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.

Well, I declare. Here is Dada, our cargo-boat of moral-maxims, towed against the current of his own pen and ink.

Chandra

But you mustn't give April all the credit for that. For I, Chandra, have hidden the yellow leaves of his manuscript book among the young buds of the pial forest, and Dada is out looking for it.

The manuscript book banished! What a good riddance!

We ought to strip off Dada's grey philosopher's cloak also.

Chandra

Yes, the very dust of the earth is tingling with youth, and yet there's not a single touch of Spring in the whole of Dada's body.

Dada

Oh, do stop this fooling. What a nuisance you are making of yourselves! We aren't children any longer.

Chandra

Dada, the age of this earth is scarcely less than yours; and yet it is not ashamed to look fresh.

Dada, you are always struggling with those quatrains of yours, full of advice that is as old as death, while the earth and the water are ever striving to be new.

Dada, how in the world can you go on writing verses like that, sitting in your den?

Dada

Well, you see, I don't cultivate poetry, as an amateur gardener cultivates flowers. My poems have substance and weight in them.

Yes, they are like the turnips, which cling to the ground.

Dada

Well, then, listen to me——

How awful! Here's Dada going to run amuck with his quatrains.

Oh dear, oh dear! The quatrains are let loose. There's no holding them in.

To all passers-by I give notice that Dada's quatrains have gone mad, and are running amuck.

Chandra

Dada! Don't take any notice of their fun. Go on with your reading. If no one else can survive it, I think I can. I am not a coward like these fellows.

Come on, then, Dada. We won't be cowards. We will keep our ground, and not yield an inch, but only listen.

We will receive the spear-thrusts of the quatrains on our breast, not on our back.

But for pity's sake, Dada, give us only one—not more.

Dada

Very well. Now listen:

If bamboos were made only into flutes,
 They would droop and die with very shame,
 They hold their heads high in the sky,
 Because they are variously useful.

Please, gentlemen, don't laugh. Have patience while I explain. The meaning is——

The meaning?

What? Must the infantry charge of meaning follow the cannonading of your quatrains, to complete the rout?

Dada

Just one word to make you understand. It means, that if the bamboos were no better than those noisy instruments——

No, Dada, we must not understand.

I defy you to make us understand.

Dada, if you use force to make us understand we shall use force to force ourselves not to understand.

Dada

The gist of the quatrain is this, that if we do no good to the world, then——

Then the world will be very greatly relieved.

Dada

There is another verse that makes it clearer:

There are numerous stars in the midnight sky,
 Which hang in the air for no purpose;
 If they would only come down to earth,
 For the street lighting they might be useful.

I see we must make clearer our meaning. Catch him. Let's raise him up, shoulder high, and take him back to his den.

Dada

Why are you so excited to-day? Have you any particular business to do?

Yes, we have very urgent business,—very urgent indeed.

Dada

What is your business about?

We are out to seek a play for our Spring festival.

Dada

Play! Day and night, play!

(They sing.)

We are free, my friends, from the fear of work,
 For we know that work is play,— the play of life.
 It is Play, to fight and toss, between life and death;
 It is Play that flashes in the laughter of light in the infinite heart;
 It roars in the wind, and surges in the sea.

Oh, here comes our Leader. Brothers—our Leader, our Leader.

Leader

Hallo! What a noise you make!

Was it that which made you come out of doors?

Leader

Yes.

Well, we did it for that very purpose.

Leader

You don't want me to remain indoors?

Why remain indoors? This outer world has been made with a lavish expenditure of sun and moon and stars. Let us enjoy it, and then we can save God's face for indulging in such extravagance.

Leader

What were you discussing?

This:

(They sing.)

Play blooms in flower and ripens in fruit
 In the sunshine of eternal youth.
 Play bursts up in the blood-red fire, and licks into ashes the decaying and the dead.

Our Dada's objection was about this play.

Dada

Shall I tell you the reason why?

Yes, Dada, you may tell us, but we shan't promise to listen.

