DARK MISSION

An Opera in Two Acts

By John D. Nugent

Libretto by Charles Deemer

 

 

CAST (in order of appearance):

Cayuse Chorus

Tiloukaikt

Tomahas

Five Crows

Missionary Chorus

Marcus Whitman

Narcissa Whitman

Lorinda Bewley

Medicine Chief

Timothy

Joe Lewis

Father Blanchet

 

SETTING:  Whitman Mission, Walla Walla Valley in eastern Washington, 1836-1847.

 

 

 

INSTRUMENTATION AND VOICES:

 

 

1 Piccolo

 

2 Flutes (1 doubles wood flute)

 

2 Oboes

 

2 Clarinets (doubling various tunings)

 

1 Bass Clarinet in Bb

 

2 Bassoons

 

1 Contra-Bassoon

 

4 Horns in F

 

3 Trumpets

 

3 Trombones

 

1 Tuba

 

Percussion 1 (Bass Drum, Snare)

 

Percussion 2 (Cymbals, perhaps a high tom)

 

Percussion 3 (Xylophone, Glockenspiel, Chimes, Vibraphone, Tambourine)

 

Timpani

 

Harp

 

I Violins

 

II Violins

 

Violas

 

Violoncelli

 

Basses

 

 

VOCAL RANGES

 

Tiloukaikt (Baritone)

 

Tomahas (Tenor)

 

Five Crows (Tenor)

 

Marcus Whitman (Tenor)

 

Narcissa Whitman (Soprano)

 

Lorinda Bewley (Soprano)

 

Medicine Chief (Baritone)

 

Timothy (Tenor)

 

Joe Lewis (Bass)

 

Father Blanchet (Bass)

 

 

 

 

 

SCENES:

 

1/ THE CAYUSE

Cayuse Chorus

Tiloukaikt

Tomahas

Five Crows

 

 

2/ THE MISSIONARIES

Missionary Chorus

Marcus Whitman

Narcissa Whitman

 

 

3/ WHO ARE THESE GHOSTS?

Cayuse Chorus

Marcus

Narcissa

 

 

4/ TO PLANT A GARDEN

Marcus

Narcissa

Lorinda

Tiloukaikt

Five Crows

Choruses

 

5/ THE CHILDREN ARE SICK

Tiloukaikt

Medicine Chief

Marcus

 

6/ NARCISSA'S DREAM

Narcissa

 

 

7/ TIMOTHY'S SEARCH

Timothy

 

 

8/ A SLEEPLESS NIGHT

Marcus

Narcissa

 

 

9/ TIMOTHY'S CONVERSION

Marcus

Timothy

Missionary Chorus

 

 

10/ TROUBLE

Joe Lewis

Timothy

Father Blanchet

Marcus

Narcissa

Missionary Chorus

 

 

11. / THE CHILDREN ARE SICK AGAIN

Tiloukaikt

Tomahas

Joe Lewis

 

 

12. / A STRANGE FOREBODING

Narcissa

Marcus

 

 

 

 

13. NOW IS THE TIME

Tiloukaikt

Tomahas

Five Crows

 

 

14. THE MEDICINE MAN MUST PAY

Tiloukaikt

Tomahas

Cayuse Chorus

Narcissa

Marcus

Missionary Chorus

Lorinda

Five Crows

 

 

15. A STRANGE COURTSHIP

Lorinda

Five Crows

Missionary chorus

Tiloukaikt

Tomahas

 

16. NOT GUILTY!

Tiloukaikt

Tomahas

Lorinda

 

 

17. MARCUS AND NARCISSA IN HEAVEN

Marcus

Narcissa

Missionary Chorus

Tiloukaikt

Tomahas

 

 

18. CODA: DARK MISSION

Tiloukaikt

Tomahas

Cayuse Chorus

Five Crows

Medicine Man

 

 

ACT ONE

1/ THE CAYUSE

 

CAYUSE CHORUS:

We are the Waiilatpuan

Sometimes called Cayuse

Who ride our strong ponies

From the Blue Mountains

To the Walla Walla Valley

The place of rye grass

 

TILOUKAIKT:

I am Tiloukaikt

A strong and brave chief

Feared by Shishones

I fear no man

I steal their ponies

Now called Cayuse

 

TOMAHAS:

I am Tomahas

A strong and brave chief

Feared by the Snake

I fear no man

I drive them away

From salmon-filled rivers

 

CAYUSE CHORUS:

We are the Waiilatpuan

Named after hard stone

Called the imperial tribe

Whose name means Superior People

A people of great strength

And filled with much pride

 

FIVE CROWS:

I am Five Crows

A strong and brave chief

I fear no man

I hate no man

I am Five Crows

A strong and brave chief

 

CAYUSE CHORUS:

This is our land

From Blue Mountains to Walla Walla

The land of the Waiilatpuan

Land of the Cayuse

Who ride our swift ponies

In the place of rye grass

 

 

 

 

 

2/ THE MISSIONARIES

 

MUSIC suggests wind, dust. MISSIONARIES enter,

leaning into the wind, led by MARCUS WHITMAN.)

