By G. B. JOSHI & V. K. GOKAK

(A thick forest. In it there is a cave with an archway leading to its interior. Skulls of beasts are hung round on the red walls within. Faces just severed from the throats of little lambs are suspended in the midst of the arch. Weapons of all kinds are fixed into the walls of this archwise opening. And the weapons so meet at about the middle point of the opening that it is impossible for any one to enter without being hurt by them. Inside the arch there is the door to the cave, now shut. It is made of bones, and it opens and closes when the phrase "Ha-hi-he" is uttered."

It is evening, and there is a dim, reddish light outside the cave. A gentle wind is stirring the branches of a big tree that spreads far and wide in front of the cave. A creeper has woven its tangle as far as the main trunk of the tree. It is all pathless round about the cave and the lush grass is covered with sprouting creepers. The subdued sound of a waterfall far behind the cave is heard at a distance.

There enters a being not exactly belonging to any particular species of creation but a strange combination of all species, with horns on his head, big wings on his shoulders and a garland of roses round his neck. Nature is his clothing and his dark hair is let loose about his blackish body. His physique is gigantic and out of all human proportion. He comes, as if intoxicated, swinging his hands and legs freely, not caring a bit for the young creepers crushed under his feet. He bears a big dead sheep on his shoulders. Coming near the cave, he calls out in a hoarse voice, "Ha-hi-he." A dim light is seen in the cave. She–a female being of the same type–comes to the cave door from inside. The door opens. They meet and embrace each other. Then they go inside the cave and sit on two different stones, with the dead sheep between them.)

She: - (Drinking blood from a crude pot of clay) How long, dear, shall we drink this blood of beasts? It is since beginning of the world that we are living on this. I am tired of this. I want some change.

He: - Oh! No question of that. Rest you content. I have found today that which will relieve the monotony of our daily life by bringing in some variety. Time has power from today to make the young old and the old young. An entirely new sight rewarded my search. Wandering in the forest I beheld a beautiful garden. The trees there–O! so rich they are!–will bear luscious fruits. Crush the faded flowers that repose on the grass below, and blood comes out of them–sweet, nectarous blood!

She: - Beautiful! But is there no one to prevent you from laying your hands on them?

He: - Ah! There was none when I had been there. And I will surely enter the garden when there will be none spying on me.

She: - Do. And bring me a cluster of fruits that I may taste them and drink their warm nectarous juice. You can go in the morning as usual and return when the west is stained with red.

He: - Hurrah! That I will do. I will bring you the pick of the lot, the glory of the garden. Come, now, to our wonted dance.

(They begin to dance hand in hand to the tune of a wild, primeval strain.)

(The scene is the same. It is evening. He comes with an old and worn-out corpse on his shoulders and cries out hoarsely. "Ha-hi-ha" The door opens. He enters the cave and embraces her who has moved thither to meet him.)

She: - Oh! How long have I not waited for you! Have you brought the cluster of fruits burgeoning on the trees, and the tender, little flowers blossoming among the leaves?

He: - Come, come, my dear. I have brought a new thing, at any rate. (Lowers the corpse from his shoulders)

She: - (Beholding the corpse) Oh! from where?

He: - From there. From the garden.

(They sit with the corpse between them and begin to eat it)

She: - Ahem! This is tasteless. There is no blood in this besides! This must have been a fallen fruit.

He: - Yes, my dear. It was lying withering on the grass. I had to pick it up. He asked me to…

She: - Who asked you?

He: - Oh! that is a long story. I thought I had escaped unobserved into the garden. I was looking up and down at the wonderful trees that bore such a rich harvest for you and me. I felt how glad you would be to feel those delicate flowers and taste those splendid fruits. And I stretched my hands a little to have a cluster shining like the crown of stars at mid-night. But it seems he knew me all the while. He approached me gently from behind and stayed my hand–

She: - Who stayed your hand?

He: - He did it–the keeper of the garden. And he chid me gently for having such a foul design on those sweet little things of his. He pointed to the fruit lying withered on the grass, and said that I was at perfect liberty to use such things as I liked. But that if I permitted my mind to linger still on the pride of the garden, he predicted gravely that we would surely come to harm.

