FRIGG If I had a son like Balder now you wouldn't get away with this! LOKI Then it's a good job I arranged for his absence, isn't it! (Loud cries of anger and displeasure) FREYA You've got no self-control! LOKI Neither did you have, that time I found you riding on your own brother's pole. TYR Don't mock Freya and Frey, Loki! LOKI Who's going to stop me? You, with your one hand that does for eating and for wiping your arse? TYR In your case the shit comes out of the mouth! Frey is the best and bravest of men! LOKI That hand of yours, Tyr - do you remember how the wolf snapped it off? FREY Yes, and now Fenrir is bound for all eternity. And if you aren't very careful you're going to find yourself tied up and wriggling about too, like your son. LOKI Says the man who sold his own sword for the right to make a hole in Gerd the Giant's daughter! Listen to me:on the day the sons of Muspell come heading this way through Morkved Forest Frey will find himself without a weapon to his name! HEIMDALL That's enough. You're drunk. (to Odin) Why don't we throw him out? SIV (steps forward with another drink for Loki. Tries to smile at him) Because this is a holy place, a sanctuary. We have sworn to Aegir to keep the peace. Don't you see - he's trying to get us to break our word. LOKI (takes the mug) Siv with the lovely golden tresses…(he plays with her hair) Remember what fun we had? That time Thor was away… THOR (has been struggling for a long time to contain himself, but now takes a firm hold of Loki's neck) Just don't push me too far! One more word from you, creep, and I'll break you in two like a rotten twig! LOKI Rotten twig yourself! Remember how scared you were that time in Utgard, when we sheltered for the night in a giant's glove? ! THOR (holding Loki by the neck with one hand and swinging Miolnir with the other) I'll knock your head off! SIGYN (hitting Thor with both hands) Let him go, you beast! Let go of my Loki! ODIN (weary) Let him go! (Thor lets him go and Loki falls down. He rubs his neck. ) SIGYN (Going to Loki) Does it hurt? Was he rough with you? But why did you say such horrible things? LOKI (shoves her aside and gets up) The first time they drove me off. This time I'm going - (he looks at Odin) - of my own free will…(to all) I've said what I wanted to say. And now we all know where we stand. (He leaves) THOR I'll get you next time . LOKI (stops, turns slowly) And to Aegir I say this:never again will you host a feast, either for Aesir or Giants. Before long now the fire will claim all you call yours! (turns and hurries out) (Music as the stage is emptied. ODIN and MIMIR'S HEAD remain) ODIN I didn't know what to do. MIMIR'S HEAD There was nothing you could have done… ODIN Is this the beginning of the end? MIMIR'S HEAD Far from it. ODIN Far from it? MIMIR'S HEAD Night and day give birth to one another. Every departure is a homecoming. Everything is joined together in an endless chain of connection. ODIN You mean, that things have been going on for a long, long time? MIMIR'S HEAD Have you forgotten that death begins in the womb? ODIN But how could I have been so wrong about someone? MIMIR'S HEAD All are capable of great error… (SIGYN crosses the stage in front of them, singing, lost in her own thoughts) SIGYN (singing) They say love is blind but what I say is, Loki is mine. ODIN (to Mimir) And now he's laughing at me? MIMIR'S HEAD (to Odin)Now he's laughing at us. SIGYN (singing) Should one love only those who deserve love's rose? In a world where love's only for deserving cases, of true love there would be the faintest of traces ODIN (to Mimir) But what he said about Balder? Do you think that was true? MIMIR'S HEAD (to Odin) What do you think? SIGYN They say love is blind but what I say is, Loki is mine. (She leaves) (from another direction enter THOR, TYR, HEIMDALL, BRAGI & FREY. They carry shields and weapons) THOR (To Odin) What's it to be? HEIMDALL (to Odin) What are we going to do about him? ODIN (appealing to the audience) Everybody turns to me, expects me to decide for them. To choose for them. But who do I have to turn to? Not even Mimir dares to cut clean lines and place each stone exactly where it belongs! Everybody…Everybody expects me - the one-eyed - (turns to the five gods)- to see for us all! TYR Have you made up your mind? ODIN It looks as