Good Woman of Setzuan

BERTOLT BRECHT
THE GOOD WOMAN

OF SETZUAN
Revised English version

and Introduction by
ERIC BENTLEY
GROVE PRESS, INC. NEW YORK

-'AcKNOWLEDGMENT. The translator wishes to acknowledge
.
-the contribution of Mrs. Maja Apelman to the first version
of the book Parables of the Theatre, as published by the
University of Minnesota Press in 1948.
Copyright by Eric Bentley, 1947, as an unpublished MS,

Registration No. D-12239. Copyright © 1956, 1961
by Eric Bentley. Epilogue copyright © 1965 by Eric
Bentley. Introduction copyright © 1965 by Eric
Bentley.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This play may not be acted, read

aloud to an audience, broadcast, televised, performed
or presented in any way, as a whole or in part, without
permission. Inquiries should be addressed to Samuel
French, Inc., 25 West 45th Street, New York, New
York 10036
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 66-14106
First Evergreen Black Cat Edition 1966
MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

INTRODUCTION
Bertolt Brecht wrote Der gute Mensch von Sezuan in Scan

dinavia at the end of the nineteen-thirties. It was originally
dedicated to his wife Helene Weigel, to whose playing it
was ideally suited. Even the male part of the role would
have been nothing new for her: she had played the Young
Comrade in The Measures Taken. Yet, in fact, The Good
Woman had its world premiere in Zurich during World
War II, when Frau Weigel was a refugee in America. And
by the time the play was produced by the Berliner Ensem
ble she was too old for the role. Meanwhile there had been
many American productions.
In 1941 Brecht had crossed the USSR on the Trans
Siberian Railway and had then sailed across the Pacific to
San Pedro, California. I was doing my first year of teach
ing at the time in the University of California at Los
Angeles, and one of my students, who had got himself a
hand printing press, wanted to print some poems. Another
student said that a German poet was in town and had no
translator. The name was Brecht-I was not aware of ever
having heard it, though another writer on Brecht has pic
tured me listening to Threepenny Opera records as an
undergraduate in the middle thirties. I arranged to see the
poet with a view to translating several of his poems for
my student's press.
Herr Brecht was living in a very small frame house in
Santa Monica, and I was shown into his bedroom, which
was also his study. He had few or no books. But there
was a typewriter, and copies of Freies Deutschland-which
I later found to be a Communist magazine published in
Mexico--were strewn about. In the typewriter was the
5
6 I Introduction
very thin paper, folded double, which I later knew to be

characteristic of the man.It was on this paper-the kind
used for carbon copies when you have no onionskin-that
I first saw any of the work of Brecht. He handed me a
couple of sheets of it while he looked over the samples of
my own work I had brought along.
My impression of the man himself is hard to recapture
at this distance in time. It is possible that I took Brecht for
a truly proletarian writer on the score of his current lack
of cash and his general style of living and dress. This
would no doubt have been naive of me. Yet the charm
and power of the encounter had their source in just this
naivete, and especially in the fact that I had no sense of
being in the company of a famous man.Quite a contrast
to those meetings with Brecht which young people were
to have in the nineteen-fifties, when the cropped head and
the tieless shirt were well known in advance from a score
of photographs and a hundred anecdotes! For all I knew,
Brecht might have had a trunkful of ties under the bed,
and it could have been by chance that he was tieless at
the time ...or, as I say, it could have been because he
was a "proletarian writer."
Most famous writers, of course, would have made sure
that before I left after our first interview I did have
a sense of their fame. Remarkable about Brecht was that
he didn't bother about this. Here we see the real human
value of what I came later to recognize as a certain delib
erate depersonalization of things which Brecht brought
about. He did not try to find out much about me.He did
not invite me to find out much about him. As in his plays,
two people would encounter each other for the sake of
what they have to do together. I was a student of German
and of poetry. He was a German and had written some
poems. I would therefore translate some of him.
On the spot. And with his collaboration. For he al
ready knew enough English to have a pretty shrewd idea
whether a given expression corresponded to the German.
The Good Woman of Setzuan I 7
"Freilich, ich lebe in finsteren Zeiten!" That was the first

line on one of the bits of tissue paper he had handed me.
What did it mean? "Finstere Zeiten" are "dark ages." Was
the reference to the Dark Ages? (I had no idea of the
context . ) "Nein, nein!" said the staccato voice. Then, after
a puff at the cigar (not for me "the famous cigar"): "Nein,
ich meine diese Zeiten, Herr Bentley, unsere-auch in Los
Angeles kann es finster s ein, nicht wahr?" He was teasing
me a little. That, too, I would later regard as characteristic.
At the time it was simply new. ... Well, what about "frei
lich," what did one say in English for that? I suggested
many things: "actually," "of course, " "oh, yes," "it's
true." To each one, the quiet yet sharp voice said: "Nein!
Nein!" And Brecht shook his head very decisively. We
were discovering together that in our effort to translate his
poetry we could not get past the very first word.
The poetry, says Robert Frost, is the untranslatable
part. This truth was empirically confirmed by Brecht and
myself, but luckily it is a truth which all are agreed in ad
vance to defy, and a half-truth at that. A lot of poetry just
as problematical as Brecht's has come down to us in more
languages than one-with whatever changes along the way.
Although something must have happened to my student's
hand press, for I never saw anything in p rint from it, I had
begun translating Bertolt Brecht and am still doing so
now, nearly a quarter of a century later.
For a whil e nothing was said about pub lica tion. But
then Brecht wanted his poem "To the German Soldiers
in the East" to come out. With him it was always a matter
of the place and the time to publish something, c.onsidered
not personally or "literarily," but politic ally: people in
America should now read what he had to say about the
German armies in Russia. So I translated that poem and
sent it to Partisan Review. The choice. was politically inept,
since the editors were violently anti-Communist, but then,
being anti-Communist, they knew about Brecht, which at
that date other editors didn't. In fact , Partisan had run a
8 I Introduction
"big" article about him in 1941. I was a little upset when

Dwight MacDonald, rejecting the poem for the magazine,
told me how outrageous he considered its contents to be.
(In 1965 an editor of Partisan was to ask me please not
to fight the Cold War when criticizing the Brecht theatre
in East Berlin. Well, it is good that times change.) "To
the German Soldiers in the East" finally appeared in Ray
B. West's magazine, the Rocky Mountain Review.
Meanwhile, I had my first sizabl e assignment from
Brecht: to tr anslate, if not for cash on the line, at any rate
for possible publication and performance, his full-length
play The Private Life of the Master Race. This sequence of
scenes about life under the Nazis had just been staged in
German in New York City by Berthold Viertel, whom I
had got to know, and it was Viertel who urged upon Brecht
the possibility of an English-language production there, if
a translation was on hand. By this time I was teaching at
Black Mountain College in North Carolina, and the first
performance of the English-language Private Life took
place in the unlikely environment of the South. My stu
dents and I even broadcast a good deal of it on the Ashe
ville radio. And when we did a staged reading of the whole
play at the college, the composer Fritz Cohen performed at
the organ. I recall a version of the Horst Wessel Song with
magnificently distorted harmonies.
The plan to do the play in New York did not die but
unfolded too slowly. The war was almost over when
finally it was put on, and the public would not wish to
hear another word about the Nazis for fifteen or twenty
years. Also, the show itself was badly messed up. Brecht
must have suspected from the beginning that it would be,
for when he asked what the production outfit was called,
and was told "The Theatre of All Nations," he had re
plied: "It's too many."
But Brecht publication in America had begun to get
under way. Up to 1940 only the Threepenny Novel had
been published, and that by a publisher whose interest in
Brecht was nonexistent. The first publisher to show real

