by Barry Patterson.

Introduction.

The play was perfomed at the Hurlers stone circles on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall, beginning at the moment of first contact between the Sun & Moon on the day of the total eclipse of the Sun August 11th 1999. It is loosely based upon the traditional combat between St. George & the Dragon with one or two obvious twists! It's characters, for the most part are derived from the Grand Cross which may be found on the astrological chart for the moment, thus:

The Sun -himself. Played by Tim Ward.

Maureen -A dragon. Played By Anne Barrowcliffe & Lindsey Heffen. A more accurate pronounciation of the famous Morrigan - a dark goddess of the Irish tradition, here she comprises elements of the eclipsing Moon & the Saturn which is squaring it.

St George - Himself, & also the Mars which is squaring the eclipse. Played by Mick Summers.

Willy the Wizard - Primarily the planet Uranus, I decided against using the planetary name & making bad jokes about people's bums. He represents the radical alternative to conflict & conditioning. Played by Barry Patterson.

Brighde - Herself - well I could try to justify her presence as being something in the chart but I'd be using the wisdom of hindsight. She's here because she fits & I love her so much. Played by Kate Ward.

All the players were members of Coventry Earth Spirit & the Circle of the Silver Star, who are based near Milton Keynes.
The play is lively & offers plenty of opportunity for interaction with the audience. Although it contains humour it also deals with some very powerful issues & processes. The final verses are a translation of a Gaelic prayer to the sun from Carmichael's Carmina Gadelica. I thought that it was rather appropriate.

Sun:	In comes I, the flaming sun!
	Burning brightly, known by one & all Day after day with morning's light I come & roll across the sky, a blazing ball. My friends, by me you count the days & years As I chart my course above the land & in all your laughter & your tears It is upon my presence you depend. I shine for one & all, for good or ill, Fat cat, beggar, politician, child Fisherman at sea, farmer on the hill Musician, killer, student, mother mild. But now an ancient drama will unfold I bid you wheesht a while From space's darkness comes my ancient foe Her cold coils in loops of a million miles!
.
Maureen:	Here I come! Good sound!
	Maureen, black dragon of the deep places! My lonely orbit swings me round I lash my tail in frozen starlit spaces & call out across the abyss with my sound Good sound! This lonely little light came forth from me But sounds his trumpet as if he'd always been That I am his Mam he cannot see & in the movement of his planets I remain unseen. But when the time is right I can emerge & thunder forth to challenge his misrule, Like many of his sex, a victim of his urge He blazes forth & makes himself a fool.
.
Sun:	So here you are again my mysterious foe
	Creeping up behind me will not serve I remember you from long ago Coming forth upon your nasty curve. To make night from day That is your will!But I am ready! You don't scare me, there is no way That you can make my beams become unsteady!
.
Maureen:	Jumped up little boy
	Can you not see that you are just a star? You play there with your planets like toys You should heed the wisdom of your Ma!
.
Sun:	Evil thing of night, I hate your lies
	You come to do me harm! Of all things in heaven, you I despise The only one that cannot see my charm. So come & do your worse, oh monstrous one I will resist the shadow of your coils In the starry fields of space I stand alone But do not come near, in me great anger boils!
.
Maureen:	Ha! Good Noise! Upstart star child, you have gone too far
	You break my heart & fill my belly with grief I will swallow you up, you naughty little star & bring an end to your ungrateful life!
.
	Action! She eats him! Maureen settles down upon the ground to digest her meal.
.
St G:	In comes I, St. George, that man of courage bold,
	I've won great fame through deeds of glory With my sword and buckler at my side I've won ten crowns of gold, And all the world has heard my story. Twas I that fought the fiery dragon and brought him to the slaughter, Aside Kebabbed him with my spear And by that deed I won the king of Egypt's daughter, My name is renowned both far & near. What's this? The sky has suddenly gone dark! & it being only morning time The skylarks have ceased their song & the flowers closed in the park Something's gone seriously wrong with this rhyme!
.
	Where is the lordly Sun who we all admired Who gave us light & warmth on summer days? Has someone with a bucket put out his fires Or smothered him in cosmic haze? Great evil is at hand I'll wager here, Some ill work has been going on To make our lovely Sun to disappear, Can anybody tell me where he's gone? Fields responses. Aha! Another of the great big serpent clan They are my stock in trade If you need a dragon slitting I'm your man But if I take the job I must be paid. What will you give me? Fields responses. Have at you monster! I am your nemesis! I'll slit you open & release the sun In all my fights I always do persist Until I am the great victorious one!
	Action. Maureen takes a defensive posture & he chases her around. He starts hitting her. She makes her sound. In bursts the wizard & separates them, standing between.
.
Willy:	In comes I, Willy the Wizard!
	A thousand years of slumber in my cave Have been disturbed by the commotion above my head So good knight, if thy wits thou wouldst save Go & pick on someone your own size instead!
.
St G:	This demonic beast, he has devoured the sun
	Can you stand by & let him survive? My mission to destroy him has just begun Wise one, I will not leave him alive!
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Willy:	Some things are known to men & can be seen
	& some are secret, these are my ways The names of dreaming things beneath the earth & in the sky since the ancient of days. Magic breaks the rules that others know It sees the depths of life & knows the heights It makes things happen but not just for show It changes things, you need not struggle & fight! A flash of lightning can change your life! A sudden understanding is like rebirth! A stranger in a crowd could become your wife! A single word deliver you to grief or mirth!
.
St G:	So mote it be old man but nevertheless
	This beast has eaten the sun I'll fight him, I'll kill him, I'll have redress So stand aside until the deed is done!
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Willy:	Young knight, you are misguided in your mission
	This creature is a female, not a male & lies here quietly, in a pregnant condition! So carry a message over hill & dale, For a midwife to attend to her in time of birth Her babe will soon be with us, so make haste Your quest will take you far across the earth Beyond the ocean, mountains & the waste. To Kildare, a beautiful green land In Eire, to the temple of the sacred flame Ride on the wind with my drum with your hand & you will find a midwife, Brighde by name. St George runs around holding the drum, collects Brighde & returns to Maureen's side.
.
Brighde:	In comes I, daughter of the Green Land
	Brighde of the white kine is my name Brighde of the strong hands, Guardian of the sacred flame. Mistress of the forge am I White Swan Woman they call me They celebrate my day when Winter has gone by & I am the muse of song & poesy. & women's magic, the secret of life! I attend to the great when the time of birth is nigh Cunning-woman, healer, witch, midwife The slippery babe to catch, the cord to tie!
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Maureen:	Attend to me now, oh blessed one of grace
	For I have reaced my time of giving forth Soon you will gaze upon his shining face & he will rise & show us his true worth! Brighde attends to the birth of the sun.
.
Sun:	Here I am come forth from the nether dark
	Risen beyond the folds of night & time To set the birds to sing, cocks to crow , dogs to bark & on my lusty arc the sky to climb! My heart my mother, my heart my mother My heart my coming into being Now I see clearly, you are no other Than the Great Mother of whom the ancients sing! & now I find my rightful place again within the sky My radiant form a blessing on one & all Everyone rejoices as I roll by The Summer sun returned to his aerial hall!
.
All:	The eye of the Great God,
	The eye of the God of Glory, The eye of the King of Ghosts, The eye of the King of the Living. Pouring upon us At each time & season, Pouring upon us Gently & generously. Glory to thee Then glorious Sun. Glory to thee, thou son Face of the God of Life. Wassail!

Page copyright Barry Patterson on 1st September 1999
Please send any correspondence to: Barry

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