though the five of you know what you're going to do? BRAGI We're waiting for you! FREY But we think it's urgent! ODIN So that's what you think? And why is it so urgent? BRAGI (Lowers his gaze) We don't know. It's just a feeling we have… FREY Everyone feels it! BRAGI (looks up and meets Odin's gaze. Quietly and carefully:) It's all people talk about… ODIN Then away you go, and find him for me! THOR Do I at last have your permission to do what I have always wanted to - and break his skull in two? ODIN (shakes his head) Loki must be taken alive. (turns away from them and pushes the column with Mimir's head off the stage. Thriller music as the five gods split up and conduct a search for Loki in and around the stage. HUGIN & MUNIN appear among the audience) HUGIN (directly after Odin's line) Ca-aa-aaw! (stands up, flapping his arms) The gods searched high and low, in and out, up and down, home and away! MUNIN (he too stands up and flaps) Ca-aa-aaaaw! And we flew here and there, back and forth! THOR Just wait till I get my grabs on him! BRAGI (calls)Loki! Yoo-hoo! (Now we see that Loki is up on high on the little platform he used in the scene with the World Serpent. LOKI (to the public) But Loki was well-hidden. He made his way to a high mountain. And he built himself a house there, with four doors, so that he could see equally well in all directions! HUGIN There was a waterfall close by. MUNIN Frananger Falls. HUGIN Often he would turn himself into a salmon and hide in the rapids. LOKI (with large, slow swimming-motions) I swim against the stream. It's heavy going. Slow. But I have gills and fins. I breath underwater. Scales on my stomach and breast. I flip my tail sometimes and jump way high into the air! MUNIN He wondered what would happen if the Aesir found him! HUGIN He wondered how they would try to trap him! LOKI (still swimming) First they have to find me! MUNIN Cra-aa-aaaw! (Meanwhile, more and more gods have entered, to join the search for Loki. Mutter to each other:'Have you see him? ' 'No' 'Not a whisker' ' Where do you think he might be? ' 'Not here! ' 'Not here either! ' etc etc) LOKI (without a break) And they'll never find me! (swims steadily on, while the platform is slowly lowered to the ground. AT THE SAME TIME: Odin, seated on his High Seat, is carried in by four strong Aesir) ODIN (straight after Loki's line) But Loki was wrong. For when I sit in Lidskjalv - THE FOUR BEARERS (interrupt, in unison) - you can see across the whole world! ODIN I see - THE FOUR BEARERS Asgard. ODIN I see - THE FOUR Midgard. ODIN I see all the way to Jotunheim! THE FOUR Everything! ODIN Every moving thing in each of the three worlds! (The others have ceased their searching and gathered round Odin) THOR (calls) Where is he? ODIN There! (points to Loki who is by now on the stage floor, though still 'swimming' slowly and powerfully) ALL THE GODS (in unison) Ha! (The gods now 'walk' towards Loki, a battalion in slow motion, almost walking on the spot to create an illusion of speed and movement. As they begin their 'advance', Loki ceases his 'swimming') LOKI (without a break) I was sitting at home, playing with bits of thread. I tied them together into a fine mesh, as one makes a net. And then I saw them! (gets up) They came in a great crowd. Though they were still a long way off I had no time to lose. I threw the net into the fire! Then I made myself slippery and wriggly and jumped into the waterfall again! (he 'swims' across the stage, swimming in the direction of the Aesir. He slips unseen between the ranks of the Aesir. Now they have reached the little platform…) HEIMDALL He isn't here! TYR The wretch has run off! BRAGI The bird has flown! FREYA (pointing down) Unless it's a sea-creature we ought to be looking for! See here! TYR (bends forward) There's a pattern in the ashes…he's burnt a fishing-net! FREY He's was so taken up with his own thoughts that… FREYA (interrupts) That he didn't realise he was telling us what it is he's most afraid of! And telling us who he is! (LOKI jumps in the air in fright) BRAGI (pointing) Did you see that fish jumping in the rapids! THOR (roars)It's Loki. (LOKI hops again) BRAGI There's another jump! FREYA And I know where we can get hold of the strongest and best fishing net there is… (THOR tries in vain to grab the 'fish', but stumbles