PROLOGUE. everyone enters in rhythm and song. . . the salt women sing and sway in a line the outsiders get dressed, putting on their costumes, their makeup, they assume their roles for the evening before gathering in a circle saint, our master of ceremonies, enters he passes through the company as if passing through a gate he shoos them all offstage SAINT Now run along, you all. We’ll get to you in a minute. the others exit, saint turns to us, he gets a good look and speaks to us SAINT (to us) Have we met before? I’m terrible with names. Don’t worry if you’ve forgotten mine. I’ve got many names. It’s been a long road, wandering here and there. I’ve been chased out of every house, home, and church. In fact, some people think I’m the devil himself, but that gives me too much credit, don’t you think? Now, don’t believe what you hear, I’m not all bad. I’m not all good neither, but nobody is and that’s life. Yes. I sit somewhere in the middle myself, wherever two roads meet, in any doorway, anywhere that’s coming or going, but most people won’t let me inside and that’s how I ended up here in the woods. Now. What are you all doing in the woods? Yes. That’s where you are. Believe it or not. Sure, it’s not but a half mile to the map, but to the eye it stretches, it grows. It’s a labyrinth. Oh, I know what you’re thinking, you’re thinking you’ve heard this story before, don’t you? Think you’ve got it all figured out. Well, let me tell you. You’ve never heard it like this. Now the woods are no walk in the park. Nothing but liars, cheaters, vulgarity, if you ask me, but it’s not as bad as they say. Now don’t trust a thing you see, ‘cause it’s all fake and make sure to keep a tight hand around your wallet because that’s the way it goes around here. Oh, now, don’t be scared. There’s nothing to be afraid of. You stick with and you’ll turn out almost all right. the salt women enter, singing, dancing, swaying. . . SAINT (to us) Now, it begins at the river, at the water, like all things do. . .
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PART ONE. the salt women sway in the river. . . SAINT It begins with three women, three women in white, three women who live in the river NANA Who serve the spirits. SALOME Who speak to the dead. HYACINTH And the dead speak back. SALOME With wide hips. HYACINTH That sway side to side. NANA Like water in a bucket. SALOME Loose women. HYACINTH So they say. NANA With legs spread. SALOME So they dream. HYACINTH Don’t know how to act. SALOME Don’t like no men. HYACINTH Devil Women.
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SALOME So they think. HYACINTH So it goes. NANA So they say. Say the women come up out the water. SALOME Say the river spat them out and they been there ever since. HYACINTH Say that sweet river runs right out to the sea. SALOME But that’s what they say. HYACINTH Not what they know. SAINT (to us) What I know, or so it goes, every night lost souls come to the river, some come with wishes, others come with prayers, but all come with offers for the women, for the spirits, to wash clean their souls. the salt women introduce themselves HYACINTH The First. The Youngest, got quiet eyes and a pure heart. You might see her, bathing in the sweet water of the river, gazing at her reflection. She sits, in the heat of the day, listening to the bees humming, the birds singing songs through the trees, and speaking to the fish. Her name? Hyacinth. she bows SALOME The Second. She got a fire to her. She can’t spend all day in the river like some. She got two quick feet and takes nothing from nobody. Don’t matter who. Don’t bring her trouble and trouble won’t find you and don’t waste her time. You might see her, running through the trees, a flick of the eye, quick as the wind, Her name? Salome.
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she bows NANA The Third. The Eldest, but you can’t tell ‘cause she the most beautiful. You might see her in the day, riding the river out to sea, letting the water carry her in the sun. On dark days, she sits at the cold bottom of the sea, speaking to her children, speaking to the dead, but she always comes back to the river. Her name? Nana. she bows HYACINTH Now some call it conjure. SALOME Others call it the devil. NANA And I call it business. the three women look to the moon, it’s a full moon and bright red SAINT (to us) You see that? It’s a full moon tonight, which means the spirits must be paid, must be honored in one way or another. SALOME It’s a red moon. HYACINTH It’s a red burning moon. NANA The Spirits be here soon. SAINT (to us) Must be paid in gold, in coins, in anything that shines. NANA Or else there be a hell to pay. SALOME Or else the woods burn up.