interest was Jay Laughlin, founder and owner of New
Directions. He had brought out a translation of Mother
Courage in 1941. He had Private Life of the Master Race
ready in 1944. Around this time even warmer interest in
Brecht was shown by the firm of Reynal and Hitchcock,
and Brecht signed a contract with them for an edition of
his collected works, of which I was to be general editor.
How much happier, as well as simpler, the history of
American Brecht publishing would have been had the
plan gone through! But Curtice Hitchcock, whose brain
child it was, died soon after; the firm was sold to Harcourt,
Brace; and Harcourt did not take over the Brecht project.
It proved impossible to interest any other publisher at
that time in taking on the collected works of Brecht. Faced
with this new situation, Brecht asked me to get individual
plays published whenever opportunity offered and by what
ever publishing house. Until 1960 I found only one
publisher who would take on a volume of Brecht at all,
and I got him published largely by the device of choosing
his plays for inclusion in my own drama anthologies. Even
this sometimes seemed eccentric to publishers. For exam
ple, at Doubleday's, when Threepenny Opera was included
in my M odern Theatre, my editor-in-chief, Jason Epstein,
who otherwise never objected to any of my choices, in
quired: "What are we doing publishing an opera libretto?"
The one publisher to agree to bring out a volume of
Brecht in these lean years was the University of Minnesota
Press, which issued Parables for the Theatre in 1948. It
cannot be said the publication created a sensation, or that
the Press expected it to. But in the fifties Brecht caught
on. The Good Woman and Chalk Circle-the two Para
bles of the Minnesota volume-were triumphantly pro
duced in many countries, and Minnesota was able to lease
paperback rights on their book to Grove Press in New
York and London. Thereafter this became the best known
of all Brecht books in English-speaking countries. And
10 I Introduction
the two plays were performed far more than any of Brecht's
others in Briti sh and American theatres.
The world premiere of The Caucasian Chalk Circle
was at Carleton College, Northfield, Minne s o t a, in the
spring of 1948. The same spring The Good Woman had
its American premiere at Hamline University, St. Paul,
M innesota . All the more ente rp rising colleg es then beg an
doing the parable s , and profe ssional activity followed along
at its lower rate of speed. I accept e d an invitation to direct
the first profe ss i ona l producti on of The Caucasian Chalk
Circle at He dgerow Theatre, near Philadelphia, in the sum
mer of 1948. Me anwhile Uta Hagen had done a staged
readi ng of The Good Woman in New York; she was later
to play the title role in the first full pro duction of the play
in New York. Aroun d 1950 The Caucasian Chalk Circle
was among the small group of pl ays which bro ught together
in Chicago the gifted people who would later be identified
as members of "Second City" and "The Compa ss . " (I well
recall the struggle we had getting any r oy al ti es out of
them.) Both the parables eventually became plays that all
the more ambitious p r ofes sional theatres knew they had to
do. The Actor's Worksh op of San Francisco offered a
lavish production of The Caucasian Chalk Circle in 1963.
The Minnesota Theatre Company in Minne apolis did the
play at the Tyrone Guthrie Theatre in 1965.
A word about the text. It, too, has develo pe d with
the years. What Brecht said he wanted, for his first appear
ances in print in the United State s, was a faithful word
for-word reproduction of the German. This he got, save
for some errors which were c aught later, in the first edition
published by Minnesota. The only significant omission from
the book at that time was that of the Prologue to The
Caucasian Chalk Circle. For the manuscript was delivered
to the publisher s at about the time of Brecht's appear ance
before the House Un-American Activities Committee in
Was hington ( October 1947). It was on advice from him
that the appearance of this Prolog ue was pos tpon e d. From
which incident have come two false rumors: one, that the
Prologue was written later and so had not been part of
Brecht's original draft of the play; two, that the omission
was made on my initiative and so constituted editorial
interference. It should be added that when an author says,
"Let's not include such and such a passage till later," he
may well not foresee for how long he is postponing its in
clusion. To insert a prologue, the printer has to redo a
whole play. The Prologue to The Caucasian Chalk Circle,
though found in the German manuscript Brecht sent me
in 1945, did not appear in English until the Tulane Drama
Review printed it at my request in 1959. Soon thereafter,
it turned up in the Grove Evergreen paperback edition of
the play.
Perhaps all good foreign plays should be published
first in a very literal translation and subsequently in vari
ous attempts at a true equivalent, even, if necessary, in
"adaptations." Some plays can have high literary quality
in another language and at the same time be fairly literal
transcriptions. Others have not proved so amenable. (I
put it thus cautiously to allow for the possibility that some
or all of them might prove so amenable at some future
time.) Brecht toyed with the idea of his plays always being
literally translated for publication and freely adapted for
performance. But even this is not a perfect formula. When
ever the stage version is more plausible, has more charac
ter, more charm, vivacity, edge, or whatnot, reasonable
readers will prefer it not only in the theatre but in the
study: for it is more readable. Hence, when I had to
discard the literal translation of The Good Woman for
stage purposes, the nonliteral text that resulted was ad
judged preferable by publishers and readers as well as
producers and spectators. For the Phoenix Theatre pro
duction (New York, 1956) I decided to ignore the literal
translation altogether and, working again with the German,
to make a completely new rendering for the stage. Since
all the larger libraries have copies of the first Minnesota
12 I Introduction
edition, anyone who is curious about this can look up for

himself what the differences are. The 1956 text does
amount to "adaptation" in the sense that some passages
have not been translated at all but deliberately omitted or
changed. Luckily, the author was still alive when these
changes were proposed, and when I last saw Brecht (June
1956) he approved them in principle. (He was not inter
ested in inspecting the script line by line and probably
was not well enough to do so in any case.)
In English, things have to be said more tersely than
in German. Hen ce , English translations from German
should always come out shorter than the ori ginal. Some
times that is a matter of phraseology only: each sentence
should come out shorter. But at other times the very
thought and substance of a German text has to be made
more compact in English, and in this case whole sentences
of the original have to go. Now once you start this more
drastic kind of "cutting" you also find yourself obliged to
bridge the " g a p s" you have made with new writing. This
is one of the ways in which translation becomes adapta
tion....It did so in the reworkin g of The Good WomanJ
and those who wish to know exactly what Brecht said in
every detail will, as I say, have to go to the German or
the first Minnesota edition. Reprinted in this volume is
the stage version used at the Phoenix, plus only the Ep i
logue which was not used in that show. (Since for a while
Grove Press ran precisely the Phoenix text without the
Epilogue, yet another false rumor circulated, and was ex
ploited to compound the misunderstanding created by the
rumor about the omitted Prologue to Chalk Circle: Brecht
was for the second time being touched up by a translator
hostile to Marxism. The coupling of the two rumors did
not, of course, make sense, since the printings that omitted
the Epilogue to The Good Woman contained the Prologue
to Chalk Circle. Anyhow, the present editions contain
both.)
For stage purposes, I found that everything in The
The G ood Woman of Setzuan I 13
Good Woman had to be said more briefly and swiftly in

English than in the German, and I think the reader too will
appreciate a terser, lighter textured piece of rea ding matter.
I would not make this identical statement about The
Caucasian Chalk Circle. It is not an easier play to tum
into Englis h, but it is far le ss abstract and more poetic.
Consequently, the obligation to keep each phrase is far
greater, and the result of keeping each-or nearly each
phras e seems a gain, rather th an a loss. This does not
mean that as soon as one has written out an " accurate "
translation one has finished work. There remains an e nd
less l abor, this time not of trimming, cutting, and reshap
ing scenes, but of weighing one word against anothe r, one
phrase against another, and, finally, of trying to achieve
a style that might serve as the sty le of this play. The re
newed work on The Good Woman, since the met hod meant
going back to zero, s e emed more radical and while it
lasted was indeed more intensive, yet in the end even more
work may have been put in on Chalk Circle, though this
work was done a little at a time and was wholly a matter
of details. (A work of art is an accumulation of details.)
Many of the ch ang es made in the English text of Chalk
Circle were incorporated in the Grove Evergreen printings
of the earl y sixtie s. Many others were first printed in the
presen t edition. Of special use t o me in the selection of
new readings was the Harvard University production of
the pla y (1960) dire cte d by John Hancock.
One has always to ask of a Brecht translation what
German text it is based on, since Brecht himself was for
ever changing what he wrote. The present English version
is in principle b ased on the manu script supplied by Brecht
in 1945. * This fact explains one or two things that mi gh t
otherwise appear anomalous. For example, "Sezuan"
*In the spring of 1946 Reyna! and Hitchcock brought out

my book The Playwright as Thinker in which Brecht's as yet
unpublished "parables" were summarized.
14 I Introduction
was a city in the manuscript, though later it would be

identified as "Szechwan," which is a province. Since Brecht
obviously could not have had in mind a province when
he wrote "a city," I consider the original reading sounder
and have kept it. It is in line with all Brecht's other "mis
understandings" of geography and even with a stage tradi
tion that goes back to things like the "seacoast of Bohemia"
in Shakespeare. Der kaukasische Kreidekreis was pub
lished in substantially the form I knew it, not in the book
editions, but in the 1949 Brecht Supplement of the maga
zine Sinn und Form. Since nothing in the English of
Chalk Circle is in the nature of "free adaptation," the
reader can be sure that if he finds any passage there that
is not in the German text he consults it is taken from
some other German text. For instance, the scabrous bit
about the soldier getting an erection from stabbing was
omitted from later German versions. Convers ely, at
Brecht's request, I inserted some rhymes to introduce the
Azdak trial scenes which had not been found in the 1945
manuscript. To sum up: my rendering of Chalk Circle
claims to provide a line by line equivalent of the German,
though "the German" is itself a flexible term in this con
text; while The Good Woman adheres far less closely to
Der gute Mensch von Sezuan, which, however, readers
can find translate d literally in the first Minnesota edition.
-E. B.
Berlin, March 1965
THE GOOD WOMAN
OF SETZUAN
CHARACTERS
Wong, a water seller
Three Gods
Shen Te, a prostitute, later a shopkeeper
Mrs. Shin, former owner of Shen Te's shop
A Family of Eight (husband, wife, brother, sister-in-law,

grandfather, nephew, niece, boy)
An Unemployed Man
A Carpenter
Mrs. Mi Tzu, Shen Te's landlady
Yang Sun, an unemployed pilot, later a factory manager

