The Testing of a Wizard

Characters

QUEEN – The ageing widow, quarrelsome and nagging ruler of the country.

FADRIUS – Court Wizard, who is losing his magical powers to old age, also, Gelo’s teacher.

GELO – Young apprentice of Fadrius, awaiting to be accepted into Wizardry.

LIZY – Lady in waiting, Gelo’s fiancé

HERMIT – Lonely man, living in the mountains away from the world and the people in it.

CANNIBAL – Man-eating robber, who lives in the woods, near a highway.

FISHERMAN – Happy man, living on an island with his family.

VEDALIA – A witch and the owner of ‘Store of Temptations’, which entices people and sells them different temptations in return for part of their souls.

VOICE OF THE KEEPER OF THE MIRACLE.

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Act One

Scene One.

The hall of the Queen’s palace. A mixture between a wizard’s study and a palace’s hall. There is a table with papers, books, and retorts on the stage. On the side of the stage there hangs a big replica hourglass symbolizing the motion of time.

On Stage there are Gelo and Lizy. Gelo is attentively shifting through papers and at the same time reading books. Lizy who is bored, walks from armchair to settee humming to herself. Then she quietly sneaks up to Gelo.

LIZY – Gelo, you are so clever and well read. Why do you need to know even more, than you already do? (Whilst trying to play with his hair)

GELO – (Displeased) Stop it, Lizy. You are getting in the way. You do know that I have my test soon. Before I can become a real Wizard.

LIZY – So What? Is it really that scary? Probably not as scary as the smile on the Queen’s face in the morning!

GELO – Nonsense! I cannot imagine the things Fadrius will conjure up for me. But certainly, it will be a very serious test. And elder Wizards, who Fadrius especially invited, will judge it. Only then will I be raised to the rank of a real Wizard.

LIZY – But you already know some magical spells. You can heal various wounds, create fire, and freeze water. If necessary, you could stop and freeze beasts or evil men, among various things, which I cannot remember. For our future family life and welfare, it is quite enough.

GELO.(Unhappy, that he is being disturbed) But it is not enough to be raised to the rank of a Wizard!

LIZY – (Playfully) Why do you need this rank when you have me?

GELO – Lizy, how can you say that! It’s two different things!

LIZY – I am a thing?!

GELO – You know what I mean. You know perfectly well that I love you, when the time comes, we will marry, and then we’ll be together…

LIZY – I want it sooner.

GELO – What do you want sooner?

LIZY – (Coquettishly) Well you know … be together.

GELO – Be patient. As soon as I become a Wizard, we’ll definitely be together.

LIZY – (Upset and displeased) But to get married you don’t need to be a Wizard! Other people get along fine without a rank, get married and have children. Or cannot you do it without magic…

GELO – (Very displeased) I can do anything! Stop this, Lizy!

LIZY – Do you really need to be a Wizard to be a real man?

GELO – What do you mean?!

LIZY – (Sadly) Nothing much…

GELO – (Irritated) I can’t get married until I get tested to become a Wizard, because a Wizard is not an ordinary person. And by the rules, when you agree to marry me you have to fully understand, who you are marrying: An ordinary citizen or to someone whose life is devoted to magic and sorcery. So, if I get married before my testing, I will break the rules and I won’t be able to become a Wizard.