Chapter-20

-- The Great MacFin --
(An English Crumpet Western)

ACT IV

$SCENE I
[On the Midnight Trail, In the middle, hangs a pot over a roaring Fire]

[Thunder. Enter the three Cowpokes]

First Cowpoke
Thrice the brand'd calf hath mewed.

Second Cowpoke
Thrice and once the pork'pine whined.

Third Cowpoke
And now the Wolf cries 'Tis time, 'tis time.

First Cowpoke
Round aboot the fire-we go; and In tuit, these entrails-throw. Toad, from under the coldest stone Thirty-one nights it lay prone and sweat'd venom-which we got, So Boil it first, in this ol'pot.

ALL
Double, double toil and trouble; See how the pot goes, bubble! bubble!

Second Cowpoke
Next, we git Fillet of snake, ... then to the pot-to boil and bake; Eye of newt and toe of frog, Wool of bat and tongue of dog, Rattler's fork and scorpion's sting, Lizard's leg and a mouse-owl's wing, For a pot of powerful trouble, This helly-broth douth boil and bubble.

ALL
Double, double toil and trouble; Watch this pot, bubble! bubble!

Third Cowpoke
Scale of Gila, tooth of trout, Cowpoke's flesh-his belly-out! Add some rotton pine-tree bark, Root of pi'son-oak dug in dark, Little pile of horsey-dew Gall of goat, and cabbage-stew Silver'd in the moon's eclipse, Nose of Toad and Chicken lips, Finger from a carless lad Just deliver'd by his ol'Dad, Make this gruel thick as snot: Add in there to-Wot the bob-cat got, As 'gredients to our pot.

ALL
Double, double toil and trouble; And the pot goes, bubble! bubble!

Second Cowpoke
Cool it with coyote's blood, I think this potion is firm ... but g*o*o*d!

[Enter The Ba-bar-ra to the other three Cowpokes]

The Ba-bar-ra
Oh, well done! It smells of pains; And every one shall share the gains; And now aboot this cauldron sing, Like elves and fairies in a ring, Stiring all that you put in Last, I'll add a taste of Gin!

[Music and a song]

[The Ba-bar-ra retires]

Second Cowpoke
By the pricking in my thumbs, Something wicked-this way comes. Open, locks, Whoever knocks!

[Enter MacFin]

MacFin
Yo! Ya'black, and filthy midnight hags! What are you doing, here, in drags.

ALL
Hah ... A deed without a name.

MacFin
Remember what you told to me before? How d'ya come to know it, Now ... answer me!

You have made me crazy. I cannot think straight because of what you said.

Even Though all me'forest trees be blown down; and m'ranch house and barns tip from Their heads to their foundations; and all m'hands tumble off their mounts, and Even if you destroy everything I have ... you must answer to me To what I ask you.

First Cowpoke
Then Speak.

Second Cowpoke
Then Demand.

Third Cowpoke
We'll Answer.

First Cowpoke
Tell us, MacFin, would you'd drather hear it from our mouths, Or from *our* masters?

MacFin
Well Then Call 'em; let me see these here, "Masters."

First Cowpoke
Pour in sow's blood, that hath eaten Her nine pigglets; and grease that's been sweat From the farmer's gibbet. Throw that Into the flame!

ALL
Come Images; and let us see you!

[Thunder. First Image: a soldier]

MacFin
Tell me, thou unknown power,--

First Cowpoke
Wait ... It knows your thoughts:  Hear it speak, but say thou nought.

First Spook
MacFin! MacFin! MacFin! beware Horace;  Beware the Owner of the Midnight Ranch.

This is enough, Dismiss me!

[Descends]

MacFin
Whoever you are ... for this good caution, m'thanks; Thou gives me good advice: but one word more ...

First Cowpoke
Stop! ... He can not be commanded:

Now here's another, More potent than the first.

[Thunder. Second Image: A bloody Child]

Second Spook
MacFin! MacFin! MacFin!