 

MISSIONARY CHORUS:

Step by step

One thousand miles

One thousand behind

One thousand to go

 

VOICE:

The wind too strong

I must give up

 

VOICE:

The dust too thick

I must give up

 

MARCUS:

Forward, you can make it!

Onward, you can make it!

Westward, you can make it!

 

MISSIONARY CHORUS:

Step by step

One thousand miles

One thousand behind

One thousand to go

 

NARCISSA:

Husband, I am weak

The trail too long

Too many bones

Along its stretch

The failure of those

Who passed before

The wind too strong

The dust too thick

My body frail

I am so weak

 

 

 

MARCUS:

Narcissa, dear wife

Strong in spirit

Where it counts

Don't you see

How God tests us?

This strength of wind

Thick clouds of dust

These tests of faith

So He might see

If we are chosen

 

MISSIONARY CHORUS:

Step by step

One thousand miles

One thousand behind

One thousand to go

 

VOICE:

Such a monotony, these long plains

 

VOICE:

Such an obstacle, these towering peaks

 

MARCUS:

Onward, across the plains!

Westward, over the mountains!

Never give up!

You can make it!

 

MARCUS (tune, missionary refrain):

These obstacles by God revealed

Are tests to judge our faith in Him, our

Strength to bring the word of God

Into a heathen land

 

MISSIONARY CHORUS:

These obstacles by God revealed

Are tests to judge our faith in Him, our

Strength to bring the word of God

Into a heathen land

 

Step by step

One thousand miles

Two thousand behind

And few to go

 

NARCISSA:

Marcus, look!

This beautiful valley

The long clear river

The sweep of rye grass

It looks like Eden

 

MARCUS:

Narcissa, yes!

I see it, too.

Might this be what

We are looking for?

It looks like Eden

 

MARCUS AND NARCISSA:

Step by step

The wind so strong

The dust so thick

And now at last

Our journey's end

 

(tune, missionary refrain):

This sacred spot by God revealed

Here we begin our holy work, and

Build a mission, Christ to rise

Into this heathen land

 

MISSIONARY CHORUS:

This sacred spot by God revealed

Here we begin our holy work, and

Build a mission, Christ to rise

Into this heathen land

 

 

 

 

3/ WHO ARE THESE GHOSTS?

 

CAYUSE CHORUS

Why come these hordes of covered wagons?

Pulled by oxen

In long procession

Across the rye grass

Scattering our game

Disturbing our harmony

Paying no respect

 

Who are these hordes of ghostly strangers

Pale as smoke

With odd behavior

Who blow their noses

Into white cloth

Putting cloth in a pocket

To save their snot

 

Who are these ghosts, the ones who stay?

At Waiilatpu

Making their camp

Not moving on

Building strange teepees

Singing strange songs

Looking so happy

 

 

(Marcus alone, brooding. Narcissa enters.)

 

NARCISSA:

Husband, why so sad this morning?

You should be proud

The mission built

Our task so clear

Already Cayuse

Come and stare

Ever curious

 

MARCUS:

The burden of our task has hit me.

These savages

Don't even farm

Forever roam

Call no place home

They have no concept

Of the land

 

NARCISSA:

You can't expect too much so soon.

Take small steps

And they will learn.

 

MARCUS:

I hope you're right.

 

NARCISSA:

I think I am.

Teach them farming.

They will learn.

 

MARCUS:

What would I do without you, dear?

You bring the sun

Into my soul

Pray with me

My lovely wife

 

NARCISSA:

Then let us pray

 

MARCUS:

Let us pray

 

MARCUS & NARCISSA:

Thanks to Mighty God

Our long journey is done

Another now begins

May God be with us still

 

Jesus Christ, our Savior

In your Holy name

We dedicate this mission

To save the savage soul

 

 

4/ TO PLANT A GARDEN

 

(MARCUS, NARCISSA, LORINDA, TILOUKAIKT, FIVE CROWS, CHORUS … teaching the Indians to plant a garden.)

