I'll read one last play.
This is called "Happiness."
The atmosphere is the atmosphere of a Greek tragedy,
specifically The Bacchae by Euripides,
which, as you remember, is about is
about the spreading of the Dionysiac religion
to various parts of Greece.
And the ruler of the city in The Bacchae
will not accept this new Dionysiac religion,
so he's torn to pieces by his wife and friends
when they get drunk.
This doesn't have anything to do with that.
It's just that kind of atmosphere.
The god Happiness is in a stark, sunny, dusty road
entering a town.
He carries a large trunk or sack.
Happiness: "I am the god of happiness,
and I am looking for twenty people
to destroy, or else with my special powers to make happy.
But few can stand it, few can support the happiness power
that I bring.
It is too strong for most.
I myself can barely transport it.
Well, I will stop in this village, this town, this city.
It is bigger than I thought.
Madam, where is the mayor or ruler or king of this place?
For I bring happiness.
Your ruler, once he has my precious gift,
can dispense it to others.
But let him not give them too much, for it is dangerous.
It is dangerous, and it can destroy."
The ruler appears.
"I am the ruler, and I will take it."
Happiness gives the ruler happiness,
which consists of a great many small mirrors.
Ruler: "Oh, I'm staggering, dying
under this horrible, beautiful weight."
Happiness: "Give it to others, quickly.
Unhappiness rides behind."
Ruler: "I will.
Aaah."
Too late, too much, too strong.
He dies.
The mirrors fall and break into many pieces.
Townspeople: "Happiness, Happiness, we
want some for ourselves."
They run out, pick up fragments of the glass,
eat them, and die.
Happiness: "Disaster, again.
Oh, misfortune.
Now to the next city I take my way."
Happiness picks up his trunk, which is as full as ever,
and goes away.
Thank you.