ASTOUNDING
APPLE
SEEDS
A human comedy in two acts by
and premiered at the
“Adam became …
the father of Seth (who) … became
the father of Jared , father of
Henoch (who) … walked with God, and he was seen no more.”
“The man
(Adam) knew Eve his wife and she conceived and bore Cain …(who) turned against his brother Abel and slew him … Cain
knew his wife. And she conceived (a son)… father of Irad … father of Malaleel
…father of Mathusael … father of Lamech (who) … took two wives.
“There were
giants in the earth in those days … These were the mighty men who were of old,
the men of renown.”
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How else can I
know? How were you summoned?
I had a dream you were calling me. The same dream every night for a month. It was very annoying. I decided to come and get it over with - so I can get some sleep.
ADAM That was thought transference
Fine.
Don’t you want
to know how I did it?
In time you’ll tell Seth, because you like him best; and when I know he knows, he’ll
tell me or - !
Bear skinner!!
Dancing moron! ADAM Stop it! Both of you! And as for you Cain, how can you expect Seth to conceive of someone as
complex as the Lord God? CAIN I expect nothing of Seth – and he has never disappointed me.
Barbarian!
Silence!
Everyone! I have called you together for two reasons. The first is to dispense an – inheritance. Mother Eve and I have – something – we wish to pass on to one of you.
(Tapping
the pouch tucked into his belt) What is it?
ADAM Apple seeds.
(With
a laugh) In that case, I defer to Seth. He has an affinity for fruits.
These seeds
are – special. EVE They are from
the Tree of Knowledge.
Whoever possesses these seeds will know all things, the laws of creation, the principles, the sum total of - .
What good is
that?
Well, for one thing, Father Adam and I believe that knowledge might be – well - the way back
to the Garden.
Back to the
Garden?
In that case, I remind you, Father Adam, that I am the elder son!
The seeds are not be given by birthright alone. They must go to the most worthy, to the one
who will be able to pass the knowledge on to others.
And there is
something else.
Yes. You have also been summoned to witness an occurrence which will be new to you although it will become as commonplace as birth, and like birth, it will lose of its mysticism and its beauty as it occurs to each of you.
(Confused,
to JUBAL) Is he speaking
Aramaic?
You are to
witness natural death.
I know what
death is.
You know what murder is. That’s unnatural. You know the slaughter of animals. But this is
natural death of a human being.
What is it,
Lord Father Adam? ADAM Don’t call me
- ! (Pause) Look. Seth. Listen. Just call me – oh, I don’t know – call me ‘rabbi’ – ‘teacher.’ SETH Rab-bi. JARED Ooooooh. SETH (Delighted,
to JARED) Rabbi! JARED Father Seth,
how does one achieve the state of rabbi? SETH By study and reflection, my son. By contemplation on all that has been commanded us by the Lord God and His laws and the wisdom of …! ADAM Enough! JUBAL (Quietly) What is this -
natural death? ADAM A good question, Jubal! It is – it is - a transformation. A transmigration actually – from a physical and sensate essence to what we really are – a spiritual – almost mystical – being that is now and will be forever if - ! EVE To you, Jubal,
it is like going to sleep. ADAM Eve, I don’t think we should encourage these simplistic explanations of what is in reality a
- ! EVE A long sleep, Jubal. SETH How long,
mother Eve? EVE Forever in
your sense of time and space, Seth. JARED How long is
forever? ADAM There! You see? It would be better to tell them the exact truth and - ! JUBAL Who is going
to undergo this – natural death? CAIN Seth I hope. EVE I am. CAIN We have seen animals die. How is your natural death different? ADAM It involves an
essential, multi-dimensional - ! EVE The difference, Cain, is in the depth and nature of the species. A horse for example is basically different from a human. When a horse dies - !
CAIN My horse is better than a human! ADAM A human is
better than any horse! How do you
know? ADAM Because I know that I know! The horse doesn’t! CAIN And how do you know my horse doesn’t know he knows?! (A
beat, then to JUBAL) What did I
just say? (With
a shake of his head) I’ll ask your
horse. ADAM You should at least understand this: natural death is universal. It will happen to all of
you! EVE Adam, why don’t we just let them witness it and
then explain it? JARED Lord Father
Rabbit! SETH Rabbi! ADAM (With a deep sigh) What is it,
Jared? JARED I forgot the
question. EVE It really is quite simple, Jared. Father Adam and I – well – for some time we have exercised our natural ability – which you also possess – for teletransportation to - . (She
realizes they are all staring dumbly at her.) By that I mean we have gone forward in time both physically and in essence, but there is a certain point in this level of existence after which I will no longer be able to materialize in the physical form in - ! (Realizes
they are still staring.) On this plane of existence I can no longer materialize physically without extending into
another form of - ! (Pauses.
