DISC 1

1. THE PROPHECY (PROLOGUE) / DEVELL, THE DEVELL HE IS, I SWEAR GOD... (SCENE I)

PROLOGUE - A Prophecy

When the moon casts ominous glow
And wild winds blow

The dreary raven sings
To the rhythm of flapping wings

Dance their round the Three in Silk
Ethereal, fair, and white as milk

The Three in cotton do the same
All Six call the Devil by his name

As long the church tower you can see
Six unholy sisters they will be


SCENE I

FIRST PEASANT
Devell, the Devell he is, I swer God,
Malice, mischief, he kin dew al' of it,
Skerry spells he kin kast, and he kin witch,
All sorts of badness like Devells dew,

SECOND PEASANT
'Tis true, 'tis true, he can call imps at will
And hev power over 'em and command
Make 'em work his fields wen he drink his ale

FIRST PEASANT
The wicked bastard, he told me one day
If I don't bring 'im my money and beer
He will witch my horse and will blight my crop

THE GROCER'S WIFE
Then you paid in vain, I'm afraid my dear,
No witchcraft could make your nag more stupid

EVERYBODY
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

THE MILLER
Ha! The Devil himself he may not be
But with the Devil he danced at midnight,
Deep in the marshlands, where the deuce abodes
And powers ungodly he was granted,
Powers over both Man and Animales

THE SMITH
Bollocks! Old George ain't no Devil, you chumps,
Neither his powers I call ungodly
Many good deeds he's done for this village,
Many poor folks he's cured, good old George has,
My wife, poor thing, was saved from pain of warts

THE GROCER
Aye, he's right, Old George helped me, too, once
And he wanted nothing in return, no,
But his piercing eyes can make you tremble
All his countenance and voice, deep and hoarse
Make me believe all the stories I heard
Like that of the night at St Nicholas church...

THE GROCER'S WIFE
Fairy tales of old drunk, all well know his vice!
Foolish talk disturbs the peace of our guest
A gentleman well-learned that I can tell
Hoping for some food and shelter, I'm sure
Looking not for creepy superstitions

THE MASON
Many thanks may be laid upon your hands,
Good woman, but fear not about my peace
For in fact, I've travelled to Canewdon
To meet the Cunning Man you speak of

THE MILLER
Why would you do that, sir, if I may ask?

THE MASON
To seek for a piece of advice I need
And to discuss a few other matters
The nature of which I was forbidden
To disclose

THE SMITH
Are you of the masons, sir?
I can see your ornaments and weapon
And that fine signet ring, all bear features
Of no ordinary craftsmanship...

THE MASON
Yes,
I'm a Rosicrucian, a member of
Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia
I'm here to consult Mr. Pickingill
Whom many of us hold in high esteem
However, I would really like to hear
More of your intriguing stories, please,

FIRST PEASANT
Toad-wytche, a toad-wytche he is, the Devell

THE MASON
A Toad-witch? And what's that if I may ask?

FIRST PEASANT
You ketch a hoppin' toad and bury it
In a Black Ants' nest till black-boones are left

SECOND PEASANT
You serch a rare toad with a yellow ring
Round its neck, and take the bone to the brook
At midnight till the Devil come to you
And pull you over the water and then...

FIRST PEASANT
...you kin be a wytche and dew badness charms

THE MASON
And what's the story with your local priest?


2. MISCHIEF, MISCHIEF, THE DEVILRY IS AT TOIL... (SCENE II)

SCENE TWO

VICAR
Mischief, mischief, the devilry is at toil
Lo! The churchyard seethes with flickering flames
Surely Satan's host make that turmoil
Playing foul and chanting unholy names
Do they come to ravish this mortal coil?
Me, God's poor servant, such are their vile aims

VOICES IN THE NIGHT
May our love blossom on lustrous meadows
Night be praised with dance, children of shadows

VICAR
Night's deep and dark yet I see it aright
And my weary soul shudders at these sounds
Shameless harlots from hell blaspheme my sight
Lustfully whoring with infernal hounds
God shall protect me with heavenly might
No cloven hoof shall stain these holy grounds

VOICES IN THE NIGHT
Save your prayers, our plays they'd never foil
Join us, succumb to lusts that thy mind coil

VICAR
Avaunt thee, to hell, foul spirits! Be gone!
Leave me, God's humble minister, alone
Who are ye, disguised in serpentine skin
Must be Gypsy coven, Romany kin
'Tis widely known, devildom is their fate
Heathens with witches and demons they mate

VOICES IN THE NIGHT
Wherefore thou seek to hide, why all this fear?
Join us, our songs be pleasant to thine ear

VICAR
Wretch, in vain thy knocking, whoever knocks
You've no enter to house that's clean and fair
God's holy power will protect these locks
But no one's knocking, how so? No one's there?
My brain must have been wrought with delusion
Truly, no witch hides in that waning night
But those noises couldn't be mere illusion?
All I see are thirteen rabbits, all white.


3. STRANGE DAY, SEE THE CLASH OF HEART AND REASON... (SCENE III)

SCENE THREE

DOROTHEA
Strange day, see the clash of heart and reason
Bliss I should find on this day of jolly
Instead I feel like confined to prison
Proper life? It's nothing but a folly
No bonds I feel with values deemed worthwhile
With fellow folk no solidarity
From daylight's meet trifles I choose exile
Moon, my dear friend in solidarity
My heart longs to bathe in thy radiant dew
But where from come thoughts making me estranged
From this life I have to bitterly chew?
In the crowd I'm alone, am I deranged?
Pious and wise alike sing the barren tale
Should I turn to magic if all else fail?

