THE DAMASK DRUM: DECEPTION AND OBSESSION

This is the story I made (in a script form) , like two years ago, out of my interpretation of a traditional work of fiction, "THE DAMASK DRUM," presented to us by our English II teacher.

THE DAMASK DRUM

             Once there was an old gardener who used to visit the laurel tree beside the nearby lake every day.

            One morning, a princess from a faraway castle managed to come and bathe with the shallow waters of the lake.

Courtier:            Aren’t you done yet, princess?

Princess:          The Lake’s waters are so lovely and skin-friendly that I would like to stay here for long.

Courtier:            But, the king maybe waits for you in the castle. It’s almost lunchtime.

Princess:          Well (stands in the water) I think I could come here again tomorrow.

            The princess stood on the dry land, dressed and dried herself under the heat of the gleaming sun.

            The gardener managed to visit the laurel tree again. He saw the princess but mistakes her for an enchantress, but seeing the courtier with the princess, he realized that what he’s seeing is a princess. He looked at the princess thoroughly and felt something in his heart that made him too shy to come closer.

            Meanwhile, the princess left with the courtier and off they went to the castle.

            This happened every day and the gardener would do the same - hide and watch for the princess. Later, he realized that he’s secretly falling in love with the princess.

            One time, the courtier managed to bump with him by the laurel tree.

Courtier:            Commoner! Just what are you doing here in the royal bathing place of the princess?

Gardener:          Excuse me… Ugh... I was just… looking at the beautiful princess.

Courtier:            (shocked) you’re a pervert! You’re taking your time watching the princess as she reveals her body as she bathes! The princess must know about this…

Gardener:          Wait… I’m not a pervert! I’m a gardener…

Courtier:            No more reasons! Explain this to the princess.

            The courtier hurried to the princess…

Courtier:            Princess! You must be wary that there is an old gardener who was watching you all along as you bathe.

Princess:          What? An old gardener was watching me all the time? It’s my wish to see him now…

Courtier:            (bows his head deeply) your wish is my command princess.

            The courtier went to where the gardener is…

Courtier:            Commoner, the princess wish to see you now.

Gardener:          The… the princess wishes to see me now?

            The gardener couldn’t believe what the courtier said " “the princess wish to see you now.”

Gardener:          Impossible! How come a princess would like to see an old gardener?

Courtier:            I don’t know but it is her wish, commoner " to see you now.

            The gardener and the courtier went together to the princess.

Princess:          The courtier told me that you (points the gardener) are watching me all along, Gardener.

Gardener:          Yes, your highness.

Princess:          What’s your purpose for doing that so?

Gardener:          I just love watching over you since the first day I saw you, princess.

Princess:          My question is “WHY?”

Gardener:          I kind of feel my heart beating fast every time I see you princess, maybe because, I love you.

            The princess was shocked, but feeling so high, she smiled devilishly…

Princess:          Hmmm, so that’s it? Well, I have just the perfect order for you… Climb the high laurel tree and take the drum made out of damask. Beat it and make sure that I’d hear its sound from the castle beyond your borders and I’ll come to you and I’ll marry you. But if you fail, you will never hear my voice again.

Gardener:          (delighted) yes… yes, princess! I’ll beat the drum for you princess.

            The princess and the courtier started to walk towards the castle together.

            When they are far enough from the gardener…

Courtier:            The gardener must have been fooled, princess. He doesn’t know that the damask drum stuck on the laurel tree never made a sound even once.

Princess:          Yeah, that’s why I’m giving him that impossible to overcome challenge… to give him a lesson " that royal beings are not just normal persons.

            Night falls…

            The gardener who was lying beside the laurel tree managed to get a stick and tried to beat it with the damask drum. Though doing so, there was no sound. It’s absolutely not clear to him that damasks are made not to make sounds. He kept on beating and beating until morning but still, there was no sound.

            The princess came to bathe in the lake again. The courtier was there too, but was relaxing under the shade of another tree.

            The gardener saw them and felt happy.

Gardener:          Princess! Princess!

