King Canute (A short dramatization of the legend of King Canute) (Deleted stories)

A Sandy Beach - Day

King Canute walks across the stage from left to right followed by three of his courtiers. He is dressed in simple white robes with only a crown to signify his kingship.They are dressed in bright coloured robes – one in green, one in red and one in yellow- and are wearing golden rings and necklaces to show their wealth. We
hear the sound of distant seagulls and the lapping of the waves against the shore
and in the background, we see the sky and sea stretching off to the horizon. Stopping
centre stage, the King stares thoughtfuly at the sea and, imitating him, his courtiers also stop.

King Canute: The curtain falls; the curtain rises; the tide rolls in; the tide rolls out
and all I am is a name written on the shore.

Courtier in green: Surely not the shore, sire. The names of all kings are carved in stone; the granite of history and the marble of legend.

Courtier in red: And none are etched as deep and in such towering letters as the name of the mighty King Canute.

Courtier in yellow: Oh great and marvellous King Canute; lord of all the danes, the angles and the celts. When shall your name be forgotten?

Courtier in red: Not till time itself forgets, your majesty.

King Canute: Will I be remembered do you think, a thousand years from now?

Courtier in green: Oh, most certainly, your majesty! A hundred thousand..

Courtier in red: ..million trillion years…

Courtier in yellow: …at the very least, your majesty.

King Canute: Ha! If I didn’t know you were noblemen, I would think you were all court jesters.

The courtiers all burst into forced laughter.

King Canute: But seriously, before you swell my head so much that my crown can no longer fit. Do you never look up at the stars glittering overhead like the crown jewels
of heaven and feel like the lowliest serf or beggar. I do.

Courtier in green: Oh no. Not you your majesty.

Courtier in red: If anyone is a jewel upon that heavenly crown..

Courtier in yellow: ..The largest and the brightest of all the jewels..

Courtier in green: ..then it is you, your majesty.

King Canute: Oh! If I listened to all of you then I’d end up as crazy as Caligula, that old roman emperor, promoting myself to the rank of a god and waging a war on Poseidon. Thank God that I have my faith and my bible and all nature to advise
me and to show me my place and purpose.

Courtier in green: A king’s place is high above all others, your Majesty.

Courtiers in red: A kings purpose is to be obeyed, your majesty.

Courtier in yellow: And its our place and purpose to look up to and obey you, your majesty.

King Canute: I see a boy building a castle on the shore, over there. (The king looks and points towards the audience)

Courtier in green: Yes, I see him too. Impertinent whelp. Get away with you boy!
How dare you build sandcastles when the king is walking on the beach.

King Canute: Leave him be! He is a king too. The sand king of his sand castle.

Courtier in red: Oh yes. Very witty sire! A common boy a king, very witty indeed.

King Canute: It’s not a joke. I have been building my castle too.

Courtier in yellow: Oh but are you really comparing yourself to that boy? I mean you are a king.

King Canute: Our lord was a boy, a carpenter and a king.

Courtier in green: Oh yes, most nobly put sire. You are a most wise and holy man indeed.

Courtier in red: Everyone knows that. All that you’ve done for the church. Your visit to rome.

Courtier in yellow: And your rebuilding of the churches and the monasteries. Oh yes. If ever there was a true champion of christendom it is you sire.

King Canute: A true and humble servant. Humble before the earth and sea and sky.
Humble before god. (The king kneels upon the sand in silent prayer)

Courtier in green: Your majesty. (He looks round about them) There may be peasants watching.

King Canute: You think I am such a powerful and important king?

Courtier in red: Without a doubt sire. The most important king in all Europe.

Courtier in yellow: In all the world, your Majesty.

King Canute: Greater than earth and sea and sky?

Courtier in green: Greater than all, your majesty.

King Canute: Then even the sea should obey me, should it not?

Courtier in red: Well, I’m not sure about that.

King Canute: You did say that I was greater than all!

Courtier in yellow: Well, yes sir but..

King Canute: Then the sea that sweeps in and out shall obey my command.

Courtier in green: Whatever you say, sire.

King Canute walks towards the back of the stage, standing close to the painted sea and, imitating him, the courtiers do the same.

King Canute (to the sea) : Hear me then, oh waves. I am King Canute; son of Sweyn Forkbeard, king of all Denmark, England, Scotland and Ireland and I command you, turn back your tide. Let not a single drop of your salt water touch this shore. Do you hear?

Courtier in green: Your majesty! You’re getting wet.

King Canute: But why? Does the sea not recognize its king. Does the sea not see my crown?

Courtier in red: Perhaps your majesty is tired from walking, a little dazed from the sun.

King Canute: I am more wide awake and in my right mind than I have ever been and I see clearly that no king is greater than sea or earth or stars or God, the Almighty. No matter how vast his kingdom or how high his mound of gold and possessions. Here! Take my crown (King Canute takes off his crown and hands it to the courtier in yellow)

Courtier in yellow: Yes your Majesty.

King Canute: I do not wish to wear it anymore. Let me bear my head before God and remember that, without my title, I am nothing more than a ploughman or a milkmaid and, if I am to be remembered at all, let me be remembered for being a humble man.

We hear the tide rolling in and the curtain slowly falls.