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THE HRAUN FARM1

(Gaarden Hraun)

BY

JÓHANN SIGURJÓNSSON

TRANSLATED BY

HENNINGE KROHN SCHANCHE

1 Reprinted by permission of the translator, representing the author, and by permission of the American-Scandinavian Foundation.

For permission to perform this play application must be made to the translator.

Jóhann Sigurjónsson, the Icelandic dramatist, may not be well known to many, but three great dramas, “Mr. Rand,” “Bjoerg-Ejvind," and "The Hraun Farm," will account for the acclamation of some critics that he is the equal of Ibsen, Bjornson, and Strindberg. Human feelings are powerfully portrayed, and pictures of his passionately loved Iceland are vigorously drawn. Yet with this intensity of devotion and poetic vision, there is the diction of fine self-possession and exactness of analysis.

In "The Hraun Farm" ("hraun" meaning a field. covered with volcanic stone) the reader is reminded of the ancient tribal people in the terrible struggle of the father between love for his land and love for his child. The very height of poetic feeling is reached in Sveinungi's reminiscent speech in the second act. The loving tactfulness of Jorunn brings the play to a happy ending.

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THE HRAUN FARM

DRAMATIS PERSONA

SVEINUNGI, owner of the Hraun Farm
JORUNN, his wife

LJOT, their daughter

EINAR, a relative of Jorunn

JAKOBINA, an old woman

FRIDA, a child, eleven years old

SØLVI, a geologist

[blocks in formation]

The action takes place in Iceland. TIME: the present. "Hraun" is the Icelandic word for lava-field.

ACT I

[The farm. Five white gables, all adjoining and separated by heavy partitions. The roof is covered with turf, the walls are of earth and stone. The gable farthest to the left is without a door, but has two windows on the ground floor and a smaller window above. The next has a door leading into the "badstofa" or servants' quarters. The third is a dairy and storehouse; the

fourth, a smithy; the fifth, a drying-shed. In the yard is a horse-block; to the left, a picket fence. Before the doors lie the packs unloaded from nine horses: two green chests, sacks of grain and household stuff, lumber, and a number of other articles. JAKOBINA stands feeling one of the sacks. HELGI is undoing the strappings. The door to the smithy is open. EINAR is seen within, forging horseshoe nails.]

[It is morning, before breakfast.]

JAKOBINA [talking half to herself]. This must be coffee. [Lays her hand on one of the chests.] And what has Jorunn got in these, I wonder! I fancy there are many pretty things there.

HELGI. You may be sure of that.

JAKOBINA. Nineteen years I've been here now, and it's never happened yet that the mistress has forgotten to bring something or other to please me when she came back from town, and it wasn't always little things either, God bless her! Oh, but there they have knocked off the paint. What a shame! [Sits down on the chest and runs her hand over the paint.]

[Enter BJØRG and RANNVEIG from the left, carrying pails full of milk, which they set down.]

RANNVEIG. They brought home quite a bit. We shall not go hungry for a while yet.

Where are they?

HELGI. They are inside, drinking coffee.

BJØRG. Is Jon drunk?

HELGI. Not so very; he's just a little gay.

THE SHEPHERD BOY. Are you through milking already?

BJØRG. Can't you see for yourself?

THE SHEPHERD BOY. Oh, pshaw! [His eyes light on the lumber piles. He bends down and begins to count the knots in the wood.] One, two, three

[Enter SVEINUNGI from the "badstofa."]

SVEINUNGI. What do you say, girls? Quite a pack, isn't it?

BJØRG. I should say so!

SVEINUNGI [to HELGI]. You've begun to undo the strappings? That's fine. And here come the others. [Enter JON and INDRIDI from the house. JON is somewhat intoxicated.]

JON. Here stands our dear master. you, Rannveig! Good day!

Good day to

BJØRG and RANNVEIG. Good day, and welcome home!

SVEINUNGI [laughing]. Why don't you put your arms around the girls and give them a kiss? Are you afraid?

JON. No, Jon isn't afraid.

SVEINUNGI. You didn't get anything with your coffee. [Runs into the house.]

JON. He is the same as ever.

[BJØRG and RANNVEIG carry the milk into the storehouse.]

JAKOBINA [rising]. You didn't take notice of anything in particular on your way back?

INDRIDI. Not that I remember.

JAKOBINA. Did you see many birds?

INDRIDI. Come to think of it, I don't believe I saw any.

JAKOBINA. That's what I thought. [Goes into the house. Enter SVEINUNGI from the house with a flask and a glass, which he fills.]

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