SCENE THREE
As first the coyote, and then the other animals, let go with hungry howls, the stage is set for winter. To open the scene, the porcupine crawls slowly from its den to a tree - not the one it was on during the first act, and slowly climbs it..
Porcupine: I could melt into this cold stillness of winter if it wasn't for the brash scream of the blue jay. Their colors are as stirring as their calls, and the woodpecker pounding like a red hammer. I can be so philosophical about it because the woodpeckers aren't wrecking my trees. They scavenge on the trees I've already killed. In and around the ponds even death is life.
A few chickadees flit on stage, crying "dee dee" "dee dee."
Porcupine: I often think these bothersome little birds must be a nuisance, but they are the sound of winter and sometimes its only motion and keep my eyes from freezing.
From the bush just along the pond flutter a few sparrows.
Porcupine: Look at them, flitting atop the pond ice like beavers of the air. Sparrows. Really most sociable. When they flit out a stare at me, I think of asking them how it is far up north where they come from, far north where there are no trees and thus no me's.
Then comes the whistling of a flock of ducks followed by an eagle.
Porcupine: Those long lines flapping in unison suggest faraway places, but they come with a price. That eagle! There must be eagles everywhere outside the safety of these trees. You know how I escaped the fisher? I walked across the far fields. Fisher, aren't you afraid of the open fields?
Fisher: How did you know I was here?
Porcupine: I know everything. Down in his swamp the beaver may be the life giver, but up in my rocks, high in my tree, I see everything. When I'm not afraid of you, and I'm never afraid of you, I'm really rather wise.
Fisher: Wise smise. You're pregnant. I can wait.
Fox: Bird watching? What fun! Oh all wise pin cushion, seen any wild turkeys.
Porcupine: All over, but even you aren't light footed enough for this deep snow.
The deer re-enter, nervously, almost frantically trying to reach the pine boughs and then pull at the few tufts of grass exposed by their pawing.
Deer one: Is this safe? Is this a safe place to be?
Deer two: There's safety in food and here is some food.
Deer three: There is safety is being together. Don't get too far from me.
Deer one: Is this snow too deep? It's up above my knee.
Deer two: Try to stand on the ice and break off part of the tree.
Deer three: Not so loud! They will hear us!
Deer one: If we run too fast, won't we slip on the ice?
Deer two: No need to run, eat, it's time to eat.
Deer three: No. It's the snow. You said the deep snow was dangerous.
Deer one: There's so little to eat here.
Deer two: A hundred deer have tried to eat this tree.
Deer three: I'm smaller than you isn't there anything left over for me?
Deer one: Look! the porcupine is eating the bark off that pine branch! Look! It's going to fall! Let's go eat it!
They go to a new spot, and repeat the exact same dialogue. This time a little faster:
Deer one: Is this safe? Is this a safe place to be?
Deer two: There's safety in food and here is some food.
Deer three: There is safety is being together. Don't get too far from me.
Deer one: Is this snow too deep? It's up above my knee.
Deer two: Try to stand on the ice and break off part of the tree.
Deer three: Not so loud! They will hear us!
Deer one: If we run too fast, won't we slip on the ice?
Deer two: No need to run, eat, it's time to eat.
They run and repeat it again, faster still:
Deer one: Is this safe? Is this a safe place to be?
Deer two: There's safety in food and here is some food.
Deer three: There is safety is being together. Don't get too far from me.
Deer one: Is this snow too deep? It's up above my knee.
Deer two: Try to stand on the ice and break off part of the tree.
Deer three: Not so loud! They will hear us!
Deer one: If we run too fast, won't we slip on the ice?
Deer two: No need to run, eat, it's time to eat.
Coyote: It is time to eat! (howls and gives chase.)
The deer: One two leap leap leap as high as the sky.
One two leap leap leap and wish we could fly.
Deer two: I feel so strong when I run and leap!
Deer one and Deer three, the weaker deer, escape over the rock. Deer two, who had run the fastest and jumped the highest, crashes into a rock as he slips on the pond ice. The coyote quickly grabs hold of one of the deer's remaining good legs.
Coyote: I should have waited until the snow was deeper. I could have caught all three of you.
Deer: You know that you're lucky you got me.
Coyote: You know that with a broken leg you'd die even if I don't eat you.
Deer: Because of you I broke my leg. It must be the meat you eat that makes your thoughts so crooked.
Coyote: You are my meat.
Deer: There is nothing crooked about me. No animal is more honest than the deer. I do not hide from you. I do not use tricks. Just my speed and strength and good sense.
Coyote: Oh, you don't know about speed and strength and good sense until you have tasted meat and tricked an animal into your belly.
