First performed in the summer of 1984 by the Casa Loma Players, at Casa Loma in Toronto, Ontario (Canada) with the following cast:

Rain Cloud --- Mary Lawlis

Laughing Water --- Ray Louter

Nanabozho --- Duncan Ollerenshaw

Deer Woman --- Ellen Cohen

Raven Wing --- Michael Connolly

Produced and directed by Ash Moorhouse

The acting area is defined by a circular patchwork carpet placed before a screen or curtain. The actors seat the audience on three sides of this area, with two aisles. When all is ready, they disappear behind the screen. The sound effects person begins the show with a drum-beat, and Rain Cloud enters, crying miserably.

[Following her] Rain Cloud, Rain Cloud, always raining! What are you crying about now?

Nanabozho pushed me down. He hates me.

[Laughing] No, he doesn't. He pushes me down all the time, and he doesn't hate me. He just likes to push. I guess that makes us push-overs.

You're laughing at me.

No, I'm not. [He laughs in spite of himself, and she pushes him down] Hey! Who's pushing now? I can't help laughing. It's funny. Sorry!

Laughing Water never stops laughing. Even when he cuts his thumb pounding the flint arrowheads, he laughs. I think he's kookoosh! Crazy!

I think Rain Cloud is kookoosh to be raining tears all day. It's time to be happy. Look at all the people come to hear the story-tellers. I wonder what kind of story it will be?

Nanabozho says it's going to be a Nanabozho story. His story! He's been bragging about it all morning. He says he dreamt it, and told his dream to Raven Wing and Deer Woman. He says they're going to make it into a story for us. He's such a boaster.

Really? A Nanabozho story? That's great!

That's what he says. If you can trust him.

[To audience] Nanabozho was the first man of all the People.

And Blue Sky Woman was the first woman. She was as beautiful as the sky at dawn. And her eyes sparkled like the stars.

The first Nanabozho was a real hero, not like our bossy old Nanabozho. Our Nanabozho's just a kid like us. The first Nanabozho was strong and brave, and he had powerful magic. He could see by the light of the moon and the stars, and hunt the great bear and the moose all by himself. He could track the deep forests and never get lost. And everything he caught he brought to Blue Sky Woman, and laid it at her feet. Our Nanabozho's just pushy.

He gives nice presents when someone has a birthday, though.

He never brought a present to lay at the feet of Rain Cloud, did he?

That's all you know about it. He brought me a fine deerskin just the other day, and a rabbit skin, pure white. I'm making him a new quiver for his arrows. And slippers.

Slippers? Out of bunnies? Bunny slippers? Nanabozho's going to wear bunny slippers?

Rabbit slippers. They'll be very nice.

Ha, ha! Nanabozho loves Rain Cloud! Nanabozho loves Rain Cloud! He brings her presents and she makes him slippers! [Rain Cloud starts to wail again] Oh, leaky teepee, now she's crying again. [He tries to comfort her] Sorry, Rain Cloud, I was only teasing.

Go away! You boys are all alike, you're so mean! [Looking around] Where is he, anyway? [To audience] Have you seen Nanabozho? All he's done is yack and yack about his stupid story all day, and now he isn't even here.

Yeah. Usually he gets here first, and hides, and then jumps out at us with a tomahawk and scares us half to death. Like this! [He jumps at RAIN CLOUD and frightens her --- she wails again] Oh, gopher guts, I've done it again! This is hopeless!

I'm telling Nanabozho that you made me cry, and he's going to beat you up!

Oh, yeah? Go ahead and try! I'll shoot you!

No, you won't. That's out of bounds. Your father would take away your bow and arrows.

I'll cut you full of holes with my knife.

Knives are for skinning.

Right! I'll skin you!

Oh, yeah? Skinning is women's work. [Chanting] Laughing Water wants to do women's work, women's work, women's work! [LAUGHING WATER wails mockingly] Don't you make fun of me! [He laughs, and she chases him around the back of the audience --- suddenly they see Nanabozho coming] Look! Here comes Nanabozho!

Let's hide, and then we can scare him! [They hide in among the audience] Duck down behind the bushes!

[Entering to the sound of a drum-beat] Hey, where is everybody? I thought I was late. [RAIN CLOUD & LAUGHING WATER jump out roaring --- NANABOZHO is startled, but immediately roars back and scares them in return] Hah! [To audience] I can roar louder than anybody!

Oh, yeah? [To audience] Come on, let's show him. Let's all roar together! [Everyone roars]

That's right, gang up on me. But we'd better be quiet. The story-tellers will think we're being disrespectful. You know what happens then. No stories! [LAUGHING WATER, pleased with their efforts, gets the audience to roar again] Laughing Water! Come on! If we misbehave, they won't tell us the story, and this time it's my story!

Yeah, yeah, we know. It's your dream, and you told it to them, and they said they'd make it into a story for us today.

[To audience] Yeah! It's all about ME!

I thought you said you dreamt about the real Nanabozho.

I'm real.

The first Nanabozho.

Well, it was my dream, so it's about me, too. I was dreaming that I was Nanabozho.

You are Nanabozho.

No, the first Nanabozho.

I'm getting all confused.

Don't talk to him and maybe he'll go away.

If I go away, there won't be any story.

Why not?

'Cause I get to help tell it. In fact, we all do. That's what Raven Wing and Deer Woman said.

Me, too?

Yes. Nanabozho, and Rain Cloud [he looks at LAUGHING WATER and pauses for effect], and I guess we'll have to let Laughing Water join in, too. [LAUGHING WATER jumps and laughs for joy, and joins them] In fact, everybody gets to join in. Isn't that great?