MacFin
Do I need three ears? I hear you!.

Second Spook
Be bloody, bold, and resolute; You may laugh and scorn at The power of other men for none of woman born Shall harm you, MacFin!

[Descends]

MacFin
Then live, Horace: I'm not a'feard of you!

But just to make doubly sure, I now promise thou shalt *not* live; So that I may tell m'fearful self-it lies.

May you sleep in spite of thunder.

[Thunder. Third Image: a Child crowned, with a tree in his hand]

What is this That rises like the son of the Ol'Owner, And wears upon his baby-brow the Stetson hat of the Midnight Ranch?

ALL
Listen ... but don't speak to't.

Third Spook
Be all you can be, MacFin and proud; and take no care or fret whar conspirers lurk: You shall never be beat'n 'til both the Farmers and the Trees come against you.

[Descends]

MacFin
Hah! ... That will never be, Spook! Who can make the forest of trees Pick up their earth-bound roots and rise up against me in Rebellion

I Shall live out m'lease with this life and only then pay in time as by mortal custom.

Yet m'heart Throbs to know one more thing: tell me: shall Langstorm's son ever Own this ranch?

ALL
Seek to know no more, MacFin!

MacFin
Only then, I will be satisfied: and if you deny me this, May a curse fall upon you! You must Let me know.

Wait ... what is happening to that pot? and what airy music is this?

[Spooks]

First Cowpoke
Show!

Second Cowpoke
SHOW!

Third Cowpoke
S-H-O-W!

ALL
Show his eyes, and grieve his heart; Come like shadows, then depart!

[A sequential show of eight apparitions, the last with a mirror in his hand and then comes the ghost of Langstorm, last]

MacFin
Why You look like the young spirit of Langstorm: but your golden hair does burn m'eye-balls.

And the next ... Another gold-bound brow, like the first.

And Yet the third is like the second.

Oh! You Filthy spooks! Why do you show me this?

And Now A fourth! Will this line stretch out forever?

Now Another yet!

And a seventh, still! I don't want to look at this:

And yet the eighth now appears with a mirror Which shows me many more like them; and with some I see the Governor's stately home:

What a Horrible sight! Oh! Now, I understand; It's that bloody Langstorm smiling at me, As he points to each of his sons!

[Spooks vanish]

Is this going to be true?

First Cowpoke
Yes, MacFin, all this is so: but why do you Stand amazed? Come, brothers, cheer up MacFin's sprit, And show him the best of our delights:

I'll charm the air to give it sound, While you perform your dances round: That this great Owner may kindly say, Our duties done, as did his welcome pay.

[Music. The Cowpokes dance and then vanish, with The Ba-bar-ra]

MacFin
Whar are they? They're Gone? Let this pernicious hour Stand accursed in the calendar!

Come in, whose out there!

[Enter McRiffkin]

McRiffkin
How can I help you, Boss?

MacFin
Did you see those weird cowpokes?

McRiffkin
No, Boss.

MacFin
Didn't you see them go by, as you came in?

McRiffkin
No, No ... No indeed, Boss

MacFin
It's foul air whar'on they ride; And damn'd all those that trust their hide.

But ... I think I do hear The galloping of horse: who is it, near?

McRiffkin
'Tis two or three travelers, Boss, that bring you word, "Horace is fled back into the Bad Lands of New Mex."

MacFin
Fled, Back Here?!

McRiffkin
Yes, Boss ... just South of us.

MacFin
The Time has come-as near as I can figure- That We must act at once or the opportunity will pass. From this moment on, we do action first ... and talk aboot it, second.

To The Ranch of Horace!: Size his land; shoot his cowboys, His Foreman, his cowboys, and all the rest I'm not kidding; This deed will be done ... and no more thoughts!

... But first, ex-act-ly ... whar is Horace? Come, let's find whar he is.

[They All Git Out]

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