The coyote grabs the deer's neck. The other coyotes take his legs and slowly drag the deer off.
Deer: Madness!
Coyote: I'll admit that in this there is more than mere survival.
Deer: Madness!
Coyote: Morsel.
At the edge of the stage the coyotes make a meal of the deer.
Fox (prancing about wildly): And I'll chew chew chew chew chew. on the bonesy bonesy bonesy bonesy bones OH!
On the far hill the other two deer reappear, trying to eat, as always.
Deer one: This is a spot he told me about.
Deer three: Now that's he's dead we can eat more.
Deer one: I'm sure he wouldn't mind. The coyotes will be fat and happy.
Deer three: Hunting season is over.
Deer one: We can almost relax.
Deer three: If it doesn't snow too much more.
Deer one: It was easy getting away.
Deer three: How could he trip. How could he be so stupid?
Deer one: I don't know. I'm glad we have more to eat.
The two otters pop up from under the ice.
Otter one: I'm not kidding. On a warm day like this the dumb fish think its spring. They come out of the mud and then it gets cold and they freeze to death. I see them jump out on land. Like the air is going to be warmer!
Otter two: So that's why there are dead fish all over! They're very tasty. Don't you like the smell?
Otter one: I do. I do. (They eat)
Beaver one: Oh, the sun is too bright.
Otters: Beaver!
Otter one: Hey, you want to play! I heard you eating out here last night. You're fed. So, let's play!
Otter two: And it's too cold to work on dams and lodges. Let's play! Let's see who can swim the farthest under the ice.
Otter one: I bet you can't dive in the snow and burrow through it and race out the other end like I can.
Beaver one: I don't want to play. I can never play again. I'm an adult. My father just told me that when the ice begins to melt I have to leave the lodge and go make my own family in another valley. I wish the sun wasn't so bright!
Otter leo: Big deal. You guys are always moving from lodge to lodge.
Beaver one: He said I have to leave the whole valley!
Otter one: Big deal. It's fun to swim in the big river.
Otter two (yelling from the dam in the background.): Come on, I found some guys to play with. Forget about that cry baby.
A troop of little beavers join Otter two, and when Otter one joins them they being sliding on the snow and ice. Their laughter and frolicking just makes the older beaver moan -
Beaver one: I don't want to leave!
Muskrat one: Did I hear you say you have to leave the whole valley?
Beaver one: Yes.
Muskrat two: Why?
Beaver one: To make room for the new babies.
Muskrat one: You have so many lodges.
Beaver one: I know. But my father says we have to go out of the valley.
Muskrat two: Your brother has to leave too.
Beaver one: Yes.
Beaver two comes from out of a hole stage right, and quickly goes to a large half gnawed tree and begins to gnaw the wood.
Beaver one: But he's not upset at all. He just keeps sharpening his teeth. I can't stand it. It's terrible. This is the only place I've ever known. I don't want to leave it.
Beaver two: We have to leave.
Muskrat one: You can go together.
Both beavers: No.
Beaver one: No we have to go just alone, all by myself.
Muskrats: Why!
Beaver two: We need to find new beavers to play with and then we'll make babies. If we all just play and make babies with each other in this valley, we'll all get stupid and lazy and the dams'll bust and the lodges will stink.
Beaver one: I still don't want to go!
Beaver two: You have to! And that's all we should say about it. Get a stick of wood. Chew. Get strong. You'll need to be strong.
Beaver two goes back to his tree; but Beaver one just slumps on the dam and sobs.
Muskrat one (talking to the other muskrat but aware that beaver one can hear): Animals are always moving. We'll go out to the river for shells and then back here for the best roots and for a quiet place to teach the new babies how to be muskrats.
Muskrat two: Beavers are good animals. But they make such a big production of everything. We like dams but we can live without them. We like lodges but we can live without them. A hole will do.
Muskrat one: Remember how the muskrats in the river live right under the people's docks and aren't at all scared at all their commotion.
Muskrat two: Our ways are pretty good, maybe better.
The fox appears and creeps slowly down to the ice.
Muskrat one: Except we are small. We are exactly too bite size. Let's go.
The muskrats dive under the ice. The two big beavers also but not before beaver one yells for the little ones to come. All but one of them scamper over the ice to them. The otters box in the last beaver.
Otter one: I'm hungry.
Otter two: Me too.
Otter one: I think after baby sitting for ten minutes we should have the right to eat one of them.
Otter two: Sure, just one of them.
Otter one: But I'm tired too.
Otter two: And he's teeth are sharp.
Otter one: Popi says we should sleep all winter like the bears.