            The princess heard the gardener’s call but still pretended to hear nothing but chirps of birds and swaying breezes. It was also heard by the courtier and wondered for a while…

Courtier:            (whispers to his self) I’m pretty sure that the princess heard the gardener’s call, but… (Mentally awakened) ahh… I see, I almost forgot what the princess said yesterday, “- if you fail, you will never hear my voice again”

            Meanwhile, the gardener wondered to his self…

Gardener:          My voice was loud enough, I’m pretty sure that she heard my call, but why didn’t she responded or replied?

            The gardener didn’t know the answer. So, he came closer to the princess and sung beside her a courtship song of old times. He still observed the princess and she seemed like she don’t have any interest with the gardener’s presence.

            Later, the princess came out of the water already dressed and started moving towards the castle without the courtier. Still, the gardener was snubbed.

            When the princess was far enough, the courtier appeared from behind and while passing by the gardener…

Courtier:            “Climb the high laurel tree and take the drum made out of damask. Beat it and make sure that I’d hear its sound from the castle beyond your borders and I’ll come to you and I’ll marry you. But if you fail, you will never hear my voice again”

            Obviously, he repeated what the princess ordered the gardener a day ago then he relaxed under the laurel tree. The gardener also had the idea that he can never talk with the princess once again if he isn’t able to make a sound out of beating the damask drum.

            But knowing that it’s impossible for him to make a sound out of the beating of the damask drum, he lost hope.

Gardener:          (shouts) why do you have to punish me like this, princess?

            The courtier upon hearing everything smiled " entertained by the gardener’s foolishness.

            Later, the gardener cried and it caught the attention of the courtier more that it watched him as he smiled.

            Unexpectedly, the gardener immediately jumped at the lake and unknowingly, a sharp " tipped rock hit his head that caused his death.

            Just who is to blame for the gardener’s death, the princess, or he himself?

Later, his body submerged deeper in the water and dark smoke rose from the waters below and formed the face of the gardener who passed away just a little while ago.

            The courtier saw all of these and was scared. He ran to the castle while the smoke deformed and followed him. The princess and the guest commoners in the castle were surprised to see the courtier paling as he was sighing heavily while the smoke managed to get inside the princess through her ears, eyes and nose. She faced the crowd with her dark " glowed eyes and now, the gardener’s spirit speaks through her.

Princess:          (murderous voice) oh, my dear people. Hear it loud and clear. The sound of the drum! The sound of the joyful damask drum! Excellently played!

Courtier:            You’re highness! You sound like being you’re being possessed!

Princess:          (regained consciousness) (breathes heavily) the gardener’s spirit seeks revenge against me! What do you think? Am I the one responsible for his death?

            There was a sudden explosion in front of the princess and black smoke covered the whole place. Then, a masked person wearing a cloth made of damask appeared. Holding his scythe, he whacked its edge to the princess and she fell to the palace floor.

Gardener:          I am the gardener, your majesty. I have come to seek revenge since you are responsible for ending my living days!

Princess:          But, I just… I just ordered you to… to beat the drum…

Gardener:          You have fooled me, princess. You never told me that the damask drum never sounds!

Princess:          But… - !

Gardener:          (sounds more horrific) enough of this explanations!

            The gardener’s vengeful spirit whacked and whacked the bottom of the scythe to the princess while the princess kept on crying in pain. Later, the gardener’s spirit held the scythe again, murderously.

Gardener:          And now… to end this show!!!

            The gardener’s spirit cut the head of the princes using the scythe’s sharp metal. All were terrified to see the incident. The guest commoners in the castle ran outside " going back to their homes. Also, the courtier ran outside because of fear.

            The gardener’s spirit, after having his revenge, went out of the castle and looked above the skies.

Gardener:          At least my real duty is done now…

            He transformed to a moving smoke again and faded through the wind and space.

            Later on, the king and the queen in the castle found the princess’s dead body with blood tracks leading them to her cut head.

            When the royal parents saw it, they cried and cried. Suddenly, there was a sound from a falling object somewhere near them. It caught their attention. They looked around and found the damask drum somewhere near them.

            Later on, the princess’s face formed on the drum’s surface that surprised the royal couple.

Queen:              Is this damask drum responsible for taking my daughter’s life away?

 

 

-THE END-