Hooray! That's great! Yay!

We'd better hurry up. They'll be here soon. We have to warm up the story circle.

[To audience] We need some volunteers. Would anyone like to help us?

[He and RAIN CLOUD choose three children from each section of the audience --- if the audience is not too big, all of them can join in] Come into the circle and stamp your feet. We have to wake up the story spirits. They love to hear our stories. [Everyone stamps]

Not too hard. We want to wake them up gently, or they'll be grouchy.

[In a rhythm] Stamp, stamp, stamp.

Wake up, spirits.

Come and hear our story.

Stamp, stamp, stamp.

Wake up, spirits.

I hope it's really gory!

[To LAUGHING WATER] No!

Now let's clap up in the air. To wake up the sky spirits.

This we can do loud. They're way up there!

[Again in a rhythm] Clap, clap, clap.

[Shouting] Wake up, sky.

Come and hear our story.

Clap, clap, clap.

Wake up, sky.

[Cupping her hands around her mouth and whispering loudly to the sky] But let's not make it gory!

[Hearing her, and whispering to the sky, too] Yes! Gory! I love gory stories!

There! We're all set!

[To the children who have been helping] Now, let's sit down again in our places.

[Helping RAIN CLOUD to seat the children] We have to wait for the story-tellers now.

Raven Wing.

And Deer Woman.

Quiet, everybody. We need to let them know we're ready. Let's beat a rhythm on the ground. [He demonstrates for the other actors and the audience] Here they come! [A drum-beat picks up the rhythm, and from behind the audience RAVEN WING & DEER WOMAN enter --- in the centre of the circle they turn and bow gravely, then disappear behind the screen --- the other actors keep the rhythm going]

This is so exciting! Hee, hee, hee! I think I've got the giggles.

Shhh!!! No giggling!

[We hear his voice from behind the screen]

[He appears above the screen, wearing a half-mask and carrying a feathered staff]

[Enters from around the side of the screen, also wearing a half-mask --- on the palms of her hands are painted green and red circles, one on each palm]

[Raises his other hand, which holds an emblem of the sun]

[Aside, and jumping for joy] That's ME!!!

[Aside, and pulling him down] Shhh!!!

[He gestures to DEER WOMAN, who hands out a Nanabozho mask, and then a Blue Sky Woman mask, to NANABOZHO & RAIN CLOUD]

[He disappears behind the screen]

[Dismayed]

[Leaping out from behind the screen with a cry, to a drum-beat]

[The sound of thunder, and he exits behind the screen]

[She screams and falls to the ground --- no reaction from RAVEN WING --- she rises again]

How do you like that? Oh, he makes me so mad! Letting me fall like that. Oh, I could just ... just ... go down to the Great Lake and drink it all up! Men! I think I got all muddy. I must be a sight. That's why he hates me. I've gotten all ugly! [To audience] Is that it? Am I ugly? Here, let me see, I need to look into this pond. Water, be still, I want to see my reflection. Only yesterday he said I was as lovely as the flowers on the trees. I couldn't have turned hideous in one single night, could I? Let me see. [She bends over "pond"]

[Has put on a toad hand-puppet, and crouches in one aisle] I think you're beauuuuu-tiful.

Oh, who's that?

Me.

What kind of me? I can't see you.

Over here, on this rock. [Using an audience member's head]

Oh, ugh, a toad. Sometimes I wish I hadn't made you toads. You are so ugly.

And you are so beauuuu-tiful.

Do you think so?

You are the most deliciously delicious thing I've ever seen in my whole life. Are you edible?

Of course I'm not edible. You can't eat me. You're nowhere near big enough.

That's okay. You're too beautiful to eat. I could gaze at you always. Are you a goddess?

As a matter of fact, I am. I'm Earth Woman. I made all the creatures, including you creepy, hoppy ones.

Well, thank you very much. Now that I've met such a scrumptious-looking goddess, my life has been blessed. Why, you're more beautiful than a dragonfly! And they are the loveliest, juiciest, tastiest things in the whole wide world.

Oh, I'm not beautiful anymore. I'm ugly.

Why do you think you are ugly? You don't look like a toad to me.

Sky Father doesn't love me. He always leaves me poking around the teepee, while he goes off hunting and roaming around and getting into mischief. He's a terrible influence on the children, too. He's turning them both into scalawags.

Oh! Are they ugly, too?

Who, the children? How dare you!

No, the scalawags.

Oh. Yes. Scalawags are hideous. Completely and utterly hideous.

Gee, I'd like to meet a scalawag some day.

Whatever for?

It'd be nice to meet something uglier than me. It gets kind of lonely being a toad. Nobody wants to be friends. They won't even talk to me. I'm too hideous.

Well, I'm talking to you. [She gingerly strokes his head]

Yes, but do you like it?

[Her hand feels sticky] Uh ... it's not so bad.

I sure like talking to you, oh beautiful, yummy goddess. But why are you so sad?

Sky Father doesn't love me anymore. He always goes off and leaves me all alone.

All alone?

And crying.

Crying?

Crying, and getting uglier.

As ugly as me?

[Rapping him over the head] Not that ugly.

Ow! With nothing to do but clobber toads!

Yes!

It's awful!

Awful! [They both wail]

Then why don't you keep him here with you?

I can't. He's too strong. Even my mountains can't pin him down. He slips away on those pesky winds of his.

Oh, that's funny. The yummy goddess is a funny goddess. Sky Father too strong for Earth Woman. Ho ho ho.

I don't see anything so funny.

As if you don't know how to take away Sky Father's strength.

I don't.

You don't? But you're a goddess. I thought ... uh, oh. I think I just made a boo-boo.

