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The Treasure and a Tale

Libretto by Edward Lambert

Prologue

GLEEMAN
I am a Gleeman!

With telling voice we will make music

and sing before this mighty throng:

the sound of story and harp shall ring out,

so that all may hear the splendours of song!

As a minstrel I have wandered the world,

as Fate decreed, since time began:

from north to south, from east to west,

I always find princes eager their praises be sung,

for rhymes are renowned after heroes have died.

And once I came to the feast of a king

to honour the years of his reign:

of Woden's dynasty, the High King Redwald, Lord of East Anglia,

united in glory the kingdoms of England.

I sang to stir the hearts and the minds

of those in the mead-hall gathered to hear me

tell of brave deeds and valiant heroes.

And so I was with Hrothgar, at Heorot I was, and with Beowulf.

I lived then, many centuries ago, yet I am still alive...

Scene One

In the Great Hall, Hrothgar and his Thanes are awaiting the arrival of Beowulf.

STORYTELLERS

Hrothgar, king of the country, won honour in war,

glory in battle, so he erected a feasting hall,

tall and wide, and called it Heorot.

Splendid the hall is, lofty and noble.

Those warrior Danes lived joyful lives

until hell’s fiend committed dread deeds...

THANES

A monster torments us,

grotesque he is, greater than a giant,

called Grendel, this gruesome creature,

lives in a lair...

STORY TELLERS

...under cover of night, he came to Hrothgar's hall,

found there a band of brave warriors asleep.

The horror surprised them:

swiftly that monster killed thirty noble thanes,

took them to his lair.

A great lament was lifted;

the king and his court were convulsed with grief

when they heard of the death of their dearest retainers.

THANES

There has been no respite

from Grendel's many raids!

STORY TELLERS

Thus, he rules; this hall Heorot,

best of all buildings, stands deserted

when the sun goes down.

The cruel monster threatens all,

young and old alike,

death's dark shadow lurks in ambush.

Strong men try in vain to guard against attack.

THANES

Beowulf the Brave

has been told of Grendel's crimes:

the strongest man alive,

noble and powerful, prince of the Swedes.

Beowulf's strength will crush the evil giant.

May the gods speed him here,

guide him safely to these shores.

[Beowulf and his troop enter]

BEOWULF

Greetings, Hrothgar!

Word of Grendel's deeds has reached me.

I have come to purge your country

or lay down my life.

HROTHGAR

It fills me with anguish to reflect on all the pain

caused by Grendel's attacks.

Beowulf, my friend!

You have come here to rid us of this demon

for seafarers say that in the grasp of his hand

Beowulf in battle has the might of thirty men.

Take and guard this greatest of halls:

the gods have directed you to us.

BEOWULF

Fate will spare an undoomed man,

unless his courage fails him.

I shall grapple with this fiend

and we shall fight to the death!

STORY TELLERS

... but not one of those present

thought to see dawn,

or ever return to his home!

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Interlude 1

June 1939. In the countryside near Woodbridge in Suffolk, a group of children are attracted to some activity in a field.

HENRY (looking over a gate)

What’s going on there?

NEVILLE

It’s a big hole they’re digging!

WINNIE

That’s Mr Brown! Mr Basil Brown - we know him.

JOAN

Who is he?

WINNIE
Friend of the family. Local gentleman, born near here. Now works for the museum in Ipswich, something to do with history. An ologist...

FRANK

How come girls always know everything?

HENRY

Archaeologist?

WINNIE

...Archaeologist - that’s it. He’s an expert on soil.

NEVILLE

What is there to know about soil, for heaven’s sake. It’s just soil, isn’t it?

HENRY

But they find things in it sometimes.

JOAN

Buried treasure!

WINNIE
Well, maybe, you never know.

FRANK

Is that what these mounds have inside them - buried treasure? Gosh, they’d be an awful lot inside, they’re pretty big mounds!

EDITH

That’s it! Mrs Pretty - she’s the lady who lives at the big house. This must be part of her estate. Sutton Hoo it’s called.

HENRY

How do you know that?

EDITH

My mum worked for her for a while. Her and the Colonel when he was alive. They got servants, used to anyway. Yes - that’s her gardener, Mr Jacobs, with the shovel. Look!

NEVILLE

Well, are we going to stand here all day, or what?