Otter two: If he was awake he'd eat this beaver.
Otter one: Popi eats everything and anything when he's awake.
Otter two: So?
Otter one: I'm tired.
The Otters go under the ice, and the remaining beaver scampers to and down another hole. After making a vain dash after the beaver the fox laughs.
Fox: Otters. I thought the otters were going to eat them. Why am I afraid of otters? I should eat them. Oh well ice ice ice it's nice nice nice to dance on the ice. Really this was as much noise as I've heard all winter. Usually I'm the only one who dances about the ice. It's so nice. You prance and dance through the woods woods woods and should should should you be lucky, there plain as can be for me, and plump awfully plump furry brown lump, or red lump or grey lump. Oh a squirrel, a mouse, a starving bird. Quick bite white in the snow snow snow snow off I go!
Porcupine: The snow never covers the trees. So there's always food for me and I don't waste my time dancing. I have special fur to keep me warm. You wouldn't want to eat me anyway, fisher. You'd choke on my warmth.
Fisher (Coming out of hiding): You're right. I'm cold. I'll make believe I'm a fox and eat jump food.
Porcupine: Jump food? What's that?
Fisher: Mice, little jumpy mice. Jump food. (Imitating the fox in a mocking way) Ice Lice Dice Nnnnnaaa Nnnnnnnaaa Nnnnnnnaaaa. I'll eat porcupine in the spring.
The Coyote howls in the distance. The deer look up from their incessant browsing for food.
Deer one: How can they be hungry again!
Deer three: They shouldn't have to eat so much. They have warm dens to go to, warm dens to sleep in. They shouldn't have to eat as much as we do. We have no where to go, and sleep under the trees.
Deer one: And you can always see the stars on the coldest nights.
Deer three: We are talking too much. We must eat.
With the coming of spring, half the snow and half the ice is taken away. There is a sound of running water. All the cast, for the moment, become red-wing blackbirds. The characteristic kaaaareeeeeee! bursts frequently from everyone, to change in a matter of a minute into the call hunnnnnngreeeeee!, which is repeated into a crescendo as the actors change on stage into their animal costumes. The actors reestablish their return to their animal characters by beginning another Mom chorus. This time they are all hungry, and the waves of "Mom, I'm hungry," and "Mom, what can I eat?" and "Mommy, I'm starved," begin to sound almost desperate. Led by beavers one and two, all the beavers go out into the audience, retrieve sticks of wood they gave away in the earlier scene, take them back to the stage and begin seriously gnawing on them, careful to make loud crunching and munching sounds. The muskrats begin pushing away snow at the edge of the pond, uncovering dead grass, which they eat eagerly. The deer do the same high on the hill. The fox and the coyote pace on the ridges looking off stage.
Coyote: This is my territory. If anybody eats anything here, it's going to be me.
Fox: Go away today Go away today Go away today. Mine dine. Mine dine.
They repeat the lines and then first the coyote and then the fox go snarling offstage as if they are beating away a rival. The fisher quietly eats grass, not liking it at all, and keeping an eye on the porcupine who has eaten all the bark off the tree she is on.
Porcupine: I have to go to another tree.
She very slowly inches down the tree, stopping frequently along the way in worried anticipation.
Otter one: There's nothing for us to eat!
Otter two: There's nothing for us to eat!
Otter one: I can't believe it!
Otter two: I can't believe it!
Otter one: Before there was everything to eat and now there is nothing and I'm so hungry. Mom! Mom!
Otter two: She left.
Otter one: Left!
Otter two: To go get something to eat.
Otter one: In the big river?
Otter two: Yes, dummy.
Otter one: I'm going too. I'm going to eat one of those islands.
Otter two: A whole island!
Otter one: They'll only be 999 islands when I'm done.
Otter two: Make it 998!
Otter one: Are you that hungry?
Otter two: Yeah!
Otter one: Bet you I eat my island first!
Otter two: No way! (they go off through the audience looking for islands to eat.)
Muskrat one: At last, no more mud. When the ice melts, the water of the pond seems to clean and so pure. It's nice not having otters splashing around making it muddy. Why are you so sad?
Beaver one: It's time for me to go.
Muskrat two: We'll go out into the river soon. It's fun. There are good things to eat there.
Beaver one: Do trees grow in the river? I eat trees, not rivers.
Beaver two: The trouble is, we're on an island. I'm crossing the river and going to where the trees never stop.
Beaver one: I have all the trees I'll ever want right here. I don't even know how to get to the river.
Muskrat one: Well, remember the game we played? just follow the arms down into the river. Wouldn't that be easy?
Beaver one: This is not a game.