and falls) THOR He wriggles away! The slimy sod! BRAGI (to Freya) You mean Ran's net? That woman? There's no way she'd ever let us borrow it! FREYA But if we get the Thunder god to ask for us? I'll bet she says yes then. She wouldn't dare do otherwise! (calls seductively) Thor…come here a moment. (Thor is continuing his wild chase after Loki. He stops immediately on hearing Freya) THOR (to the audience) So I went - once again I made my way to Aegir's island. RAN (appears - her lines are end to end with Thor's) Quite out of the question! THOR (Growls angrily) RAN (stamps her foot) Quite out of the question! THOR (roars. At the same time sound effects of thunder and lightning over the loudspeakers) RAN (terrified) Quite into the question! (she tosses an invisible fishing net to him and runs off) THOR ('picks it up' and says to the audience:) I was given a god reception there, and Ran at once gave me the loan of her bloodstained net. (holding one hand high in the air he turns towards the Aesir) See? (The Aesir gather round him. They stretch out the net. Thor takes one end, all the other Aesir take the other. Loki has swum a long way off. He looks anxiously in their direction, flexes his tail, snaps for air, bucks and jumps slightly… The Aesir approach him. Loki swims under the net. Cries of disappointment from the Aesir. AT THE SAME TIME: SIGYN and two young boys, VALI & NARI, kneel before Odin, who is still seated on Lidskjalv, held aloft by the four strong carriers) SIGYN Spare Loki! I beg you on bended knees - spare him! ODIN (gently) It's too late, Sigyn. SIGYN You don't want to! ODIN I would, if I had been able. SIGYN (wildly) Save him! (she collapses) (Again the Aesir approach Loki with the net. This time he jumps high over the top of it. He laughs at them, and there are further cries of disappointment from the Aesir) SIGYN (lifts her head) Then at least have the heart not to force his sons to take part in the capture of their own father! (she lays a hand on each of them) Don't force our children - don't force Nari and Vali to join the hunt for him… ODIN (gently) Sigyn - you should have chosen someone else . You should never have loved Loki. SIGYN Can the heart choose? Can one decide whom one is to love? (AT THE SAME TIME: Thor has reorganised the hunt, gesticulating and growling. Now the Aesir have divided themselves in two groups, each holding one end of the net while Thor 'wades' upstream in front of them. ) THOR This time you won't get away! LOKI (to the audience) They get closer. There's nowhere for me to hide. I retreat. But the water's getting shallower and shallower. Soon they'll be able to see me with the naked eye! I must - I must make one more effort to jump over that damn net. I gather speed. Dive. And then up, and I jump - THOR There. Got you! (he has hold of both Loki's legs. Loki falls forward, juddering and shaking) FREYA (shouts)Don't lose him! THOR I've got his tail! LOKI (shouts)Let go! ODIN Not for anything in this world! (to the others) But he's as slippery as a mossy rock on a rainy day! FREYA (with ritualistic arm-gestures, to the accompaniment of magic music) Because the Thunder god holds you by your tail and has squeezed you there let the salmon be henceforth always narrow at the tail. You, who have hidden yourself inside a fish's skin, I bid you come forth! Be as you were! (at once they have a whimpering Loki in front of them) Have you forgotten that it was I who, a long long time ago now, taught you all the tricks and magic you know? Now Freya regrets that she ever wasted her time on you. Loki, son of Lauvey, son of Farbauti - you are not worthy to possess such powers! (she turns to Odin) What shall we do with him? ODIN Whatever is necessary! (indicates to the bearers that they are to carry him out, and leaves the stage) (HUGIN & MUGIN appear in the audience where, as usual, they have been sitting. We see what happens as they relate the following events) HUGIN Sigyn, for once, stands as though fettered, her arms outstretched towards Loki. MUNIN But the two boys, Vale and Nare, try to come to the rescue of their father. HUGIN The Aesir easily prevent them and hold them fast. THOR Ow. That little cub bit me! BRAGIR Look at his teeth. They're growing! (VALI growls and snaps) HEIMDALL (tears Vali's shirt off) There's hair growing