An Old Whore
A Policeman
An Old Man
An Old Woman, his wife
Mr. Shu Fu, a barber
Mrs. Yang, mother of Yang Sun

Gentlemen, Voices, Children (three), etc.
PROLOGUE
At the gates of the half-Westernized city of Setzuan. Eve

ning. WONG the water seller introduces himself to the
audience.
WONG: I sell water here in the city of Setzuan. It isn't

easy. When water is scarce, I have long distances to
go in search of it, and when it is plentiful, I have no
income. But in our part of the world there is nothing
unusual about poverty. Many people think only the
gods can s ave the situation. And I hear from a cattle
merchant-who travels a lot-that some of the high
est gods are on their way here at this very moment.
Informed sources have it that heaven is quite dis
turbed at all the complaining. I've been coming out
here to the city gates for three days now to bid these
gods welcome. I want to be the first to greet them.
What about those fellows over there? No, no, they
work. And that one there has ink on his fingers, he's
no god, he must be a clerk from the cement factory.
Those two are another story. They l ook as though
they'd like to beat you. But gods don't need to beat
you, do they?
THREE GODS appear.
What about those three? Old-fashioned clothes

dust on their feet-they must be gods ! (He throws
himself at their feet. ) Do with me what you will,
illustrious ones!
FIRST GOD ( with an ear trumpet ) : Ah! (He is pleased.)

So we were expected?
17
18 I Bertolt Brecht
WONG (giving them water): Oh, yes. And I knew you'd

come.
FIRST GOD : We need somewhere to stay the night. You

know of a place?
WONG : The whole town is at your service, illustrious ones!

What sort of a place would you like?
The GODS eye each other.
FIRST GOD : Just try the first house you come to, my son.
WONG: That would be Mr. Fo's place.
FIRST GOD: Mr. Fo.
WONG : One moment! (He knocks at the first house.)
VOICE FROM MR. PO's: No!
WONG returns a little nervously.
WONG : It's too bad. Mr. Fo isn't in. And his servants
don't dare do a thing without his consent. He'll have
a fit when he finds out who they turned away, won't
he?
FIRST GOD (smiling): He will, won't he?
WONG: One moment! The next house is Mr. Cheng's.

Won't he be thrilled!
FIRST GOD : Mr. Cheng.
WONG knocks.
VOICE FRO M MR. CHENG' s : Keep your gods. We have our

own troubles!
WONG (back with the GODS ) : Mr. Cheng is very sorry,

but he has a houseful of relations. I think some of
them are a bad lot, and naturally, he wouldn't like
you to see them.
THIRD GOD : Are we so terrible?
WONG: Well, only with bad people, of course. Everyone

knows the province of Kwan is always having floods.
SECOND GOD: Really? How's that?
WONG : Why, because they're so irreligious.
SECOND GOD : Rubbish. It's because they neglected the dam.
FIRST GOD (to SECOND) : Sh! (To WONG: ) You're still

in hopes, aren't you, my son?
WONG : Certainly. All Setzuan is competing for the honor!

What happened up to now is pure coincidence. I'll
be back. (He walks away, but then stands undecided.)
SECOND GOD : What did I tell you?
THIRD GOD : It could be pure coincidence.
SECOND GOD : The same coincidence in Shun, Kwan, and

Setzuan? People just aren't religious any more, let's
face the fact. Our mission has failed!
FIRST GOD : Oh come, we might run into a good person

any minute.
THIRD GOD : How did the resolution read? (Unrolling a

scroll and reading from it:) " The world can stay
as it is if enough people are found ( at the word
"found" he unrolls it a little more) living lives
worthy of human beings." Good people, that is. Well,
20 I Bertolt Brecht
what about this water seller himself? He's good, or

I'm very much mistaken.
SE COND GOD : You're very much mistaken. When he gave

us a drink, I had the impression there was something
odd about the cup. Well, look! (He shows the cup to
the FIRST GOD. )
FIRST GOD : A false bottom!
SE COND GO D : The man is a swindler.
FIRST GoD : Very well, count him out. That' s one man
among millions. And as a matter of fa ct, we only
need one on ou r side. These atheists are saying, "The
world must be changed because no one can be
good and stay good." No one, eh? I say : let us find
one-just one-and we have those fellows where
we want them!
THIRD GOD ( to WONG ) : Water seller, is it so hard to find

a place to stay?
WONG : Nothing could be easier. It's just me. I don't go

about it right.
THIRD GOD : Really?
He returns to the others. A G E NT L E MAN passes by.
WONG : Oh dear, they're catch in g on. (He accosts th e

G E N T L E MAN. )
Ex cuse the intrusion, dear sir, but
three gods have just turned up. Three of the very
highest. They need a p l ace for the night. Seize this
rare opportunity-to have real gods as your guests!
GENTL EMAN (laughing) : A new way of finding free rooms

for a gan g of crooks. (Exit GE NTLE MAN. )
WONG (shouting at him ) : Godless rascal! Have you no

religion, gentleman of Setzuan? (Pause. ) Patience,
illustrious ones! (Pause. ) There's only one person
left. Shen Te, the prostitute. She can't say no. (Calls
up to a window: ) Shen Te!
SHEN TE opens the sh utters and looks out.
WONG : Shen Te, it's Wong. They're here, and nobody

wants them. Will you take them?
SHEN TE: Oh, no, Wong, I'm expecting a gentleman.
WONG : Can't you forget about him for tonight?
SHEN TE: The rent has to be paid by tomorrow or I'll

be out on the street.
WONG : This is no time for calculation, Shen Te.
SHEN TE: Stomachs rumble even on the E mperor's birth

day, Wong.
WONG : Setzuan is one big dung hill!
SHEN TE: Oh, very well! I'll hide till my gentleman has
come and gone. Then I'll take them. (She disappears. )
WONG : They mustn't see her gentleman or they'll know

what she is.
FIRST GOD (who hasn't heard any of this) : I think it's

hope less .
They approach WONG.
WONG (jumping, as he finds them behind him) : A room

has been found, illu strious ones! (He wipes sweat
off his brow. )
22 I Bertolt Brecht
SECOND GOD : Oh, good.
THIRD GOD : Let's see it.
WONG (nervously ) : Just a minute. It has to be tidied up

a bit.
THIRD GOD : Then we'll si t down here and wait.
WONG (still more nervous) : No, no! (Holding himself

back. ) Too much traffic, you know.
THIRD GOD (with a smile) : Of course, if you want us

to move .
They retire a little . They sit on a doors tep . WONG

sits on the ground.
WONG (after a deep breath): You'll be staying with a

single girl-the finest human be ing in Setzuan!
THIRD GOD: That's nice.
WONG (to the audience) : They gave me such a look whe n

I picked up my cup just now.
THIRD GOD : You're worn out, Wong.
WON G : A little, maybe.
FIRST GOD : Do people here have a hard time of it?
WONG : The good o nes do.
FIRST GOD : What about yourself?
WONG : Y o u mean I'm not good. That's true . And I don't

have an easy time either!
During this dial og ue, a GENTLEMAN has turned up

in front of Shen Te's house, and has whistled several

times. Each time WONG has given a start.
THIRD GOD (to WONG, softly): Psst! I think he's gone now.
WONG (confused and surprised) : Ye-e-es.
The GENTLEMAN has left now, and SHEN TE has

come down to the street.
SHEN TE (softly): Wong!
Getting no answer, she goes off down the street.