Beaver two: Well, goodbye muskrats, You are nice neighbors. I'll miss you.
Muskrat two: There'll be muskrats where you are going. Where ever there are beavers, there are muskrats.
Beaver two: I'm glad. (He goes off happily.)
Muskrats: Good luck.
Muskrat one: I hope you raise a big family in the land where the trees never end.
Beaver one: My brother is gone. My father moved to another lodge because my mother is having babies. The year old beavers are stupid and can't do anything right. If there is a big flood, everything will be ruined here! (The muskrats look away) Why do I have to leave all I ever will need?
The muskrats look away. Beaver one leaves.
Muskrat one: Beavers are remarkable. All the other animals are remarkable in their way, but I'm glad I'm a muskrat. Our lodge is not as big as the beavers; we don't make dams.
Muskrat two: But we manage quite well.
Muskrat one: We can live next to people.
Muskrat two: And manage quite well.
Muskrat one: Otters think we are boring.
Muskrat two: We manage quite well and don't stink as much as they do.
Muskrat one: Let's go out in the river and eat some shells.
Fox: And manage and manage and manage to get your nose caught in a vicious bivalve. Then maybe once, just once, you'll make a splash. (The fox splashes the water and the muskrats flee. Then the fox jumps around to see the fisher confront the porcupine who is finally out of his tree.) It worked! A diversionary tactic! The pincushion wanted to see me eat a muskrat and instead she gets eaten herself. Ha Ha! It worked worked worked and I get to feast on the porcupine bones- oh!
Fisher: Show me your face!
Porcupine: Eat my tail!
The ensuing fight should be as ferocious as the actors can manage and as frightening as the audience can bear. The porcupine keeps the fisher at bay until she trips and rolls a bit allowing the fisher to get a bite into her face. But the quilled tail comes back into play soon enough stinging the fisher with a painful side of quills. The fox remains to witness the battle. If necessary because of problems the audience might have seeing or the actors might have projecting, he can give commentary on the fight, but it should be done seriously, not with his usual sass. Since this play is already wordy, it's preferable that the actors in the fight rely on screams, yelps, moans, and barks to communicate emotions. There should be at least two lulls in the battle when the combatants' only pant. During the first lull the Fox comments joyfully "The fisher will win!" During the second lull he offers a confused "The porcupine is going to beat him!" At the crescendo of the third set-to, the fox yells "They both are going to die! A true fight to the death. So many boneso-oh! It's my lucky day!" Then the coyote rushes from over the hill.
Coyote: Fisher! Fisher! Let her be! Over the next hill a porcupine fell out a tree and broke his back. If you can just put it out of its misery we can all have a bite.
Fox: Oh goody goody goody. C'mon c'mon. I'm hungry. Always go for the bones- ohs of least resistance!
Fisher: (With one last angry look at the porcupine) OK, quick quick. I'm famished.
The predators race over the hill. By surviving the porcupine has won. Exhausted she makes her way back to her tree.
Porcupine: Eggs! Eggs! Eggs! Every where you look eggs! Oh never climb a tree this time of year. Look everywhere, Birds' Eggs! Eggs! I'm going to be a mother!
From over the hill the two deer reappear each with a fawn.
Deer one: I didn't know you were pregnant.
Deer three: I didn't know you were pregnant!
Deer one: Did he -
Deer three: We both spent the whole fall with him and until he got killed. Who else?
Deer one: But how-
Deer three: I don't know. I was just eating eating and eating all fall, just like he told me to do. And once he was all over the back of me and I didn't think anything of it.
Deer one: We were running and running and leaping and leaping and he came down on me. I felt quite warm and remember it was a very cold fall.
Fawn one: I'm thirsty. Can't you give me something to drink.
Fawn two: I'm tired of walking. Can't you carry me.
Deer three: We should take the fawns into the tall green grass where no one can see them. We can leave them there alone.
Deer one: No one can smell them. We can eat, now we have to eat even more. I can't believe it. I seem to spend my whole life eating!
The muskrats return with a flotilla of little ones.
Muskrat one: Use your tail, your tail. That's what you swim with.
Muskrat two: They know that. Mine had their tails going when they were in my belly! They don't know how to steer.
Muskrat one: Use your tail to steer. Use your tail. Oh you stupid little things are impossible! Use your tail not your nose!
Muskrat two: You were the one who said muskrats managed so well.
Muskrat one: Well! Would you call these incapable little things muskrats!
Fox: Maybe your problem is the teacher student ratio. Look look look at all those little rats. No, I wouldn't call them real muskrats. Tell you what I'll do for you. I'll eat one!
Muskrat one: No you won't!
