Dance of the Vampires and Six Other Plays

Part III - Lake God

111 Part III Lake God 112 113 Dramatis Personae (in order of appearance) SHEY BO-NYO: Narrator, diviner and priest of the Lake God. FATHER LEO: Parish priest of the village and patron of the Fon. FON: Educated chief of the village and fanatic Christian. TWO GUARDS: Doggo and Kinchin, they double as bodyguards and errand-boys of the Fon. NKASAI: NKFUSAI: KIMBONG: KIMA’A: YENSI: Leaders of the women’s cult, Fibuen. DEWA: Fulani cattle grazier. SHEY TANTO: Leader of the Kwifon, the men’s secret cult and most important authority in the people’s lives. LAGHAM: A palm-wine tapper. MA KUSHAM: An old woman who administers the oath of the Fibuen. FISIY: FORGWEI: MAIMO: Village men and friends of Lagham. ANGELA: Fon’s wife and headmistress of the village school. MBWIN: MUJEI: BOLUNG: KIBOW: WONG: BOKUW: Leading members of Kwifon. 114 MASKED FIGURE: Errand boy of the Kwifon. WOMAN: GIRL: BOY: MAN: Survivors of the disaster. 115 Prologue From backstage a mourning song, Mangvun, is heard. It rises gradually to the rhythm of the Ngem or double-gong bell. Then a lone person makes his entrance on stage, performing unsteady funerary steps and chanting the mourning song. He makes a round across the playing area and finally stops around centre stage with one last stroke on his Ngem. He looks around uneasily and wipes a tear or two from his eyes. Then he addresses the audience. NARRATOR So it is true what the elders said? But what elders, which elders? Here I am standing... A lone reed in a swelling river Harassed, buffeted from left to right And from right to left without respite. Here I stand... and open my mouth. Yet no words come out. What my eyes still see is beyond Any words man can utter. And you all sit there gazing at me And saying in your bellies Poor fellow, He is the only survivor of a village Of a thousand. Wonder how a scrawny fellow like him Was spared when every Man, woman and child, Fowls, dogs and cats, Cattle, goats and pigs, Wild animals in the bush including Rats and flies; I said flies. Do you hear me? Yes, flies. Even flies. Every living creature, 116 The Lake God of death swept them all Into his kingdom in swift, silent whirlwind. And you all sit there gazing at me mad. It is true what our ancestors said. When death strikes, it is your kinsman That mourns with you. It is he Who wipes the tears from your eyes And brings comfort to your heart. Yet after the holocaust There is no kinsman to mourn with me; No kinsman to wipe my tears and comfort me. I mourn the dead and mourn my death For what is life when bereft of company? He takes up the mourning song again and does a turn around the stage, stopping abruptly when an idea dawns on him. What foolishness is this? I know you will never forgive me. But my brothers and sisters; My dear brothers and my dear sisters, Forgive the foolish and idle words Of a man stricken by sorrow. Forgive the madness of one overtaken by old age. Forgive an idiot mad man overcome by calamity. Only yesterday I was a man! A husband with five wives and a compound Bustling with life and ringing With laughter and song. Only yesterday, I was just one person in a Teeming village of several hundred people. Today, I am the weather-beaten owl Scampering into dark grove at the approach of Dawn, fearful of the terrible silence Descended over the land. I thought a foolish thought and said a mad word. 117 You are my kinsmen for you heard my wailing And came to wipe the tears and bring Comfort to an agonized heart. But there is just one small problem. I have heard some foolish talk about toxic gas. Beware of words that are likely to arouse again The anger of an already vengeful god. Beware! I say, for my god is a god of terror! A god of terror! A god of terror! A god of terror! T E R R O R ! ! ! A whirlwind rises and overwhelms the whole auditorium. Blackout. Darkness and silence reign supreme. The lights are turned on slowly, simulating dawn. All over the playing area are bodies of humans and animals lying still. It is a...