WONG arrives just too late, forgetting his carrying
pole.
WONG (softly): Shen Te! Shen Te! (To himself:) So

she's gone off to earn the rent. Oh dear, I can't
go to the gods again with no room to offer them.
Having failed in the service of the gods, I shall run
to my den in the sewer pipe down by the river
and hide from their sight!
He rushes off. SHEN TE returns, looking for him, but

finding the GODS. She stops in confusion.
SHEN T E : You are the illustrious ones? My n ame is Shen

Te. It would please me very much if my simple room
could be of use to you.
THIRD GOD : Where is the water seller, Miss • . • Shen Te?
SHEN TE: I missed him, somehow.
FIRST GOD :Oh, he probably thought you weren't co min g ,

and was afraid of telling us.
THIRD GOD (picking up the carrying pole): We'll leave

this with you. He'll be needing it.
24 I Bertolt Brecht
Led by SHEN TE, they go into the house. It grows

dark, then light. Dawn. Again escorted by SHEN TE,
who leads them through the half-light with a little
lamp, the GODS take their leave.
FIRST GOD : Thank you, thank you, dear Shen Te, for
your elegant hospitality! We shall not forget! And
give our thanks to the water seller-he showed us
a good human being.
Oh, I'm not good. Let me tell you something:

SHEN T E :
when Wong asked me to put you up, I hesitated.
FIRST GOD : It's all right to hesitate if you then go ahead!

And in giving us that room you did much more
that you knew. You proved that good people still
exist, a point that has been disputed of late--even
in heaven. Farewell!
SE COND GOD : Farewell!
THIRD GOD : Farewell!
SHEN TE: Stop, illustrious ones! I'm not sure you're right.
I'd like to be good, it's true, but there's the rent
to pay. And that's not all: I sell myself for a living.
Even so I can't make ends meet, there's too much
competition. I'd like to honor my father and mother
and speak nothing but the truth and not covet my
neighbor's house. I should love to stay with one
man. But how? How is it done? Even breaking a few
of your commandments, I can hardly manage.
FIRST GOD ( clearing his throat ) : These thoughts are but,

urn, the misgivings of an unusually good woman!
THIRD GOD: Good-bye, Shen Te! Give our regards to the

water seller!
S E COND GOD : And abov e all: be good! Farewell!
FIRST GOD : Farewell!
THIRD GOD : Farewell!
They start to wave good-bye.
SHEN But everything is so

TE : expensive, I don't feel
sure I can do it!
S ECOND GOD : That's not in our sphere. We never meddle

with economics.
THIRD GOD : One moment. (They stop.) Isn't it true

she might do better if she had more money?
SECOND GOD : Come, come! How could we ever account

for it Up Above?
FIRST GOD : Oh, there are ways. (They put their heads
together and confer in dumb show. To SHEN TE,
with embarrassment:) As you say you can't pay
your rent, well, urn, we're not paupers, so of course
we insist on paying for our room. (Awkwardly
thrus ting money into her hand.) There! (Quickly.)
But don't tell anyone! The incident is open to
misinterpretation.
S ECOND GOD : It certainly is!
FIRST GOD (defensively): But there's no law against it!

It was never decreed that a god mustn't pay hotel
bills !
The GODS leave.

1
A small tobacco shop. The shop is not as yet completely

furnished and hasn't started doing business.
SHEN TE (to the audience): It's three days now since the
gods left. When they said they wanted to pay for the
room, I looked down at my hand, and there was
more than a thousand silver dollars! I bought a
tobacco shop with the money, and moved in yester
day. I don't own the building, of course, but I can
pay the rent, and I hope to do a lot of good here.
Beginning with Mrs . Shin, who's just coming across
the square with her pot. She had the shop before
me, and yesterday she dropped in to ask for rice
for her children. (Enter MRS. SHIN. Both women
bow.) How do you do, Mrs . Shin.
MRS. SHIN: How do you do, Miss Shen Te. You like your
new home?
SHE N TE : Indeed, yes. Did your children have a good

night?
MRS . SHIN : In that hovel? The youngest 1s coughing

already.
SHEN TE: Oh, de ar!
MRS . SHIN : You're going to learn a thing or two in these

slums.
SHEN TE: Slums? That's not what you said when you sold
me the shop!
26
MRS . sJnN : Now don't start nagging! Robbing me and my

innocent children of their home and then calling it
a slum! That's the limit! (She weeps.)
SHEN TE ( tactfully) : I'll get your rice.
MRS. SinN: And a little cash while you're at it.
SHEN TE: I'm afraid I haven't sold anything yet.
MRS. SinN (screeching) : I've got to have it. Strip the

clothes from my back and then cut my throat, will
you? I know what I'll do: I'll dump my children
on your doorstep! (She snatches the pot out of
SHEN TE's hands.)
SHEN TE: Please don't be angry. You'll spill the rice.
Enter an elderly HUSBAND and WIFE with their

shabbily dressed NEPHEW.
WIFE: Sh en Te, dear! You've come into money, they tell

me. And we haven't a roof over our heads! A
tobacco shop. We had one too. But it's gone. Could
we spend the night here, do you think?
NEPHEW (appraising the shop): Not bad!
WIFE: He's our nephew. We're inseparable!
MRS. siDN : And who are these ... ladies and gentlemen?
SHEN TE: They put me up when I first came in from

·
the country. ( To the audience:) Of course, when
my small purse was empty, they put me out on the
street, and they may be afraid I'll do the same to
them. ( To the newcomers, kindly:) Come in, and
welcome, though I've only one little room for you
it's behind the shop.
28 I Bertolt Brecht
HUSBAND: That'll do. Don't worry.
WIFE (bringing SHEN some tea): We'll stay over

TE
here, so we won't be in your way. Did you make it
a tobacco shop in memory of your first real home?
We can certainly give you a hint or two! That's one
reason we came.
MRS. SHIN (to SHEN TE): Very nice! As long as you

have a few cus tomer s too!
HUSBAND: Sh! A customer!
Enter an UNEMPLOYED MAN, in rags.
UNEMPLOYED MAN: Excuse me. I'm unemployed.
MRS. SHIN laughs.
SHEN TE: Can I help you?
UNEMPLOYED MAN: Have you any damaged cigarettes?

I thought there might be some damage w hen you're
unpacking.
WIFE : What nerve, begging for tobacco! (Rhetorically.)

Why don't they ask for bread?
UNEMPLOYED MAN: B r ead is expensive. One cigarette butt

and I'll be a new man.
SHEN TE (giving him cigarettes): That's very important

-to be a new man. You'll be my first customer and
bring me luck.
The UNEMPLOYED MAN quickly lights a cigarette,

inhales, and goes of}, coughing.
WIFE: Was that right, Shen Te, dear?

MRS. siDN: If this is the opening of a shop, you can hold

the closing at the end of the week.
HUSBAND: I bet he had money on him .
SHEN TE: Oh, no, he said he hadn't!
NEPHEW: How d'you know he wasn't lying?
SHEN TE (angrily ) : How do you know he was?
WIFE (wagging her head): You're too good, Shen Te,

dear. If you're going to keep this shop, you'll have
to learn to say no.
HUSBAND: Tell them the place isn't yours to dispose of.

Belongs to . . . some relative who insists on all ac
counts being strictly in order • • •
MRS. SinN: That's right! What do you think you are-a

philanthropist?
SHEN TE (laughing) : Very well, suppose I ask you for

my rice back, Mrs. Shin?
WIFE (combatively, at MRS . SinN ): So that's her rice?
Enter the CARPENTER, a small man.
MRS. SinN (who, at the sight of him, starts to hurry

away) : See you tomorrow, Miss Shen Te! (Exit
MRS. SinN. )
CARP ENTER : Mrs. Shin, it's you I want!
WIFE (to SHEN TE ): Has she some claim on you?
SHEN TE: She's hungry. That's a claim.

30 I Bertolt Brecht
CARP E NT E R : Are you the new tenant? And filling up the

shelves already? Well, they' re not yours till they're
paid f or, ma'am. I'm the car penter, so I should know.
SHEN T E : I t o ok the shop "furnishings included."
CARP ENTER : You're in league with that Mrs. Shin, of

course. All right. I demand my hundred silver dollars.
SHEN TE: I'm afraid I have n ' t got a hundred silver dollars.
CARP E N T E R : Then you'll find it. Or I'll have you arrested .
WIFE (whispering to SHEN TE): That relative: make it a

co usin.
SHEN T E : Can't it wait till next mo nth?
CARP ENTER : No!
SHEN T E : Be a little patient, Mr. Carpenter, I can't set tle

all claims at once.
Who's patient with me? (He grabs a shelf

CARP E N T E R :
from the wall.) Pay up--or I take the shelves back!
WIF E : Shen Tel Dear! Why don't you let your . . . cousin
settle this affair? (To CAR P ENTER : ) Put your claim
in writing. Shen Te's cousin will see you get paid.
CAR P E N T E R (derisively): Cous in, e h?
HUSBAND : Cousin, yes.
CAR P E N T E R : I know these cousins!
NEP HEW: Don't be silly. He's a pers o nal friend of mine.
HUSBAND: What a man! Sharp as a razor!

