The Collected Plays. Rabindranath Tagore
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He is fond of warming his cold blood with the wine of hot youth.
We'll give him a warm enough reception. All we want is to see him. Have you seen him?
Watchman
My watch is at night. I see my people, but don't know their features. But, look here, every one knows that he is the great kidnapper; and you want to kidnap him! It's midsummer madness.
The secret is out. It doesn't take long to discover that we are mad.
Watchman
I am the Watchman. The people I see passing along the road are all very much alike. Therefore, when I see anything queer, it always strikes me.
Just listen to him. All the respectable people of our neighbourhood say just the same thing—that we are queer.
Yes, we're queer. There's no mistake about that.
Watchman
But all this is utter childishness.
Do you hear that? It's exactly what our Dada says.
We have been going on with our childishness through unremembered ages.
And now we have become confirmed children.
And we have a leader, who is a perfect veteran in childhood. He rushes along so recklessly, that he drops off his age at every step he runs.
Watchman
And who are you?
We are butterflies, freed from the cocoon of Age.
Watchman
(Aside.) Mad. Raving mad.
Ferryman
Then what will you all do now?
Chandra
We shall go——
Watchman
Where?
Chandra
That we haven't decided.
Watchman
You have decided to go, but not where to go?
Chandra
Yes, that will be settled as we go along.
Watchman
What does that mean?
Chandra
It means this song.
(They sing.)
We move and move without rest,
We move while the wanderers' stars shine in the sky and fade.
We play the tune of the road
While our limbs scatter away the laughter of movement,
And our many-coloured mantle of youth flutters about in the air.
Watchman
Is it your custom to answer questions by songs?
Chandra
Yes, otherwise the answer becomes too unintelligible.
Watchman
Then you think your songs intelligible?
Chandra
Yes, quite, because they contain music.
(They sing.)
We move and move without rest.
World, the Rover, loves his comrades of the road.
His call comes across the sky.
The seasons lead the way, strewing the path with flowers.
Watchman
No ordinary being ever breaks out singing, like this, in the middle of talking.
Chandra
Again we are found out. We are no ordinary beings.
Watchman
Have you got no work to do?
Chandra
No, we are on a holiday.
Watchman
Why?
Chandra
Lest our time should all be wasted.
Watchman
I don't quite understand you.
Chandra
Then we shall be obliged to sing again.
Watchman
No, no. There's no need to do that. I don't hope to understand you any better, even if you do sing.
Chandra
Everybody has given up the hope of understanding us.
Watchman
But how can things get on with you, if you behave like this?
Chandra
Oh, there's no need for things to get on with us, so long as we ourselves get on.
Watchman
Mad! Quite mad! Raving mad!
Chandra
Why, here comes our Dada.
Dada, what made you lag behind?
Chandra
Don't you know? We are free as the wind, because we have no substance in us. But Dada is like the rain-cloud of August. He must stop, every now and then, to unburden himself.
Dada
Who are you?
Ferryman
I am the Ferryman.
Dada
And who are you?
Watchman
I am the Watchman.
Dada
I am delighted to see you. I want to read you something that I have written. It contains nothing frivolous, but only the most important lessons.
Ferryman
Very good. Let us have it then.
Watchman
Our master used to tell us that there are plenty of men to say good things, but very few to listen. That requires strength of mind. Now, go on, Sir, go on.
Dada
I saw, in the street, one of the King's officers dragging along a merchant. The King had made up a false charge, in order to get his money. This gave me an inspiration. You must know that I never write a single line which is not inspired by some actual fact. You can put my verses to the test in the open streets and markets——
Ferryman
Please, Sir, do let us hear what you have written.
Dada
The sugar-cane filling itself with juice
Is chewed and sucked dry by all beggars.
O foolish men, take your lesson from this;
Those trees are saved, which are fruitful.
You will understand that the sugar-cane gets into trouble, simply because it tries to keep its juice. But nobody is so foolish as to kill the tree that freely gives fruit.
Watchman
What splendid writing, Ferryman!
Ferryman
Yes, Watchman, it contains great lessons for us.