(Disclosed among the branches of trees, suddenly lighted up, boys representing champak blossoms.)
Song of the Blossoming Champak
My shadow dances in your waves, everflowing river,
I, the blossoming champak, stand unmoved on the bank, with my flower-vigils.
My movement dwells in the stillness of my depth,
In the delicious birth of new leaves,
In flood of flowers,
In unseen urge of new life towards the light.
Its stirring thrills the sky, and the silence of the dawn is moved.
Morning
[The rear stage is now darkened. On the main stage, bright, enter a band of youths whose number may be anything between three and thirty. They sing.]
The fire of April leaps from forest to forest,
Flashing up in leaves and flowers from all nooks and corners.
The sky is thriftless with colours,
The air delirious with songs.
The wind-tost branches of the woodland
Spread their unrest in our blood.
The air is filled with bewilderment of mirth;
And the breeze rushes from flower to flower, asking their names.
[In the following dialogue only the names of the principal characters are given. Wherever the name is not given the speaker is one or other of the Youths.]
April pulls hard, brother, April pulls very hard.
How do you know that?
If he didn't, he would never have pulled Dada outside his den.