CARP ENTE R :All right. I'll put my claim in writing. (Puts

shelf on floor, sits on it, writes out bill. )
WIFE (to SHEN TE ) : He'd tear the dress off your back
to get his shelves . Never recognize a claim . That's
my motto.
SHEN T E : He's done a j ob, and wants something in return .

It's shameful that I can't give it t o him. What will
the gods say?
HUSBAND : You did yo u r bit when you took us in.
Enter the BROTHER, limping, and the SISTE R-IN-LAW,

pregnant.
BROTHER (to HUSBAN D and WIFE ) : So this is where

you're hiding out! There's family feeling for you!
Leaving us on the comer!
WIFE (embarrassed, to SHEN T E ) : It's my brother and

his wife. (To them : ) Now stop grumbling, and sit
quietly in that comer. (To S H E N TE : ) It can't be
helped. She's in her fifth month.
SHEN TE : Oh yes . Welcome!
WIFE (to the couple): Say thank you. (They mutter some
thing.) The cups are there. (To SHEN T E : ) Luck.-y
you bought this shop when you did !
SHEN T E (laughing and bringing tea) : . Lucky indeed !
Enter MRS . M I TZU, the landlady.
MRS . MI TZU : Miss Shen Te? I am Mrs. Mi Tzu, your

landlady. I hope our relationship will be a happy
one. I like to think I give my tenants modem, per-
32 I Bertolt Brecht
sonalized service. Here is your lease . ( To the others,

as SHEN TE reads the lease : ) There's nothing like
the opening of a little shop, is there? A moment of
true beauty ! (She is looking around.) Not very
much on the shelves, of course. But everything in
the gods' good time ! Where are your references, Miss
Shen Te?
SHEN TE : Do I have to h ave references?
MRS . MI Tzu : After all, I haven't a notion who you are!
HUSBAND : Oh, we'd be glad to vouch for Miss Shen Te !

We'd go through fire for her!
MRS . MI TZU : And who may you be?
HUSBAND (stammering) : Ma Fu, tobacco dealer.
MRS . MI TZU : Where is your shop, Mr . . • . Ma Fu?
HUSBAND : Well, urn, I haven't got a shop-I've just

sold it.
MRS . MI TZU :I see. ( To SHEN TE : ) Is there no one

else that knows you?
WIF E (whispering to SHEN TE ): Your cousin ! Your

cousin!
MRS . MI TZU : This is a respectable house, Miss Shen Te.

I never sign a lease without certain assurances .
SHEN TE (slowly, her eyes downcast) : I have • • • a

cousin.
MRS . MI Tzu : On the square? Let's go over and see him.

What does he do?
SHEN TE (as before) : He lives • • . in another city.

WIFE (prompting) : Didn't you say he was in Shung?
SHEN TE : That's right. Shung.
HUSBAND (prompting) : I had his name on the tip of my

tongue. Mr . . . •
SHEN TE (with an effort) : Mr . . . . Shui . . . Ta.
HUSBAND : That's it ! Tall, skinny fellow!
SHEN T E : Shui Ta!
NEPHEW ( to CARP ENTER ) : You were in touch with him,

weren't you? About the shelves?
CAR P E NTER (surlily ) : Give him this bill. (He hands it

over. ) I'll be back in the morning. (Exit CARP ENTER. )
NE PHEW (calling after him, but with his eyes on MRS . MI

TZU ) : Don't worry! Mr. Shui Ta pays on the nail!
MRS . MI TZU ( looking closely at SHE N TE ) : I'll be happy

to make his acquaintance, Miss Sh en Te. (Exit
MRS . MI T ZU . )
Pause.
WIFE : By tomorrow morning she'll know more about you

thanyou do yourself.
SISTER-IN-LAW ( to NE PHEW ) : This thing isn't built to la st .
Enter GRANDFATHER.
WIF E : It's Grandfather! ( To SHEN T E : ) Such a good old

soul!
The B OY enters.
34 I Bertolt Brecht
B OY (over his shoulder) : Here they are !
WIF E : And the boy, how he's grown ! But he always could
eat enough for ten.
Enter the NIE CE .
WIFE ( to SHEN TE ) : Our little niece from the country.

There are more of us now than in your time. The
less we had, the more there were of us ; the more
there were of us, the less we had. Give me the key.
We must protect ourselves from unwanted guests .
(She takes the key and locks the door. ) Just make
yourself at home. I'll light the little lamp.
NEPHEW (a big joke ) : I hope her cousin doesn't drop in

tonight! The strict Mr. Shui Ta!
SISTER-IN-LAW laughs.
BROTHER (reaching for a cigarette ) : One cigarette more

or less . . .
HUSBAND : One cigarette more or less.
They pile into the cigarettes. The B ROTHER hands a

jug of wine round.
NE PHEW : Mr. Shui Ta'll pay for it!
GRANDFATHER (gravely, to SHEN TE ) : How do you do?
SHEN TE, a little taken aback by the belatedness of

the greeting, bows. She has the carpenter's bill in one
hand, the landlady's lease in the other.
WIFE : How about a bit of a song? To keep Shen Te's

spirits up?
N E PHEW : Good idea. Grandfather : you start!
SONG OF THE SMOKE

GRANDFATHER :
Iused to think (before old age beset me )
That brains could fill the pantry of the poor.
But where did all my cerebration get me?
I'm just as hungry as I was before.
So what's the use?
See the smoke float free
Into ever colder coldness!
It's the same with me.
HUSBAND :
The straight and narrow path leads to disaster
Andso the crooked path I tried to tread.
That got me to disaster even faster.
{They say we shall be happy when we're dead. )
So what's the use?
Into ever colder coldness !
NIE C E :
You older people, full of expectation,
At any moment now you'll walk the p l ank!
The future's for the younger generation!
Yes, even if that future is a blank.
So what's the use?
Into ever colder coldness !
N E P HEW ( to the B ROTHE R ) : Where'd you get that wine?
SISTE R-IN-LAW (answering for the BROTHER ) : He pawned

the sack of tobacco.
36 I Bertolt B recht
HUSBAND (stepping in) : What? That tobacco was all we

had to fall back on! You pig !
B ROTHER : You'd call a man a pig because your wife was

frigid! Did you refuse to drink it?
They fight. The shelves fall over.
SHEN TE (imploringly) : Oh don't! Don't break everything!

Take it, take it, take it all, but don't de stroy a gift
from the gods !
WIFE ( disparagingly) : This shop is n' t big enough. I should

never have mentioned it to Uncle and the others.
When they arrive, it's going to be disgustingly over
crowded.
SIS TER-IN-LAW : And did you hear our g r aciou s hostess?

She cools off quick!
Voices outside. Knocking at the door.
'
UNCLE S VOIC E : Open the door!
WIFE : Uncle ! Is that you, Uncle?

'
UNCLE s VOICE : Certainly, it's me. Auntie says to tell you
she'll have the children here in ten minutes.
WIFE ( to SHEN T E ) : I'll have to l et him in.
SHEN TE (who scarcely hears her) :

The little lifeboat is swiftly sent down
Too many men too greedily
Hold on to it as they drown.
la
Wong's den in a sewer pipe.
WONG ( crouching there ) : All quiet! It's four days now

since I left the city. The gods passed this way on the
second day. I heard their steps on the bridge over
there. They must be a long way off by this time, so
I'm safe. (Breathing a sigh of relief, he curls up and
goes to sleep. In his dream the pipe becomes trans
parent, and the GODS app ear . Raising an arm, as if
in self-defense : ) I know, I know, illustriou s ones ! I
found no one to give you a room-not in all Setzuan !
There, it's out. Please continue on your way !
FIRST GOD (mildly ) : But you did fin d someone . Someone

who took us in for the night , watched over us in our
sleep, and in the early m orning lighted us down to
the street with a lamp.
WONG : It was . . . Shen Te that took you in?
THIRD GOD : Who else?
WONG : And I ran away ! "She isn't coming, " I thought,

"she just can't affo rd it."
GODS (singing ) :
0 you feeble, well-intentioned, and yet feeble chap
Where there's need the fellow thinks there is
no goodness !
When there's danger he thinks courage starts to
ebb away !
37
38 I B ertolt Brecht
Some people only see the seamy side!

