© Chris Port, 2004
SCENE: 10
CHARACTERS: ROBBER-WOMAN, ROBBER-GIRL
ACTION: COACH ATTACK.
- THE OLD ROBBER-WOMAN AND THE LITTLE ROBBER-GIRL, TWO GNARLED CRONES.
ROBBER-WOMAN
CROUCHING BEHIND A TREE IN THE FOREST.
Look, daughter! A coach! A gold coach! Rich pickings for poor murderers!
ROBBER-GIRL
FINGERING THE BLADE OF HER KNIFE.
Throat is white. Pain is slow.
Soon life’s dream shall stain the snow.
Knife is hot. Death is cold.
Steaming blood and breath for gold.
ROBBER-WOMAN RUSHING FORWARD.
Quick! Seize the horses!
THEY SEIZE THE HORSES.
ROBBER-GIRL
Whoa! My beauty! Whoa!
Seize the coachman!
THE ROBBER-WOMAN MIMES RESTRAINING THE COACHMAN. THE ROBBER-GIRL APPROACHES WITH HER KNIFE.
Throat so white. Pain so slow.
Soon your life shall stain the snow.
Knife is hot. Death is cold.
Steaming blood and breath for gold.
SHE MIMES CUTTING THE THROAT OF THE COACHMAN. THE ROBBER-WOMAN MIMES LETTING HIS BODY SLUMP TO THE GROUND.
ROBBER-WOMAN
Who’d have thought the old man would have so much blood in him?
ROBBER-GIRL
And what rich pickings do we have in this gold coach?
SHE PEERS IN THE COACH THEN SQUEALS EXCITEDLY.
Mother! Look! There’s a young girl in here!
THE ROBBER-WOMAN PEERS IN THE COACH AND STARTS DROOLING.
ROBBER-WOMAN
She is fat and pretty
and tender as lamb.
How nice she will taste
with my bread and jam!
THE ROBBER-WOMAN MAKES TO GET INTO THE COACH AND CUT GERDA’S THROAT. SUDDENLY, THE ROBBER-GIRL RESTRAINS HER AND BITES HER ON THE EAR.
Ouch! What did you bite me on the ear for, you wicked little girl?
ROBBER-GIRL
Don’t slaughter her yet, mother. She is very young and pretty, like a doll. And you have given me no dolls, only knives.
She shall play with me
and be my toy.
For I’m sick of being
a bored tomboy.
ROBBER-WOMAN
What a strange daughter of mine you are. Turning down good food and sparing a little white throat. Don’t you go soft on me like your father. Love may be tender but meat is better. Bring her to the fire in the cave so we can get a better look at her.
SHE SHUFFLES OFF, CROUCHES BY THE FIRE, WARMS HER HANDS AND BECOMES –
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