Tell me.

Uhhh ... it's getting to be lunch-time. I could sure use a bug or two ...

One move, Toad, and you're dead. Squished flat! Now tell me!

Oh, dear. Will you grant me a favour if I do?

What's that?

Make me a lady toad to be my wife. I'm terribly lonely.

Didn't I do that already?

No, you must have forgotten. In the rush of creation. We're easy to miss, we toads.

All right then, Wee Toad, I will.

[Looking around among the audience] Where is she? Where is she? Mrs. Toad, where are you?

I'll make her after you tell me.

Oh. Muskrats!

Tell me, you miserable excuse for a blob of mud, or I really will squish you.

Don't squish me, please don't squish me! I'll tell you! If you squish me, Mrs. Toad won't like me one bit! It's his staff. His thunder staff. His lightning bolt. If you take that away from him, half his power is gone.

Wonderful! Glorious! Fabulous! Oh, you wonderful toad, you!

Uhh ... Earth Woman, ma'am ... tasty goddess lady ...

Joy! Bliss! Now I'll get back at him!

If you'll excuse me ... [He nudges her arm]

What? Stop bothering me, you pest.

Sorry to interrupt, but, if you don't mind ... my Mrs. Toad ... you did promise ... and then I'll hop right away and never bother you again.

Right, right ... [She waves one hand negligently in the air] There you go.

Where? Where is she? I can't see her.

Let me see. She's about seventeen miles --- that way.

Seventeen miles? Seventeen miles? What ever happened to kilometers?

They haven't been invented yet.

Oh. But seventeen --- do you know how many toad-hops that is?

Yes. About three hundred and fifty thousand. Better get hopping before I change my mind about making a wife for such an icky-looking creature. [To herself] Now, then ...

[Aside to audience] Hee, hee, hee! It worked. I tricked her. Oh, how I love to make mischief. Nobody can take away Sky Father's staff. She'll get her fingers fried right off! Hoo, hoo!

Hmmm. How do I get that staff away from Sky Father? That's the hard part. Oh, I know. I'll get him to fall asleep. But I don't think he does sleep. Oh well, there's always a first time for everything. I'll make a magic sleep. Yes, that's it! I'll call my flock of mourning doves, and they'll coo him to sleep. [To audience] Here, dovies. Here, my little lovie-dovies. Come to your mother. Let me hear you coo, my precious sweeties. Coo for Earth Woman. Coo! [RAIN CLOUD & NANABOZHO help] Oh, that's just perfect! Now then, keep nice and quiet until I give you the signal. Oh, Sky Father! Sky Father! Are you ready to go hunting now?

[From behind the screen] Yes! And you're not going to stop me!

I wouldn't dream of it! Don't forget to take your thunder staff, dear.

[Still off] I won't. I've got it right here.

How about your birch-bark bottle? Would you like me to fill it full of water for you? [RAVEN WING tosses it over the screen] Oh, the nasty brute! Did you see how he just threw it at me? [She mimes filling it] Here it is, darling, all ready for you. [RAVEN WING enters from behind the screen --- DEER WOMAN signals to the audience] Quick now, coo! Coo, everybody!

[Stops and begins to yawn and stretch] Holy smokes, why do I feel so funny? Why am I opening my mouth like this? Everyone will see my tonsils. It's disgusting. But I feel so woozy. And weary. Sort of like I'm ... wilting. I can't keep my arms down. My head is so heavy. What's wrong with me?

You're getting sleepy [She gestures to keep the audience cooing through all of this].

Oh. I've never done that before. Is it fun?

Loads of fun. Just lie down, and nod right off. That's a good boy.

No, but I think I'll sit down for a minute. I need a rest.

[To audience] More cooing. I think we've got him!

Maybe I will lie down.

That's it. [To audience] A little more.

[Succumbing to the spell] Ho, hum. [He falls asleep, and DEER WOMAN reaches for his staff, but just as she touches it, he jerks awake] Who's that? What?

It's only me. Earth Woman. And my little mourning doves. Aren't they sweet? Don't they coo nicely? Coo for Daddy, dovies. Listen to them, aren't they darling?

[Falls asleep again] Ho, hum. [DEER WOMAN tries again to get the staff, but again he wakes up] Doggone it, this ground is the hardest, lumpiest ground I ever slept on!

Honey, sweetie baby, it's the only ground you've ever slept on. You've never slept before. But you'll get used to it. Why, all the animals, and all the People, they've been doing it for years. You'll see. The longer you sleep, the softer it will feel.

How can I get to sleep with all that racket going on?

What racket, my darling?

All those goo-goo things!

You mean my cooers? Those are my doves, my sweet little dovies, singing you to sleep.

Yeah, well, you can tell them to pipe down. There's people trying to sleep here.

[She gestures for the cooing to stop, and RAVEN WING curls up to sleep, with one leg over his staff, and his head on DEER WOMAN's lap --- he begins to snore]

[The snoring bothers her]

[With a gesture, DEER WOMAN stops his snoring, and then carefully gets up, leaving his head suspended in mid-air --- she notices, and pushes it down till it is on the ground --- then she notices that his leg is pinning down the staff, so she rolls him off --- his bent leg stays rigid and sticks up --- she pushes it down flat] There! At last! Now I've got his staff! [She seizes it, and there is the sound of thunder and the beat of a drum as the energy in the staff courses through her --- she convulses and jumps about, unable to control it or even to let it go]

[From the sidelines] Fried her fingers! Fried her fingers! Hee, hee, hee!

Help! Get it away from me! Get it away! Sky Father! Sky Father! Wake up and help me!

