In the woods at a conjurors meeting. A wasps's nest is hanging on a bush.
Simon:
If along de road you're goin',
An' all to yo' true knowin',
A black cat cross'd yo' path,
Yo' bad luck will long last.
Chorus:
Unnn . . . Unnn . . . Unnn . . . Unnn . . .
Chorus (cont'd):
'Tis true, 'tis true,
We all believe 'tis true.
'Tis true, 'tis true,
We all believe 'tis true.
Simon:
If you are eatin' food wid ease,
An' drawin' pleasant breath,
Be careful dat you do not sneeze,
Because 'tis sign of death.
Chorus:
Unnn . . . Unnn . . . Unhunnn . . . Unhunnn . . . Unhunnn . . . Unhun
Simon (cont'd):
Sweep not de dust from yo' cabins at night,
For some of yo' neighbors surely will fight.
If yo' nose should itch while you sit in yo' room,
An unwelcome neighbor will visit you soon.
If at night while passin' a graveyard,
You shake wid fear de most,
Chorus:
Un-hunn
Simon:
Jus' step a little faster forward,
Before you see a ghost.
Chorus:
We'll run.
Simon:
If a neighbor comes to see you,
An' he squeezes yo' han' very tight,
You had better speak loud "Hee Hoo,"
Dat neighbor is not right.
If you hear a mule a brayin'
While you're on yo' knees a prayin',
Yo' luck is goin' wrong.
You should stop before it's all gone.
Chorus:
Unnn . . . Unnn . . . Un-hunnn . . . Unnn . . .
Simon and Chorus Simon looks into the woods and sees Zodzetrick
and Luddud coming with Treemonisha and points his finger at them.
'Tis true, 'tis true,
We all believe 'tis true.
'Tis true, 'tis true,
We all believe 'tis true.
No. 12: Treemonisha in Peril
Everyone looks toward the approaching strangers.
Simon Giving conjuror's yell:
Hee Hoo!
Chorus:
Hee Hoo!
Zodzetrick and Luddud:
Hee Hoo!
Conjurors:
Hee Hoo! Hee Hoo! Hee Hoo!
Simon:
It is Zodzetrick an' Luddud.
Who is dat woman dey am bringin' wid 'em?
Cephus:
She's not know to anyone here.
Women:
She's a stranger.
Enter Zodzetrick, Luddud, and Treemonisha.
Zodzetrick and Luddud:
Hey!
Conjurors:
Hey!
Luddud:
Lis'en! Lis'en!
Ev'rybody lis'en!
Conjurors:
We are lis'nin'.
Luddud:
Dis here gal don't believe in superstition.
Zodzetrick:
Dat's de truth.
Luddud:
She don't believe in conjury.
Zodzetrick:
Dat's de truth.
Luddud:
She's been tellin' de people dat dey should throw away their bags o' luck.
Now, how are you goin' to get food to eat,
When you can't sell yo' bags o' luck?
Simon:
Food will be hard to get,
If we can't sell our bags of luck.
Conjurors:
Dat's de truth.
Simon:
Dat gal mus' be punished.
Cephus:
Don't punish her,
She is a good girl.
Don't punish her.
Simon:
Dat boy laks dat gal,
but we're goin' to punish her
jus' de same.
Women:
Punish her!
Simon:
Come on ev'rybody to de brush arbor,
Dis gal mus' get de punishment dat's waitin' for her.
All go to the brush arbor.
Chorus:
'Tis true, 'tis true,
'tis true, 'tis true.
No. 13: Frolic Of The Bears 
Enter eight bears.
Bears begin frolicking.
Bears:
Oo . . . ar! . . . Oo . . . ar! . . .
Oo . . . ar! . . . Oo . . . ar! . . .
Oo . . . ar! . . . Oo . . . ar! . . .
Oo . . . ar! . . . Oo . . . ar! . . .
Oo . . . ar! . . . Oo . . . ar! . . . etc.
Conjurors In distance:
Hey!
Bears run when they hear voices.
No. 14: The Wasp-Nest
Enter conjurors.
Simon:
Ev'rybody lis'en!
My plan is de best.
Chorus:
What is yo' plan?
Simon:
When I count three,
You mus' shove dat gal in dat wasp-nest.
Chorus:
Go on an' count.
Zodzetrick and Luddud lead Treemonisha close to the wasp nest.
Simon:
One, . . . two.
Cephus Sees a strange form appearing:
Look! What is dat thing comin' yonder?
Simon:
It looks like de devil.
Chorus:
De devil?
Simon:
Yes, de devil,
Zodzetrick and Luddud free Treemonisha and look toward the devil.
An' he is comin' right after us.
Women:
We mus' leave here.
Simon:
Ru an' save yourselves.
Women:
Oh! . . .
All run as the devil enters. Treemonisha, knowing the supposed devil to
be Remus, does not move.
Remus (the devil) stops and looks at the conjurors as they run.
No. 15: The Rescue
Remus takes off the Scarecrow suit and folds it on one arm, still
looking toward conjurors.
He approaches Treemonisha.
Treemonisha Puts her arms around his neck:
Remus, you have saved me from the awful sting of the wasp.
They were going to push me on that wasp nest.
Remus looks, horror-stricken, at the wasp-nest.
When one of them counted three.
But thanks to the great Creator,
You came in time to save me.
Remus:
I am glad I came in time to save you
From the awful sting of the wasp.
And while on my way to your rescue,
Many hills and valleys I crossed.
I know the conjurors are superstitious,
And afraid of anything that looks strange,
So I wore the scarecrow for that purpose,
And have scared them away out of range.
Come, let us leave these woods at once,
Because I hear some very strange grunts.
Remus and Treemonisha leave, going in the opposite direction from the conjurors.
The scene is suddenly changed to a cotton field; a wagon road is in front,
and men and women are seen picking cotton.
No. 16: We Will Rest Awhile
Male Quartet in Cotton Field:
We will rest awhile,
We will rest awhile,
'Cause it makes us feel very good, very good.
We will rest awhile,
We will rest awhile,
Soon we'll be at home chopping wood, chopping wood.
We will rest awhile,
We will rest awhile,
'Cause it's almost eatin' time, eatin' time.
We will rest awhile,
We will rest awhile,
'Cause restin' is very fine.
Cotton pickers sit down to rest.
No. 17: Going Home
Enter Treemonisha and Remus in the road.
Treemonisha and Remus:
Hello strangers!
Cotton pickers:
Hello!
Remus:
Does this road lead to the
John Smith plantation?
Foreman in the field:
Yes, and three miles from here,
You'll reach your destination.
Treemonisha and Remus:
Thank you.
Foreman:
You are welcome.
Cotton pickers:
Quite welcome.
Remus and Treemonisha go on their way. There is a pause in the music
during which the cotton pickers hear Aunt Dinah blow a horn three times.
No. 18: Aunt Dinah Has Blowed De Horn
Chorus of Cotton Pickers:
Aunt Dinah has blowed de horn,
An' we'll go home to stay until dawn.
Get ready, put yo' sack on yo' back,
I'm so happy I don't know how to act, how to act.
Aunt Dinah has blowed de horn,
An' she wants us to come straight home,
We have not much time for delay,
'Cause our work is finished for today.
O yes, Aunt Dinah has blowed de horn,
An' we'll go home to stay until dawn.
Get ready, keep yo' sack on yo' back,
I'm so happy I don't know how to act, how to act.
Aunt Dinah has blowed de horn,
An' she wants us to come straight home,
We have not much time for delay,
'Cause our work is finished for today.
End Act II
