The Fairy and the Witch

A. D. NELSON.

Copyright, 1915, Eldridge Entertainment House.

ELDRIDGE ENTERTAINMENT HOUSE. FRANKLIN, OHIO.

PROPERTIES.

One black kettle or cauldron, of iron.

One tripod constructed of rough sticks about 2 inches in diameter and fastened at top by wire, chain or rope from which kettle is hung.

One wand for White Fairy.

One Black Rod for the Witch, to be so constructed that it will break into two pieces at will.

One contrivance for making a light appear in witch’s kettle at will.

An organ or piano for music, off stage, if desired where indicated in lines of play.

CHARACTERS.

_White Fairy_--an older child, female.

_Black Witch_--adult, female, or an additional effectiveness can be made in the denouement if this be impersonated by a male, speaking in a shrill high-pitched falsetto.

_Mirth_--First Fairy Messenger, child, male or female.

_Jollity_--Second Fairy Messenger, child, male or female.

_Erebus_--Imp of Blackness, child, male or female.

_Noctis_--Black Fury of Night, child, male or female.

_The Children_--in any number.

COSTUMES.

Conventional costume for White Fairy; also conventional witch costume for Black Witch with addition of black mask and hood for face and back of head to conceal identity. The witch costume to be so constructed that it can be easily removed.

Fairy Messengers clad in white or some diaphanous drapery of light blue or pink.

Erebus and Noctis costumes, black, armless inverted sacks running from a point above head to a fullness at shoes with eye-holes, etc., cut in proper place.

Children costumes, as they may be dressed.

The Fairy and The Witch.

(Scene: A clearing in the forest, with Witch’s kettle suspended on tripod near the Right Front of Stage. No scenery is necessary but an added effectiveness can be secured if play is given out of doors.)

(Enter White Fairy from back of stage, to accompaniment of light, lilting music if desired. White Fairy in pantomime casts spell over region by tripping lightly to right of stage and waving wand, thence over kettle, thence to front, thence to left. Exit White Fairy at rear, music ceases.)

(Enter Black Witch from left, plods toward kettle chuckling fiendishly. Bends over kettle, presumably examining it, then moves towards left across front of stage during reading of lines.)

Black Witch (boastfully) Mistress of this black night am I. Witch and wizard of all the powers of night and darkness I am. Supreme above all good in the Spirit World, tonight on mundane earth. I come to work my spell and my skill in arts malign display. Not all the holy saints, who tomorrow rule the day, can wrest from me my power of night--Hallowe’en! (in derision) A hallowed evening! Oh, ho, ho! Ah, ha, ha!! From that proud eminence brought low by me and now decreed to devilish deeds and dark! Thus shall it ever be. (Calling toward left, off stage.) Come now my hosts of somber reputation. Make merry! With fell design make we night hideous. Come Owl and hoot for me! (Listens, no response, calls louder.) Come Owl! Hoot Owl! (Owl hoots off stage, left. Aside, chuckling.) Didst hear the old fool hoot? (Calling owl) Come nearer Owl, perch thou upon my shoulder. (Owl hoots again very faintly. Pleading) Come Owl, Owl come! (No response. Grows slightly alarmed. Muses) What portends this? Am I now to lose my power as Jove hath so long menaced? Owl has fled and will not come to me. (Pauses, resumes hopefully) Ah, well, in my train come others who will heed and answer me. This night Black Witch must have her way!

(During next lines while calling upon her hosts the Witch moves to and fro calling toward different sections of the region as taste may dictate except as indicated with the lines.)

Black Witch Black Cat, most common beast of evil augury, what sayest thou? Come forth Black Cat. Let thy penetrating howl echo through the wood. Roost thou upon my back. Come Black Cat, oh! Black Cat come! (Pauses, looks expectantly toward tree, no response. Then muses a trifle sadly.) Ah! ’tis indeed a night of evil omen when my own Black Cat forsaketh me. (Turning hopefully) Raven! Thou bird of sable plumage, bleak and drear, hear thy mistress call. Sound thy raucous note athwart the evening air. Come Raven! bear me company. (Pauses, no response. Despairingly) Raven too is gone and will not heed my voice. (Brightening) Oh! well, not yet do we despair, with ill intent and fury unabated call we yet others! (From front center of stage directly facing audience.) Come snake! sleek-bellied serpent, curse of women, cursed by men, come forth my own beloved. (Drags point of cane, wiggling, along ground from stage front towards self.) Start from thy hole, oh! snake of mine. Let thy rattling hisses be heard among the leaves. Coil clammily around me! (Pauses, no response, resumes furiously) Seven curses be upon thee, pampered pet of Eve, and thou wilt not come! (Turns away in despair and next calls with rather hopeless air.) Jackal, night prowler of the forest, hast thou joined this motley crew of renegades? (Pleadingly) Heed my voice, oh! Jackal! Prithee leave thy secret lair; come forth! Strike thy eerie call weird and dominant! Soft-footed creep through the forest aisles reposing at my feet. (Pauses, no response, resumes furiously.) Keep to thy den accursed beast forever! Rot and die!

Black Witch (Musing sadly) Even yet, methinks, I must rely upon my frisky imps of darkness to aid in this foul festival! (Again brightens hopefully, exclaims) But no! But no!

(At this line Black Witch should be near front of stage at point directly in front of place where Mirth will enter. During next lines Black Witch raises arms aloft in supplication and backs toward place of Mirth’s entrance.)

Black Witch (Moving backwards, hands aloft in earnest supplication.) Come, Wind of night! oh, Night Wind come! Thy blasting fury loose upon this world! (Pauses, drops arms, no response, again muses sadly.) Ah! Wind of Night, on which I’ve drifted through the sky these thousand years, hast thou too deserted me? (Again raises arms aloft and cries in desperation) Will none come forth to do my will?

(Enter Mirth, silently, directly behind Black Witch. Remains behind B. W. and out of her sight, dogging her footsteps, poking fun at her, making grimaces, etc.)

Black Witch (Moving towards kettle soliloquizing brokenly) Ah, mighty Jove, hast thou delivered me unto mine enemies on this dark night of all dark nights?--Some one has cast a spell upon the place and for the moment I am powerless--Aye! for the moment! (looks at her rod as if conscious of it for the first time) But I have still my trusty rod of black, and it will yet dispel this impotence oppressive--Though my voice fail this rod will fail me not!

(Makes passes over kettle with rod and turning slightly catches sight of Mirth.)

Black Witch (Rather amused as if White Fairy were a foe of small consequence.) Ah, ha! White Fairy is now revealed as Jove’s agent to work my ruin and she hath sent Mirth, her messenger, to haunt my footsteps and bedevil me! (chuckles, then calls) Come Erebus, Imp of Blackness, come! Make haste and drive this Mirth away.