More Portmanteau Plays

AOYAGI

Hai!

RIKI

Our happiness is all she wants.

AOYAGI

Our happiness—(bitterly)

RIKI (He goes to her. She moves away)

Why—

AOYAGI

The silver fishes—

RIKI

What has happened, Aoyagi?

AOYAGI

Did you send the message to Obaa-San?

RIKI

Yes.

AOYAGI

Did you go down the path?

RIKI

Yes.

AOYAGI

Did you pass a stranger on the way?

RIKI

No.

AOYAGI

A stranger just came by.—He came up the mountain path.

RIKI

I crossed the stream.

AOYAGI (She takes a deep breath)

You crossed the stream.

RIKI

Aoyagi—little sweetheart—I cannot understand.—What do you mean?

AOYAGI

Oh, Riki, Riki, I am so alone. Tell me what—why—why—

RIKI

Aoyagi, was I gone too long? Has some demon come to you?

AOYAGI

No demon came. You were gone too long.

RIKI

I went down the path and crossed the stream to take a shorter way. I met a stranger—

AOYAGI

Singing?

RIKI

Yes—I think she was singing.

AOYAGI

She was singing.

RIKI

What do you mean, Aoyagi?

AOYAGI

Who was she?

RIKI

I do not know.—She said she would pass Ishiyama.

AOYAGI

Where did you see her?

RIKI

Beyond the stream—in a little glade.

AOYAGI

Did she sing your song?

RIKI

My song? No.

AOYAGI

Did she know your songs?

RIKI

Aoyagi! What do you want to know?

AOYAGI

Did she know your song to me—"Butterfly, butterfly, alight upon the willow tree"?

RIKI

Perhaps.—I made that to you years ago—when you were a dream in my heart.

AOYAGI

At Ishiyama?

RIKI

Perhaps.

AOYAGI

Hai!—Obaa-San, my mother!—Oh, my heart—my heart—

RIKI

Aoyagi—what have I done? Let me comfort you!

[He goes to her.

AOYAGI

You leave me nothing in all the world.

RIKI

I give you all my world.

AOYAGI

Hai! Hai! Hai!

RIKI

Let me go and call the lady bound for Ishiyama.

AOYAGI

Riki!—ah!

RIKI

Little Aoyagi—my love—she will be tender with you.—And when your tears are gone, she'll bear your message on to Obaa-San.

[He goes to her, but she draws away. For a moment he is uncertain what to do;—then—he speaks.

I'll bring her back to you.

AOYAGI

Riki!—No!—We came up the mountain-path together—side by side.—We—but now, Riki, we go two ways.—I to Obaa-San—you to—

RIKI

What do you mean?

AOYAGI

Go sing your songs at Ishiyama! Go make your poems to the butterfly.—I—

RIKI

I have made songs only for you.

AOYAGI

But the songs for me are on every tongue.

RIKI

Ay—I am proud of that.

AOYAGI

The lady at the ferry at Ishiyama—

RIKI

She learned the song to you!

AOYAGI

Ah!

[Aoyagi rushes upon him and before she realizes what she is doing, she strikes him. He stands petrified a moment, then faces her very calmly.

RIKI

I shall find the stranger-woman and send her to you.—I can no longer help you.

AOYAGI

You can no longer help.—Oh—life—oh, love—this too short day—

RIKI

I shall stay near at hand until you return to Obaa-San.

AOYAGI

I shall find the path alone.

RIKI

I'll send the stranger-woman to you.

[Riki goes out.

AOYAGI

Hai! Hai! Hai! I watched the sunrise only yesterday and I trembled with the wonder of the dew-cooled dawn. Life seemed all peace and—today—I have known a mother's love and my mother.—I have known a lover's touch—love beyond love.—I am waking from a dream. The Gaki said I'd waken—I'd be as free as one in life. Oh, what is this thing they call life? No happiness complete—a vision of a mountain top—a climbing to the goal—a bamboo glade—oh, the mist at Kyushu.—When I go back to Obaa-San—I shall love her so—but oh, the memory of Riki—the mountain gleaming in the sun—

[She starts sadly from the path. The Gaki enters.

THE GAKI

Lady, I am here again. It seemed to me that I must return to you. Something seemed to call. (Aoyagi almost collapses) I feed! I feed!