on his back! TYR He's turning himself into a wolf! FREYA Let him go. Let them both go! (The Aesir release both Vali and Nari, but form a ring round them. As far as this is practically possible Vali has by now changed into a fully grown wolf. He snaps and snarls at the Aesir, who back away but do not break the circle) MUNIN But who knows what strange winds blow through the heart of a wolf? Who knows the dark thoughts that run in his blood? BRAGI He's attacking his own brother! HUGIN Transformed now into a wolf Vali hurls himself at Nari's throat! LOKI No! Stop! That isn't correct! MUNIN And bites him to death! FREYA Let him go! (The Aesir open the ring and VALI runs out, howling like a wolf. Blood runs from his lips) SIGYN My child! (she begins to run to him, but one of the Aesir stops her. Vali snaps at his mother) FREYA Limp away to Jotunheim, you scabby greyshanks. Go, seek the desolate wastelands. The day will come when you will regret most bitterly what you have done - but forgetfulness will never be yours! Run! (Vali exits howling) (In the meantime SIGYN has broken loose and has managed to reach Loki's side. They stand there, clinging to one another) LOKI Can you forgive me for all the wrong I've done you? SIGYN I'll never let you go! (The Aesir part them brutally. Thor holds Loki as Tyr and Frey truss him up like a pig) HUGIN They tie him up. MUNIN They tie him up tightly! HUGIN What sort of rope is that they're using? MUNIN What is that blood-soaked twine they're twisting round his ankles and wrists? (We see now that the twine appears to be unravelled from the body of the dead Nari! ) TYR We're tieing you up with your own son's guts! FREY And may you never break loose from this bondage! (They don't need any more 'rope'. THOR lets go of Loki and taking hold of the intestine at the point where it emerges from the corpse rips it off with his bare hands) THOR There we are! (Two other Aesir take hold of Nari's legs and drag him off. He leaves a bloody trail behind him. We see clearly now that his stomach is open…) LOKI Any second! Any moment now the earth will open and the dead will come to my rescue! Hel! Hel! (The Aesir lead Loki over to the platform almost in procession. Music. Hugin and Munin come down onto the stage and participate) LOKI Any second! Any moment now the World Serpent will cast himself up on land and blow out all life the way we blow out a wax candle! Jormungand! (The Aesir place Loki on the platform. They lay him on his back across three rocks and bind him firmly to them) LOKI Any second! Any moment now the wolf will break free and howl around the world with jaws agape and foaming like clouds! Fenrir will find me! Free me! Fenrir! (One of the women - SKADI - walks up with a wriggling snake. She holds it in front of Loki's face) LOKI (Whimpering) Take that away! (SKADI laughs at him) SIGYN You can't do this to him! SKADI Oh yes we can! LOKI (afraid) It's poisonous! It's a viper! SKADI (Laughs, dangles the snake) Indeed it is! SIGYN (clutching at a straw) Freya! FREYA Do you really love him that much? SIGYN I have never loved another. FREYA And you choose to stay with him - even now? SIGYN Where else should I be? FREYA Then take this. (One of the other women hands Freya a large wash-bowl. She hands it on to Sigyn) LOKI Sigyn! Quickly! ( He is by now securely trussed to the three boulders. All the others stand aside as Skadi hangs the snake up directly above Loki's terrified face. ) SIGYN I'm coming, my Loki! (She mounts the platform and holds the bowl between Loki and the snake. We hear clearly, through the loudspeakers, the dripping of poison into the bowl) FREYA The knots are such that they cannot be undone before the time I have ordained for them. When that time comes they will undo themselves. (she turns and leaves the stage) (The Aesir pull on a thick rope and raise the platform slowly into the air. Higher and higher. We hear the drip of poison into the dish) LOKI (shouts) Hel! Jormungand! Fenrir! (When the bowl is full, SIGYN must empty it. Then poison drips directly onto Loki's face. He howls! Awful sobs are heard through the loudspeakers. Then Sigyn returns and resumes her place) LOKI (in despair) My children - why have you forsaken me? (The platform is raised still higher. Again the bowl is full, and as Sigyn empties it over