 

MARCUS

Make a hill

Push in the seed

Water the hill

Pull the weeds

 

(Repeated by Narcissa, Lorinda, and all together)

 

TILOUKAIKT:

This makes no sense

If I want squash

I can trade for

It

 

(repeated by Five Crows and chorus)

 

MARCUS

Make a hill

 

TILOUKAIKT:

This makes no sense

 

LORINDA

Push in the seed

 

FIVE CROWS

If I want squash

 

NARCISSA

Water the hill

 

TILOUKAIKT:

I can trade for it

 

CHORUS

Pull the weeds

 

LORINDA

Will you try?

 

FIVE CROWS

Skin like clouds

 

LORINDA

Push the seed in

 

FIVE CROWS

Hair like rye grass

 

LORINDA

God's own garden

 

FIVE CROWS

Voice like a river

 

LORINDA

Work builds the spirit

 

FIVE CROWS

A great chief's wife

 

MISSIONARY CHORUS

Make a hill

Push in the seed

 

CAYUSE CHORUS

This makes no sense

If I want squash

 

MISSIONARY CHORUS

Water the hill

Pull the weeds

 

CAYUSE CHORUS

I can trade for

It

 

 

 

 

TILOUKAIKT:

You don't have to treat me like a child

Others of you preached to the Nez Perce

Who told me all about your mighty God

I know about your Heaven and your Hell

 

CAYUSE CHORUS

You don't have to trust us like a child

We know about your Heaven and your Hell

And we have Father Sky and Mother Earth

Spirits in the river and the wind

 

TILOUKAIKT:

We don't need your God, we have our own

We don't understand your Jesus Christ

Who died for all our sins. What does this mean?

We have Mother Earth and Father Sky

 

CAYUSE CHORUS

So you will keep your God and we'll keep ours

You keep Hell, we spirits in the wind

We don't ask that you believe as we do

And you don't make us believe in Jesus Christ

 

 

5/ THE CHILDREN ARE SICK

 

TILOUKAIKT

The children have been sick

Now several have died

My son among the sick

And how his mother weeps

 

The Cayuse have a law

When medicine is bad

The chief must pay the price

And join the sick who die

 

Bring me the Medicine Chief

His medicine is bad

The children still are sick

How many more must die?

 

MEDICINE CHIEF

My brother, my heart breaks

To know your son is dead

 

TILOUKAIKT

Your medicine is bad

 

MEDICINE CHIEF

I did the best I could

 

TILOUKAIKT

You know the Cayuse law

 

MEDICINE CHIEF

I am prepared to die

 

TILOUKAIKT

My brother, you are brave

But you will not be killed

 

Your fate is banishment

To wander off alone

You cannot take your wife

Your children stay with us

 

 

MEDICINE CHIEF

A banishment worse than death!

 

TILOUKAIKT

For you, but not for me

Go, my brother, now

And never come again

 

(MEDICINE CHIEF exits.)

 

(MARCUS enters.)

 

MARCUS

I'M told there are sick children here

 

TILOUKAIKT

My son is dead

 

MARCUS

I have training in medicine

 

TILOUKAIKT

My son is dead

 

MARCUS

Perhaps if I could see the sick

I'd see the way to make them well

 

TILOUKAIKT

To make them well?

 

MARCUS

I'd like to try

 

TILOUKAIKT

A Medicine Man?

 

MARCUS

A doctor, yes

 

TILOUKAIKT

Good medicine?

 

MARCUS

I'd like to try

 

TILOUKAIKT

Come with me

 

(They exit.)

 

(MEDICINE CHIEF enters.)

 

MEDICINE CHIEF

Banished.

Banished.

Banished to a life of wandering.

Aimlessly. Wandering.

 

Banished.

Banished.

Banished. Nevermore to see my son.

Nevermore to see my wife.

Or my tribe.

Banished from this place I call my home.

Sent away.

Banished.

 

(repeat)

Banished.

Banished.

Banished is a fate that's worse than death.

Kill me first. Let me die.

 

Banished.

Banished.

Banished. Where am I supposed to go?

What am I supposed to do?

How to live?

Banished from this place I call my home.

Sent away.

Banished.

 

(next melodic sequence)

Now I leave

I am brave and so I go

To my fate

A Cayuse warrior accepts his fate

Banished

Banished

My fate

This, the Cayuse way

Banished

My fate

 

(end of A)

(begin B)         

Now I am the wolf

Now I am the buffalo

Now I live with them

My home is with the beasts

 

Greet me with my new name

Speak it loud

Speak it proud

My name

 

Call me Lives With Beasts

My name

My new name in this life

Lives With Beasts

(end)

 

(TILOUKAIKT returns with MARCUS)

 

TILOUKAIKT

This white man brings medicine!

Our children will live!

