Script

SIDE 1

FATHER

Look! It's called the Tree of Knowledge. And the fruit is very bad for you. You must never, ever, eat it. Understand?

ADAM

It's all right, Father. We won't touch it.

EVE

Why not?

FATHER

Children, if you love me, if you love this family, you will never go near that tree.

ADAM

We promise, Father.

(looks at EVE)

Eve...

EVE

(after a moment)

We promise.

FATHER

Thank you.

EVE

But, Father, if it's bad for us, why did you put it there?

FATHER

(changing the subject)

I know! Let's play a game.

( THE NAMING begins.)

END

 

SIDE 2

YOUNG CAIN

Papa?

ADAM

Yes?

YOUNG CAIN

What's beyond the waterfall?

(ADAM and EVE exchange a glance.)

ADAM

You don't need to know that, Cain.

YOUNG CAIN

Why not?

YOUNG ABEL

Cain... I don't think you should ask so many questions.

YOUNG CAIN

Why not? Papa, why won't you let us go beyond the waterfall?

EVE

Cain...

ADAM

If you love me, if you love this family, you will never go beyond the waterfall.

 

END

 

SIDE 3

NOAH

Shem and Ham have married, Father.

FATHER

Women from the tribe of Seth?

NOAH

Of course, Father.

FATHER

That is your salvation, Noah. You are perfect in your generations. The blood of your family was never tainted by the race of Cain. But, what of your third son? Japheth?
Have you chosen a wife for him?

NOAH

Yes, Father... Several, actually...

FATHER

He'll only need one.

NOAH

I know, Father, but he refused to marry any of them.

FATHER

Refused?

NOAH

(quickly)

But now he says he's found someone.

FATHER

His father should choose.

NOAH

I will, of course. But I thought... if I chose his choice...?

FATHER

However you do it, choose quickly. Or Japheth must go on the ark alone.

NOAH

I understand.

FATHER

Everything must be perfect.

 

END

 

SIDE 4

NOAH

Yonah, go inside.

(YONAH goes. NOAH takes JAPHETH to one side, out of earshot of the rest of the FAMILY.)

Japheth, what you have done is very cruel to that poor girl. You know she cannot come with us.

JAPHETH

She is coming with us.

NOAH

You know Father's commandment. The race of Cain must all be destroyed.

JAPHETH

Yonah's been with us all our lives. You love her, too.

NOAH

We have no choice.

JAPHETH

There's always a choice.

(JAPHETH runs off towards the ark.)

NOAH

Japheth!

MAMA

Papa, maybe if you asked God...

NOAH

His will is clear. I don't want to discuss it anymore.

 

END

 

SIDE 5

NOAH

(looking out over the waters, quietly)

Father... Father...?

MAMA

He doesn't speak to you anymore, does he? Not since before the rain?

NOAH

No. And now I don't know what he wants. Is he asking me to sacrifice my son?

(MAMA looks back at him in silence.)

But why else has he abandoned us?

MAMA

I don't know about God. He never said anything to me anyway. But if he has abandoned us, then the whole world is just this little family adrift in a big wooden boat with a lot of animals.

(NOAH looks out over the waters.)

You must be the father now. You must decide.

 

END

 

SIDE 6

JAPHETH

Shem! If you lay a hand on her, I'll kill you.

HAM

Did you know about this?

JAPHETH

I mean it.

APHRA

He did!

AYSHA

He knew!

NOAH

Japheth, is this true?

SHEM

What does it matter? Get her off the ark.

(SHEM moves to YONAH and grabs her.)

JAPHETH

I warned you.

(JAPHETH runs towards SHEM, but before he can get anywhere near him, NOAH steps into his path, the staff of Adam in his hand.)

NOAH

Japheth!

JAPHETH

Get out of my way, old man.

NOAH

Never!

 

END

 

SIDE 7

APHRA

What is it?

AYSHA

A snake!

SHEM

Stand back, everyone. I'll get an axe.

(A HEDGEHOG appears at the other side of the stage.)

HAM

Wait, Shem! Look!

SHEM

What?

APHRA

It's a hedgehog!

AYSHA

Hello, little hedgehog!

MAMA

I haven't seen one of those for...

AYSHA

Another snake!

APHRA

Where?

AYSHA

Right there!

HAM

Another hedgehog, Papa!

MAMA

Look!

( THE RETURN OF THE ANIMALS begins.)

NOAH

It's happening. It's actually happening! Snakes... hedgehogs...

 

END