[Waking up suddenly, and jumping up] What are you doing? Let go of my staff!

I can't! It's burning me! Ow, ow, ow!

Foolish woman! [He gestures, and she drops it with a scream, and then faints --- RAVEN WING picks up his staff to a sound of thunder, begins to exit, turns back and gestures with the staff to another sound of thunder, and then leaves behind the screen]

[A drum sound effect marks the end of this section]

There! That's how the story begins! That's how I dreamt it. Raven Wing was playing Sky Father, and Deer Woman played Earth Woman. [RAVEN WING enters from behind the screen, no longer wearing his mask, and DEER WOMAN gets up, removing hers] Now it's my turn. I get to play Nanabozho, the first Nanabozho. [To the others] How do you like it so far?

{Taking off hand puppet] I didn't know I was going to play a toad. But he was pretty neat ... for a toad. A real mischief-maker. That's my kind of toad.

Deer Woman, I've got a question. All this came from Nanabozho's dream, right? Well, what are dreams, anyway? Are they good for you? Sometimes I have dreams that frighten me.

I had a dream! I dreamt I was a big old grizzly bear, and I ate you up! [He roars and jumps at RAIN CLOUD]

That is so feeble. [To audience] Come on, everyone, let's show him how to roar! [They roar, and LAUGHING WATER falls to his knees with his hands over his ears] There. But, you know, it's funny. One of my scary dreams did have a bear in it. I dreamt I was out in the woods all by myself, and along came a mother bear with her two cubs. I knew I should never get near the bear cubs, and especially not to get between the cubs and their mother, but they came bounding right over to me. Then the mother bear came running, and growling really fiercely, and I was so scared. I thought she'd kill me.

So what did you do?

I pretended I was a bear cub, too. I rolled around with the other cubs and made little noises. Like this. [She demonstrates, and NANABOZHO & LAUGHING WATER join in] The mother bear gave us fish to eat. It was raw! And we hunted for berries. They were delicious. [They mime picking berries from the audience's noses, ears, etc.] But all the time I was worried that she'd notice that I wasn't one of her babies. I didn't have any fur. Then we curled up together to sleep, and I got colder and colder. I tried to cover myself up with leaves and grass, but they kept slipping away. Suddenly I woke up! I was in my own bed. I'd kicked all my covers off! So what does that mean, Raven Wing? Am I going to run into a bear sometime soon?

Perhaps your kindred spirit is the bear. Perhaps you will always have a special relationship with bear spirits, and they will teach you some of their magic. But it is better not to chatter too much about such things. If you don't take them seriously, you will never gain their power.

Does that mean we shouldn't be telling the story of my dream?

Yours is another kind of dream, Nanabozho. It is a good magic dream, that brings good fortune to the People. That is why we are acting it out for all to see and hear. When everyone joins in, that increases the power of the magic.

So what happens next?

Don't you remember? It's your dream, after all.

Oh, that's right! Let me think ...

[Aside to audience] Ha, ha, ha. I bet he can't remember it.

Uh ... Earth Woman tried to steal the Thunder Staff, and Sky Father took it back. Then what?

You've already forgotten the best part. Me! The toad!

Oh, yeah, the toad. And then ...?

[To audience] That's it? "Oh, yeah ..."? I thought I was a great toad. [Indicating the audience to the other actors] Ask them. Wasn't I a good toad?

How can I remember things when you're bugging me? [LAUGHING WATER croaks, and gets audience to croak with him] Oh, you horrible toads. Be quiet! I'm trying to think!

Yeah, you're thinking so hard, your brain smells like burning buffalo patties.

Oh, I know! Father Sky goes far away, after his fight with Earth Woman, and he takes all the storms with him --- the windstorms, the thunderstorms, and the rainstorms. With no rain, everything begins to dry up. All the plants and animals are dying! Forest fires are burning in all directions. Even the great lakes shrivel up into tiny little ponds. So all the People gather together in a great pow-wow. They make offerings to the Great Spirit. But He does not answer them. Their good fortune has deserted them. The sun shoots sharp, hot arrows. The earth dries up and cracks. The winds blow stinging dust. People begin to die. No one knows what to do. Then the People raise up their voices to Blue Sky Woman. [He picks up her mask] "Help us, Mother of the People!" And Blue Sky Woman says, "If you want help, call Nanabozho!" I'll play him. Gee, we need someone to play Blue Sky Woman. How about you, Rain Cloud?

Who, me? Oh, no! I wouldn't know what to say! [LAUGHING WATER laughs at her]

Well, who else is there? We can't have Laughing Water playing Blue Sky Woman. He'll just make a joke of the whole thing.

Yeah, me, let me play her, I'll be serious, honest I will.

Oh, sure. You don't know how to be serious. Your mother says you were born laughing.

[Pointing to audience] How about one of them? [RAIN CLOUD & NANABOZHO choose someone from the audience]

Don't worry about thinking up what to say. I'll whisper it to you when it's time. [They put the Blue Sky Woman mask onto the child] So, all the People said ... come on, Laughing Water ... they said "Help us, Blue Sky Woman!" And she said [whispering to child], "If you want help, call Nanabozho." [The child repeats the line] But the People said [prompting the audience and the other actors], "Nobody's seen him." [They repeat the line] And she said [prompting child in short phrases through the line], "He's gone to the Sacred Mountain. He's climbed to the top of the cliff. He's praying for a dream." When all the People heard that, they said [prompting the audience again], "Let's go there and find him!" So Blue Sky Woman led the People on a journey to the Sacred Mountain. [He takes the Blue Sky Woman mask off the child] There, you can be one of the People again, 'cause the journey's lots of fun. Come on, Rain Cloud, you be Blue Sky Woman now, and lead us to the Sacred Mountain.