JOAN

Well, if they find buried treasure, I’m going to make sure I know about it!

WINNIE
It’ll be rubbish, more likely!

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Scene Two

Outside the Great Hall, later by a lake in the mountains.

STORYTELLERS

Then the night prowler came striding through the shadows,

a horrible light like a lurid flame,

flickered in the eyes of the fiend.

He journeyed to Heorot; its doors burst open;

he hungrily seized a sleeping warrior,

drank his life blood devoured the man.

Then Grendel stepped forward,

grasped the valiant Beowulf,

instantly realised that he had met his match.

He was seized with terror Beowulf held him fast;

Grendel had woven a secret spell

which rendered him impervious to every kind of weapon wound,

but he soon discovered that his strength could not save him.

The building rang with blows,

dread seized all who heard the shrieking,

even proud warriors were stricken with panic

hearing hell's demon in agony there.

The horrible monster suffered grievous pain;

fatally harmed, Grendel made off,

aware that he was finished.

Beowulf rejoiced: he had the giant's grasp in his own.

THANES

(Admiring Grendel’s severed arm which Beowulf is holding)

Nails of steel! Claws like pincers!

STORYTELLER

Yet while they rejoiced

an avenger still thrived,

survived after Grendel's mortal combat.

A she-monster, mournful and ravenous,

resolved to revenge her devil mate.

STORYTELLERS

So Beowulf the Great left Heorot far behind,

journeyed through the perils of night.

He came to a precipice:

a lake lay beneath.

The water boiled with blood;

they saw many monsters, sea dragons swimming.

Beowulf took the sword which his father had bequeathed to him,

the finest of heirlooms, so he was not afraid.

She who was guarding the entrance to the lake,

seething and ravenous, sensed that some one had approached her lair.

She grasped him, clutched him in her ghastly jaws,

down she swam and dived to the depths.

But Beowulf whirled his blade,

swung his arm with all his strength,

slashed the monster's neck,

severed the head with his gleaming sword.

THANES

We waited anxiously, saw the water swell,

the waves stained with blood;

then we despaired of seeing our brave thane again

so we left that dreadful place,

mournful and hopeless.

STORYTELLERS

But the fearless leader swam to the shore;

the angry water soon be came calm.

Day broke; Beowulf carried the heads of both the monsters!

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Interlude 2

June 1939. Sutton Hoo, as before. There is now heightened activity at the site.

JOAN

See, told you. Must be buried treasure. Why else would there be so many people here?

NEVILLE

There’s reporters. And a policeman - look!

EDITH

PC Ling, he is!

FRANK

Keep your heads down!

HENRY

Look how big the hole is now - as big as a ship!

WINNIE
Well, I heard that’s just what they found - a rotten ship.

JOAN

What good’s a rotten ship to anyone?

NEVILLE

Don’t be silly! How could you get a ship here? We’re in the middle of the countryside, on high ground for heaven’s sake. Any fool knows you couldn’t get a ship up here!

HENRY

Yeah, good point! - the river’s a mile away!

WINNIE
Well, the Vikings had ships. Haven’t you learnt about them? And they buried them in the ground when they’d finished with them.

FRANK

What on earth’s the point of that?

WINNIE

Maybe they sort of wanted to bury things they were fond of. Like we bury people when they’re dead.

EDITH

And I bet I know something else you don’t know. Mrs Pretty saw figures here, ghosts standing on this mound. That’s why she had it dug up. At least, that’s what I heard.

JOAN

It’s like a horror movie!

NEVILLE

Those cars. Where do you think they’re all from?

FRANK

London. Looks like they’re important people to me.

WINNIE
Well, my dad says people are coming from the Science Museum and Cambridge University...

JOAN

Told you - buried treasure! Must be worth a mint!

NEVILLE

Look, they’re carting away those grocery boxes!

HENRY

Let’s see where they take them!

FRANK

Watch out - the copper’s going with them!

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Scene Three

In the Great Hall a banquet has been laid, and the Thanes enter ceremoniously

STORYTELLERS

Hearing the news, proud-hearted warriors went to the hall,

the king himself, glorious Hrothgar,

came from his quarters with many great men

escorting his queen and her retinue of maidens.

Orders were given that Heorot be adorned;

tapestries, worked in gold, glittered on the walls.