What hasty j udgment! What premature desperation!
WONG : I'm very ashamed, illustrious ones .
FIRST GOD : Do us a favor, water seller. Go back to Setzuan.

Find Shen Te, and give us a report on her. We hear
that she's come into a little money. Show interest in
her goodness-for no one can be good for long if
goodness is not in demand. Meanwhile we shall con
tinue the search, and find other good people. After
which, the idle ch atter about the impossibility of
goodness will stop !
The GODS vanish.

2
A knocking.
WIFE : Shen Te ! Someone at the door. Where is she any

way?
NEPHEW : She must be getting the breakfast. Mr. Shui Ta

will pay for it.
The WIFE laughs and shuffles to the door. En t er MR.

SHUI TA and the CARP ENTER.
WIF E : Who is it?
sHUI TA : I am Miss Shen Te's cousin.
WIFE : What?
SHUI T A : My name is Shui Ta.
WIF E : Her cousin?
NEPHEW : Her cousin?
NIE CE : But that was a j oke. She hasn't got a cousin.
HUSBAND : So early in the morning?
BROTHER : What's all the noise?
SISTER-IN-LAW : This fellow s ays he's her cousin.
BROTHER : Tell him to prove it.
39
40 I Bertolt Brecht
N E P HEW : Right. If you're Shen Te's cousin, prove it by

getting the breakfast.
SHUI TA (whose regime begins as he puts out the lamp

to save oil; loudly, to all present, asleep or awake) :
Would you all please get dressed! Customers will be
coming ! I wish to open my shop !
HUSBAND : Your shop? Doesn't it belong to our good friend

Shen Te?
SHUI TA shakes his head.
SIST ER-IN-LAW : So we've been cheated. Where is the little

liar?
SHUI TA : Miss Shen Te has been delayed. She wishes me

to tell you there will be nothing she can do-now I
am here .
WIF E (bowled o ver) : I thought she was good!
NEPHEW : Do you have to believe him?
HUSBAND : I don't.
N E P HEW : Then do something.
HUSBAND : Certainly! I'll send out a search party at once.

You, you, you, and you, go out and look for Shen
Te . (As the GRANDFATHE R rises and makes for the
door. ) Not you, Grandfather, you and I will hold
the fort.
SHUI T A :You won't find Miss Shen Te. She has suspended
her hospitable activity for an unlimited period. There
are too many of you. She asked me to s ay : this is a
tobacco shop, not a gold mine.
HUSBAND : Shen Te never said a thing lik e that. B oy, food!

There's a bakery on the comer. Stuff your shirt full
when they're not looking!
SISTER-IN-LAW : Don't overlook the raspberry tarts.
HUSBAND : And don't let the policeman see you.
The B OY leaves.
SHUI TA : Don't you depend on this shop now? Then why

give it a bad name by stealing from the bakery?
NEPHEW : Don't listen to him. Let's find Shen Te. She'll

give him a piece of her mind.
SISTE R-IN-LAW : Don't forget to leave us some breakfast.
BROTHER, SISTER-IN-LAW, and NEPHEW [eave.
SHUI TA {to the CARPENTER ):

You see, Mr. Carpenter,
nothing has changed since the poet, eleven hundred
years ago, penne d these lines :
A governor was asked what was needed

To save the freezing people in the city.
He replied :
"A blanket ten thousand feet long
to cover the city and all its suburbs."
He starts to tidy up the shop.
CARP ENTER : Your cousin owes me money. I've got wit

nesses. For the shelves.
Yes, I have your bill. (He takes it out of his

SHUI TA :
pocket. ) Isn't a hundred silver dollars rather a lot?
42 I Bertolt Brecht
CARPENTER : No deductions ! I have a wife and children.
SHUI TA : How many children?
CARP ENTER : Three.
SHUI TA : I'll m ake you an offer. Twenty silver dollars.
The HUSBAND laughs.
CARP ENTER : You're crazy. Those shelves are real walnut.
SHUI TA : Very well . Take them away.
CARP ENTE R : Wh at?
SHUI TA : They cost too much . Please take them away.
WIF E : Not bad ! (And she, too, is laughing. )
CARP ENTER (a little bewildered ) : Call Shen Te, someone!

( To SHUI T A : ) She's good!
SHUI TA : Certainly . She's ruined.
CARP ENTER (provoked into taking some of the shelves ) :

All right, you can keep your tob acco on the floor.
SHUI TA ( to the HUSBAND ): Help him with the shelves.
HUSBAND (grins and carries one shelf over to the door

where the CARP ENTER now is ) : Good-bye, shelves !
CAR P E N T E R ( to the HUSBAND ) : You d og ! You want my

family to starve?
SHUI T A : I repeat my offer. I have no d esire to keep my

tobacco on the floor . Twenty silver dollars.
The G oo d Woman of Setzuan I 43
CARP ENTER (with desperate aggressiveness) : One h un d re d !
SHUI TA shows indifference, looks through the

window. The HUSBAND picks up several shelves.
CARPENTER ( to HUS BAND ) : You needn't smash them

a gainst the doorpost, you idiot ! ( To SHUT TA : ) These
shelves were made to measure. They're no use any
where else!
SHUI T A : Preci se!y.
The WIFE squeals with pleasure.
CARPENTER (giving up, sullenly ) : Take the shelves. Pay

what you want to pay.
SHUI TA (smoothly ) : Twenty silver dollars.
He places two large coins on the table. The CARP EN

TER picks them up.
HUSB AND ( brings the shelves back in) : And quite enough
too !
CARPENTER (slinking off) : Quite enough to get dru nk on.
HUSBAND (happily ) : Well, we got rid of him !
WIFE ( weeping with fun, gives a rendition of the dialogue

just spoken ) : "Real walnut," says he. "Very well ,
take them away," says his lordship. "I h ave three
children," s ays he. "Twenty silver dollars," says his
lordship. "They're no use anyw he re else," says he .
"Pre-cisely," said his lordship ! (She dissolves into
shrieks of merriment. )
SHUI TA : And now : go !

44 I Bertolt Brecht
HUSBAND : What's that?
SHUI TA : You're thieves, parasites. I'm giving you this

chance. Go !
HUSBAND (summoning all his ancestral dignity ) : That sort

deserves no answer. Besides, one should never shout
on an empty stomach.
WIFE : Where's that boy?
SHUI TA : Exactly . The boy. I want · no stolen goods in this

shop. ( Very loudly. ) ! strongly advise you to leave !
(But they remain seated, noses in the air. Quietly. )
As you wish. (sHUI TA goes to the door. A POLICE
MAN appears. SHUI TA bows. ) I am addressing the
officer in charge of this precinct?
P OLICE MAN : That's right, Mr., urn, what was the name,
sir?
SHUI TA : Mr . Shui Ta.
P O LICE MAN : Yes, of course, sir.
They exchange a smile.
SHUI TA : Nice weather we're having .
P O LICE MAN : A little on the warm side, sir.
SHUI TA : Oh, a little on the warm side.
HUSBAND (whispering to the WIFE ) :

If he keeps it up till
the boy's back, we're done for. (Tries to signal SHUI
TA. )
SHUI T A (ignoring the signal) : Weather, of course, is one

thing indoors, another out on the dusty street!
POLIC E MAN : Oh, quite another, sir!
WIFE (to the HUSBAND ) : It's all right as long as he's stand
ing in the doorway-the boy will see him.
SHUI TA : Step inside for a moment! It's quite cool indoors.

My cousin and I have just opened the place. And we
attach the greatest importance to being on good terms
with the, urn, authorities.
P OLIC E MAN (entering) : Thank you, Mr. Shui Ta. It is

cool!
HUSBAND (whispering to the WIF E ) : And now th e boy

won't see him.
SHUI T A(showing HUSBAND and WIFE to the P OLIC E MAN ) :

Visitors, I think my cousin knows them. They were
just leaving.
HUSBAND ( defeated) : Ye-e-es, we were . . . just leaving.
SHUI TA : I'll tell my cousin you couldn't wait.
Noise from tlze street. Shouts of "Stop, Thief!"
P OLIC E MAN : What's that?
The B OY is in the doonvay with .cakes and buns and

rolls spilling out of his shirt. The WIFE signals desper
ately to him to leave. He gets the idea.
POLICEMAN : No, you don't! (He grabs the BOY by the

collar. ) Where's all this from?
46 I Bertolt Brecht
B OY (vaguely pointing ) : Down the street.
P OLIC E MAN (grimly ) : So that's it. (Prepares to arrest the

B OY. )
WIFE (stepping in ) : And we knew nothing about it. (To

the B OY : ) Nasty little thief!
POLICEMAN (dryly ) : Can you clarify the situation, Mr.