Okay. [She puts on the mask] First, we've got to get ready. We need to fill our birch-bark bottles with water. [All of the following is mimed and adlibbed, to some degree, with the audience] Now, let's pack up some food. What kind have you got? How about pickles? Ketchup? [Etc.]

[Having joined in] What about bows and arrows, and tomahawks?

Oh, yes, bring those! We might run into that mama bear I dreamt about! Come on, everybody, for the first part we'll take our canoes. Everyone get in. Let's paddle! [Each actor mans a different canoe, and once the paddling begins it turns into a race, which one canoe wins with lots of "hoorays"] Okay, now we have to hike. Let's get out of our canoes. Don't slip!

We'd better turn them over on these rocks, so they don't get full of water if we get the rains to come back. [They all mime doing this]

Okay, here's the part where we can't take everybody charging up to the Sacred Mountain, because Nanabozho would get angry, and then he'd never help us. [To audience] So I want you to guard all our stuff, here, but I need a few really brave kids to come with us, in case of bears and things. [He chooses one or more kids from each section of the audience] Okay. Laughing Water, you know this part of the country pretty well, will you lead us to the foot of the Sacred Mountain?

Sure. That's easy. Well, it's sort of tough, and sort of tricky, but it's easy, too.

What are you talking about?

It's a tough hike, and there are tricky bits, like getting over a dried-up stream bed, but it's not all that difficult because you can't get lost. See? [Pointing off] The mountain's right there. You can see it the whole time, so you know where you're going. That's the easy part.

Then let's go!

[Leading the group of actors and chosen kids around the back of the audience] Here we go! Careful, don't let the branches hit you in the face. We have to go up this hill, now. Here's the dried-up stream I told you about. It's still pretty muddy. We have to jump across on the rocks. [He does, and the rest follow] Oh, boy, that was great! I think we could use a drink of water. Get out your birch-bark bottles. Ooh, [slapping at bugs], looks like the mosquitoes are still alive, let's get out of here. [He leads group down an aisle onto acting area] Uh, oh, here's a cliff, did anybody bring rope? [He asks the kids that are with them --- they will have rope]

What are you going to do?

[Pointing across acting area as if "up" to the top of the cliff] We need one or two people to climb up the cliff and tie the ropes to those trees. Then the rest of us who don't climb so well can get up. [To the kids with them] Does anyone want to help me? [He picks one or two] Okay, make sure you have your ropes, and remember, be careful, because if we slip, we fall. Here we go. [He adlibs this as they "climb", on their stomachs, across the patchwork of the carpeted acting area, almost slip, help each other out, get over tricky parts, etc.] Hey, we did it! That's great! Now we have to tie our ropes to the trees [He mimes this and gets the other climbers to do the same], and now we throw the other ends down the cliff. Rain Cloud, catch! There, now the rest of you can climb up. [They begin to "climb" with RAIN CLOUD --- once most are across, LAUGHING WATER suddenly spies smoke off in the distance] Whoa! Look! Smoke! I think it's a forest fire! Can you smell it? It's blowing this way. We'd better cut around it. [He leads them around the back of the audience again, in the opposite direction]

[Looking behind her] Look out! Here comes a bear!

Get out your bows and arrows!

No, don't shoot, he's only running from the forest fire, just like us. He won't hurt us.

But here comes a wolverine, straight for us! He's attacking!

Shoot, shoot! [They all do]

I got him! I got him!

No, I did!

It's my arrow! See? [Mimes pulling out arrow and examining it] Oh, gee, it isn't.

[Inspecting the "arrow"] It isn't mine, either.

[To one of accompanying kids] Hey! It's yours! Good shot!

[Aside to audience] How do you like that? He's only a kid, and he got the wolverine!

I'm sorry we had to kill it, though.

I think we should bury it, not just leave it for the other animals to eat.

Yes, let's bury it. [To audience] Did anyone bring along their digging sticks? We can use our hands, too. Let's dig a big hole for the wolverine. [To NANABOZHO & LAUGHING WATER] Come on, you guys, roll it over here. Now let's cover it up with earth. [They mime rolling the dead animal over to the grave, dropping it in and covering it up, with help from the audience]

Smell that smoke. I think the forest fire is catching up to us. But look how close the Sacred Mountain is. We'd better hurry.

[Aside to the audience] This is where I duck ahead, so I can play Nanabozho --- you know, the first one, the great hero! I've got to get ready. [He goes behind the screen with the Nanabozho mask]

[Having taken group for one last trek around the back of the audience, he reenters the acting area] Here is the Sacred Mountain. We have to climb around to the top of that cliff. We can't use the ropes here, it's way too high. We have to go up this ridge over here. [They weave up and down the aisles] Look how high we are. See those two black spots down there? Those are eagles, flying around in circles. This is where Nanabozho comes to pray to the Great Spirit. Now, Blue Sky Woman, what should we do? Call out to Nanabozho?

If he is up there praying, we'd better not disturb him. Let's chant, then he'll know we're here. Everyone sit in a circle, and we'll begin. [She claps softly to a 3/4 rhythm]

[Three times, with a final "Ah-ee yah!" to end it]

[Appears above the screen, wearing the Nanabozho mask, and rattling a loud wooden rattle] Who is interrupting my prayers?

It is me, your wife, Blue Sky Woman. You stop all that praying right this minute and come down here to help us, you lazy bum.

[Slipping mask to one side (or taking it off) and speaking to RAIN CLOUD] That's not how Blue Sky Woman would talk to the great hero Nanabozho. She'd be much more polite.