Dada

Here it is:

Time is the capital of work,
 And Play is its defalcation.
 Play rifles the house, and then wastes its spoil,
 Therefore the wise call it worse than useless.

Chandra

But surely, Dada, you are talking nonsense. Time itself is Play. Its only object is Pas-time.

Dada

Then what is Work?

Chandra

Work is the dust raised by the passing of Time.

Dada

Leader, you must give us your answers.

Leader

No. I never give answers. I lead on from one question to another. That is my leadership.

Dada

Everything else has its limits, but your childishness is absolutely unbounded.

Do you know the reason? It is because we are really nothing but children. And everything else has its limitations except the child.

Dada

Won't you ever attain Age?

No, we shall never attain Age.

We shall die old, but never attain Age.

Chandra

When we meet Age, we shall shave his head, and put him on a donkey, and send him across the river.

Oh, you can save yourself the trouble of shaving his head for Age is bald.

(They sing.)

Our hair shall never turn grey,
 Never.
 There is no blank in this world for us, no break in our road,
 It may be an illusion that we follow,
 But it shall never play us false,
 Never.

(The Leader sings.)

Our hair shall never turn grey,
 Never.
 We will never doubt the world and shut our eyes to ponder.
 Never.
 We will not grope in the maze of our mind.
 We flow with the flood of things, from the mountain to the sea,
 We will never be lost in the desert sand,
 Never.

We can tell, by his looks, that Dada will some day go to that Old Man, to receive his lessons.

Leader

Which Old Man?

The Old Man of the line of Adam.

He dwells in a cave, and never thinks of dying.

Leader

Where did you learn about him?

Oh, every one talks about him, And it is in the books also.

Leader

What does he look like?

Some say he is white, like the skull of a dead man. And some say he is dark, like the socket of a skeleton's eye.

But haven't you heard any news of him, Leader?

Leader

I don't believe in him at all.

Well, that goes entirely against current opinion. That Old Man is more existent than anything else. He lives within the ribs of creation.

According to our Pundit, it is we who have no existence. You can't be certain whether we are, or are not.

Chandra

We? Oh, we are too brand new altogether. We haven't yet got our credentials to prove that we exist.

Leader

Have you really gone and opened communication with the Pundits?

Why? What harm is there in that, Leader?

Leader

You will become pale, like the white mist in autumn. Even the least colour of blood will disappear from your mind. I have a suggestion.

What, Leader? What?

Leader

You were looking out for a play?

Yes, yes, we got quite frantic about it.

We thought it over so vigorously, that people had to run to the King's court to lodge a complaint.

Leader

Well, I can suggest a play which will be new.

What?—What?—Tell us.

Leader

Go and capture the Old Man.

That is new, no doubt, but we very much doubt if it's a play.

Leader

I am sure you won't be able to do it.

Not do it? We shall.

Leader

No, never.

Well then, suppose we do capture him, what will you give us?

Leader

I shall accept you as my preceptor.

Preceptor! You want to make us grey, and cold, and old, before our time.

Leader

Then, what do you want me to do?

If we capture him, then we shall take away your leadership.

Leader

That will be a great relief to me. You have made all my bones out of joint already. Very well, then it's all settled?

Yes, settled. We shall bring him to you by the next full moon of Spring.

But what are we going to do with him?

Leader

You shall let him join in your Spring Festival.

Oh no, that will be outrageous. Then the mango flowers will run to seed at once.

And all the cuckoos will become owls.

And the bees will go about reciting Sanskrit verses, making the air hum with m's and n's.

Leader

And your skull will be so top-heavy with prudence, that it will be difficult for you to keep on your feet.

How awful!

Leader

And you will have rheumatics in all your joints.

How awful!

Leader

And you will become your own elder brothers, pulling your own ears to set yourselves right.

How awful!

Leader

And——

No more "ands." We are ready to surrender.

We will abandon our game of capturing the Old Man.

We will put it off till the cold weather. In this Springtime, your company will be enough for us.

Leader

Ah, I see! You have already got the chill of the Old Man in your bones.