AOYAGI

I can not go!

THE GAKI

You seem to suffer.

AOYAGI

Oh—I have lost my way in life—

THE GAKI

Lost your way in life? Let me help you.

AOYAGI

I have stood on the mountain side and I have seen the green valleys far below.

THE GAKI

Talk to me—as you would to yourself.—I hear but I shall not speak what I hear.

AOYAGI

Riki—no, I can not speak even to myself. Deep in me there is a hurt.—I can not tell—

THE GAKI

A woman gives all;—the man forgets.

AOYAGI

But to Riki—he knows—I brought him my full belief—my all-in-all.

THE GAKI

Your perfect faith.

AOYAGI

Ay, my perfect faith.—He spoke to me and then I bowed to my august lord.—I followed him without question.—And he forgets so soon.

THE GAKI

Are you sure he has forgotten?

AOYAGI

You know—you saw the lady from Ishiyama.

THE GAKI

True.—I saw her.

AOYAGI

You did not meet him on the path.

THE GAKI

True.—I did not meet him on the path.

AOYAGI

He crossed the stream.

THE GAKI

Perhaps to shorten the way.

AOYAGI

He met her in a little glade.—Hai!

THE GAKI

What shall you do?

AOYAGI

I'll go my way. I'll return to Obaa-San.

THE GAKI

I'll guide you down the mountain side.—Come, we'll take the shorter way—the by-paths—across the stream—through the little glade—

AOYAGI (She looks about once more at the scene of her happiness)

Hai!

THE GAKI

Come!

AOYAGI

No, let us go down the path.—I want to see my footprints—side by side with his.

THE GAKI

Perhaps they're being crushed under the feet of the lady from Ishiyama!

[Aoyagi starts a moment as though to fly along the path before the lady comes.—She sways slowly—and then falls in a pitiful little heap.—The Gaki takes her in his arms and, utterly triumphant, starts up the mountain-side.

We'll go up—up—sweet Aoyagi, to the snow peak—gleaming in the sun.—You'll find the mountain-top—not lost in the sky.—Your perfect faith!—Oh, you silly human—oh, futile love—climb, Aoyagi—climb without love.—But first we'll make footprints for the lover's eyes.—Blindness will lead him to the mists at Kyushu.—Jealousy will lead you to the lonely stars.

[He holds Aoyagi so that her feet touch the ground—toward the downward path. Then with a wild laugh, he turns toward the mountain top. As the laughter dies, the voice of Riki is heard calling

Aoyagi! Aoyagi!… Oi!

[The laugh of The Gaki is heard once more very far away—as he ascends the mountain with his burden.

RIKI

Aoyagi!—Aoyagi!

[Riki comes running in. Presently he sees the footprints.

Oi!—Aoyagi!

[He runs down the path.

Aoyagi!—Aoyagi!

[Far, very far away The Gaki's laugh is heard.

RIKI

Aoyagi!—Aoyagi!

[Night has fallen slowly.

Aoyagi!—Aoyagi!

The Curtains Close

ACT III

Before the House of Obaa-San

[It is moonlight. As the curtain opens, Obaa-San is heard singing the lullaby; from the distance the voice of Riki calls.

RIKI

Aoyagi!—Aoyagi!—Aoyagi!—Aoyagi! Oi!

[Obaa-San appears in the doorway.

Aoyagi!

OBAA-SAN (She goes toward the voice)

Oi!

[Riki enters.

RIKI

Obaa-San! Where is Aoyagi?

OBAA-SAN

Where is Aoyagi?

RIKI

Is she not here?

OBAA-SAN

She is not here. Where—Riki!

RIKI

I left her in the bamboo glade—and when I returned she was gone. Her footprints pointed toward the path—and then were lost.

OBAA-SAN

Why did you leave her?

RIKI

I left her because she—I left her.

OBAA-SAN

I do not know, Riki, what has come to pass—but this I know—I am waiting for her.—I am waiting for her. Go seek for her—and bring her back to me.

RIKI

I shall search for her.—Obaa-San, she—

OBAA-SAN

I care not what she did. I am waiting here for her.

[Riki looks at Obaa-San a moment and then understands.

RIKI

Aoyagi!

[He goes out. Obaa-San turns to the empty house—the empty willow tree.

