Cobra Woman

Hi! You stranger here?

You come from far away?

What you got to sell? Let me see, huh?

Oh, why you get mad, big fellow?

I give you coin, you let me blow tunes on that.

You got blind eyes.

You hear me okay.

Why you no talk to me? I friendly.

I talk.

No tongue? Oh.

You hear that?

I go home, dress up.

You save good tunes for the wedding.

Today my friend Ramu, he is bride!

- Happy, Tollea? - Yes, Ramu.

I just had to see you before.

- So did I. And it isn't bad luck, is it?

Bad luck?

For the groom to see the bride before the ceremony.

- Oh, nonsense. We're here. That's all that matters.

And that's all that ever will matter, Ramu.

We'll always be together, won't we?

Nothing will ever change that, will it?

Will it?

Remember what we learned from Father Paul?

Say it.

- And Ruth said to Naomi... - Whither thou goes, I will go.

They people shall be my people.

And thy God, my God.

Ramu.

Why do you want me to say that today?

Don't we always say it?

Yes, but why today?

- I want you to be sure. - Oh, but I am.

- Hey, Koko! - Koko!

Well, a flower for the bride.

Go on and play, Koko.

Do you know why Mr. MacDonald has a guard on my house?

A guard?

Oh, don't pretend you don't know about it.

Oh, MacDonald's nervous.

I guess he wishes your mother could be here today.

You don't remember her at all?

No.

I guess she could explain that.

Can't MacDonald tell you?

He just says I have always had it.

But whatever it means, it's part of yesterday.

And yesterday is dead.

Well, here's to the bridegroom.

A long and happy married life to you both, Ramu.

Thank you, Father Paul.

Come, set ye down, lad.

It's most an hour till the ceremony.

We'll make it as painless as possible, my son.

- Ramu. - Thanks.

Today, you must look nice.

A fellow don't get married every day, eh, Father Paul?

Well, I should hope not.

Do I stand to the right of Tollea?

That's right, my son.

- Do I have to say somethmg? - Two words. “I do.“

Thanks to an all-wise Providence who figured

that if's man had more to say, he wouldn't get married.

1 are best man.

If you get scare-sickness, I say it for you.

Ramu not like the peddler fellow with no tongue.

Peddler? A stranger?

Big fellow stranger with no eyes, no tongue,

nothing but donkey.

Mouth only good to make music on pipe.

- We better go to the church. I'm ready.

Ramu, haven't you forgotten something?

"Huh?"

Oh, imagine going to my own wedding without any shoes.

Get ye out of that, lad.

You have brought many fine gifts for the wedding,

hey, Mr. MacDonald?

Everything for Ramu and Tollea.

- Nothing for me. - You're not getting married.

Since I lose such a valuable friend in marriage, a little

present would make my heart lighter.

Before you ask me again, lad, let me tell you, you cannot have

- the blow pipe. - Oh, I would

not expect Mr. MacDonald to make such a generous gift.

You don't believe, do you, lad, that a Scotchman would part.

- With a valuable trophy? - And why not?

You mean you've never heard any stories about Scotchmen?

Only that they are fine warriors.

- You hear that, Father? - Yes, I heard him.

The blow pipe is yours, laddie.

' No!

But what good is the blow pipe without darts.

Such as the savages use?

They are yours, every one of them.

- But take care, Kado. Those things are dangerous.

- Aye. - I'll be careful, Father.

You know, Mr. Mac, it is not all at all.

True what one hears about the Scotchman.

Why, you...

The mission bell is ringing, Father. You think we ought to go?

Oh, brace up, Ramu. Sure there's nothing to worry about.

You're not frightened, are you, lad?

A little.

- Don't be scared. I are with you.

- Keep your chin up, son. It will soon be over.

Ramu! Ramu!

Ramu!

Where's Tollea?

Has anything happened to her?

Kado.

Tollea!

Tollea! Tollea!

Tollea, Tollea!

Tollea!

She's gone!

- The guard is dead. Killed by a cobra.

Cobra!

But there are no cobra here.

All the same, that's how he died.

Look.

Music-maker also murder stick.

You're right, laddie.

The blind beggar was not blind.

You know, I told you. Giant fellow, big like horse.

Blow tunes on this. He say he come from far off distance.

Well, she must be on the island somewhere.

He'll find her, even if he has to turn the island upside down.

He'll never find her here, laddie.

That's where you'll find Tollea.

- Cobra Island? - Aye.

She's gone back to her people.

- But, but they're not her people. She belongs here.

Tollea belongs to the cobra people.

- I don't believe it. - Sit down, lad.

Well, how do you know?

This.

That killed the guard, not a cobra.

This is their symbol.

The prongs are coated with cobra venom.

But why should they want to take her?

You'll find the answer to that right there.

How do you know she belongs there?

Many years ago,

A hurricane caught my boat and tossed me around for four days.

The first land I saw was Cobra Island.

No ship has ever come back from there.

- Yours did. - Aye, by a miracle.

I was condemned to die, which is the Cobra law against strangers.

Then what miracle saved you?

1 never knew.

- What do you mean? - I was tortured, lad.

Tortured into unconsciousness.

Oh, I see. And then?

Then when my mind cleared, I found myself at sea again

and on my way home.

And that night, I heard strange noises from the cabin,

So I tied down the wheel and went below.

And found a stowaway.

- From the island? - Aye.

A wee baby.

Pretty as a rose and yelling at the top of her lungs.

- It was Tollea. - Right, man.

I brought her home here and raised her as my own.

I know she wouldn't go back there on her own accord.

In either case, she's gone, lad.

We've got to make up our minds to that.

Gone forever.

- I'll find her. I'll bring her back.

- From Cobra Island? - From anywhere.

You don't suppose I believe those wild tales

you dream up to scare Kado, do you?

No drug-soaked brain.

Could dream up the horrors of Cobra Island, lad.

A big black wall keeps the stranger out.

Of this land where people practice death!

Kado! Go back to bed.

My friend Ramu, he is there alone.

He needs me. He is in danger.

I are coming, Ramu.

I are coming!

Ooh, from the smoking volcano comes the poisonous cobra!

Ready to strike!

GOt him! Ah...

Kado. I said go back to bed.

Oh, where am I?

Oh, I must have been sleepwalking around.

Ramu, you must take me with you to that awful place.

How did you know I was going anywhere?

- I saw you there in my dream. With Tollea.

And, and the poisonous cobra ready to strike.

Oh, Kado, you must stay here.

Now, you go on up to bed, get up in

the morning, go to Father Paul's school.

And grow up to be a smart man like Mr. MacDonald.

Oh, I don't want to go to school!

Kado!

Am I glad you showed up.

Friend dropped in for dinner, huh?

I see there is enough food for two, but not enough for three,