Why? What are the symptoms?

Leader

You have no enthusiasm. You back out at the very start. Why don't you make a trial?

Very well. Agreed. Come on.

Let us go after the Old Man. We will pluck him out, like a grey hair, wherever we find him.

Leader

But the Old Man is an adept in the business of plucking out. His best weapon is the hoe.

You needn't try to frighten us like that. When we are out for adventure, we must leave behind all fears, all quatrains, all Pundits, and all Scriptures.

(They sing.)

We are out on our way
 And we fear not the Robber, the Old Man.
 Our path is straight, it is broad,
 Our burden is light, for our pocket is bare,
 Who can rob us of our folly?
 For us there is no rest, nor ease, nor praise, nor success,
 We dance in the measure of fortune's rise and fall,
 We play our game, or win or lose,
 And we fear not the Robber.

ACT II

SONG-PRELUDE

[Spring's Heralds try to rob Winter of his outfit of age.]

Rear stage lighted up, disclosing Old Winter teased by the boys and girls representing Spring's Heralds.

Song of the Heralds of Spring

We seek our playmates,
 Waking them up from all corners before it is morning.
 We call them in bird songs,
 Beckon them in nodding branches.
 We spread our spell for them in the splendour of clouds.
We laugh at solemn Death
 Till he joins in our laughter.
 We tear open Time's purse,
 Taking back his plunder from him.
 You shall lose your heart to us, O Winter.
 It will gleam in the trembling leaves
 And break into flowers.

Song of Winter

Leave me, let me go.
 I sail for the bleak North, for the peace of the frozen shore.
 Your laughter is untimely, my friends.
 You turn my farewell tunes into the welcome song of the Newcomer,
 And all things draw me back again into the dancing ring of their hearts.

Song of the Heralds of Spring

Life's spies are we, lurking in ambush everywhere.
 We wait to rob you of your last savings of withered hours to scatter them in the wayward winds.
 We shall bind you in flower chains where Spring keeps his captives,
 For we know you carry your jewels of youth hidden in your grey rags.

(Noon)

[The rear stage is darkened. The band of Youths enters on the main stage. No actual change in the scenery is necessary—this being left to the imagination of the audience.]

Ferryman! Ferryman! Open your door.

Ferryman

What do you want?

We want the Old Man.

Ferryman

Which old man?

Not which old man. We want the Old Man.

Ferryman

Who is he?

The true and original Old Man.

Ferryman

Oh! I understand. What do you want him for?

For our Spring Festival.

Ferryman

For your Spring Festival? Are you become mad?

Not a sudden becoming. We have been like this from the beginning.

And we shall go on like this to the end.

(They sing.)

The Piper pipes in the centre, hidden from sight.
 And we become frantic, we dance.
 The March wind, seized with frenzy,
 Runs and reels, and sways with noisy branches.
 The sun and stars are drawn in the whirl of rapture.

Now, Ferryman, give us news of the Old Man.

You ply your boat from one landing stage to another. Surely you know where——

Ferryman

My business is limited only to the path. But whose path it is, and what it means, I have no occasion to enquire. For my goal is the landing-stage, not the house.

Very well. Let us go, let us try all the ways.

(They sing.)

The Piper pipes in the centre, hidden from sight.
 Ah, the turbulent tune, to whose time the oceans dance,
 And dance our heaving hearts.
 Fling away all burdens and cares, brother,
 Do not be doubtful of your path,
 For the path wakes up of itself
 Under the dancing steps of freedom.

Ferryman

There comes the Watchman. Ask him. I know about the way; but he knows about the wayfarers.

Watchman

Who are you?

We are just what you see. That's our only description.

Watchman

But what do you want?

We want the Old Man.

Watchman

Which old man?

That eternal Old Man.

Watchman

How absurd! While you are seeking him, he is after you.

Why?

Watchman

He is fond of warming his cold blood with the wine of hot youth.

We'll give him a warm enough reception. All we want is to see him. Have you seen him?

