to barren women.
They become possessed of evil spirits.
ACTOR 1: I have one foot on land and another in water.
ACTRESS 2: Crows are black all over the world. This is Kali’s revenge.
ACTOR 1: We must move her to another palace. O my glorious ancestors!
ACTRESS 2: The Neem tree will not become sweet even if you water it with milk.
ACTOR 1: Don’t harm her.
ACTRESS 2: The snake stings the one who helps him out of the fire.
ACTOR 1: Don’t throw stones at a broken tree.
(And he leaves.)
ACTRESS 2: A stain can be washed, only death removes evil. The witch must die.
14. The Cup of Poison
ACTRESS 1: Make him come to me. I remember it was dark. No one saw us. We went to a thicket and I was so shy. O, he was flattering. My couch was of leaves but his bed was my bosom. His lips were like nectar to mine. And I was drunk in his embrace. He held me tight, I could hardly breathe. After we were together, I felt sweated and moist, hidden away. I thrilled him so. His half closed eyes became restless and he desired me again.
ACTRESS 3: You can’t hide love: when one eye meets another eye it somehow slips out.
ACTRESS 1: Why doesn’t he come to me?
ACTRESS