OBAA-SAN

She will come back to me.

[She goes into the house. The Gaki enters.

THE GAKI

Foolish Riki! He searches in the valley. Mad Aoyagi! Alone with the lonely stars!—Oh, wondrous misery that makes itself.

[He sees Obaa-San. She enters from the house.

Good-morning, Obaa-San, my friend.

OBAA-SAN

Good-morning, traveller.

THE GAKI

Why do you rise before the dawn?

OBAA-SAN

I could not rest.—Why are you not at Kyushu?

THE GAKI

There is a mist at Kyushu—and I feared to lose my way.

OBAA-SAN

Did you pass a little lady—Aoyagi, by name—alone—

THE GAKI

It seems—I met a little lady.—She was not happy.—That one?

OBAA-SAN

Where?

THE GAKI

I am a stranger here—I cannot say. Over there—or over there.

OBAA-SAN

She will come to me, perhaps.

THE GAKI

Do you know her?

OBAA-SAN

She is my daughter,—Aoyagi.

THE GAKI

Do you not fear for her?

OBAA-SAN

Perhaps.—She will be here soon.—Riki has gone for her.

THE GAKI

She must know the way.

[The voices of O-Sode and O-Katsu are heard.

This has been a restless night for age. (He disappears. O-Sode-San and O-Katsu-San enter)

OBAA-SAN

Good-morning, O-Sode-San. Good-morning, O-Katsu-San.—The lily hands of sleep have passed you by.

O-KATSU-SAN

A strange unrest has seized upon me. I think—and think of my little one. She is glorious in my heart, and words with wings seem to flash before my eyes like fireflies in the darkness.

O-SODE-SAN

I, too, have lived in words.

O-KATSU-SAN

Obaa-San, is it not wonderful to put a joy or pain in words?

OBAA-SAN

Ah, yes—if there is anyone to hear them. All my long, long years before Aoyagi came to me, my heart sang, and words freighted with my dreams and my love would come to me—here; and they would die because they found no ear attuned to them.—Tell me what you thought, O-Sode-San.

O-SODE-SANThe moon in calm restlessnessShows the water grasses of the River of Heaven,Swaying in the cool spring air—I know the time to meet my loverIs not too far away.OBAA-SAN

Every one has a poem in his heart, I believe.—What was your poem, O-Katsu?

O-KATSU-SANOh, messenger of the other world,My little one is young;She can not find her way—Do you kindly take my little oneUpon your warm, broad backAlong the twilight path.O-SODE-SAN

And you, Obaa-San,—was it words that kept sleep from your eyes?

OBAA-SAN

Ay, bitter dream-words. And for the bitterness I am paying dearly.—Over and over the words came to me:

Here lies my daughter's sleeping bodyOn the mat beside me.But her soul is far awayAsleep in her lover's arms—And I, her white-haired mother,Hold only an empty shell.

Oh, I am ashamed—ashamed.—And just now Riki came to me—and told me he could not find Aoyagi.

O-KATSU-SAN AND O-SODE-SAN

Hai!

O-SODE-SAN

Can we not search for her?

OBAA-SAN

I am waiting here.—She may find her way back.—I would not have her come to an empty house.—Come—let's go within—and dream that yours and yours and mine are on their way to us.

[The old women go into the house. There is just a moment's silence—then:

AOYAGI

Hai! Hai! Hai!

[Aoyagi, utterly forlorn, enters. She looks at the house, turns and sees the mountains, covers her eyes, and drags herself wearily to the willow tree. She moans as though winter had fallen upon the world and were taunting her. The Gaki enters.

THE GAKI

So you have found your way—in life.

AOYAGI

Oh, let me go back to my tree!

THE GAKI

No, little Aoyagi—you would be happy then.

AOYAGI

Let me die!

THE GAKI

One can not die.

AOYAGI

Hai!

THE GAKI

Where have you been?

AOYAGI

So far—so far!—I am weary.—When I awoke, I was on the mountain-top—alone.

THE GAKI

Were there no stars?

AOYAGI

Oh—the stars, the lonely, lonely stars! I tried to touch them—they seemed so near.—I found the path—the glade—our footprints—strange people—I am here. Let me back! Let me back!

THE GAKI

And what of Riki?

AOYAGI

He does not care.

