Swallows and Amazons Read Free

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    TITTY. They swoop down and peck their heads off.
    Unseen by ROGER, a cormorant has flown down over the boat. It snatches the bread from his hand .
    ROGER. Hey, don’t take my… ( Sees the cormorant .) Ah! Ah!
    JOHN. Keep still, Roger!
    SUSAN. Don’t fuss, Roger!
    ROGER. But… But it got my bread!
    TITTY. Lucky it was only your bread.
    SUSAN. There it goes. Back to its nest.
    JOHN. We’ll have to go back there. Explore the terrain and chart it.
    TITTY. The Island of the Harpies.
    JOHN. Cormorant Island.
    ROGER. I’m never going there! Horrible bird! I’m never ever ever going there.
    SUSAN. It’s just a bird, Roger.
    ROGER. Never ever. Ever.
    JOHN. Here it is! Here’s our island! Look out for a good landing place, everyone!
    TITTY. And look out for barbarians. We don’t know if it’s uninhabited.
    JOHN. I’ll sail all the way round it, so we can choose the best place.
    They start to sail around the island. They all duck as the boom swings .
    ROGER. Rocks ahead!
    JOHN. I’ll come a bit further out. Ready to gybe. Gybe-O!
    SUSAN hauls in the sheet as fast as she can . JOHN puts the helm up . Swallow turns and the boom swings .
    That bay looks like the only place. It’s exposed, but it will have to do. Stand by to take in sail! Lower away!
    SUSAN takes down the sail using the halyard .
    SUSAN. Grab the yard, Roger!
    ROGER does so. They put sail and yard down in the boat .
    TITTY. Rock on the starboard bow!
    JOHN shifts the tiller .
    JOHN. She’s coming in nicely.
    SUSAN. I’ll move to the stern.
    SUSAN moves forward .
    JOHN. Any moment… any moment… Now!
    There is a gentle grumble and a scrunch as Swallow ’s nose meets the pebbly beach . ROGER jumps out first with the painter. He secures it. They all carry something off the boat and put it down on the island .
    ROGER. We’re here!
    Scene Seven
    TITTY. Our own desert island.
    SUSAN. A new continent.
    ROGER. We could be anywhere.
    They begin to explore the island .
    Song – ‘The Conquering Heroes’
    TITTY.
    When Stout Cortez was staring out over the Pacific,
    I wonder what he thought about?
    JOHN.
    He thought about, without a doubt, whether there’d be perch or trout,
    Cortez loved his fishing.
    TITTY ( speaking ). I’m Charles Darwin and I’m looking for giant tortoises.
    JOHN. I’m Blériot flying the Channel.
    SUSAN. I’m Mrs Beeton and I’m looking for wild parsley.
    ROGER. I’m Mowgli and I’m getting suckled by wolves.
    ALL. No, Roger.
    SUSAN ( singing ).
    I am Marco Polo, let me tell you where we are,
    We are on the Silk Road from China to Milan.
    JOHN.
    I’m Christopher Columbus and I’ve just found America.
    SUSAN.
    Christopher, well done, but weren’t you looking for Japan?
    SWALLOWS.
    We are conquering heroes, we are famous explorers,
    We are mighty conquistadors lusting for gold and war,
    Every stream is a river, every tree is is a forest,
    Every rock is a mountain range, new and strange,
    Hereby claimed by the Swallows.
    JOHN is standing in a clearing near the large pine tree. There is a spot in the middle of the space, where the turf has been scraped away and someone has built a primitive fireplace. Next to it is a pile of neat, dry sticks. The others run up .
    JOHN ( speaking ). Look.
    TITTY. Barbarians!
    JOHN. Very clever barbarians. This is an excellent fireplace, and this is a great spot for a camp.
    SUSAN ( looking at the woodpile ). And they’re very well prepared too.
    TITTY. They must be coming back.
    ROGER. Perhaps they’re still here and they’re watching us right now.
    JOHN. We must spread out and search. Every inch of the island. Whistle, or give the secret signal if you find anything.
    ROGER. What’s the secret signal?
    SUSAN. Hoot like an owl.
    ROGER. Oh, yes. Twit-twhoo!
    ( Singing, stealthily .)
    We are conquering heroes, we are famous explorers,
    We are mighty conquistadors lusting for gold