[Aside to audience] Not if this were my story! We're the ones who got chased by forest fires and bears, not him. He's been praying all day and night. Why should I be nice to him?

You're trying to wreck my story.

No, I'm not. I just think Blue Sky Woman is mad at Nanabozho.

She isn't!

She is!

Well, have a fight about it!

Raven Wing, it's no fair! She's ruining my story!

[To DEER WOMAN] Why do boys always have to have their own way?

Yikes! Look what's happening! Sky Father and Earth Woman were fighting, and now Blue Sky Woman and Nanabozho are fighting because our Nanabozho and Rain Cloud are fighting, which means that pretty soon we'll all be fighting, and guess what? We've killed the story as dead as that wolverine!

You're right, Laughing Water.

I am? Gee, people usually think I'm just annoying.

Well, If you like, you can be annoyingly right.

Oh, okay. That's better.

[To audience] What do you think Blue Sky Woman would say? Here we've come all this way, and Nanabozho is the only one who can help us, would we be nice? Or snarly? Would we order him around? Or say "please"?

How about this? "Get down here you scrawny-necked, draggly-feathered, flea-bitten turkey!"

Okay, Laughing Water, now you're just annoying.

How about this? Oh, darling, handsome, brave, strong, resourceful, wise, friendly, courageous, intelligent, polite Nanabozho, we desperately need your help, so would you please, please, pretty please, pretty-pretty please, a million times pretty please, with sugar and honey on it, get down here this minute and help us!

[Having replaced mask] Why should I, oh rude Blue Sky Woman who is being sarcastic?

[Intervening] Sky Father and Earth Woman had a big fight.

Sky Father has gone far away, and he's taken the rain clouds with him.

All the plants are dying of thirst.

All the animals are starving.

Forest fires are raging.

And all our prayers have gone unanswered. What can we do? Please help us.

Now I understand the dream I had last night. I couldn't figure it out. But now I see! I have great magic for you! For all the People! We will bring back Sky Father. The rains will fall again!

Hooray, hooray!

But you must accept me as your leader. The magic is strong, but only I can weild it.

Yes, we agree, we agree!

I will join you. Prepare the dancing circle. [He descends]

We must stamp the ground and wake the spirits. Who would like to help? [He chooses, with the help of the others, two or three from each section, and they repeat the ritual from the beginning of the play --- if the audience is small enough they can all join in]

Now, back outside the circle, everyone sit, and let's make a rhythm by clapping our hands. [She begins a 2/4 beat, chanting, softly at first, Nanabozho's name, while RAVEN WING unfurls a blue square of cloth, approx. 6'x6', which he and LAUGHING WATER end up by holding up in front of the opening in the screen, or to one side, so NANABOZHO, in full dance-dress with a beaded breastplate and bells around his wrists, arms, ankles and knees, can enter behind it and suddenly be revealed on the last "Nanabozho"]

[The blue cloth is whipped up over NANABOZHO's head, and he takes it by the two corners and holds it wide like a cloak behind him as he leaps into the circle]

[As NANABOZHO dances, they chant again, inviting the audience to join them]

[At the end of his dance, RAVEN WING & LAUGHING WATER take the blue cloth and drape it over the screen, then RAVEN WING disappears unnoticed behind the screen while LAUGHING WATER joins the rest sitting outside the circle --- NANABOZHO freezes at the end of his dance, with his arms stretched out and up in front of him, and speaks as if in a trance] I enter the dream world floating on a stream. I'm in a canoe. The stream goes into a dark cave. I try to stop the canoe, but it's too late. Inside the stream opens up and becomes a lake. It is dark. I call out for Sky Father. I know he's here. Sky Father! Speak to me! It's your son. But he is angry. He won't answer. I don't know why he is so angry. I call out again. My voice echoes. He won't answer. Now I am angry, too. Why won't he answer his own son? I am so angry that the water around my canoe begins to boil. Steam rises up like a mist. The water bubbles. I am so angry that I call him names. Rude names. Silly names. They make me laugh, even though I am still angry. And then I hear him. He's coming. Now he's terribly angry because of the names I called him, and I'm terribly afraid. But he's so angry that he brings his stormclouds with him. Suddenly, lightning flashes! Inside the cave! Thunder! And all around me, rain begins to fall. [He lowers his arms and speaks directly to the others and the audience] That was my dream. If we call Sky Father names, and taunt him, and tease him, he'll get so angry that he'll let loose a whopper of a storm.

You mean that's what you think we should do?

I don't know for sure. But that's what happened in my dream.

Deer Woman, what do you think?

I only help to tell the story. You have to make it.

It's no good asking Laughing Water, we all know what he'd say.

What have we got to lose? If we don't get rain, we all die of thirst. If we do this, and Sky Father gets so mad that he blasts us off the face of the earth, at least it'll be quick. [To audience] What do you think, should we try to bug Sky Father? What's a good name to call him? How about "Stupid Old Staff-Thumper"? Come on, everybody!

No, wait! [But it's too late --- LAUGHING WATER and audience shout out the name]

How about "Big Green Pickle Nose"? [He gets audience to continue joining him] "Floppy-Tailed Bunny Feet"!

[Appears in Sky Father mask, with staff, above the screen to a sound effect] Who is that calling me names and trying to get my goat?

Your son! Nanabozho!

Go away. I'm mad at you. All of you. Begone, before I roast you to a crisp!

No! Come down here and fight! I challenge you! I'll take your magic staff and bring the rain myself!

Ha, ha, ha, HA! What an idea! The son becomes the father. The father becomes the son. Hah! And I suppose the People walk on their heads, and their canoes paddle them! Go away! [He disappears behind the screen]

That didn't work.