Shui Ta?
SHUI TA is silent.
P OLIC E MAN (who understands silence) : Aha. You're all

c oming with me-to the station.
SHUI TA : I can hardly say how sorry I am that my estab

lishment . . •
WIF E : Oh, he saw the boy leave not ten minutes ago!
SHUI TA : And to conceal the theft asked a policeman in?
P OLICE MAN : Don't listen to her, Mr. Shui Ta, I'll be happy
to relieve you of their presence one and all! (To
all three : ) Out! (He drives them before him . )
GRANDFATHER (leaving last, gravely ) : Good morning!
P OLICEMAN : Good morning!
SHUI TA, left alone, continues to tidy up. MRS . MI TW

breezes in.
MRS. MI TZU : Y o u ' re

her cousin, are you? Then have the
goodness to explain what all this means-police drag
ging people from a re spectable house! By what right
does your Miss Shen Te tum my property into a

house of assignation?-Well, as you see, I know all!
SHUI TA :Yes. My cousin has the worst possible reputation :

that of being poor.
MRS. MI Tzu :No sentimental rubbish, Mr. Shui Ta. Your

cousin was a common . . .
SHUI TA : Pauper. Let's use the uglier word.
MRS. MI TW : I'm speaking of her conduct, not her earn

ings. But there must have been earnings, or how did
she buy all this? Several elderly gentlemen took care
of it, I suppose. I repeat : this is a respectable house!
I have tenants who prefer not to live under the same
roof with such a person.
SHUI TA (quietly ) : How much do you want?
MRS . MI TZU (he is ahead of her now ) : I beg your pardon.
To reassure yourself. To reassure your tenants.

SHU! TA :
How much will it cost?
MRS. MI Tzu : You're a cool customer.
SHUI TA (picking up the lease ) : The rent is high. (He

reads on. ) I assume it's payable by the month?
MRS. MI TZU : Not in her case.
SHUI T A ( looking up ) : What?
MRS . MI Tzu :Six months' rent payable in advance. Two

hundred silver dollars.
SHUI TA : Six . . . ! Sheer usury ! And where am I to find it?

48 I Bertolt Brecht
MRS. MI Tzu : You should have thought of that before.
sHUI TA : Have you no heart, Mrs. Mi Tzu? It's true Shen

Te acted foolishly, being kind to all those people,
but she'll improve with time. I'll see to it she does.
She'll work her fingers to the bone to pay her rent,
and all the time be as quiet as a mouse, as humble
as a fly.
MRS. MI TZU : Her social background . . •
SHUI TA : Out of the depths ! She came out of the depths!

And before she'll go back there, she'll work, sacrifice,
shrink from nothing. . . . Such a tenant is worth
her weight in gol d, Mrs. Mi Tzu.
MRS. MI TZU : It's silver we were talking about, Mr. Shui

Ta. Two hundred silver dollars or . • •
Enter the P OLICEMAN.
POLICEMAN : Am I intruding, Mr. Shui Ta?
MRS. MI TZU : This tobacco shop is well known to the

police, I see.
P OLICE MAN : Mr. Shui Ta has done us a service, Mrs. Mi

Tzu. I am here to present our official felicitations !
MRS. MI Tzu : That means less than nothing to me, sir.

Mr. Shui Ta, all I can say is : I hope your cousin
will find my terms acceptable. Good day, gentlemen.
(Exit. )
SHUI TA : Good day, ma'am.
Pause.
POLICEMAN : Mrs . Mi Tzu a bit of a stumbling block, sir?
SHUI TA : She wants six months' rent in advance.
P O L I C E MAN : And you haven't got it, eh? ( SHUI TA is

silent. ) But surely you can get it, sir? A man like you?
SHUI TA : What about a woman like Shen Te?
P OLICE MAN : You're not staying, sir?
SHUI TA : No, and I won't be back. Do you smoke?
P OLIC E MAN ( taking two cigars, and placing them both in

his p o ck et ) : Thank you, sir-I see your point. Miss
Te-let's mince no words-Miss Shen Te lived by
selling herself. "What else could she have done?" you
ask. "How else was she to pay the rent?" True. But
the fact remains, Mr. Shui Ta, it is not respectable .
Why not? A very deep question. But, in the first
place, love-love isn't bought and sold like cigars,
Mr. Shui Ta. In the second place, it isn't respectable
to go waltzing off with someone that's paying his way,
so to speak-it must be for love! Thirdly and l astly,
as the proverb has it : not for a h andful of rice but
for love ! ( Pause. He is thinking Izard. ) "Well," you
may say, "and what good is all this wisdom if the
milk's already spilt?" Miss Shen Te is what she is.
Is where she is. We have to face the fact that if she
doesn't get hold of six months' rent pronto, she'll be
back on the streets . The question then as I see it
everything in this world is a matter of opinion-the
question as I see it is : how is she _to get hold of this
rent? How? Mr. Shui Ta : I don't know . ( Pause . )
I take that back, sir. It's just come to me . A h usband .
We must find her a husband!
Enter a little OLD WOMA N .

50 I Bertolt Brecht
OLD WOMAN : A good cheap cigar for my husband, we'll

have been married forty years tomorrow and we're
having a little celebration.
SHUI TA : Forty years? And you still want to celebrate?
OLD WOMAN : As much as we can afford to. We have the

carpet shop across the square. We'll be good neigh
bors, I hope?
SHUI TA : I hope so too.
POLICEMAN ( who keeps making discoveries) : Mr. Shui

Ta, you know what we need? We need capital. And
how do we acquire capital? We get married.
SHU! TA ( to ) : I'm afraid I've been pestering

OLD WOMAN
this gentleman with my personal worries.
POLICEMAN ( lyrically ) : We can't pay six months' rent,

so what do we do? We marry money.
SHUI TA : That might not be easy.
P OLICEMAN : Oh, I don't know. She's a good match. Has

a nice, growing business. ( To the OLD WOMAN : )
What do you think?
O LD WOMAN ( undecided) : Well-
POLICEMAN : Should she put an ad in the paper?
OLD WOMAN (not eager to commit herself) : Well, if she

agrees-
P O LIC E MAN :I'll write it for her. You lend us a hand, and
we write an ad for you ! (He chuckles away to him-
self, takes out his notebook, wets the stump of a

pencil between his lips, and writes away.)
SHUI TA (slowly ) : Not a b ad idea.
POLICEMAN : "What . . . respectable . . . man . . . with

small capital . . . widower . . . not excluded . . . de
sire s . . . marriage . . . into fl o u ri shin g . . . tobacco
s hop? " And now let's add : "Am . . . pretty . . . " No !
• . . "Prepossessing appearance."
SHUI TA : If you don't think th at' s a n e xaggeration?
OLD WOMAN : Oh, not a bit. I've seen her.
The P OLICEMAN tears the page o u t of his notebook,

and hands it over to SHUI TA .
SHU! TA ( with horror in his voice ) : How much luck we

need to keep our heads above water! How many
ideas ! How many friends ! (To the POLIC EMAN : )
Than k you, sir, I think I see my way clear.
3
Evening in the municipal park. Noise of a plane overhead.