Watchman

My watch is at night. I see my people, but don't know their features. But, look here, every one knows that he is the great kidnapper; and you want to kidnap him! It's midsummer madness.

The secret is out. It doesn't take long to discover that we are mad.

Watchman

I am the Watchman. The people I see passing along the road are all very much alike. Therefore, when I see anything queer, it always strikes me.

Just listen to him. All the respectable people of our neighbourhood say just the same thing—that we are queer.

Yes, we're queer. There's no mistake about that.

Watchman

But all this is utter childishness.

Do you hear that? It's exactly what our Dada says.

We have been going on with our childishness through unremembered ages.

And now we have become confirmed children.

And we have a leader, who is a perfect veteran in childhood. He rushes along so recklessly, that he drops off his age at every step he runs.

Watchman

And who are you?

We are butterflies, freed from the cocoon of Age.

Watchman

[Aside.] Mad. Raving mad.

Ferryman

Then what will you all do now?

Chandra

We shall go——

Watchman

Where?

Chandra

That we haven't decided.

Watchman

You have decided to go, but not where to go?

Chandra

Yes, that will be settled as we go along.

Watchman

What does that mean?

Chandra

It means this song.

(They sing.)

We move and move without rest,
 We move while the wanderers' stars shine in the sky and fade.
 We play the tune of the road
 While our limbs scatter away the laughter of movement,
 And our many-coloured mantle of youth flutters about in the air.

Watchman

Is it your custom to answer questions by songs?

Chandra

Yes, otherwise the answer becomes too unintelligible.

Watchman

Then you think your songs intelligible?

Chandra

Yes, quite, because they contain music.

(They sing.)

We move and move without rest.
 World, the Rover, loves his comrades of the road.
 His call comes across the sky.
 The seasons lead the way, strewing the path with flowers.

Watchman

No ordinary being ever breaks out singing, like this, in the middle of talking.

Chandra

Again we are found out. We are no ordinary beings.

Watchman

Have you got no work to do?

Chandra

No, we are on a holiday.

Watchman

Why?

Chandra

Lest our time should all be wasted.

Watchman

I don't quite understand you.

Chandra

Then we shall be obliged to sing again.

Watchman

No, no. There's no need to do that. I don't hope to understand you any better, even if you do sing.

Chandra

Everybody has given up the hope of understanding us.

Watchman

But how can things get on with you, if you behave like this?

Chandra

Oh, there's no need for things to get on with us, so long as we ourselves get on.

Watchman

Mad! Quite mad! Raving mad!

Chandra

Why, here comes our Dada.

Dada, what made you lag behind?

Chandra

Don't you know? We are free as the wind, because we have no substance in us. But Dada is like the rain-cloud of August. He must stop, every now and then, to unburden himself.

Dada

Who are you?

Ferryman

I am the Ferryman.

Dada

And who are you?

Watchman

I am the Watchman.

Dada

I am delighted to see you. I want to read you something that I have written. It contains nothing frivolous, but only the most important lessons.

Ferryman

Very good. Let us have it then.

Watchman

Our master used to tell us that there are plenty of men to say good things, but very few to listen. That requires strength of mind. Now, go on, Sir, go on.

Dada

I saw, in the street, one of the King's officers dragging along a merchant. The King had made up a false charge, in order to get his money. This gave me an inspiration. You must know that I never write a single line which is not inspired by some actual fact. You can put my verses to the test in the open streets and markets——

Ferryman

Please, Sir, do let us hear what you have written.

Dada

The sugar-cane filling itself with juice
 Is chewed and sucked dry by all beggars.
 O foolish men, take your lesson from this;
 Those trees are saved, which are fruitful.

You will understand that the sugar-cane gets into trouble, simply because it tries to keep its juice. But nobody is so foolish as to kill the tree that freely gives fruit.

Watchman

What splendid writing, Ferryman!

Ferryman

Yes, Watchman, it contains great lessons for us.

Watchman

It gives me food for thought. If only I had here our neighbour, the Scribe! I should like to take this down. Do send round to tell the people of the place to assemble.