He didn't get angry. He just laughed at us.

Maybe it's because we're not in a cave. That's where I was in my dream. But there aren't any caves around here that I know of. Come on, let's try again. [He gets audience to join him again] "Bulgy-necked bull-frog"! "Flea-bitten buffalo!" "Kooka-munga-foobia!"

[Aside to RAIN CLOUD] "Rip-roaring, rootin-tootin Rain Cloud"! [She hits him] OW!

Quit it, Laughing Water. We're trying to make him mad, not her!

[To LAUGHING WATER] You "rip-roaring, rootin-tootin" skunk!

Hey, that's a good one!

[Laughing] Yeah, that's great! Come on, everybody. [He gets everyone to say it]

[Appearing above screen again to a sound effect] Who's calling me a skunk? I'm not a skunk!

Yes, you are, you're a stinky old skunk!

And I'm not a buffalo, either.

Yes, you are!

Or a bull-frog.

You're all three put together!

[Aside] What's that? A froggy skunk-alo?

You little critters better watch out. If I lose my temper, I could fry your gizzards with my lightning bolts.

[Suddenly jumping into the circle to taunt Sky Father] Froggy, Froggy, Skunk-alo! Froggy, Froggy, Skunk-alo! [RAVEN WING shakes his staff to a sound of thunder, and with a yelp of fright LAUGHING WATER jumps back to his place]

Thunderbird is waking up. His wings spread out like dark clouds. Beware! His talons are like lightning-bolts! [He shakes his staff again, thunder sounds, and everyone falls flat]

[Jumping up again immediately] You big bully! I'm not afraid of you just because you're my father. Come on down here and fight!

Oh, I get it. You think your old Dad is stupid, eh? You want me to lose my temper. You want a little thunder and lightning, so it will rain. Pretty sneaky. But it won't work. Hah! Ha, ha, HA! So long, sonny boy, it was a nice try while it lasted. Good-bye! [He disappears again]

Oh, no! He's left again!

And no rain. Gee, I thought I had him there. I mean, if "Froggy, Froggy Skunk-alo" doesn't work, what will?

I thought he was going to blast every single one of us. Laughing Water, you scared me half to death!

Well, now, Nanabozho, tell us what comes next.

[After a moment of intense thought] I forget.

You forget!?!

Well, actually, I don't think there is any more.

What?

I already told you my dream --- the canoe, the cave with a lake in it, making Sky Father angry. That was the whole thing. He got angry, the rains came, and that was it.

What'll we do now? We're stuck in a story, and we don't know how to get out.

Deer Woman, help! You're a story-teller, couldn't you help us end our story? Please?

[To audience] What do you think, shoud I help them out? Would you like to hear the end of the story? Okay, here we go. [To NANABOZHO] The name-calling had failed. Nanabozho was very tired. He fell on his face and slept like a log.

On my face? Do I have to?

Don't worry, we'll help. Come on, Rain Cloud, grab the other side. [They hold his shoulders as he "slow-motion" falls on his face, then, at DEER WOMAN's indication, kneel, one at his head, one at his feet]

Night fell, and the People gathered around the sleeping Nanabozho. They felt sad and helpless. Sky Father was angry with Earth Woman, and with all the People, too. He took away the rainclouds and hid them far away, behind the mountains. They felt hungry and thirsty, but there was no food and no water to drink. Would they all die? Would no one come to help them? But in the darkness of that lonely night, something did come --- a second dream came to Nanabozho. In the deep night, Nanabozho woke up and rose to his feet [She taps NANABOZHO once and he rises from the ground]. He commanded the People that they should build three fires. [As NANABOZHO does this, DEER WOMAN picks up the Earth Woman mask, puts it on, and lies down where NANABOZHO had been]

[Pointing to spots in front of each section of the audience] Awake, my People, and build the holy fires. Here, here and here. We need sticks and pieces of wood. Some bring grass and bark, to start the fires with. Laughing Water, Rain Cloud, get out your flints. [To audience] We'll make the sparks, and you blow until the fire catches. [NANABOZHO is in the middle section, and RAIN CLOUD & LAUGHING WATER are in the sections on either side] Now wave your fingers to be the flames. Oh, look at them dance. Wave your arms, the fires are getting bigger. Feel how warm they are. See how brightly they burn. The flames are leaping high. We're pushing back the darkness.

[Stirring in her sleep] Nanabozho, my son. Beware! Beware!

No, my son, beware! That's Sky Father's power you are calling. It will burn you!

[Appearing above screen, with mask and staff, to a sound effect] AIEEE-YAH! [He makes a striking motion with his staff and there is a sound of thunder]

I burn! I burn! [He writhes in torment and falls to the ground]

[They take the blue cloth from the screen, and pull it, rippling, over NANABOZHO] Rain! Rain! The rain is falling! Feel the rain! [RAVEN WING disappears above]

[Rising, and standing over where NANABOZHO is covered]

[Raising her arms to the sky] Sky Father!

[Kneeling] Sky Father!

Earth Woman calls you!

We all call you!

Our happiness is gone. Sky Father, we beg you, bring back our Nanabozho!

Bring back our Nanabozho!

[Enters, masked, from behind the screen with his staff in one hand and hidden in the other a flower] So now you call me, and beg my mercy, now that our only son is gone. Now you have brought the rainclouds, and saved the People, but you had to pay a price. Where is my son? Where is Nanabozho? My heart is full of sorrow. For the third time, tears fall from my eyes, and each tear becomes a pearl in the depths of the sea.