 

MARCUS

I did what I could

This was enough

 

TILOUKAIKT

Our children will live

To grow into warriors

To grow into mothers

And serve our proud race

 

MARCUS

My God was with me

The one sole God

He saved the children

His medicine through me

 

Don't thank me

Thank the sole God

Whose son was crucified

Who died for your sins

 

TILOUKAIKT

This God saved our children?

 

MARCUS

The one sole God

 

TILOUKAIKT

The God of medicine?

 

MARCUS

The God of all things

 

TILOUKAIKT

We have many Gods

 

MARCUS

The one sole God

Whose son was crucified

Who died for your sins

 

 

6/ NARCISSA'S DREAM

 

(Narcissa alone)

 

NARCISSA

Today I awoke

With a dream in my mind

Of Boston

 

I saw mother's whine linen,

Fine china and silver,

And many guests

 

Such lively discussion

In front of the fire

Of art and of books

 

There is no art here

And no time to read

So much rain, so much dirt

 

How I miss Boston

And mother's white linen

My fine party dresses

 

How I miss Boston

The lively discussions

In front of the fire

 

Away from wilderness

Far from these heathens

How I miss Boston

 

 

7/ TIMOTHY'S SEARCH

 

(Timothy, a Cayuse, comes forth)

 

TIMOTHY

Tell me of One God

Who saved all our children

Who had a son who

Died for our sins

 

What is this sin

You say he died for?

Do I have this sin?

I don't understand

 

But I am impressed

By a God who saves children

I want to know more

So I might understand

 

Tell me of One God

Who saved all our children

Who had a son who

Died for our sins

 

 

 

8/ A SLEEPLESS NIGHT

 

(Marcus interrupts Narcissa)

 

MARCUS

So here you are

I couldn't find you

Are you all right?

 

NARCISSA

I was getting some air

 

MARCUS

Would you like me to read

The Bible to you

Till you fall asleep

 

NARCISSA

No, I will be fine

 

MARCUS

I think we are close

To having a convert

A Cayuse named Timothy

 

NARCISSA

It's about time

 

MARCUS

But what is time

In the larger picture

Of souls getting saved?

 

NARCISSA

Of course, you are right

 

MARCUS

Narcissa, I'm worried

You don't seem yourself

Is something the matter?

 

NARCISSA

Of course not, my husband

 

MARCUS

Timothy asked to learn

About One God

As He is known by

Among the Cayuse

 

NARCISSA

You've worked so hard

And waited so long

To find the first convert

I'M happy for you

 

MARCUS

Happy for us

We're in this together

Our mutual calling

To save these poor souls

 

NARCISSA

I'm ready for bed now

 

MARCUS

Come then, my good wife

 

NARCISSA

I love you, my husband

 

MARCUS

I love you, my wife

 

 

9/ TIMOTHY'S CONVERSION

 

 

Marcus and Timothy

Lessons from the New England Primer

 

MARCUS: Who was the first man?

TIMOTHY: Adam.

MARCUS:

Who was the first woman?

 

TIMOTHY:

Eve.

MARCUS:

Who was the first murderer?

 

TIMOTHY:

Cain.

 

MARCUS:

Who was the first martyr?

 

TIMOTHY:

Abel.

 

MARCUS:

Who saves lost men?

 

TIMOTHY:

Jesus Christ.

 

MARCUS:

Who is Jesus Christ?

 

TIMOTHY:

The son of God.

 

Missionaries come forward … what follows has the structure of a round.

 

MARCUS:

A

 

TIMOTHY and chorus:

In Adam's fall / We sinned all.

 

MARCUS:

B

 

TIMOTHY & C:

Heaven to find; / The Bible Mind.

 

MARCUS:

C

 

TIMOTHY & C:

Christ crucify'd / For sinners dy'd.

 

MARCUS:

D

 

TIMOTHY & C:

The Deluge drown'd / The Earth around.

 

Repeat etc.

 

MARCUS:

Romans 3:23

 

TIMOTHY:

For all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard.

 

MARCUS:

John 1:8

 

TIMOTHY:

If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth.

 

MARCUS:

Romans 5:12.

 

TIMOTHY:

When Adam sinned, sin entered the entire human race. Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.

 

MISSIONARY CHORUS

For the wages of sin is death,

but the gift of God is eternal life

in Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

Repeats

 

 

 

10. / TROUBLE

 

Joe Lewis, the half-breed.

 

JOE LEWIS:

Beware, my Cayuse friends,

Of false prophets.

There are many things

You do not know

Because Dr. Whitman

Will not tell you.

 

Timothy comes forward.

 

TIMOTHY:

What are these things?

 

JOE LEWIS:

Do you have a chief

More powerful than all

Other chiefs?

