Mid Summer Play
Note :- The audience is arranged in an incomplete circle around a bonfire or light,
or if there are only a few attending spread out to at least to give an impression of one.
The players enter and take up positions in the space provided thereby completing the circle.
Lead by the Caller he is followed by the Dagda, the Oak King with the Scarlet Woman on his arm
and finally the Holly King. The Caller then steps forward to sing the 'Calling Song';.
When he is finished and returns to his place the play begins.
THE PLAY
Note: there is no actual tune to the 'Calling Song';
so either adapt one or simply let the words suggest a melody that seems right.
CALLER (steps forward & bows)
Gather round and gather round
Come listen to our play
We make the plays of long time past
We speak the words the Old Ones say
So gather round and gather round
Come, I the Caller say.
First the all father Dagda comes
Warrior brave who speaks wisdom all
So heed his words is all we say
He is the first to enter our play.
Next there comes the Oak King
A noble branch of the tree
He has dispute with his brother King
The play holds what their fates will be.
Next to come is the Scarlet One
The treasure that does prompt these wars
The winner goes to her blessed bed
When her other husband falls.
The last to come is King Holly
The challenger of the day
With sword to sword and battle to battle
His brother he aims to slay.
So gather round and gather round
Come listen to our play
We make the plays of long time past
We speak the words the Old Ones say
So gather round and gather round
Come, I the Caller say
DAGDA ( steps forward and bows)
In comes I the Dagda, I am all-father, I am constant and good.
I am a mighty warrior as are my sons who will fight here.
For I am like a great tree and they are leaves or a branch,
It is in their nature to fall as it is mine to stay,
But where would a tree be without its leaves?
Also I do like my porridge,
And here is my favorite porridge pot, and here is my great war club.
Now it seems to me that these things resemble something else
I can't imagine what, can you?
(makes in / out motions with the club - - - play for laughs!)
It is a great mystery!
But I stay to long, for the King and Queen are here and they
have many important words to say
So make way, make way, and on with the play
(bows and returns to place)
OAK KING (steps forward and bows)
In comes I the King of Oak
I am Summer
In this my season and in my full strength I have cast the spear into the sky
Where it blazed over the land, warmed it, and gave it colour.
It then struck the ground, its head buried deep.
At Mid-Winter past, with courage and skill I fought my brother and so claimed my Queen
She kissed me with her honey lips and chose to call me King!
But now my height is in decline, for the wheel of the year must turn as it always has.
Thus here I stand again before my brother Holly who this time makes his claim
In this our dance of swords.
For we two here tilt and balance between light and darkness
Know that to die is but to end a season
And that for all of us the wheel is turning.
(bows and returns to place)
SCARLET WOMAN (steps forward and bows)
In comes I the lady in red
The Scarlet Woman, the reason the rhyme and the arena for this drama.
In me is the bud and the bloom.
In me is the womb and the tomb.
Due to me the trees do grow and blood will flow
And, though seasons and husbands come and go,
I remain (play for laughs)
It's a tough job but somebody's got to do it!
So here they are again to fight over me
As it ever was and as it will ever be.
(bows and returns to place)
HOLLY KING (bows)
In comes I the King of Holly.
I am Winter and my time is soon at hand.
I have commanded frosts to come
Made white the heads of mountains
Antarctic blasts do my bidding, and rains swell the rivers.
Though this is harsh, it to is part of the wheel that turns around us all
Without darkness, light would never seem to shine as bright.
Thus I am here to claim my Queen
And will fight my brother, whom I love (turns to Oak King)
So, dear Oak, hear the call
Draw your sword and stand your ground.
The Oak King steps forward and the two face off, they fight and the Oak King falls.
The Scarlet Woman steps forward and lays her cloak over the body of Oak.
DAGDA (steps forward)
The King is dead
My son is dead
My son lives
Long live the King!
Leads Scarlet Woman to Holly and they join hands
A leaf falls to the ground and the Earth shakes
Whilst under the cold ground in silence something new is born!
SCARLET WOMAN (to all)
Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again!
Now let the feasting begin!
CALLER Sings:
THE WREN
Joy, health, love and peace
Be all here in this place
By your leave we will sing
Concerning our King.
Our King is well dressed
In silks of the best
In ribbons so rare
No King can compare.
We have traveled many miles
Over hedges and stiles
In search of our King
Unto you we bring.
We have powder and shot
To conquer the lot
We have cannon and ball
To conquer them all.
Old Christmas is past
St. Stephen's the last
And we bid you adieu
Praise joy to the new.