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HYACINTH Or else the river run dry. SAINT (to us) It’s best not to anger the spirits. NANA You pay what you owe and you pay it on time. Now what you brought tonight? hyacinth steps forward with a gold chain in her hand HYACINTH I got a chain. It’s a gold chain. I saw it there, shining in the bottom of the river. she offers it up salome steps forward SALOME Here’s two diamonds, saw them sitting in the dirt, sparkling through the mud. she offers them up nana steps forward NANA I’ve got pearls, white as bones, from the bottom of the sea. she offers them up HYACINTH It’s not enough. SALOME Where is he? NANA He be here soon. HYACINTH He’s late. SALOME Nigga’s always late. SAINT (to us) Oh Yes. Right. That’s where I come in.
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saint enters the story, he rings his bell, it’s an eerie slow sounding song to tell the women that he is near HYACINTH It’s him. SALOME It’s about time. NANA What I tell you. HYACINTH here he come SALOME here he come NANA here he come SAINT Good Evening, Ladies. he bows HYACINTH He works for us. SALOME When he wants to. HYACINTH He spread the word. SALOME He sends lost souls to the river. HYACINTH And gives us what they drop in the river. SALOME What he don’t keep for himself that is. NANA Don’t trust a word he say.
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the three women sigh HYACINTH You late. SAINT Am I? SALOME We been waiting on you. SAINT I’m sorry. NANA It’s a full moon. SALOME It’s a red moon. HYACINTH It’s a red burning moon. NANA What you bring us tonight? SAINT I’ve got just the thing. saint removes a bag from his shoulder, he opens it, it’s filled with stones NANA What’s this? HYACINTH Stones? SALOME He brought stones? SAINT Only the finest stones. Smooth stones. You ought to touch – salome throws one of the stones at saint, it almost hits him
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SAINT You can look for yourself. SALOME Don’t trust a word he say. NANA It’s the full moon. SALOME It’s the red moon. HYACINTH It’s the red burning moon. NANA You pay what you owe and you pay it on time. Or else. SALOME Or else the woods burn up. HYACINTH Or else the river run dry. NANA That what you want? SAINT Oh no. Of course not. NANA Then you turn yourself around and don’t come back till you got something to offer, something to pay. Or else you’ll have to answer to the spirit yourself. SAINT To the spirits? Oh, you’ll put a good word in for me. Won’t you, Nana? NANA That’s just the trouble. I can’t find no good word for you. SAINT Oh. You don’t mean that.
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NANA Nigga. You know better than to play with me. You know better than to play with the spirits. Or maybe you don’t. Do you want to find out? SAINT I won’t find out. You know why I won’t find out? I won’t find out ‘cause I’ll get it to you. I will. NANA You got till sunrise. HYACINTH Till the moon slips down. SALOME Till the sun takes its place. SAINT You’ve got my word. SALOME That’s never meant much before. SAINT I’ll see you at sunrise. he bows, he starts to leave, but the salt women stop him, they circle him, reading him . . . NANA Not so fast. SALOME There’s something under his tongue. HYACINTH Something he ain’t say. NANA What is it? You can’t hide from us. What is it? SAINT Oh! That’s right. You’re right. I almost forgot. NANA Forgot what?
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SAINT There’s a man at the gate. SALOME There’s a man at the gate? SAINT He’s looking for you. HYACINTH Who is it? SAINT I don’t know. SALOME You don’t know? SAINT He won’t say. NANA What’s he want? SAINT He won’t say. NANA You ain’t ask? SAINT He won’t say a thing. Won’t say his name. Won’t say his wish. Won’t say his prayer. All he says is he needs to see you, says he won’t go till he sees the three women in the river. HYACINTH What he look like? SAINT He dresses well. SALOME How he look ain’t always how it is. What he sound like?
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SAINT He sounds like an honest man. Now what should I say? Should I let him through? Should I lead him to the river? HYACINTH He might have something to offer. SALOME He might have more than you. NANA You let him through. We’ll see this man. SAINT If you say so. NANA Now don’t forget what I said. HYACINTH Till the moon slips the sky. SALOME Till the sun takes its place. the salt women circle him and exit in rhythm, in song. . .
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