 

TIMOTHY:

Of course.

 

JOE LEWIS:

So, too, the Church.

This chief is called

The Pope.

The Pope more than any man

Can speak the Word of God.

And yet Dr. Whitman

Does not heed the Pope—

Indeed, would say he

Himself is a more Godlike

And this is blasphemy.

 

TIMOTHY:

I do not understand.

 

JOE LEWIS:

Priests have come

To tell Cayuse the truth

For the first time.

 

Father Blanchet comes forward.

 

TIMOTHY:

I want to hear these priests.

 

FATHER BLANCHET:

The Bible is God's word.

 

TIMOTHY:

Yes, Dr. Whitman says it is.

 

FATHER BLANCHET:

We all are sinners,

sinners from birth.

 

TIMOTHY:

As Dr. Whitman told me so.

 

FATHER BLANCHET:

God conceived Jesus in Mary's womb,

without the help of mortal man,

a virgin birth.

 

TIMOTHY:

This is new to me.

 

FATHER BLANCHET:

God requires a price be paid for sin.

So Jesus paid the price for all mankind.

 

TIMOTHY:

Dr. Whitman said as much.

 

FATHER BLANCHET:

Do you believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting?

 

TIMOTHY:

Some of this I remember from Dr. Whitman.

 

FATHER BLANCHET:

The Holy Catholic Church …

 

TIMOTHY:

This is new to me.

 

FATHER BLANCHET:

The Holy Catholic Church …

 

TIMOTHY: The Holy Catholic Church …

 

MISSIONARY CHORUS

For the wages of sin is death,

but the gift of God is eternal life

in Jesus Christ our Lord.

And the Holy Catholic Church

 

Marcus and Narcissa come forward.

 

MARCUS:

The Catholics come to spread their lies.

Now our task is harder still.

 

NARCISSA:

Don't falter, husband, God's at your side.

 

MARCUS:

They will claim the Pope prevails.

 

MARCUS & NARCISSA:

God, give us strength

To meet this challenge

To keep the faith

And teach Thy Word

The One True Word

And save these poor

Heathen Cayuse

From Catholic lies

 

Amen, amen

The One True Word

Amen, amen

From Catholic lies

 

 

11/ THE CHILDREN ARE SICK AGAIN

 

(measles again)

 

 

TILOUKAIKT

The children are sick.

 

TOMAHAS

Once again the children are dying.

 

TILOUKAIKT

And now the white medicine does nothing.

 

TOMAHAS

The white medicine is only good for white children.

 

TILOUKAIKT

Where is the medicine for the Cayuse children?

 

DUET

Life is a circle

Sometimes good

Sometimes bad

What has come before

Always comes again

And now the children

Are dying

 

We trusted Whitman

His white medicine

To save our children

But the Cayuse children die

While the white children live

This medicine

Is bad

 

The medicine doctor

With bad medicine

Pays a price

If our children die

Someone has to pay

This is the Cayuse

Way

 

JOE LEWIS

Whitman is

To blame for this

Don't you see?

His medicine is bad

Religion full of lies

He is the one

To pay

 

ALL

Religious lies

Bad medicine

Is Whitman's way

The Cayuse way prevails

Justice will win out

Let us seek

Him out

 

The Cayuse way prevails

Justice will win out

Let us seek

Him out

 

 

 

ACT TWO

12/ A STRANGE FOREBODING

 

NARCISSA

Husband, you look weary

You look sad and troubled

 

MARCUS

Measles.—

 

NARCISSA

--What about them?

 

MARCUS

Cayuse children are dying

I don't know what to do

Our children take the cure

But their children do not

 

NARCISSA

Our children know Christ

 

MARCUS

I think it's more than that

 

NARCISSA

Marcus, you can't be sure

God's mysterious ways

Can surprise even you

 

MARCUS

I'M sure that you are right

And yet this is so strange

Our children take the cure

Cayuse children do not

Of course they now blame me

As if this were my plan

A great conspiracy

To wipe their children out

And thus wipe out their race

To Christianize this place

 

NARCISSA

Surely they don't believe

Such a scandalous thing

 

MARCUS

The half-breed Joe Lewis

Eagerly cheers them on

Spreading lies about me

 

NARCISSA

Let Timothy stand up

And tell his chiefs the truth

 

MARCUS

Timothy has doubts

And knows not what to believe

Catholics have talked to him

And now confuse his mind

 

NARCISSA

A curse to all the priests

 

MARCUS

Right now I'M more concerned

About their children, dying,

Unable to take the cure

Though our children get well

 

NARCISSA

This message may be God's

 

MARCUS

The Cayuse believe it's mine

 

(change)

NARCISSA

Marcus, do not blame yourself

 

MARCUS

Narcissa, this is how I feel

 

NARCISSA

God's mysterious ways take time

Before the mind of man may know

The meaning to be soon revealed

 

MARCUS

The meaning to be soon revealed

 

NARCISSA

The meaning to be soon revealed

 

Together

God's mysterious ways take time

Before the mind of man may know

The meaning to be soon revealed

The meaning to be soon revealed

 

 

13. NOW IS THE TIME

 

Five Crows comes forward.