THE GAKI

And what of Obaa-San?

AOYAGI

What can I give to Obaa-San now—but misery? Am I never to be free?

THE GAKI

What would you do if you were free—climb to the mountain top to see the lonely stars?

AOYAGI

Hai!—Riki!—Obaa-San!

[Obaa-San enters. The Gaki disappears.

OBAA-SAN

Was my name spoken in the dawn?

AOYAGI

Mother!

[With a cry of joy, Obaa-San enfolds Aoyagi in her arms.

OBAA-SAN

Nadeshiko! My little girl!

AOYAGI

Where is Riki?

OBAA-SAN

He has gone to search for you.

AOYAGI

Was he alone?

OBAA-SAN

Alone?

AOYAGI

Yes. Was there no woman with him—a lady from Ishiyama?

OBAA-SAN

A lady from—

AOYAGI

Yes—tall—fair—singing—

OBAA-SAN

He was alone. A lady from Ishiyama—(Aoyagi shudders with dread) brought me a message in the early night—

AOYAGI

It was she—young?

OBAA-SAN

No—old.

AOYAGI

Had she seen Riki?

OBAA-SAN

Yes. On the mountain-side—

AOYAGI

The stranger said she was young and fair.

OBAA-SAN

Perhaps the stranger did not see with honest eyes.

AOYAGI

He would not lie.

OBAA-SAN

Sometimes the eyes and the ears lie.

AOYAGI

Ah!

OBAA-SAN

And if she had been young and fair?

AOYAGI

Riki met her in a glade.

OBAA-SAN

Did you see them meet?

AOYAGI

No—she was singing.

OBAA-SAN

A happy song, perhaps.

AOYAGI

She sang the song he made to me.

OBAA-SAN

How do you know?

AOYAGI

Riki said she knew his song to me.

OBAA-SAN

Ah, that is beautiful, that she should love his song to you.

AOYAGI

He—

OBAA-SAN

My little darling, I do not know what really happened; but this I know, you did not speak fairly to Riki or Riki did not speak fairly to you. Almost every unhappiness comes because we speak too much of our pride and speak too little of our hearts.

AOYAGI

I asked him if he saw her.

OBAA-SAN

Why?

AOYAGI

A stranger told me—

OBAA-SAN

Was it the stranger you believed before Riki could defend himself?

AOYAGI

But, mother, I gave my all in all to Riki. He does not care.

OBAA-SAN

Do you know?

AOYAGI

I asked Riki if they met?

OBAA-SAN

Did he tell you?

AOYAGI

He seemed to be proud to tell.

OBAA-SAN

Then he was unashamed to tell—

AOYAGI

I asked him questions.

OBAA-SAN

But did you ask him the great question in your heart?

AOYAGI

Oh—

OBAA-SAN

Did you say, "Riki, my love, you are in all my heart. Am I in all yours?"

AOYAGI

He told me that.

OBAA-SAN

And did you believe?

AOYAGI

Above all the world!

OBAA-SAN

Then why doubt him later?

AOYAGI

The lady from Ishiyama passed by.

OBAA-SAN

My child, a lady bound for Ishiyama passed by! Had she been singing all the love-songs of all the worlds; had she been fairer than the lotus-flower, why should you have doubted Riki?

AOYAGI

A stranger—

OBAA-SAN

A stranger!—a stranger!—Oh, why—why—why do the eyes of love grow blind because a stranger speaks? You, Aoyagi, did not see the lady bound for Ishiyama. You did not hear her song—and yet upon the ears and eyes of a stranger you would shatter your love.—I saw the lady.—She was singing.—She was not fair.—If she had been—Oh, my little child—Riki is Riki, your august lord, the lord of your life. When he comes back, go to him and speak from your heart.

AOYAGI

What shall I say?

OBAA-SAN

I need not tell your heart.—It is only your head that can not learn to speak unprompted.—Do you love Riki?

AOYAGI

Ay—so dearly!

[The voice of Riki is heard.

RIKI

Aoyagi!

AOYAGI

He is coming!

[Obaa-San, unnoticed, goes into the house. Riki enters.

RIKI

Aoyagi!

[When he sees she is safe, he drops suddenly. She goes to him.

AOYAGI

Riki, my august lord, listen to my heart.—Forget my anger.—Tell me once again that you love me.—I'll believe.

