Children's Classics in Dramatic Form Part 26

[POCAHONTAS _and the_ INDIAN GIRLS _are playing in the forest. An_ INDIAN WOMAN _comes with bows and arrows._]

WOMAN. The deer go to the river! You must shoot them while they drink.

Here are your bows and arrows.

A GIRL. I'll shoot a doe!

SECOND GIRL. I'll shoot a stag with horns!

THIRD GIRL. And I, a fawn!

WOMAN. Come, Pocahontas, and get your bow and arrows.

POCAHONTAS. I will not shoot at deer!

WOMAN. Ah, but you must. The braves have gone to watch the white men.

So we must do the hunting. Come!

POCAHONTAS. I will not shoot at deer!

THIRD GIRL. She never shoots at them.

WOMAN. Why, what is this?

FOURTH GIRL. She only shoots at trees and sedges peeping from the water.

WOMAN. Now why do you not shoot at deer?

POCAHONTAS. They look at me so gently. I cannot bear to kill them.

FIRST GIRL. She will not kill anything.

SECOND GIRL. She will not even shoot a bird.

WOMAN. Can this be true?

POCAHONTAS. I will not kill the pretty things. This forest is their home, the same as it is ours.

WOMAN. Such talk I never heard before! The braves must know of this.

POCAHONTAS. No, no! They will tell my father!

WOMAN. Aye! Chief Powhatan must know.

POCAHONTAS. I beg you not to tell him!

THIRD GIRL. He will send her from his wigwam! Do not tell him!

[Ill.u.s.tration: "I WILL NOT SHOOT AT DEER"]

FOURTH GIRL. He will send her alone into the forest! Do not tell him!

POCAHONTAS. Do not tell him!

WOMAN. Then take your bow and kill a deer.

POCAHONTAS. I will not! I have told you that! I cannot!

WOMAN. Powhatan shall know. Before the sun sets, Powhatan shall know.

[INDIAN BOYS _enter._]

FIRST BOY. The braves have brought a prisoner!

SECOND BOY. It is the white chief from the village!

THIRD BOY. They have taken him to Powhatan!

FOURTH BOY. Come, if you would see him!

WOMAN. I come! I come!

GIRLS. And I! And I! And I!

[_They go._]

SCENE II

TIME: _a little later._ PLACE: _Indian camp._

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH.

MEDICINE MAN.

CHIEF POWHATAN.

POCAHONTAS.

BRAVES, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN.

[CAPTAIN SMITH _stands before_ POWHATAN. He _holds a small compa.s.s in his hand._]

SMITH. Let me live, great chief! Let me live and you shall have my talking needle!

POWHATAN. Talking needle! What is that?

SMITH. It is this needle in this box. It talks whenever I wish it.

POWHATAN. What does it say?