Untitled Flashcards Set

MOTHER COURAGE SINGS THE SONG O F

THE GRAND CAPITULATION.

Outside an officer's tent.

Mother Courage is waiting. A clerk looks out of the tent.

THE CLERK: I know you. You had a paymaster from the

Lutherans with you, what was in hiding. I'd not complain if I

were you.

MOTHER COURAGE: But I got a complaint to make. I'm inno-

cent, would look as how I'd a bad conscience if I let this pass.

Slashed everything in me cart to pieces with their sabres, they

did, then wanted I should pay five taler fine for nowt, I tell

you, nowt.

THE CLERK: Take my tip, better shut up. We're short of can-

teens, so we let you go on trading, specially if you got a bad

conscience and pay a fine now and then.

MOTHER COURAGE: I got a complaint.

THE CLERK: Have it your own way. Then you must wait till the

captain's free. Withdraws inside the tent.

YOUNG SOLDIER enters aggressively: Bouque la Madonne!

Where's that bleeding pig of a captain what's took my re-

ward money to swig with his tarts? I'll do him.

OLDER SOLDIER running after him: Shut up. They'll put you

in irons.

YOUNG SOLDIER: Out of there, you thief! I'll slice you into

pork chops, I will. Pocketing my prize money after I'd swum

the river, only one in the whole squadron, and now I can't

even buy meself a beer. I'm not standing for that. Come on

out there so I can cut you up!

OLDER SOLDIER: Blessed Mother of God, he's asking for

trouble.

MOTHER COURAGE: Is it some reward he weren't paid?

YOUNG SOLDIER: Lemme go, I'll slash you too while I'm at it.

OLDER SOLDIER: He rescued the colonel's horse and got no re-

ward for it. He's young yet, still wet behind the ears.

MOTHER COURAGE: Let him go, he ain't a dog you got to

chain up. Wanting your reward is good sound sense. Why be

a hero otherwise?

YOUNG SOLDIER: So's he can sit in there and booze. You're

shit-scared, the lot of you. I done something special and I

want my reward.

MOTHER COURAGE: Don't you shout at me, young fellow. Got

me own worries, I have; any road you should spare your

voice, be needing it when captain comes, else there he'll be

and you too hoarse to make a sound, which'll make it hard

for him to clap you in irons till you turn blue. People what

shouts like that can't keep it up ever; half an hour, and they

have to be rocked to sleep, they're so tired.

YOUNG SOLDIER: I ain't tired and to hell with sleep. I'm hun-

gry. They make our bread from acorns and hemp-seed, and

they even skimp on that. He's whoring away my reward and

I'm hungry. I'll do him.

MOTHER COURAGE: Oh I see, you're hungry. Last year that

general of yours ordered you all off roads and across fields so

corn should be trampled flat; I could've got ten florins for a

pair of boots s'pose I'd had boots and s'pose anyone'd been

able to pay ten florins. Thought he'd be well away from that

area this year, he did, but here he is, still there, and hunger is

great. I see what you're angry about.

YOUNG SOLDIER: I won't have it, don't talk to me, it ain't fair

and I'm not standing for that.

MOTHER COURAGE: And you're right; but how long? How

long you not standing for unfairness? One hour, two hours?

Didn't ask yourself that, did you, but it's the whole point,

and why, once you're in irons it's too bad if you suddenly

finds you can put up with unfairness after all.

YOUNG SOLDIER: What am I listening to you for, I'd like to

know? Bouque la Madonne, where's that captain?

MOTHER COURAGE: You been listening to me because you

knows it's like what I say, your anger has gone up in smoke

already, it was just a short one and you needed a long one,

but where you going to get it from?

YOUNG SOLDIER: Are you trying to tell me asking for my re-

ward is wrong?

MOTHER COURAGE: Not a bit. I'm just telling you your anger

ain't long enough, it's good for nowt, pity. If you'd a long

one I'd be trying to prod you on. Cut him up, the swine,

would be my advice to you in that case; but how about if you

don't cut him up cause you feels your tail going between your

legs? Then I'd look silly and captain'd take it out on me.

OLDER SOLDIER: You're perfectly right, he's just a bit crazy.

YOUNG SOLDIER: Very well, let's see if I don't cut him up.

Draws his sword. When he arrives I'm going to cut him up.

THE CLERK looks out: The captain'll be here in one minute. Sit

down.

The young soldier sits down.

MOTHER COURAGE: He's sitting now. See, what did I say?

You're sitting now. Ah, how well they know us, no one need

tell 'em how to go about it. Sit down! and, bingo, we're sit-

ting. And sitting and sedition don't mix. Don't try to stand

up, you won't stand the way you was standing before. I

shouldn't worry about what I think; I'm no better, not one

moment. Bought up all our fighting spirit, they have. Eh?

S'pose I kick back, might be bad for business. Let me tell you

a thing or two about the Grand Capitulation. She sings the

Song of the Grand Capitulation:

Back when I was young, I was brought to realise

What a very special person I must be

(Not just any old cottager's daughter, what with my looks

and my talents and my urge towards Higher Things)

And insisted that my soup should have no hairs in it.

No one makes a sucker out of me!

(All or nothing, only the best is good enough, each man for

himself, nobody's telling me what to do.)

Then I heard a tit

Chirp: Wait a bit!

And you'll be marching with the band

In step, responding to command

And striking up your little dance:

Now we advance.

And now: parade, form square!

Then men swear God's there—

Not the faintest chance!

In no time at all anyone who looked could see

That I'd learned to take my medicine with good grace.

(Two kids on my hands and look at the price of bread, and

things they expect of you!)

When they finally came to feel that they were through

with me

They'd got me grovelling on my face.

(Takes all sorts to make a world, you scratch my back and I'll

scratch yours, no good banging your head against a brick

wall.)

Then I heard that tit

Chirp: Wait a bit!

And you'll be marching with the band

In step, responding to command

And striking up your little dance:

Now they advance.

And now: parade, form square!

Then men swear God's there—

Not the faintest chance!

I've known people tried to storm the summits:

There's no star too bright or seems too far away.

(Dogged does it, where there's a will there's a way, by hook

or by crook.)

As each peak disclosed fresh peaks to come, it's

Strange how much a plain straw hat could weigh.

(You have to cut your coat according to your cloth.)

Then I hear the tit

Chirp: Wait a bit!

And they'll be marching with the band

In step, responding to command

And striking up their little dance:

Now they advance

And now: parade, form square!

Then men swear God's there-

Not the faintest chance!

MOTHER COURAGE to the young soldier: That's why I reckon

you should stay there with your sword drawn if you're truly

set on it and your anger's big enough, because you got

grounds, I agree, but if your anger's a short one best leave

right away.

YOUNG SOLDIER: Oh stuff it. He staggers off with the older

soldier following.

THE CLERK sticks his head out: Captain's here now. You can

make your complaint.

MOTHER COURAGE: I changed me mind. I ain't complaining.

Exit.