 

FIVE CROWS

The chiefs are angry.

The warriors are angry.

They speak of bad medicine

And the white doctor who brought it

Bad medicine killing our children

 

Why would the white doctor do this?

He is a plain man, an ignorant man,

But I don't think he murders children

I think he is just stupid to believe

The white medicine works for Cayuse

 

I think a lot about the white man

I think a lot about the white woman

Especially the young white woman

With hair like a raven

With skin like the snow

With eyes like the sky

I don't know her name

Though one day I will name her

The wife of Five Crows

 

TILOUKAIKT

Five Crows! It is time

 

TOMAHAS

It is time

 

TILOUKAIKT

The white doctor must pay

For the bad white medicine

 

TOMAHAS

It is time

 

FIVE CROWS

No, to rush without thought

To act on impulse

Is to insult time

It is time that heals

It is time that shines light

On what today seems dark

 

TILOUKAIKT

It is time

 

FIVE CROWS

Time to wait

Time for patience

 

TOMAHAS

It is time

 

TILOUKAIKT

It is time

The white doctor must pay

For the bad white medicine

 

TOMAHAS

The white doctor must pay

 

FIVE CROWS

Listen to me

Let the sun set on this anger

Let the moon rise to fill the dark sky

With light that hides the stars

Let time be the healer

New light by which to see new things

 

TILOUKAIKT

It is too late for this

 

TOMAHAS

It is time

 

TILOUKAIKT

It is time!

 

They leave

 

FIVE CROWS

I feel great foreboding

Anger begets anger

Where is the young white woman

Who would be my wife?

She is in danger

She is in danger!

 

 

14. THE MEDICINE MAN MUST PAY

 

 

TILOUKAIKT, TOMAHAS, and Cayuse chorus

 

TILOUKAIKT

Whitman!

 

TOMAHAS

Whitman!

 

TILOUKAIKT

Dr. Whitman!

 

TOMAHAS

Whitman!

 

TILOUKAIKT

We come because

Our children are dying

 

TOMAHAS

We come because

You use bad medicine

 

TILOUKAIKT

Whitman!

 

TOMAHAS

Dr. Whitman!

 

TILOUKAIKT

Come and face

Your fate

 

TOMAHAS

Come and face

What you yourself

Have caused

 

TILOUKAIKT

Whitman!

 

TOMAHAS

Whitman!

 

NARCISSA

No! You cannot

Enter this house

The doctor is busy

You must go away

 

TILOUKAIKT

Whitman!

 

NARCISSA

He'll come to you later

When you are more calm

 

TOMAHAS

Dr. Whitman!

 

NARCISSA

Later you can talk

And resolve this trouble

A misunderstanding, I'm sure

 

[ominous music, later punctuated by sharp sudden beats of hatchets falling]

MARCUS

Dear God!

Forgive them!

For they know not

What they do ... Narcissa!

 

NARCISSA

Marcus!

MARCUS & NARCISSA

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ...

(They are dead.)

 

 

 

 

Lorinda comes forward.

 

LORINDA

I was upstairs in bed

Sick with fever

I thought I was dreaming

A horrid nightmare

There were screams and shouts

Narcissa's voice in terror

A sudden cry from Dr. Whitman

Piercing and horrible

Cries and shouts

A terrible horror downstairs

 

 

 

TILOUKAIKT, TOMAHAS, CAYUSE CHORUS

The deed is done

The Cayuse way

Let no one doubt

The word of chiefs

Bad medicine

Has a price

Let all who hear

Our words know this

The deed is done

The Cayuse way

Let no one doubt

The word of chiefs

 

FIVE CROWS

My chiefs

Look what you've done

 

TILOUKAIKT

He must pay for bad medicine

 

TOMAHAS

This is the Cayuse way

 

CAYUSE CHORUS

Let no one doubt

The word of chiefs

 

All but FIVE CROWS, LORINDA leave.

 

FIVE CROWS

Where is the fair girl

Who will be my bride?

