SCENE I
Reading edition
TIME: One evening; three hundred years ago. PLACE: Indian camp near Jamestown, Virginia.
CHIEF POWHATAN.BRAVES.
MEDICINE MAN.WOMEN AND CHILDREN
POCAHONTAS.
[POWHATAN, MEDICINE MAN, and BRAVES sit around the fire in council. The WOMEN and CHILDREN, POCAHONTAS among them, are near.]
POWHATAN. I speak, my children.
BRAVES. We hear, great chief.
POWHATAN. Who among you loves the white man?
(There is silence.)
Again I ask, who among you loves the white man?
(There is silence.)
MEDICINE MAN. The white men are not our friends, Chief Powhatan.
A BRAVE. They take our land from us.
SECOND BRAVE. They take our corn from us.
THIRD BRAVE. They will not let us fish in our own rivers.
MEDICINE MAN. They are too wise for Powhatan's children.
POWHATAN. They are too wise for Powhatan.
MEDICINE MAN. Not one should live in our great forests!
A BRAVE. We should not leave one white man in their village!
SECOND BRAVE. Nor a white woman!
THIRD BRAVE. Nor a white child!
POWHATAN. I think with you, my children. Your words are my words.
MEDICINE MAN. This night we should creep upon them!
BRAVES. Yes! Yes! Yes!
POWHATAN. This night it shall be done! Lie here and sleep, my braves, till midnight. Then we will rise and creep upon them. Women, take the children to the wigwams. Pocahontas, fill my quiver full of arrows. You may do this while I sleep. And now, silence.