ACT II
(Afternoon)
No. 11 Superstition
(In the woods at a conjurors meeting. A wasps's nest is hanging on a bush)
SIMON
If along de road you're goin',
An' all to yo' true knowin',
A black cat cross'd yo' path,
Yo' bad luck will long last.
CHORUS
Unnn… Unnn… Unnn… Unnn…
CHORUS
(cont'd)
'Tis true, 'tis true,
We all believe 'tis true.
'Tis true, 'tis true,
We all believe 'tis true.
SIMON
If you are eatin' food wid ease,
An' drawin' pleasant breath,
Be careful dat you do not sneeze,
Because 'tis sign of death.
CHORUS
Unhunnn… Unhunnn…
Unhunnn… Unhunnn…
Unhunnn… Unhunnn…
SIMON
(cont'd)
Sweep not de dust from yo' cabins at night,
For some of yo' neighbors surely will fight.
If yo' nose should itch while you sit in yo' room,
An unwelcome neighbor will visit you soon.
If at night while passin' a graveyard,
You shake wid fear de most…
CHORUS
Un-hunn…
SIMON
… jus' step a little faster forward,
Before you see a ghost.
CHORUS
We'll run.
SIMON
If a neighbor comes to see you,
An' he squeezes yo' han' very tight,
You had better speak loud "Hee Hoo,"
Dat neighbor is not right.
If you hear a mule a brayin'
While you're on yo' knees a prayin',
Yo' luck is goin' wrong.
You should stop before it's all gone.
CHORUS
Unnnn…. Unnn….
SIMON, CHORUS
(Simon looks into the woods and sees Zodzetrick and Luddud coming with Treemonisha and points his finger at them)
'Tis true, 'tis true,
We all believe 'tis true.
'Tis true, 'tis true,
We all believe 'tis true.
No. 12 Treemonisha In Peril
(Everyone looks toward the approaching strangers)
SIMON
(Giving conjuror's yell)
Hee Hoo!
CHORUS
Hee Hoo!
ZODZETRICK, LUDDUD
Hee Hoo!
CONJURORS
Hee Hoo! Hee Hoo! Hee Hoo!
SIMON
It is Zodzetrick an' Luddud.
Who is dat woman dey am bringin' wid 'em?
CEPHUS
She's not know to anyone here.
WOMEN
She's a stranger.
(Enter Zodzetrick, Luddud, and Treemonisha)
ZODZETRICK, LUDDUD
Hey!
CONJURORS
Hey!
LUDDUD
Lis'en! Lis'en!
Ev'rybody lis'en!
CONJURORS
We are lis'nin'.
LUDDUD
Dis here gal don't believe in superstition.
ZODZETRICK
Dat's de truth.
LUDDUD
She don't believe in conjury.
ZODZETRICK
Dat's de truth.
LUDDUD
She's been tellin' de people dat dey should
throw away their bags o' luck.
Now, how are you goin' to get food to eat,
When you can't sell yo' bags o' luck?
SIMON
Food will be hard to get,
If we can't sell our bags of luck.
CONJURORS
Dat's de truth.
SIMON
Dat gal mus' be punished.
CEPHUS
Don't punish her,
She is a good girl.
Don't punish her.
SIMON
Dat boy laks dat gal,
but we're goin' to punish her
jus' de same.
WOMEN
Punish her!
SIMON
Come on ev'rybody to de brush arbor,
Dis gal mus' get de punishment
dat's waitin' for her.
(All go to the brush arbor)
CHORUS
'Tis true,
'tis true,
'tis true,
'tis true.
No. 13 Frolic Of The Bears
(Enter eight bears. Bears begin frolicking)
BEARS
Oo… ar!… Oo… ar!…
Oo… ar!… Oo… ar!…
Oo… ar!… Oo… ar!…
Oo… ar!… Oo… ar!…
CONJURORS
(In distance)
Hey!
(Bears run when they hear voices)
No. 14 The Wasp-Nest
(Enter conjurors)
SIMON
Ev'rybody lis'en!
My plan is de best.
CHORUS
What is yo' plan?
SIMON
When I count three,
You mus' shove dat gal in dat wasp-nest.
CHORUS
Go on an' count.
(Zodzetrick and Luddud lead Treemonisha close to the wasp nest)
SIMON
One… two.
CEPHUS
(Sees a strange form appearing)
Look! What is dat thing comin' yonder?
SIMON
It looks like de devil.
CHORUS
De devil?
SIMON
Yes, de devil,
(Zodzetrick and Luddud free Treemonisha and look toward the devil)
An' he is comin' right after us.
WOMEN
We mus' leave here.
SIMON
Ru an' save yourselves.
WOMEN
Oh!…
(All run as the devil enters. Treemonisha, knowing the supposed devil to be Remus, does not move. Remus the devil stops and looks at the conjurors as they run)
No. 15 The Rescue
(Remus takes off the Scarecrow suit and folds it on one arm, still looking toward conjurors. He approaches Treemonisha)
TREEMONISHA
(Puts her arms around his neck)
Remus, you have saved me
from the awful sting of the wasp.
They were going to push me on that wasp nest.
(Remus looks, horror-stricken, at the wasp-nest)
When one of them counted three.
But thanks to the great Creator,
You came in time to save me.
REMUS
I am glad I came in time to save you
From the awful sting of the wasp.
And while on my way to your rescue,
Many hills and valleys I crossed.
I know the conjurors are superstitious,
And afraid of anything that looks strange,
So I wore the scarecrow for that purpose,
And have scared them away out of range.
Come, let us leave these woods at once,
Because I hear some very strange grunts.
(Remus and Treemonisha leave, going in the opposite direction from the conjurors. The scene is suddenly changed to a cotton field; a wagon road is in front, and men and women are seen picking cotton)
No. 16 We Will Rest Awhile
MALE QUARTET
(in Cotton Field)
We will rest awhile,
We will rest awhile,
'Cause it makes us feel very good, very good.
We will rest awhile,
We will rest awhile,
Soon we'll be at home chopping wood, chopping wood.
We will rest awhile,
We will rest awhile,
'Cause it's almost eatin' time, eatin' time.
We will rest awhile,
We will rest awhile,
'Cause restin' is very fine.
(Cotton pickers sit down to rest)
No. 17 Going Home
(Enter Treemonisha and Remus in the road)
TREEMONISHA, REMUS
Hello strangers!
COTTON PICKERS
Hello!
REMUS
Does this road lead to the
John Smith plantation?
FOREMAN IN THE FIELD
Yes, and three miles from here,
You'll reach your destination.
TREEMONISHA, REMUS
Thank you.
FOREMAN
You are welcome.
COTTON PICKERS
Quite welcome.
(Remus and Treemonisha go on their way. There is a pause in the music during which the cotton pickers hear Aunt Dinah blow a horn three times)
No. 18 Aunt Dinah Has Blowed De Horn
COTTON PICKERS
Aunt Dinah has blowed de horn,
An' we'll go home to stay until dawn.
Get ready, put yo' sack on yo' back,
I'm so happy I don't know how to act, how to act.
Aunt Dinah has blowed de horn,
An' she wants us to come straight home,
We have not much time for delay,
'Cause our work is finished for today.
O yes, Aunt Dinah has blowed de horn,
An' we'll go home
to stay until dawn.
Get ready, keep yo' sack on yo' back,
I'm so happy I don't know how to act, how to act.
Aunt Dinah has blowed de horn,
An' she wants us to come straight home,
We have not much time for delay,
'Cause our work is finished for today.
