| | TODD is perched on a fence, working on a slingshot, occasionally trying it out by shooting into the air and at the audience. Enter JIMMY, carving a willow branch. |
| TODD: | Hi. |
| JIMMY: | Hello. (Resumes carving.) |
| TODD: | (Jumps from fence.) What are you carving? |
| JIMMY: | A whistle. |
| TODD: | I'm making a slingshot. See? Where are you going? |
| JIMMY: | You are new here? |
| TODD: | Yeah. We took over the ranch this spring. We're going to make a lot of improvements. |
| JIMMY: | (Amused.) You are? |
| TODD: | Well, I help. My dad and the ranch hands are doing most of the work. |
| JIMMY: | I know. |
| TODD: | You do? |
| JIMMY: | My dad and my brother work here. |
| TODD: | They do? |
| JIMMY: | They're driving cattle. They told me about all the changes you're making. |
| TODD: | So, that's where you're going? |
| JIMMY: | What? |
| TODD: | To take a look! |
| JIMMY: | Naw. |
| TODD: | I bet you were. (Eagerly.) I can show you around. |
| JIMMY: | Maybe later. First I've got to do something. |
| TODD: | What? |
| JIMMY: | I've got to check on something. |
| TODD: | Where? |
| JIMMY: | I'm going to the end of the lake to see if the swans are back. |
| TODD: | Swans? Can I come with you? |
| JIMMY: | If you don't bring the slingshot. |
| TODD: | Can I take it if I don't use it? |
| JIMMY: | You're not allowed to use it anyway. That lake is kept as a preserve for birds. |
| TODD: | Who said so? My dad owns it and he didn't say anything about it being special. |
| JIMMY: | Well, it is. (Walks away.) |
| TODD: | (Shouts after him.) Okay then, I won't use the slingshot when I'm with you. |
| JIMMY: | You can't use it anytime. Not at the lake. |
| TODD: | (Catching up.) What's your name? |
| JIMMY: | Jimmy Barefoot. |
| TODD: | I'm Todd Hansen. You're from the reserve, aren't you? I've never been at an Indian reserve but my dad told me all about it. He says you live on reserves because the government... |
| JIMMY: | Be quiet. If you want to see the swans we'll have to move very quietly. (They exit.) |
| |
Quiet music is heard. Three swans enter, dance. |
| JIMMY: | (Entering with Todd.) They're here. It's early for them, but they're here! |
| TODD: | They're beautiful. |
| |
They watch. TODD lines up one of the swans with his slingshot. |
| JIMMY: | Todd! (Pushes the slingshot down.) I said no shooting! |
| TODD: | I didn't put anything in it. (Beat.) |
| JIMMY: | Tonight or tomorrow the swans will travel north. But one will stay behind. She comes this far every spring and never goes any further. |
| TODD: | Why not? |
| JIMMY: | Because she's our Princess Swan. She used to be an Indian princess. |
| TODD: | You're kidding! |
| JIMMY: | (Keeps his eyes on the swans.) It's true. My grandmother told me. |
| TODD: | I bet she was just telling you an old wives' tale. |
| JIMMY: | My grandmother knows everything about this whole valley. She's old and she's very wise and she's lived here all her life. (Pause.) |
| TODD: | What did she tell you? |
| JIMMY: | (Begins carving at his whistle again.) Long ago, my grandmother says, long before our fathers or grandfathers lived, way back at the time of her great-grandfather, our tribe was very powerful. Sometimes our people travelled far and brought back prisoners from other tribes. One time there was a beautiful girl among the prisoners, and the chief's son wanted to marry her. The chief wouldn't allow it because she was from a different tribe. When the chief died, his son was appointed chief. Now that he was free to do as he wanted, he married the beautiful girl and she became our princess. They had a son, but the princess became sick, and the chief soon knew that she wasn't going to recover, that she might even die. He asked the doctor to cure her, but our doctor wouldn't do it. He said it would bring our tribe bad luck if he healed someone from another tribe. So the chief got on his fastest horse and rode south over the hills to the tribe our princess had come from. When he told about the princess being sick, their chief sent his best doctor to treat her. This pleased our chief so much that he promised to free all the prisoners we had. But when the chief got back here with the doctor, it was too late. The princess was dead. |
| TODD: | And then what happened? |
| JIMMY: | The doctor from the other tribe looked at our chief and he said, "We have arrived too late, and your princess is dead. But will you keep your promise to let the other prisoners go free to return with me?" (Pause.) |
| TODD: | Well? Did he do it? Did he let the prisoners go? I bet he killed them all -- even the witch doctor. |
| JIMMY: | (Sharply.) That wasn't a witch doctor! (The swans stir. JIMMY continues quietly.) Sure our chief was a young man, but he was also wise. He said, "I promised, and they will go free. And we will never take prisoners from your tribe again. This I promise in memory of our princess." (Pause.) "Then," said the doctor, "I will give the spirit of the princess to a swan that will never die, but which will fly south to spend the winter with us, and come north to live with you in the summer. That will bring peace to both our peoples." (Pause.) The chief's baby son grew up and became my grandmother's great-grandfather. It was a long time ago; long before you or me or your father or my father. |
| TODD: | (Jumping to his feet.) That's a great story! |
| |
There is a flurry of wings, and the swans rise and exit. But one swan remains, swimming around by herself. JIMMY pulls TODD down, then he presses the new whistle to his lips and blows three soft notes. The swan looks up and swims to meet him. JIMMY talks to her in his own Chilcotin language. The swan seems to acknowledge the Indian boy's words, then swims off and settles down. |
| JIMMY: | She is the Princess Swan. We must visit her through the summer to show her she is remembered. |
| TODD: | (Catching his friend's sleeve.) Jimmy, will you show me how to make a whistle like that? |
|
| JIMMY: | Sure. But what happened to your slingshot? Have you lost it? |
|
| TODD: | I dropped it -- among the reeds near the lake. But I don't want it anymore anyway. |