 

LORINDA

I struggled out of bed

And came downstairs

Still thinking it was a dream

To find Narcissa

Who would calm me down

 

FIVE CROWS

She comes down the stairs

 

LORINDA

But there was a chief there

And bodies and blood

And I screamed and I knew

This was my last breath

On this earth

 

FIVE CROWS

Don't be afraid

 

LORINDA

The chief came forward

I closed my eyes

Awaiting the deadly blow

From his tomahawk

 

FIVE CROWS

You will come with me

And become my bride

The wife of a chief

And treated with respect

 

15/ A STRANGE COURTSHIP

 

LORINDA, FIVE CROWS

 

LORINDA

I must have passed out

I opened my eyes

I was in a strange place

Wrapped in skin and fur

In a bed of the same

Spread across the ground

Of a savage teepee

And the savage chief

There beside me

Who spared my life

And now was smiling

 

FIVE CROWS

The wife of a great chief

Welcome to your new home

 

LORINDA

This is not my home

 

FIVE CROWS

It time it will be

This special land

Of rivers and fields

Golden in the sun

Salmon in the rivers

Where elk and deer

Come to drink

Mother Earth's great bounty

All waiting for you

The wife of a chief

Treated with respect

 

LORINDA

What do you want

From me?

 

FIVE CROWS

I need nothing from you

Only your smile

Your bright eyes

Your soft hair

Your white skin

So pale and soft

This is enough

 

LORINDA

No, I will not

I cannot ever be

Your wife

 

FIVE CROWS

Time will heal

This pain you feel

I did not want

This to happen

I tried to stop

This from happening

I know your pain

And feel it here

In my heart

Because this is what

Keeps you from me

 

LORINDA

I still say no

 

FIVE CROWS

Which is your right

And I plead with you

To change your mind

Which is my right

 

LORINDA

You will not force me?

 

FIVE CROWS

How can I force you?

You cannot love

What you choose

Not to love

 

LORINDA

I can never love you

 

FIVE CROWS

If this is true

My heart would break

 

LORINDA

I can never love you

 

FIVE CROWS

This is not

The time to say

After you sleep

When time heals

The memory

Of what hurts now

When you get a chance

To see this land

The way we see it

The great Cayuse

Who roam this land

And reap its bounty

You can belong

To this great people

The wife of a chief

Treated with respect

 

 

 

LORINDA

You say to sleep

I would like to

 

FIVE CROWS

Yes, sleep can heal

May you dream

Of your possibilities

Here with me

Good night, my bride

 

Five Crows leaves.

 

LORINDA

Of course, I said no

Again when I awoke

And again the next day

And the day after

When Five Crows

Let me go

With many presents

To show his love

The army was here

To bring justice

And revenge

Upon those who did

Such heinous deeds

 

(Enter Missionary Chorus)

 

SOLO 1

Hunt down the savages!

 

CHORUS

Guilty, guilty!

 

SOLO 1

The army is ready!

 

CHORUS

Guilty, guilty!

 

SOLO 1

No Cayuse is safe!

 

CHORUS

Guilty, guilty!

 

SOLO 1

Till Justice is served.

 

CHORUS

Guilty!

 

SOLO 2

So much a burden

These heathen tribes

Uncivilized ways

And blood on their hands

The butchery they did

Was bound to come

So much Evil

Can rule the land

 

CHORUS

The savages are caught!

The savages are caught!

 

SOLO 1

Tiloukaikt, how do you plea?

 

TILOUKAIKT

Not guilty!

 

SOLO 1

Tomahas, how do you plea?

 

TOMAHAS

Not guilty!

 

SOLO 1

Has the jury reached a verdict?

 

SOLO 2

We find

With no dissention

A unanimous judgment

Based on clear evidence

A righteous verdict

 

 

 

CHORUS

Guilty!

 

LORINDA

Guilty

And sentenced to hang.

Tiloukaikt to hang

 

CHORUS

Hang the heathens!

 

LORINDA

Tomahas to hang

 

CHORUS

Hang the heathens!

 

LORINA

So Christ serves justice

With righteous punishment

 

CHORUS

Hang the heathens!

Hang the heathens!

 

LORINDA

Tiloukaikt dead

And Tomahas too

And others who followed

Their wicked plan

Justice prevailed

As God insists

The heathens punished

Righteousness won

 

 

16/ NOT GUILTY!

 

TILOUKAIKT and TOMAHAS come forward.

 

TILOUKAIKT

Not guilty!

 

TOMAHAS

Not guilty!

 

TILOUKAIKT

When the medicine is bad

The medicine man must pay

This is the Cayuse way

 

TOMAHAS

The children kept on dying

What is a chief to do?

