FAWNFOOT.  The typical Indian maiden costume.  Cotton khaki, gorgeously painted at the neck.  Bead chains and bracelets.  Tan stockings.  Moccasins.  Hair worn in braids.  Scarlet head-band across forehead.  Black quill.

This play may be given by a cast of girls. (See notes on Hawthorne Pageant.)

Music.  The song which Barbara Williams sings can be found in “Songs of the West,” by S. Baring Gould. ("Folk Songs of Cornwall and Devon, collected from the Mouths of the People.”)

DANCE INTERLUDE

The dance interlude should be symbolic of the spirit of youth as exemplified in the Indian and the Puritan.  The music is MacDowell’s “From an Indian Lodge.”  The two players taking part in the dance are Fawn-foot and Barbara Williams.  The little Indian, dancing in the woods with her own shadow, tries to entice the little Puritan into following her steps.  Barbara hangs back.  But the dance proves too alluring.  She finally tries to imitate what the little Indian does; but at first the quick motions of the other are quite beyond her.  One is of the forest, the other of the town!  Yet, in the end, the little Puritan should show that she has caught a little of the grace and freedom of her wild playmate.  Good pantomimic dancing, with grace and humor, should be worked into this.

MERRYMOUNT

CHARACTERS

SIMON SCARLETT
SARAH SCARLETT, his sister
WILL LACKLEATHER
MOLL
NAN
JOCK
TIB
JOAN
ROBIN WAKELESS
FAUNCH
CHRISTOPHER CARMEL (KIT)
GOODY GLEASON
BESS
RESOLUTE ENDICOTT
GILLIAN PRITCHARD
FIGHT-FOR-RIGHT NORCROSS
AMOS WARREN
EBENEZER MATTHEWS
FAUNCH FRUGAL HILTON

SCENE:  An open glade at Merrymount on a Summer’s day in 1626.  Trees right, left, and background.  In the center of the stage a maypole decked with streaming ribbons that are somewhat faded.

Towards the left background, at some distance from the maypole, a forest bed of pine boughs, sweet fern, and moss.  Not far from this bed, towards foreground, a tiny glimmer of fire, over whose graying ashes is hung a small iron kettle.  Scattered on the ground by the fire a goodly number of iron and pewter drinking-cups, and an iron skillet for brewing.  The play begins by the entrance of Simon Scarlett from the left, with a troop of Merrymounters at his heels, Faunch, Nan, Moll, Tib, Joan, and Will Lackleather.  All wear tattered finery.  That of Simon matches his name.

SCARLETT.  Hither!  Hither!  Come, Faunch the fiddler, give us another tune—­one that will set the echoes of Merry-mount a-ringing, and make the lean Puritans in the valley to hold their ears.

ALL. 
A tune!  A tune!

FAUNCH. 
What tune will ye have, Simon Scarlett?

SCARLETT.  Let it be a maypole dance, Faunch the fiddler!  And a merry one! (Faunch begins to play.) Let’s see you foot it! (The folk of Merrymount begin to dance.) Oh, bravely, bravely!  If the Puritans could see you you’d be led to the stocks and the whipping-post!