RIKI

You know—I have always loved you.—When you were a song in my heart, I loved you so! And now—

AOYAGI

Oh, Riki, can we ever forget the blow I struck?

RIKI

That was yesterday—see, this is today: the dawn has spread across the sky. What shall we do? Look back upon the bitterness of yesterday, or try to see the fears of tomorrow, or live in the gladness of today?

AOYAGI

The Gaki of Kokoru is here at the tree. He will not let us live in happiness. He let me go with you because he meant to feed upon the misery of poor Obaa-San.

RIKI

He has not come upon us yet. We are struggling against tomorrow. This is the dawning of today.

AOYAGI

Then shall we live—today.

[Obaa-San enters from the house.

OBAA-SAN

Come, Aoyagi; come, Riki. We have found happiness at our door. Within there is rice and tea. Come.

[They go into the house. The Gaki enters.

THE GAKI

There is love!—Now what shall I do for misery? Old Obaa-San remembers happiness. She has taught O-Katsu and O-Sode to remember happiness. The lovers are reunited;—now they understand.—And I—I, ah, I must die in this dread shape and stay in this hell through all the eternities unless I bring new misery to them. What can I do? (He turns to see the tree) Ah—I shall kill the tree—slowly—slowly—and I'll feed upon them all. Aoyagi is bound to the tree as one is bound to his body in a dream.—I'll kill the tree.

[He draws his short sword and smites the tree. There is a cry from the house and Aoyagi enters quickly, followed by Riki, Obaa-San, O-Katsu-San, and O-Sode-San. Aoyagi holds her heart.

RIKI

Aoyagi! (She droops in his arms. Obaa-San lays her hand upon her dear child's head. O-Katsu-San understands. The Gaki in triumph smiles again. Aoyagi cries out and shudders as she clings to Riki) Oh, whatever power gave strength to me and led me to my love, give me the chance to save my love.

AOYAGI

The tree!—The tree!

[The Gaki smites again.

RIKI

The Gaki of Kokoru! Ay, I know! I know! I fight a fear, Obaa-San. Hold Aoyagi fast—with all your love.—I shall find the Gaki of Kokoru! (The Gaki smites the tree again and again, and at each stroke Aoyagi fails more and more until she finally crumples in a heap among the three old women) All strength! All faith to me! Into my hands give the power to break the bitterest hell asunder! Into my eyes put light that I may see the cowardly fears that infest our way.—Gaki! Gaki! where are you?—I pass about you and in my heart I carry fearlessness and faith.—Upon your wickedness I hurl belief.—Ah, now, I see you.

THE GAKI

Let me go! Let me go!

RIKI

You shall bring misery into no more hearts!

THE GAKI

Ah, pity me! Let me go! I must feed or I shall die!

RIKI

You shall feed no more!

THE GAKI

Do not let me die in this sixth hell! Do not let me die! Once I was human—like you and you. I came into this hell because I was bitter in life.—I made misery for others.—I put mischief in their minds.—

RIKI (leaping upon him)

You shall make no more misery.

THE GAKI

Let me feed! Let me live! I can not die thus.

RIKI (throttling him)

Dread demon, the end has come!

THE GAKI

Please—please—hear me.

RIKI

Nay, you have made your last horror in our lives.

OBAA-SAN

Riki! Hear him—hear him.—We know not what we do, perhaps.

RIKI

Then speak.

THE GAKI

Let me go! Do you think it did not punish me to see your misery, to bring misery upon you? That is what these hells are. In life we can not always see what wretchedness we make; in the hells we see and know and understand, but we can not escape our evil until we've sucked the bitterness, the horror to the blackest end. Oh—five hells lie between me and human life. In each I may perchance forget the lesson learned before. Let me live! Let me live!—I can not fight your faith!—Let me live!

RIKI

What further harm will you do?

THE GAKI

I cannot help myself. I must live on you.—You are young—

[He tears himself from Riki and once more rushes to the tree. Aoyagi writhes a moment in agony. Riki leaps upon The Gaki, throttling him once more. The struggle is terrific.

RIKI

Die!

THE GAKI

Let me go! Let me live!—I promise anything—I—

RIKI

Too late!—You shall harm no more!