Fox: Just trying to be a service. In spring a ling a ding time this valley gets so crowded.
Muskrat one: There can never be too many muskrats!
Fox: But but but do you know how many foxes there are?
Muskrat one: Go away!
Fox: And every fox in the world is hungry. Now what are they going to eat?
The muskrats dive and hurry all the little ones to safety. The fisher and coyote come over the hill.
Fisher: Did you see how I went right through that porcupine's face. And not one quill on me.
Coyote: Then what are those things stuck in your side. Oh yes, that was from the live porcupine.
Fisher: Give me a break. No one knows the advantages of getting a meal without a fight as a coyote. How many dead deer did you happen upon.
Coyote: It takes skill to get to the carcass first.
Fox: That reminds me.
The fox starts racing around like he's crazy.
Porcupine: Quick everyone come look at this. Animal insanity.
Fox: Ha! I'm waiting for the wind to blow blow blow because when it blows blows blows all sorts of things fall out of nests. Birds, eggs,
Fisher: Baby porcupines.
Porcupine: You predators never stop do you?
Coyote: Put five pounds of meat inside me and I'll call it a day.
The two otters come talking loudly as always.
Otter one: I was just hungry, so hungry and I swam and swam and somebody was swimming up ahead and I thought it was you and I went up to play, and it wasn't you, but I still played, and I wasn't so hungry after all and I just kept playing and playing and playing with her-
Otter two: With who?
Otter one: Her.
Otter two: You played with a her?
Otter one: Yeah.
Otter two: What kind of playing? Around and around and around and around and hug and hug and hug
Otter one: And bark. We did just like you say, and barked a lot.
Otter two: So did we.
Otter one: We?
Otter two: Her and me. I thought it was you, too. But it was her.
Otter one: So, does your her have a lot of babies?
Otter two: Yep.
Otter one: Now she keeps asking you to get fish and frogs?
Otter two: Yep.
Otter one: I bet you I can make my baby otters fatter than your baby otters!
Otter two: No way!
They dive off into their usual feeding contest.
Muskrat one: Otters are so dumb they must spend half the morning trying to figure out what the sun is and where it came from.
Muskrat two: But it is surprising how everything changes so fast and yet can seem the same.
Muskrat one: The water is lower this year. Not as much rain. There are more muskrats and less beavers. Otter population, unfortunately, promises to rise.
Muskrat two: Are you sure there are less beavers?
Muskrat one: There must be. There is not as much water.
Beaver one: (popping out of a hole) With a little more rain, I'll be able to take care of that.
Muskrats: Where did you come from!
Muskrat one: I thought you could never come back?
Beaver one: Well, I am back.
Muskrat two: Does you father know?
Beaver one: The problem at hand is you need more water and I know where I can build a dam that will make a good pond. How many new muskrats this year.
Muskrat two: A lot.
Beaver one: A lot, eh. Then you'll need a lot of water. I'll be staying here a while, but working well over there. Very dangerous work because I'll have to go well inland to get some big trees.
Muskrat one: If he finds out you're here, will your father let you stay?
Beaver one: He knows I'm here. Look, I didn't know this, but the beavers have a rule. If you go away and can't find a new home, rather than just die and get eaten, you can come back because there is always work to do in the valley. That's just the way it is and the less I talk about it, the more work I can do.
Muskrat two: Did you almost die in the big river?
Beaver one: No! But I felt silly, I mean. I, can't anybody have any secrets around here. What happened to me is my secret, and you should be glad I'm back.
Otter one (popping out of the pond): Who's back? Oh, it's you. Did you come back to play with me?
Beaver one: No! Can't you see I came back to work, and doesn't that make you all happy?
After am embarrassingly long pause, all the animals laugh.
Muskrat one: Yes let's all work. I have grass to get for the babies.
Muskrat two: I have to teach them not to get out of the water and look at foxes.
Fox: Come to think of it, I need a new den.
Coyote: There must be rabbits somewhere on this island, I could work on finding them.
Deer one: Isn't raising a fawn without a den to sleep in or a sure supply of food work enough?
Deer three: We could work on stretching so we can eat higher in the trees.
Deer four (who looks much like Deer two): I could work on growing out my antlers.
The two other deer hurry to be next to him.
Fisher: And before this play is over, I'm going to eat that porcupine.
Porcupine: But this play is over.
The two otters come up with their mouths full of frogs.
Otter two (spitting enough out so he can speak): Work? What's work?
Other animals: Work is what you have to do in order to survive!
Otter one (spitting out his frogs): Then I'm lucky. (He flops back on a rock just as he did to begin the play.) Because I love my work. I just love these frogs!
The End