She: - And so you brought this fallen fruit?

He: - Yes, my dear. I had nothing else to choose.

She: - But! There is no blood in it to make it winsome. It is not worth our while. Your labour is wasted upon it.

He: - That is true. But can you not wait till tomorrow? I will hoodwink this swine of a gardener, and bring you fresh ones just plucked from the trees. Will not that satisfy you?

She: - Oh! that would send me into raptures. But you should not thus hazard your life, my dear. I fear it in my heart that you will be found out some day and then,–what is the good of it all?

He: - Never fear, my love. Time is ours now. Time has got the power to make the young old and the old young. I will surely cut the branch of fruits on which you have set your mind.

They embrace each other and begin to dance.)

(The same scene. It is evening. He enters with the corpses of a young man and a young woman, and stands before the cave.)

He: - Ha-hi-he!

(The door opens. She comes and takes him by the hand. He throws the corpses on the ground and begins to dance wildly.)

He: - Here they are! The choicest fruits on the tree have crowned my toil to-day!

She: - (Stopping) Good. But are they–both of them–from one and the same tree?

He : - Ah! No! The one with the tender pulp is a more precious growth. It is indeed a rarity. But the other sort also is not common, I can tell you. If you would but like them! Or I will bring tomorrow the fresh young buds and the scented blossoms, my queen!

She: - Come, come, we will sit and eat it. We will make short work of it, with hunger gnawing at our very marrow.

He: - And sweet too!

(They sit on two different stones placed opposite to each other with the corpses between them.)

She: - (Tearing a limb and eating it) How this blood sings in the ear! How this -rind melts in the mouth!

He : - (Satisfied) I thought you would say so.

She: - Ah! Yes! What of the gardener? Was he not there to-day?

He: - Oh! Don’t worry. There is good news to tell. The gardener is in trouble. Mutiny has broken out among his ranks. Half his number are up against him and the spirit of rebellion is in the air. The leader of those blessed apostates is for assuming the robe of office himself. A pitched fight was fought and they have not yet come to terms. Nor are they likely to, till some days come to pass. And just think of it, my love! The garden is all the while practically unguarded!

She: - That is good news indeed. But you must still be wary. No amount of caution will be lost on your project.

He: - I will be cunningness itself. Shall we dance?

(They begin to dance, singing a wild strain.)

He and She: - (singing)

Oh! till the heat of fight turns cool

The garden will be ours to rule,

Ours to smell and ours to smother,

This fruit, that one, and the other

They will lead us to a treat,–

These, our never-ceasing feet!

(The same Scene. It is evening. He enters with the corpses of two little children on his shoulders.)

He: - Ha-hi-he!!

(The door does not open. He calls out again. But the door remains closed as before.)

He: - (Angrily) What has happened to this idling wench? She must sleep and dream, and I must toil till it is evening. And when I return to the cave by twilight–why, she must still be sleeping. Is she dead drunk with this new blood from the garden? Or is she travailing to beget a new being–my rival? I will try again. Ha-hi-he!

(The door remains closed. He gets wild and throws the corpses of the children against the door. He then breaks it open and finds her reposing motionlessly on the stone-seat. He goes to her impatiently.)

He: - Wake up, my good girl! Wake up! Have I not laboured day-long for you and brought you young buds of the choicest dye? If you but look at them for a while, you will find it in your heart to worship me for this brave deed of mine. What! Will you not wake? What dropsy makes you drowse? Ha! who are these, sneaking past my cave?

(Even as he entered the cave, five or six of the gardeners servants have advanced from behind the trunk of the big tree and are making towards the entrance. They are looking now and then at the direction in which the gardener is standing unseen, for further instructions. Our "He" casts a bewildered glance at them and looks alternately at ‘Her’ and at the new-comers. The calm and crystalline voice of the gardener is heard at last and they rush towards the door.)

Gardener: - Catch him! He has spoilt the garden!

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