Looks at them. Turns to ADAM) I think I lost
them at ‘it is really quite simple.’ CAIN Father Adam -
! SETH Rabbi! ADAM Never mind,
Seth! SETH But Rabbi is
the traditional title! CAIN How can it be traditional when you just learned it yourself, you doddering dunghill?! SETH You understand
nothing, you clanging pig-sticker! ADAM Silence! JUBAL (Quietly) Why, Father
Adam? SETH Rabbi! ADAM Why what,
Jubal? JUBAL If we are all to experience this – natural death – why
must we? ADAM It is because
of the Fall. JUBAL It’s autumnal? CAIN (Sullenly) It is a curse
laid upon us because I killed my brother. ADAM Cain, will you
stop glorifying that singular act of murder? EVE Father Adam is right, Cain. Stop posturing as if you were the most terrifying creature on earth. You haven’t a cruel bone in your body. CAIN I slew Abel! EVE I am not likely to forget! But there was no cruelty in that act! You struck quickly. You didn’t hack him like a butcher. You didn’t even know what you had done. You spent three days and three nights squatting by the side of your brother thinking he would rise eventually and go about his business. You couldn’t believe – you didn’t want to believe that he could be – gone – like any common sacrifice. You expected more of him. ADAM I hate to disillusion you, son, but some will come after you who will devise ways of killing that will take hours, days. They will wear symbols on their robes to show they are virtuous madmen. And there will be others who will kill more people than there are leaves on all the trees in the Garden – men, women, children, animals, everything – and without the annoyance of watching them die. CAIN I – I don’t
understand. EVE Our exile had nothing to do with you, my boy. It occurred before you or Abel were born. It
began with my eating the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil – ! ADAM Although I always thought that a misnomer, because knowledge is knowledge and it is only what use is made of it that constitutes something good or evil, and - . EVE There were times I wish I had eaten the fruit of the Tree of Immortality, but then again – when I look at some of you – natural death doesn’t seem totally unattractive. CAIN Are you saying we must suffer this natural death, because of something you did, mother? Where’s the justice in that? EVE As we must all suffer the loss of Abel, because of what you did, Cain! Where’s the justice in that? Why should I be deprived of seeing my other son grow into full manhood and perhaps be a solace to me in my old age just because
you had an urge to murder him?! SALOMITH Mother Eve, didn’t my husband Henoch undergo natural death? LIA Henoch walks
with the Lord God! ADAM The next
person who says that - ! EVE No, Salomith. Apparently your husband did not die. I don’t know why or how that could happen. It will never happen again, I promise you, for thousands of years. SETH Henoch walks with the Lord God in the Garden, because he was faithful to his devotions. He meditated from dawn to dusk. He chanted the ritual prayers five times a day. He
- ! SALOMITH …was never around. His son never knew him. I thought – I thought I – displeased him. I thought it was my fault. That there was something wrong with me. I – I bathed every day. I brushed my hair and cleaned under my nails, but still he – he
drifted. JARED Ahhhhhhhh! ADAM Yes, Jared?
You want to say something? JARED I understand! Abel experienced death when Cain murdered him. That must mean that Father Adam
is going to murder Mother Eve! ADAM No, Jared! I told you! We are speaking of natural death, death from the hand of the Lord God! JARED The Lord God
is going to murder Mother Eve?! ADAM No. No. No. It
is a natural law that - ! Look! (Seizes
a nearby stone and throws it up) Why doesn’t
the stone stay up? CAIN Because it
doesn’t. ADAM (Exasperated,
bellowing:) But why?! Why?! JUBAL (Starting
slowly and softly:) Because once, long ago, there was a race of creatures who dwelt among the mountain tops. They watched as the Creator brought into being all manner of things: great trees that boasted of their strength by holding mountains of leaves above their heads, skies splashed with colors that only special eyes could see, heralds of light to announce the coming day and the fading night; but these creatures of the mountains, seeing all these things being made, were untouched by the wonder
of them. So the Creator, to punish them for their indifference to truth and beauty, turned them into hard, unfeeling rock and hurled them to earth where they must always return, part of the mountain and yet alone. Water cascades around them, but it cannot slack their thirst or refresh them. Immaculate snows are only burdens. Fires burn inside their mountains, and still these creatures – the people of the rocks - are trod down, always, doomed to be crushed by those who can feel - and
marvel -and give thanks to the Creator for it all. Through
all this, he has been focused on
SALOMITH. ELISABE now quickly crosses to him and touches him, and it
shatters
the spell. Everyone is silent for a long
moment. EVE That was –
most remarkable, Jubal. |