the side a drip lands between Loki's eyes and he howls again. Again, deep, sobbing rumbles are heard through the loudspeakers, sounds almost like an earthquake. Drifting smoke-clouds obscure the two on the platform. Lights out on them. Lights out on all the others. All leave the stage. All we can hear in the dark:the dripping of the poison into Sigyn's bowl) (Crossfade the sound of the dripping into the chorus of the NORNS. Lights up on WEIRED, VERDANDI and SKULD. They wear long robes and each carries a wooden bowl of water. Dipping their fingers into the bowls they spray water to left and right. They cross the stage and leave again, as ever in complete composure. ODIN makes his entry with them, but remains standing in the middle of the stage) NORNS (rhythmically in chorus) In signs and in pictures our message we bring: three roots has Yggdrasil, evergreen tree, and at each of these roots, a spring. The first spring is here, it's blue and clear. ODIN (to the audience) They don't speak in pictures - they speak in riddles! NORNS We are past. Present. And future. (singing) We are the Norns, three women, who spin a thread each time someone is born. We wander the world, spinning and spinning, where luck is born and where luck runs out, it's fate that we're making, the losing and winning, we're Weird, Verdandi and Skuld. (singing) ODIN (to the audience as he covers his ears) I can't bear to listen to them anymore. Their words pierce my ears and my thoughts claw like rats in my heart. I've had enough ! NORNS (rhythmically in chorus) Who can understand Yggdrasil? Yggdrasil is the world Who can understand the world? We are the Norns - guardians of the tree. (they leave the stage) ODIN (stares after them a long while, takes his hands from his ears and says wearily:) This is the end of the world! And I am the only one who is trying to do something about it … (An actor costumed as a YELLOW-COMBED ROOSTER runs on suddenly. He crows at the top of his voice. At the same time:from another quarter, a DARK-BROWN ROOSTER enters crowing. At the same time:from another quarter a RED ROOSTER struts on, crowing himself hoarse. The three ROOSTERS each stand on one leg, each in his own part of the stage, and crow and cluck, stretch their necks and flap their wings. AT THE SAME TIME:Hugin and Mugin wheel on MIMIR'S HEAD) MIMIR'S HEAD The three cocks are crowing! ODIN Tell me something I didn't know! MIMIR'S HEAD Where would you like me to begin? ODIN (ruffles Mimir's hair irritably) You aren't supposed to make sense when you speak! HUGIN (to the audience) Because it is prophesied, and it is written, that before the end comes, before the last trace of power vanishes from the last thing, the Yellow rooster of the Aesir shall crow. MUNIN As shall the brown rooster down in Hel's land. And the red rooster in the land of the Giants. All at once! HUGIN (as he points at each of the three in turn) Listen to them! ODIN Mimir! I found you with your head cut off out in the fields. I anointed your forehead and chin, I washed the death from your eyes with precious herbs so that you might always be with me, so that you would always be on hand to guide me! MIMIR'S HEAD I doubt whether I can advise anyone any longer. Least of all you. ODIN (shouts) Most of all me! MIMIR'S HEAD Odin - you have told the story well. You have told it in a way that has touched and changed us all. I am not the Mimir I was when you began to tell it. Neither Hugin nor Munin are the same as they once were. And you yourself are no longer the same Odin . ODIN I have told all I know. The story up to now. But this…this is now! MIMIR'S HEAD (nods) Yes, my friend. This is now. ODIN And the story goes on! MIMIR'S HEAD And yet you don't know where it's going? (A woman dances on. From the dress she is wearing coloured ribbons stream out as she dances like a rainbow around her. She taps lightly on a hand-drum. She is a SIBYL, a seeress. Now she dances herself into a sort of trance…) ODIN (points to the Sibyl, his line coming right after Mimir's) I have summoned up a sibyl. The best there is. For even among humans there are women who see better, more clearly than other living creatures… MIMIR'S HEAD Must you always know what lies ahead of us? ODIN It gives me time to think. MIMIR'S HEAD Can you not content yourself with one day at a time?