[With one supreme effort, The Gaki draws himself to his full height and seems about to crush Riki. He leaps upon the prostrate Aoyagi and flings her body high above his head. Riki starts for him.

THE GAKI

I shall live! I shall live!

RIKI

Aoyagi!

THE GAKI

Come not near me, Riki, or I shall crush her at your feet. I shall live!

[He laughs the hideous laugh of triumph which rang out on the mountain side yesterday.

OBAA-SAN

Give her back to us! Feed on me!

THE GAKI

In your heart there is only hope and beautiful memory. Old fool, I can not feed on you.—But now in my arms I hold the precious gift by which I shall pass from hell to hell.

O-KATSU-SAN

Take me!

THE GAKI

Silly old woman, you, too, like Obaa-San, can not feed me. Age learns to grasp at bubbles and pretend that they are stars.

O-KATSU-SAN

But I shall dream of my little girl.

THE GAKI

Ay, dream of her and have tender memories that are not pain.

O-SODE-SAN

I shall think of him and long for him, my lover.

THE GAKI

Ay, and in the memory of the firefly fête you'll make a poem that will leave you all melting-like and holy—then where shall I feed?

RIKI

Obaa-San, are you content? I'll let her die at my own hand before I'll let him live.

[He draws his dagger and leaps toward The Gaki; but old Obaa-San is too swift for him. She catches his hand.

OBAA-SAN

Riki! Would you kill the evil by killing the joy of us all?

RIKI

But the joy—my little Aoyagi—can not live so. See—

OBAA-SAN

O Gaki of Kokoru—I stand before you, no longer a suppliant. I am old and in my years I have known all the wanting, all the hopelessness one can know in life. But in your evil way, you brought to me a moment of happiness yesterday and in that moment I saw the beauty that I had always believed must be and yet that I had never known. In your evil arms you hold the treasure of my life—you hold the songs that filled the heart of Riki. But you do not feed, oh, Gaki of Kokoru. You can not feed. Oh, Gaki, what is this sixth hell of yours?—Who made it? Some man who was afraid of the joy of life;—it was too beautiful for his belief. Misery makes itself: so happiness makes itself. You stand before us, holding the darling of our dreams, but there is no misery so great as yours. See! I stand before you—unafraid—and in my heart lies happiness.—Aoyagi rested in my arms and my breast is warm and there is a glory where her dear head lay. In my life—if you take her from me—there will be an emptiness.—There will be long silences in the days to come; but my breast will still be warm with her touch and my ears will still hear the sweet words you cannot unsay—the lullaby I sang.—Oh, Gaki—it has been sung to her.—The climbing to the mountain gleaming in the sun—the glade where love found the perfect mystery—that cannot be undone whether we live or die.—Love that has been can never be undone.

[The Gaki looks from one to the other, but finds only that splendid happiness that is almost pain. He loosens his hold upon Aoyagi and turns to Riki with her.

THE GAKI

She is yours!—I have met perfect faith.—Five hells lie before me—but I have met a perfect faith.—You cannot know what wonder I am knowing. From the sixth hell I have seen a perfect faith.—I am content to die in this shape. Strike, Riki!

RIKI

I have my love.

THE GAKI

But a peace has come upon me, a peace that I have never known.—I seem to be on wings—afloat in the sky.—Stars and suns swing gently by—and cool clouds brush my brow.—Five hells lie before me.—Can it be, in each I shall find peace like this?—(He falls on his knees) Now a fire rages deep in me—a pain—I'm torn.—Oh, Obaa-San, I die—I die.—Come to me—touch me—let me feel your gentle hands.—So! So!—I have never known such gentleness.—Oh, I am cold—cold! Hold me—

[He rises—sways—and falls. It is full day. The Gaki rises wonderfully.

Obaa-San—I see—I see.—The hells were made by some man afraid of the joy of life.—It was too beautiful for his belief.—Riki—Aoyagi, there is the mountain gleaming in the morning light.—Go—see your footprints side by side.—A Gaki's feet trod upon them, but left no mark—and they are there side by side.—O-Sode-San, I look across the River of Heaven;—there stands your lover waiting for you—an empty boat is here to bear you to him.—O-Katsu-San,—the messenger of the other world bears your little one upon his broad, warm back.—They are smiling, O-Katsu-San—Obaa-San—