Atalanta

NARRATOR: Once upon a time, not long ago, there lived a princess
Named Atalanta, who could run as fast as the wind. She was
So bright, and so clever, and could build things and fix
Things so wonderfully, that many young men wished to marry her

THE KING: "What shall I do?" said Atalanta's father
Who was a powerful king. "So many young men want
To marry you, and I don't know how to choose."
ATALANTA: "You don't have to choose, father," said Atalanta. "I will
Choose. And I'm not sure that I will choose to marry anyone at all."
THE KING: "Of course you will," said the king
"Everybody gets married. It's what people do."
ATALANTA: "As for me," Atalanta told him, "
I intend to go out and see the world. When I come home
Perhaps I will marry, and perhaps I will not."

NARRATOR: The king did not like this at all. He was a very ordinary
King, powerful, and used to having his way. So he told Atalanta
THE KING: I have decided how to choose the young man you will
Marry. I will hold a great race, and the winner, the swiftest
And fleetest young man of all, will win the right to marry you

NARRATOR: Now Atalanta was a clever girl, as
Well as a swift runner, so she told her father
ATALANTA: Very well, then. Let there be a race. But you
Must let me run in it too, and if I am not the winner
I will accept the wishes of the young man who is. If I
Am the winner, I will choose for myself what I will do

NARRATOR: The king agreed to this. He would have his way
Marry off his daughter, and enjoy a fine day of racing as
Well. So he called his messengers together, and directed
Them to travel far and wide to announce the race with its
Wonderful prize, the chance to marry the bright Atalanta

NARRATOR: Meanwhile, Atalanta herself was preparing for
The race. Each day at dawn she went to the field in
Secret, until she could run the course in just three
Minutes, more quickly than anyone had ever run it before

NARRATOR: As the day of the race grew near, young men began to
Crowd into the town. Each was sure he could win the prize, except
For one. That was Young John, who lived in the town. He knew
Atalanta well, for he saw her day by day as she bought nails and
Wood to make a pigeon house, or sat reading a book in the gardens
Or chose parts for her telescope, or laughed with her friends

Young John saw the princess only from a distance, but he understood
How bright and clever she was. He wished very much to race with her
To win and to earn the right to talk with her and become her friend
For surely, he said to himself, it is not right for Atalanta's father
To give her away to the winner of the race. Atalanta herself must
Choose whom she wants to marry, or whether she wishes to marry at all

"Still, if I could only win the race, I would be free
To speak to her, and to ask for her friendship."

Each evening, after his studies of the stars and the seas
John went to the field in secret and practiced running across
It. Night after night he raced as fast as the wind across the
Twilight field, until he could cross it in three minutes
More quickly, he thought, than anyone had run across it before

At last the day of the race arrived. Trumpets sounded, and the
Young men gathered at the edge of the field, along with Atalanta
Herself, the prize they sought. The king and his friends sat in
Soft chairs, and the townspeople stood along the course of the race

The king rose to address them all
THE KING: Good day!
NARRATOR: He said to the crowds
THE KING: Good luck!
NARRATOR: He said to the young men
To Atalanta he said
THE KING: Goodbye. I must tell you farewell
For tomorrow you will be married

ATALANTA: I am not so sure of that, father
NARRATOR: Atalanta answered, and she
Went to stand in line with the young men
ATALANTA: Not one of them, she said to herself, can win the race
For I will run as fast as the wind and leave them all behind

NARRATOR: Now a bugle sounded, and the runners were off
The crowds cheered as the young men and Atalanta began
To race across the field. At first they ran as a group

NARRATOR: But Atalanta soon pulled ahead
With three of the young men close after her

NARRATOR: As they neared the halfway point, one of
Them put on a great burst of speed and seemed to pull
Ahead for an instant, but then gasped and fell back

NARRATOR: Atalanta shot on
Soon after, another young man, tense with the effort
Drew near to Atalanta. He reached out as though to
Touch her sleeve, stumbled for an instant, and lost speed

NARRATOR: Atalanta smiled as she ran
On. "I have almost won," she thought
Just then another young man neared her

NARRATOR: This was Young John, running like the wind
As steadily and as swiftly as Atalanta herself
Atalanta felt his closeness, and in a sudden burst she dashed ahead
But Young John didn't give up

NARRATOR: "Nothing at all," thought he, "will keep me from
My hope of winning the chance to speak with Atalanta."
And on he ran, swift as the wind

NARRATOR AND ALTOGETHER
Until he ran as her equal, side by side with her
Toward the golden ribbon that marked the race's end

NARRATOR: Atalanta was aware of him
And she raced even faster to pull ahead
But Young John was a strong match for her

NARRATOR AND ALTOGETHER
Smiling with the pleasure of the race, Atalanta and
Young John reached the finish line together, and together
They broke through the golden ribbon that marked it

Trumpets blew. The crowd shouted and leaped about. The king rose

THE KING: Who is this young man?
NARRATOR: He asked
YOUNG JOHN: I am Young John from the town
NARRATOR: John answered
THE KING: Very well, Young John
NARRATOR: Said the king, as John and Atalanta stood before him
THE KING: You have not won the race, but you have come
Closer to winning than any man here, and so I give you
The prize that was promised, the right to marry my daughter

NARRATOR: Young John smiled at Atalanta
ATALANTA: And she smiled back
YOUNG JOHN: Thank you, sir
NARRATOR: Said John to the king
YOUNG JOHN: But I could not possibly marry your
Daughter unless she wished to marry me. I have
Run this race for the chance to talk with Atalanta

ATALANTA: Atalanta laughed with pleasure
ATALANTA: And I, she said to John, could not possibly marry
You before I've gone out to see the world. But I would
Like nothing better than to spend the afternoon with you

NARRATOR: And she held out her hand to Young John, who took it
ATALANTA: Then the two of them sat and talked on the grassy
Field. Atalanta told John about her telescopes and her pigeons
NARRATOR: And John told Atalanta about
His globes and his geography studies

NARRATOR: At the end of the day, they were friends

NARRATOR: On the next day, John set off by ship to discover new lands
ATALANTA: And Atalanta set off on horseback to visit great cities
NARRATOR: The king stayed home and
Thought about how the world was changing
When he was young, daughters always wanted to get married
ATALANTA: But now Atalanta is still off
In the world, visiting towns and cities
NARRATOR: And John is still sailing the seas
Perhaps someday they'll be married, and perhaps they will not
NARRATOR AND ALTOGETHER

In any case, it is certain they are both living happily ever after