Chandra

But, Ferryman, you promised to come out with us. Yet, if once Dada begins to quote his quatrains, there will be——

Ferryman

Go along with you. None of your madness here. We are fortunate now in having met our master. Let us improve the occasion with good words. We are all of us getting old. Who knows when we shall die?

All the more reason why you should cultivate our company.

Chandra

You can always find another Dada. But when once we are dead, God will never repeat the blunder of another absurdity like us again.

(Enter Oilman.)

Oilman

Ho! Watchman.

Watchman

Who is there? Is that the Oilman?

Oilman

The child I was bringing up was kidnapped last night.

Watchman

By whom?

Oilman

By the Old Man.

Youths

[Together.] Old Man? You don't mean it. Old Man?

Oilman

Yes, Sirs, the Old Man; what makes you so glad?

Oh, that's a bad habit of ours. We become glad for no reason whatever.

Watchman

[Aside.] Mad! Raving mad! Have you seen the Old Man?

Oilman

I think I saw him in the distance last night.

First Youth

What did he look like?

Oilman

Black. More black than our brother here, the Watchman. Black as night, with two eyes on his breast shining like two glow-worms.

That won't suit us. That would be awkward for our Spring Festival.

Chandra

We shall have to change our date from the full moon to the dark moon. For the dark moon has no end of eyes on her breast.

Watchman

But I warn you, my friends, you are not doing wisely.

No, we are not.

We are found out again. We never do anything wisely. It is contrary to our habit.

Watchman

Do you take this to be a joke? I warn you, my friends, it is dangerous.

Dangerous? That's the best joke of all.

(They sing.)

We are neither too good nor wise,
 That is all the merit we have.
 Our calumny spreads from land to land,
 And danger dogs our steps.
 We take great care to forget what is taught us,
 We say things different from the book,
 Bringing upon us trouble,
 And rebuke from the learned.

Watchman

Ah, Sir, you spoke about some Leader. Where is he? He could have kept you in order, if he were with you.

He never stays with us, lest he should have to keep us in order.

He simply launches us on our way, and then slips off.

Watchman

That's a poor idea of leadership.

Chandra

He is never concerned about his leadership. That is why we recognize him as our Leader.

Watchman

Then he has got a very easy task.

Chandra

It is no easy task to lead men. But it is easy enough to drive them.

(They sing.)

We are not too good nor wise,
 That is all the merit we have.
 In a luckless moment we were born,
 When the star of wisdom was the dimmest.
 We can hope for no profit from our adventures,
 We move on, because we must.

Dada, come on. Let us go.

Watchman

No, no, Sir. Don't you get yourself into mischief in their company.

Ferryman

You read your verses, Sir, to us. Our neighbours will be here soon. They will be greatly profited.

Dada

No. I'm not going to move a step from here.

Then let us move. The men in the street can't bear us.

That's because we rattle them too much.

You hear the hum of human bees, they smell the honey of Dada's quatrains.

Youths

[Together.] They come! They come!

(Enter Village folk.)

Villager

Is it true that there is going to be a reading?

Who are you? Are you going to read?

No. We commit all kinds of atrocities, but not that. This one merit will bring us salvation.

Villager

What do they say? They seem to be talking in riddles.

Chandra

We only say things which we perfectly understand ourselves, and they are riddles to you. Dada repeats to you things which you understand perfectly and these sound to you the very essence of wisdom.

(Boy enters.)

Boy

I couldn't catch him.

Whom?

Boy

The Old Man, whom you are seeking.

Have you seen him?

Boy

Yes, I thought I saw him going by in a car.

Where? In what direction?

Boy

I couldn't make out exactly. The dust raised by his wheels is still whirling in the air.

Then let us go.

He has filled the sky with dead leaves.

[They go out.

Watchman

They are mad! Quite mad! Raving mad!

ACT III

SONG-PRELUDE

[Winter is being unmasked—his hidden youth about to be disclosed.]

The rear stage lighted up, disclosing Winter and the Heralds of Spring.

Song of the Heralds of Spring