The Testing of a Wizard

HERMIT – What for? So, they could spit in it again! I don’t trust anyone.

GELO – Just try!

HERMIT – I tried so many times and all I received was disappointment! Everyone wants to rummage through your soul.

GELO – But if you don’t search, you will never find anything. It’s the same with love if you never try, you will never fall in love.

HERMIT – But rejection is very hard to take!

GELO – But the joy of acceptance is so wonderful.

HERMIT – Leave me alone! …

GELO – Imagine the heart of your friend or even a loved one beating in unison with yours! For the sake of that kind of love, won’t it be worth the suffering and rejection, because suffering can cleanse your soul.

HERMIT – No! Because suffering makes you depressed.

GELO – You get depressed because you have no faith. If you have faith, then it elevates you and makes you stronger. Believe in love and friendship! Believe in people!

HERMIT – I’m afraid! …

GELO – Please believe me; I swear I won’t betray you…

HERMIT – But you will leave? …

GELO – So what? You said yourself that a friend is not a possession or a commodity which is kept in a closet. Friendship is not based on distance.

HERMIT – If you go, I will be sad and miss you…

GELO – You could move to the town where I live. Lizy and I could live next to you and be neighbours. I know she would be happy.

HERMIT – Thank you Gelo, I will think about it…

GELO – And I will wait, definitely come!

HERMIT – And now you will go?

GELO – Sorry, but I have to hurry. I feel better now. Your herbs helped me.

HERMIT – Maybe you could stay a little longer? … (with despair) I understand…

GELO – I’m sorry to leave you.

HERMIT – And I’m sorry to see you leave.

GELO – But we will surely meet again. I know it. After all I’m a Wizard. Till we meet again!

HERMIT – Goodbye … (Gelo leaves, and Hermit watches him.) Till we meet again.... friend.

There is a sound of a gong. Hermit walks up to the hourglass and turns it over.

Music plays. Blackout.

In a cave lies Lizy, exhausted by the long journey. Hermit appears. He shakes off the snow and rain off his clothes. He discovers Lizy sleeping. He walks around her in astonishment trying to understand how she got there. Lizy wakes up and looks at Hermit with fear.

LIZY – Please forgive me… I didn’t mean to intrude. The weather is so awful out there… And I’m very tired… But don’t worry I haven’t done anything bad to your cave. I will leave now.

HERMIT – Don’t worry about it. Don’t hurry. Strange, how did you get here?

LIZY – Don’t think bad about me, I’m a decent girl. I’m looking for my fiancé.

HERMIT – Stranger still, the last woman I saw here in the mountains was never married.

LIZY – How do you know that?

HERMIT – Because of her face and figure! With a face and figure like hers there is no way that she could be married. Even with a big dowry.

LIZY – (Upset, almost crying) I just got lost, and didn’t know where to go.

HERMIT – Calm down. In a second, I will make something to eat.

LIZY – Thank you, but do not bother… maybe I could help you with something?

HERMIT – Just relax. Instead tell me why your fiancé dumped you?

LIZY – He didn’t dump me! He went on a very important and difficult mission. But I waited for a few days and then decided to follow him. I want to help him with his task… We love each other very much. That’s why I’m a very happy person.

HERMIT – Just don’t say that to every person you meet.

LIZY – Why?

HERMIT – Because people usually take other’s failure with a higher regard then their own success. But what leaves an even worse taste in their mouth is other people’s happiness.

LIZY – But I want to share my joy with the whole world. Especially since my darling confessed that he loved me.

HERMIT – But don’t you know that men’s confessions of love are only valid when they are being said, after that they are history.

LIZY – I don’t understand.

HERMIT – How should I put this…? You see if a man tells you that he loves you, it doesn’t mean that you’re the only one.

LIZY – I still don’t understand you. I know that he loves only me. And I love only him. You probably say this because you live here alone. And you don’t have any friends or loved ones.

HERMIT – No. A few days ago I found a new friend. I trust him. And he is very dear to me.

LIZY – Then you should understand me. My darling is the cleverest man!

HERMIT – My friend is clever too.

LIZY – He is very kind!

HERMIT – Mine too.

LIZY – My fiancé and is honest and brave.

HERMIT – And my friend too.

LIZY – He has a very strong character.

HERMIT – Mine has too.

LIZY – I like his sincere smile very much.

HERMIT – I like it too.

LIZY – And his soul is pure and enlightened…

HERMIT – …Like a ray of light in darkness!

LIZY – My darlings name is Gelo…

HERMIT – …My friend too!

LIZY – So he’s been here?!

HERMIT – Then you must be Lizy?!

LIZY – Tell me, tell me. How is he?

HERMIT – Everything is fine! He was covered with rocks from a landslide…

LIZY – А-а-а! (Falls back in her chair half-unconsciously)

HERMIT – (Rushes to her) But he’s not dead! Not dead! Don’t worry… I rescued him and healed him. He turned out to be a nice guy. We became friends.

LIZY – You scared me so much.

HERMIT – You scared me even more. I don’t know how to do mouth to mouth resuscitation… especially to young girls. And Gelo could get upset with me if something would happen to you. He really does love you so much.

LIZY – So now you’re friends with him?

HERMIT – Yes. And he invited me to come and live in the town, so that I could live nearby.

LIZY – It’s very good. I’m glad you two are friends now.

HERMIT – You know everything is turning out very strange. I saved him from landslide, and he saved me from myself. I hid for a few years from the world and the people in it. He helped me to understand a simple thing. In truth I was hiding from myself, but you can’t hide from yourself! You walk away from people, you can walk away from problems, but you cannot walk away from yourself. I believed in what he said. And that’s how he became my new friend…

LIZY – It’s so good you saved him. But he still has so many obstacles in front of him. I need to help him. He desperately wants to get the MIRACLE.

HERMIT – I’m not sure whether he can get this MIRACLE. But he already has given me a miracle. Peace in my soul – this is a genuine miracle! And he makes me truly happy. Because a real friendship is a miracle!

LIZY – Will you show me where Gelo went?

HERMIT – Not only will I show, but I will guide you through the mountains, so that you won’t get lost. Since you’re very dear to me! You are my friend’s fiancé! But just be careful, in the forest where you will have to go there lives a frightening Cannibal. And I forgot to tell Gelo about him. I hope he will deal with him like a Wizard.

Music plays. Blackout. Curtains.

* * * * *

Scene Three.

Somewhere in the forest there is a dwelling where Cannibal lives. Cannibal sits at the table and bluntly looks at his empty plate. There is a knock at the door. In walks Gelo. Cannibal looks astounded, and then sizes him up.

GELO – Peace to your home good man. The night has caught up with me; I saw a light in your window and decided to check it out. Can I stay a night here?

CANNIBAL – … А-а … of course! Come in my friend. You will be my supper… I mean! … well, my guest!

GELO – Thank you. But I don’t want supper.

CANNIBAL – But I do.

GELO – I can give you some bread, here take some.

CANNIBAL – (Imitates a spit) How disgusting! I would like some meat, lots of it. Don’t you know who I am?

GELO – No, I don’t.

CANNIBAL – (Shocked) Oh my god! Travelers are now simply walking into my house instead of running away with horror. And even offer me bread! For heaven’s sake, I’m a cannibal! I don’t eat wheat!

GELO – Аhh! You’re afraid of putting on weight?