The splendid warriors sat on the benches,

Heorot was packed with feasters who were friends.

HROTHGAR

This finest of buildings stood stained with battle blood,

a source of sorrow to my counsellors, and me:

We all despaired of regaining this hall,

of guarding it from foes, from devils and from demons.

I who tell you this am many winters old.

Now, Beowulf, I love you like a son,

for you have succeeded in ending our afflictions.

You shall lack no riches, henceforth, which I command.

And may the gods grant you good fortune,

as they have always done before!

THANES

Let us at once give thanks to the gods.

We did not dare hope that our torments would end:

one warrior alone has succeeded where we failed:

Now, Beowulf, the bravest of men,

you have ensured that your glorious name will endure for evermore!

STORYTELLERS

Then Hrothgar gave Beowulf the finest of swords;

on which was engraved the origins of strife in time immemorial;

the name of its owner was written in runes

on the swordhilt of purest gold.

Then as everyone listened, the Queen spoke to Hrothgar:

QUEEN

Accept this cup, my loved lord,

and learn to live with joy again.

HROTHGAR

I take this cup, my loved queen,

for I can live with joy again.

STORYTELLERS

Then the queen went to the bench where Beowulf sat.

To him she carried the cup,

presented gold jewelry, exquisite ornaments.

Applause echoed in the hall.

QUEEN

May you, Beowulf, beloved youth,

enjoy these treasures of the people;

may you always prosper;

win renown through courage.

You have ensured that men will sing your praises,

even to the ends of the world.

STORYTELLERS

This was the best of banquets,

men drank their fill of wine...

(cries of “speech!”)

BEOWULF

It is marvellous that the mighty gods

give mankind such happiness.

Life is untroubled, pleasant and prosperous,

until man nurtures the seed of arrogance,

acquires ambition in earthly matters.

What had contented him now seems worthless,

he becomes embittered, forgets his destiny.

Soon man must die, in battle or in bed,

so remember what is worthwhile and true:

enjoy the feast and treasures while you may!

(everyone dances)

GLEEMAN

Then the warriors were filled with joy, they laughed with contentment.

I, who brim with poetry, composed a new song,

sang of Beowulf’s feat, told a fitting tale...

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Interlude 3

August 1939. In the village.

NEVILLE

So what does it say? Read it out!

HENRY

Some people expect war with Germany to break out any day now.

EDITH

Not that! The bit about Sutton Hoo!

HENRY

Treasure Unearthed’ - that’s the headline.

JOAN

Told you! Buried treasure!

FRANK

Oh do shut up! Listen...

HENRY

‘...Monday 14 August 1939...’

WINNIE

That’s yesterday...

HENRY

‘...In a former Army hut, now a village hall not far from Woodbridge in Suffolk, lies one of the most important archaeological discoveries ever made. Most of the priceless treasure - of gold and silver - is on display here under the watchful gaze of the local constabulary, for this is where the Treasure Trove Inquest is being held to determine the question: “whom does this treasure belong to? The Crown? Those who found it? Or the landowner, a certain Mrs Pretty? The jury of fourteen local people...”’ So it goes on.

JOAN

Don’t get it. I thought you had an inquest when somebody died in mysterious circumstances.

EDITH

I suppose this is connected with death.

NEVILLE

Why, did they find a body?

WINNIE

Mr Brown said not, but they think that somebody must have been buried in there once upon a time. Or the body could have been cremated and his ashes scattered in the ship.

FRANK

So it was a ship!

HENRY

Yes - look it says here: ‘’What they found, of course, was only the shadow of a boat. It had left traces in the soil; the timbers had long since gone, but it was as if the ghost of the ship remained’.

EDITH

The ghost of a ship! Told you there were ghosts!

NEVILLE

Creepy!

JOAN

Amazing!

HENRY

Anyway, it says the chap in the ship must have been a very important king.

FRANK

Just think! This place might once have been a royal palace.

WINNIE

And it’s true! - the ship was hauled all the way up from the river and then covered with a huge mound of earth.

EDITH

So they’re going to decide today who gets the booty?

JOAN

I think it should belong to the country really. Feel it sort of belongs to everyone if it can’t belong to me, that is.

EDITH

But nobody would have found it if it wasn’t for Mrs Pretty.

NEVILLE