(A young Gypsy girl approaches Dorothea)

JAELLE
Those pretty eyes, proud yet filled with distress
Surely they hide wild secret fire
To be quenched by night's soft caress

DOROTHEA
Ha! You serve that old witch from the mire
Good folk says so about your dark mistress
Who tells maidens whatever they desire

JAELLE
Come with me, have no sneer, consult with her
Maybe you'll find her wisdom true and fair?

DOROTHEA
'Tis bout not sneer what in my voice you hear
Doubts that someone should mute, let's go then, dear!

(Jaelle shows Dorothea to a small, richly decorated tent, Dorothea enters and meets the Gypsy wise woman)

VADOMA
Come, Tshilaba, come closer, and don't spurn
Truths that lay hidden in the stars that burn
By many ways the fate itself reveals
Fiery is the lust thy soul conceals
Suppressed deeply in the mundane slumber
Yearning to tear this thin veil asunder
Be not surprised, child, my cards do not lie
I see through your spirit that wants to fly
And learn secrets, that'll make come true your dreams

DOROTHEA
Reason writhes in alert but my heart screams
In longing for passions untamed and strange
My risk, show me how my fate I can change

VADOMA
Old wisdom can shape anew thy life's course
But be warned! Knowledge often means sorrow
It can drive mad, the mere glimpse of that force
But if you dare - come again tomorrow

(Dorothea leaves the place)


4. STORM IS COMING, COME THE BLESSED MADNESS... (SCENE IV)

SCENE FOUR

DOROTHEA
Storm is coming, come the blessed madness
The remedy to trivial life's sadness
My soul cares not for the life eternal
Nurtured by the wonders of the infernal

(Dorothea's fiancé comes in and hears her monologue)

JONATHAN
What madness is this that comes through your lips?
What possessed you to make you talk like this?
You've changed since you made Gypsies your friends
Worse! People say you've met with this warlock
Old George, shady character, guile dog!
'Tis no company for proper maidens

DOROTHEA
Who are ye to say what for me is right?
Don't come near, you're no better than a slave
Preaching holy for show, pitiful sight
I never deemed thy virtues pure and brave

JONATHAN
How so? How dare you speak to me like this?
I am concerned with your reputation
I shan't tolerate your foul godless friends
Such scandal on the eve of our wedding

DOROTHEA
It's thine reputation thou care about
I'm affliction to thy perfect order
Thou low-lived coward wrapped in holy shroud
Thou won't find me unless at hell's border

JONATHAN
You are mad! You can't leave me, all's arranged
You can't shatter all our families' hopes!

DOROTHEA
I've no love for thee, neither thou for me
Appearances is what's important for thee

JONATHAN
You shameless whore, it's that old devil's trick
You'll regret this and so shall your damned friend

DOROTHEA
Fool, beware, pray thou never cross his path
His power can harm in the aftermath

(Jonathan exeunt)

'Twas the last obstacle, at last alone
Nothing stops me to meet the fate unknown
What sweet music seems to be nature's voice
The sun is setting, it's time to rejoice...


DISC 2

1. SATAN, FATHER, SAVIOR, HEAR MY PRAYER... (SCENE V)

SCENE FIVE

DOROTHEA
Satan, father, saviour, hear my prayer
For my heart is full of glowing fire
That consumes my former life's last layer
Revealing my true will and desire
This very night these woods shall bear witness
To my Troth I pledge to ageless power
The source of all libidinous sweetness
Before which all the weak and meek cower

CHORUS OF NIGHT SPECTRES
Listen all, brethren of the night, listen
Who's coming here stark nak'd with feline walk?
Like a full moon lit rill her eyes glisten
Why seeks she entry here, quiet, let her talk

DOROTHEA
Devil's quiversful, night's sons and daughters
I've come to burn my precious life's tatter
To bathe my soul in fiery waters
And dash wild beyond the reason's clutter
Hence I spurn the virtuous paths I've stridden
To Lord Satan my respects I offer
Introduce me to the games forbidden
To be one of you may thy Grace confer

CHORUS OF NIGHT SPECTRES
Clear thy mind, make thy woes all bleak vanish
Clear thy body for the Witches' Supper
Clear thy spirit, low wants thou shalt banish
And day's chains thou shalt no longer suffer

(Vadoma appears suddenly and hands Dorothea a small vial of strange liquid)

VADOMA
Elixir made on night silvery blue
Belladonna berries, hemp, Syrian rue
And black hellebore, 'tis for thee - Crow's Bread
Drink and greet visions wondrous in their dread

(Dorothea drinks the liquid, Vadoma and apparitions disappear. A few moments later she begins to feel strange,
the landscape as if changes its shape and colours, and Dorothea feels like she's flying. Suddenly she finds herself in
a different place, probably somwehere deeper in the woods. There are many people around her. She can recognize
the miller, the grocer and his wife, the smith, and a few women from the village, young and old)

CHOIR OF VILLAGERS
Here the world without end has its entrance
May thy former life be dim remembrance

(The cunning man appears in the centre of the gathering)

OLD GEORGE
The crooked path leads far from lofty ways
Many phantoms of false aims thou must slay
Will thou dare to ride on moon's eerie rays
And hunt among the beasts of prey?
Do you want to join those who cast the curse
The disturbers of mundane universe?

DOROTHEA
I do, I do, with all my heart I do!
Grant me the wisdom of the chosen few

OLD GEORGE
Our cult knows the world is not what may seem
For those in slumber it's distempered dream
Thou shall learn how thy soul's path to reverse
And the world as thou know it to transgress

DOROTHEA
Passions of other men I truly scorn
To the tongues of the dark I am reborn
I pledge to serve thee for the good and ill
Possess me and then kill - that is my will

(the proper part of the ceremony begins...)