My people suffering so

 

TILOUKAIKT

We did the thing we must

As chiefs we lead the way

His medicine was bad

 

TOMAHAS

We did the thing we must

The children kept on dying

What is a chief to do?

 

TILOUKAIKT

Not guilty!

 

TOMAHAS

Not guilty!

 

They leave.

 

LORINDA

The verdict quick

All are guilty

Thus justice prevailed

As God insists

The heathens punished

Righteousness wins

 

I never forgot

The chief Five Crows

Who tried so hard

To marry me

He never forced

Himself on me

He never did

What I forbid

I truly believe

He loved me dear

In his strange way

Misguided, yes

But quite sincere

For a heathen

As he tried to make

Me his bride

 

Nothing was

The same again

The wars began

To claim the land

Once and for all

For Christian folks

The Cayuse chased

To other lands

Reservations

Where they must stay

No more to roam

Which was their way

 

Perhaps in heaven

Narcissa looks down

The doctor too

To see this land

Civil at last

With Christian ways

The heathens gone

The future bright

Perhaps they know

Their quest was good

Their victory clear

Though they aren't here

To see it done

 

 

 

17/ MARCUS AND NARCISSA IN HEAVEN

 

NARCISSA

Dear husband

 

MARCUS

Dear Narcissa

 

NARCISSA

It took so long

To make the land

A safe place for

Good Christian folk

 

MARCUS

It took so long

Despite our work

 

NARCISSA

We always did

The best we could

 

MARCUS

It took so long

And few converted

 

NARCISSA

We always did

The best we could

 

MARCUS

The heathens are

Today still heathens

 

NARCISSA

Husband, we

Could do no more

 

MARCUS

I could not show

Them the True Way

I could not let

Them see the Light

I could not make

Christ real to them

I could not make

Them understand

 

NARCISSA

Husband, do not

Blame yourself

We always did

The best we could

It was God's will

To bring us west

It was God's will

That led the way

 

MARCUS, NARCISSA

It took so long

To make the land

A safe place for

Good Christian folk

Who raise their children

In the Light

And walk with Christ

With every breath

 

MISSIONARY CHORUS

It was God's will

To bring us west

It was God's will

That led the way

To bring the Word

To heathen souls

And save these souls

From burning Hell

And save these souls

From burning Hell

 

TILOUKAIKT, TOMAHAS, Cayuse Chorus come forward

 

TILOUKAIKT

Not guilty!

 

TOMAHAS

Not guilty!

 

Transition to:

 

18/ CODA: DARK MISSION

 

TILOUKAIKT, TOMAHAS, CAYUSE CHORUS

When the medicine is bad

The medicine man must pay

This is the Cayuse way

 

The children kept on dying

What is a chief to do?

My people suffering so

 

We did the thing we must

As chiefs we lead the way

His medicine was bad

 

We did the thing we must

The children kept on dying

What is a chief to do?

 

TOMAHAS

They said they brought the Light

These whites who stole our land

And darkness soon prevailed

 

TILOUKAIKT

They said they brought us Christ

Who made our children sick

A sickness unto death

 

TOMAHAS

What did we do to them?

They come onto our lands

And take it as their own

 

TILOUKAIKT

What did we do to them?

They show us no respect

They spit upon our ways

 

CAYUSE CHORUS

Dark shadows cross the land

Winds wail for what is lost

The buffalo is gone

The Cayuse no more roam

 

They say their God is good

But only good for them

And nothing left for us

Cayuse who once were brave

FIVE CROWS

Time will heal

This pain you feel

I did not want

This to happen

I tried to stop

This from happening

I know your pain

And feel it here

In my heart

Because this is what

Keeps you from me

 

MEDICINE MAN from the beginning enters.

 

MED MAN

Banished.

Banished.

Banished. Where am I supposed to go?

What am I supposed to do?

How to live?

Banished from this place I call my home.

Sent away.

Banished.

 

Now I leave

I am brave and so I go

To my fate

A Cayuse warrior accepts his fate

Banished

Banished

My fate

This, the Cayuse way

Banished

My fate

 

Now I am the wolf

Now I am the buffalo

Now I live with them

My home is with the beasts

 

Greet me with my new name

Speak it loud

Speak it proud

My name

 

Call me Lives With Beasts

My name

My new name in this life

Lives With Beasts

 

CAYUSE CHORUS

Call us Lives With Beasts

Our name

Our new name in this life

Lives With Beasts

 

But the buffalo is gone

Slaughtered by their ways

Salmon, wolf and deer

Flee from their greedy march

 

Call us Lives With Beasts

Our name

As long as beasts remain

Lives With Beasts

 

Call us Lives With Beasts

Our name

As long as beasts remain

Lives With Beasts

 

END