Mina and the Snake
CHILDREN’S VOICES Clap hands, clap hands, Til father comes home; For father’s got money, But mother’s got none. Clap hands, Daddy’s coming Up the waggon way With his pockets full of money And his hands full of clay: Tuamba! BUMPS ENTERS MINA’S SPACE AND GOES STRAIGHT TO THE CAMERA TRIPOD BUMPS/JULIA Mina! Dearest! In the sun and no hat! Oh! Don’t, don’t, don’t move! MINAThe subject is too commonplace. CORYYou’re right. I’ll dress you up. I see you as: The Lady of Shallot. GARDENERMorning Glory. ARCHITECTPerfect living doll. MINA(ASIDE) For three days she dresses me up in flowery draperies, dresses me down to near nakedness, puts my hair up, lets it down, sticks it with spiky cocoa-nut branches running into my head and says BUMPS/JULIA:(MEGAPHONE) Look natural, darling. MINA(ASIDE) She nails a background of breadfruit leaves and fruit against a window shutter, and tells them to look natural, but both fail as dismally as I. She wastes twelve plates, an enormous amount of trouble, but the results have not been approved of at home since. SNAKE APPEARS Julia? What is Tuamba? BUMPS/JULIA You can’t move. MINAOh but I must, otherwise I/ SHE IS FROZEN I can’t move. BUMPS/JULIA That’s right. MINAThere’s a snake. BUMPS/JULIA Morning Glory is my favourite flower. So brave. It leaps for a day like a butterfly, then dies. (SHE TAKES MORE PHOTOGRAPHS) Ipomoea purpurea. MINAWhat is it? BUMPSJULIA Ipomoea? Greek for worms. MINAIs it venemous? BUMPSJULIA Oh. The serpents of Ceylon are very multitudinous and venomous. As a rule. MINAWill it bite me? BUMPSJULIA The Tuamba snake never bites. He doesn’t need to. MINAThen I can move. BUMPSJULIA Can you? MINANo. BUMPSJULIA No. A glance will turn a woman to stone. Now you know. A little learning is a dangerous thing. CHILDREN’S VOICES Curr dhoo, curr dhoo, Love me, and I’ll love you. Fishes delve in water clear, Birds shoot up into the air, Serpents belly on the ground Boys and Girls run round and round. SSSsssssssss BUMPSJULIA One look, and a man loses all his power for days, the bishop says. Rooted to the spot. MINAWhy doesn’t somebody save me? BUMPS/JULIA The Sinhalese are a primitive peoples. They believe in transmigration of souls SNAKE SSSSSsssssssssss Tuamba! BUMPS/JULIA I’m open-minded, myself. I suppose it’s an early recycling idea. I hate waste. MINA SHOUTS: I cannot reach my gun! Help me! LILY ARRIVES AT THE TEMPLE