He is gone, burned to ashes in the fire of your power, washed away to the sea in the rains that came from your stormclouds. And now the creatures live, but they cannot bring forth children. Look, the roses have no flowerbuds, the oak trees have no acorns, and there are no eggs in the sparrows' nests. The People have no babies. We need our Nanabozho! Life is too sad without him. Will the flowers ever bloom again?

[Revealing the flower] Earth Woman, listen. There is one way. If you can gather his ashes and bring them to me, I can bring back his life. [He strikes the ground with his staff to a sound of thunder, flourishes it, and exits]

Oh, Sky Father, how can I find his ashes when they've all flowed down to the sea? There is no hope. I will sing my death song, and join him in the bottom of the ocean, for never will he come back to me. [She mourns over the covered body of NANABOZHO]

[Aside to RAIN CLOUD] Now what?

[Aside to LAUGHING WATER] Is he really dead?

Not really. He's dead in the story, but that's him under that blue thing. Look, you can see him breathing. So what do we do now?

Let's wake him up and ask him.

No way! That would wreck the story. He has to play dead, he can't suddenly pop up and start helping us. Come on, we've got to figure out a way to get the ashes back from the sea.

But they're all dissolved. You know, like chocolate in milk.

I bet you I know who could get the ashes. The fishes!

That's a great idea. Let's ask them. [To audience] Little fishies, could you help us?

Could you swim out into the sea and bring back all the little bits of Nanabozho you can find?

Scoop up all the ashes, and bring them here to me?

[Indicating the covered up NANABOZHO] Pile them all up here. Gently, we don't want to mush him up too much. [As they finish] Look at that, poor Nanabozho's turned into a mud puddle.

Quick, back into the water, little fishies, here comes Sky Father!

[Re-entering] Earth Woman! Tell me. Have you brought me all the ashes of our dead son?

[Unaware of what the "fishes" have done] How can Earth Woman find all the ashes, when they have dissolved in the rainwater, and flowed into the sea? He is lost. Lost forever.

[Jumping up] No, he isn't. We got all the ashes. The fishes helped us. [Aside to audience] Wave your fins, fishes. [To RAVEN WING & DEER WOMAN] See? He's all there, even if he does look a bit goopy.

[Gesturing to DEER WOMAN, RAIN CLOUD & LAUGHING WATER] Make a circle round him. Blow the breath of life upon him. The warmth of my love is in the sun, and it warms him. His People call to him. [They all begin to chant his name, softly at first, and then rising in intensity until he responds]

[Slowly coming back to life, he suddenly jumps up aggressively] Where is he, the big bully? Where is he? Did you see what he did? Burned me to cinders! I'll get him, the big fat bozo!

[Jumping on him and wrestling him to the ground in order to shut him up] No! No! Shut up! No more name-calling! Sky Father, don't listen to him! Earth Woman, sew up his mouth! [DEER WOMAN gestures, and NANABOZHO's mouth is suddenly sewn shut]

It's all right, Nanabozho, the rains came after you burned up in the fire. All the creatures are alive again. We did it!

But I sure hope we don't have to go through this every time it rains.

No, but this rain ceremony is now part of our heritage. When the drought comes, and all the land gets parched and dry, we can dance Nanabozho's rain dance, and sing his story, so that Sky Father will hear us and bring back the rain.

That's it, then. That's the story of Nanabozho and how he brought the rain. [To NANABOZHO] Think you can stop calling me names, now? [NANABOZHO nods emphatically] Good! [He gestures with his staff, and NANABOZHO is released] I mean, what if one of these fishes were to call nasty names to a great big fish? What do you think would happen then? The great big fish would say, "Oh, thank you very much, little fish, and now I'll eat you up!"

Sky Father wouldn't eat up his very own son, would he?

No. But he might toast him. Like a marshmallow. And then eat him.

Euuuuw.

Now who's being silly! Marshmallows haven't been invented yet.

Thank you, everybody, for helping me with my story. Thank you, Deer Woman. Thank you, Raven Wing.

You are very welcome.

It was our pleasure.

Thank you, fishes! If you hadn't got all my ashes back, I'd still be a mud-puddle.

[Having retrieved the Toad hand-puppet] Hey, what about me? There was a toad in this story, too, you know.

Thank you, Toad.

Oooh. There he is! I'd like to have a word with you, you rotten little trickster!

Uh, oh! Scrumptious goddess woman is going to gobble up the poor little toad!

Gobble you up, you disgusting slimy thing! Never! Unless, of course, I turned you into a marshmallow first.

No! No! They haven't been invented! They haven't been invented! Sky Father, protect me from the angry yummy goddess.

[Raising his staff to part them] All right. All right. But tell me, oh ugly hopping creature, why do you keep calling my wife things like "scrumptious" and "yummy"?

Because, oh strong and stormy one, there are only two kinds of things in the world.

What two kinds of things?

"Yummy", and "Not-Yummy". She's the yummiest.

Oh, I don't know about that. I know someone who's even yummier than me.

Not possible. Is it? Who?

[Revealing a second toad hand-puppet] Mrs. Toad!

[Jumping in surprise] Eeep! Mrs. Toad! She's here! She's real! She's mine! Oh, goddess-lady, thank you, thank you, thank you! [To Mrs. Toad] Oh, you darling, delicious creature, you! My sweet little water bug!

[As Mrs. Toad] My big, handsome dragonfly!

My beetle!

My bump on a log!

My heart's desire! [LAUGHING WATER & DEER WOMAN bring their heads together for a kiss]

Goodbye, everybody! Goodbye! Thanks for helping!

Goodbye, fishes. Time to swim home. Goodbye. [Everyone joins in saying goodbye to the audience, and then they exit behind the screen]