Wertenbaker - The Ash Girl

Ruth Chicken. Judith Pigeon. Ruth Casseroled pheasant. Judith Boiled swan. Ruth Wild boar. Judith Pigs ears with juniper berries.

Ruth Clotted cream. Judith And damson jam. Ruth I feel full. Judith I feel fat. Ruth Mother says we must be thin. Judith Why? Ruth Because girls must be thin.

Judith Why? Ruth How do you get thin? Judith You stop eating. Ruth Stop eating damson jam! Swan and sausages? Never. Judith We could start getting thin tomorrow. Today, I want an unboring day. Ruth We could practise our dancing. Judith Boring.

I want a good gallop over the fields. Ruth Father took away the last horse. Judith Took the horse and vanished. Ruth Into thin air. Judith Into a bear. Ruth A thin, a hairy, a grizzly bear.

Judith Waits in his lair They burst out laughing. A movement in the ashes. Ruth We could read a book. Judith Im bored with happy endings. Why cant the monster eat everyone? Ruth What about that book on manners? Judith We dont need manners, we never see anyone. Ruth Id like to paint, but Mother says it makes me look a mess. Judith Id like to find a worm, open it and see whats inside.

Cut the legs off an ant, see if they move. Id need one of those glasses that make everything big. Ruth Theres one in fathers study, shall we take it? A movement in the ashes. Judith Mother keeps the key: wait till shes asleep, steal the key, take everything out of the study. That would be very unboring. Ruth When he finds out? Judith Hes never coming back. Never never Ruth Ever after Judith A grizzly bear Ruth In his lair Movement in the ashes.

And now a figure emerges, grey, spectral, skeletally thin, a girl of about seventeen. Judith Ashgirl. Eyeing us. Ruth Spying. Judith Look and tell. Ashgirl I will tell Mother youre planning to steal the key. They seize her arms. Ruth You wont! Judith She wont believe you.

Ashgirl I always tell the truth. Ruth Its the way you tell it! Judith Boring. Very boring. Lies are more interesting. Ashgirl How can the truth be boring? Father admonished me always to tell the truth. Ruth And where is he now? Judith The grizzly bear Ashgirl Stop it! The girls laugh. Ruth Come on, Ashie, have some breakfast.

Ashgirl No thank you. Ruth Food in this house not good enough for you? Judith Growing girl must eat. Ashgirl tries to return to the ashes, but Judith takes a sausage, hands it to Ashgirl. Take it! Ashgirl shakes her head.Ruth takes a scone, lots of cream and jam. Proffers it. Ruth When your sisters offer, you accept, you say thank you. Ashgirl I dont want anything. Ruth Book says: bad manners to refuse a gift.

I like books which tell other people what to do. They wait. Ashgirl looks at the food in disgust. Judith Eat! Ruth Shes so rude. Judith Stuff it in her mouth. Ruth grinds the scone in Ashgirls mouth. She gags, spits, more grinding, more violent.

Judith eats the sausage, calmly. I could eat a fried pigs heart. Ruth (to Ashgirl, on the floor) Lick the crumbs. Say sorry. They pin her down. Judith Thats compulsory. Ruth Conclusory. Judith Persuasory.

Ruth Were waiting. Judith Maybe another scone? Gnawed bone of swan? Ashgirl Sorry Ruth Sorry for? Ashgirl Sorry for for being me. They let her go. A moment. Ruth The thing is, Ashie, if you were nicer to us, wed be nicer to you. The girls leave, Ashgirl sinks back into the ashes.