YANG suN, a young man in rags, is following the plane
with his eyes: one can tell that the machine is describing
a curve above the park. YANG SUN then takes a rope out
of his pocket, looking anxiously about him as he does so.
He moves toward a large willow. Enter two prostitutes, one
the OLD WHORE , the other the NIECE whom we have al
ready met.
NIECE : Hello . Coming with me?
YANG suN ( taken aback ) : If you'd like to buy me a dinner.
OLD WHORE : Buy you a dinner! ( To the NIE CE : ) Oh, we

know him-it's the unemployed pilot. Waste no time
on him!
NIECE : But he's the only man left in the park. And it's
going to rain.
OLD WHORE : Oh, how do you know?
A nd they pass by. YANG SUN again looks about him,

again takes his rope, and this time throws it round a
branch of the willow tree. A gain he is interrupted. It
is the two prostitutes returning-and in such a hurry
they don't notice him.
NIECE : It' s going to pour !
Enter SHEN T E.
52
The Good Woman of Sctzuan I 53
OLD WHORE : There's that gorgon Shen Te ! That drove

your family out into the cold!
NIECE : It wasn't her. It was that cousin of hers . She of

fered to pay for the cakes. I've nothing against her.
OLD WHORE : I have, though. (So that SHEN TE can hear. )

Now where could the little lady be off to? She m ay
be rich now but that won't stop her snatching our
young men, will it?
SHEN TE : I'm going to the tearoom by the pond.
NIECE : Is it true what they s ay? You're marrying a widower

-with three children?
SHEN TE : Yes. I'm just going to see him.
YANG SUN (his patience at breaking point ) : Move on

there! This is a park, not a whorehouse!
OLD WHORE : Shut your mouth !
But the two prostitutes leave.
YANG SUN : Even in the farthest corner of the park, even

when it's raining, you can't get rid of them ! (He
spits. )
SHEN TE (overhearing this ) : And what right have you to

scold them? (But at this point she se es the rope. ) Oh !
YANG SUN : Well, what are you staring at?
SHEN TE : That rope . What is it for?
YANG SUN : Think ! Think! I haven't a penny. Even if I

54 I B ertolt B recht
had, I wouldn't spend it on you. I'd buy a drink of

water.
The rain starts.
SHEN TE (still looking at the rope ) : What is the rope for?

You mustn't!
YANG SUN : What's it to you? Clear out!
SHEN TE (irrelevantly ) : It's raining.
YANG SUN : Well, don't try to come under this tree.
SHEN TE : Oh, no. ( She stays in the rain. )
YANG SUN : Now go away. (Pause . ) For one thing, I don't

like your looks, you're bowlegged.
SHEN TE ( indignan tly ) : That's not true !
YANG SUN : Well, don't show 'em to me. Look, it's raining.
You better come under this tree.
Slowly, she takes she lter under the tree.
SHEN TE : Why did you want to do it?
YANG SUN : You re ally want to know? (Pause. ) To get rid

of you ! (Pause. ) You know what a flyer is?
SHEN TE : Oh yes, I've met a lot of pilots. At the tearoom.
YANG SUN : You call them flyers? Think they know what
a machine is? Just 'cause they have leather helmets?
They gave the airfield director a bribe, that's the
way those fellows got up in the air! Try one of them
out sometime. "Go up to two thousand feet," tell

them, "then let it fall, then pick it up again with a
flick of the wrist at the last moment." Know what
he'll say to that? "It's not in my contract ." Then
again, there's the landing problem. It's like landing
on your own backside. It's no different, planes are
human. Those fools don't understand. (Pause.) And
I'm the biggest fool for reading the book on flying
in the Peking school and skipping the page where
it says: "We've got enough flyers and we don't need
you. " I'm a mail pilot with no mail. You understand
that?
SHEN TE (shyly) : Yes. I do.
YANG suN : No, you don't . You'd never understand that.
SHEN TE : When we were little we had a crane with a

broken wing. He made friends with us and was very
good-natured about our jokes. He would strut along
behind us and call out to stop us going too fast for
him. But every spring and autumn when the cranes
flew over the villages in great swarms, he got quite
restless. (Pause.) I understand that. (She bursts out
crying.)
YANG SUN : Don't !
SHEN TE (quieting down) : No.
YANG SUN : It's bad for the complexion.
SHEN TE (sniffing ) : I've stopped.
She dries her tears on her big sleeve. Leaning against

the tree, but not looking at her, he reaches for her
face.
56 I Bertolt Brecht
YANG suN : You c an ' t even wipe your own face . (He is
wiping it for her with his handkerchief. Pause. )
SHEN TE (still sobbing) : I don't know anything!
YANG suN : You interrupte d me ! What for?
SHEN TE : It's s u ch a rainy day. You o nly wanted to do

. . . that because it's such a rainy day. ( To the
audience : )
In our country
The eveni ngs should never be somber
High bridges over rivers
The gray hour between night and morning
And the l ong , long winter :
Such things are d angerou s
For, with all the misery,
A very little is enough
And men throw away an unbearable life.
Pause.
YANG suN : Talk about yourself for a change.
SHEN TE : What about me? I h ave a shop.
YANG SUN (incredulous) : You have a shop, have y ou ?

Never thought of walking the streets?
SHEN TE : I did walk the streets. Now I have a shop.
YANG SUN (ironically ) : A gift of the gods, I suppose!
SHEN TE : How did you know?
YANG SUN (even more ironical ) : One fine evening the

gods turned up saying : here's some m on e y!
SHEN TE (quickly ) : One fine morning.
YANG suN (fed up ) : This isn 't much of an entertainment.
Pa use .
SHEN TE : I can pl ay the zither a little . (Pause. ) And I c an

mimic men. (Pause. ) I got the sh op , so the first
thing I did was to give my zither aw ay . I can b e as
stupid as a fish now, I said to myself, and it won't
matter.
I'm rich now, I said

I walk al on e , I sleep alone
For a who l e year, I said
I'll h a ve nothing to do with a man.
YANG suN : An d now you're marrying on e ! The one at

the tearoom by the p on d?
SHEN TE is silent.
YANG suN : What do you know about l o ve?
SHEN TE : Everything.
YANG SUN : Nothing. (Pause. ) Or d'you j ust mean you

enj oyed it?
SHEN TE : No.
YANG SUN (agai n without turning to look at her, he s tro kes

her cheek with his hand) : You like that?
SHE N T E : Yes.
YANG SUN ( breaking off) : You're e as ily satisfied, I must

say. (Pause. ) What a town !
58 I Bertolt B recht
SHEN TE : You have no friends?
YANG SUN ( defensively ) : Yes, I have ! (Change of tone . )

But they don't want to hear I'm still unemployed .
"What?" they ask. "Is there still water in the sea?"
You have friends?
SHEN TE (hesitating) : Just a . . . cousin.
YANG SUN : Watch him carefully.
SHEN T E : He only came once . Then he went away. He

won't be back. ( YANG SUN is looking away. ) But to
be without hope, they say, is to be without goodness !
Pause.
YAN G suN : Go on talking. A voice is a voice.
SHEN TE : Once, when I was a little girl, I fell , with a load

of brushwood. An old man picked me up. He gave
me a penny too. Isn't it funny how people who don't
have very much like to give some of it away? They
must like to show what they can do, and how could
they show it better than by being kind? Being wicked
is j ust like being clumsy . When we sing a song, or
build a machine, or plant s ome rice, we're being
kind . You're kind .
YANG SUN : You make it sound e asy.
SHEN TE : Oh, no. (Little pause. ) Oh ! A drop of rain !
YANG suN : Where'd you feel it?
SHEN T E : Between the eyes.
YANG SUN : Near the right eye? Or the left?

SHEN TE : Near the left eye.
YANG suN : Oh, good. (He is getting sleepy. ) So you're

through with men, eh?
SHEN TE (with a smile ) : But I'm not bowlegged.
YANG SUN : Perhaps not.
SHEN TE : Definitely not.
Pause.
YANG SUN ( leaning wearily against the willow ) : I haven't

had a drop to drink all day, I haven't eaten anything
for two days. I couldn't love you if I tried.
Pause.
SHEN TE : I like it in the rain.
Enter WONG the water seller, singing.
THE SONG OF THE WA TER SELLER IN THE RAIN
"Buy my water," I am yelling

And my fury restraining
For no water I'm selling
'Cause it's raining, 'cause it's raining!
I keep yelling : "Buy my water!"
But no one's buying
Athirst and dying
And drinking and paying!
Buy water !
Buy water, you dogs !
Nice to dream of lovely weather!

Thnk of all the consternation
Were there no precipitation
60 I Bertolt Brecht
Half a dozen years together!

Can't you hear them shrieking : "Water!"
Pretending they adore me?
They all would go down on their knees
before m e !
Down o n your knees !
Go down on your knees, you dogs !
What are lawns and hedges thinking?

What are fields and forests saying?
"At the clouds's breast we are drinking!
And we've no idea who's paying ! "
I keep yelling : "Buy my water! "
But n o one's buying
Athirst and dying
And drinking and paying!
Buy water!
B uy water, you dogs !
The rain has stopped now. SHE N TE sees WONG and

runs toward him.
SHEN TE : Wong ! You're back ! Your carrying pole's at the

shop.
WONG : Oh, thank you, Shen Te. And how is life treating
you?
SHEN TE : I've just met a brave and clever man . And I

want to buy him a cup of your water.
WONG ( bitterly ) : Throw back your head and open your

mouth and you'll have all the water you need-
SHEN TE ( tenderly ) :
I want your water, Wong
The water that has tired you s o
The Good Woman of Setzu an I 61
The water that you carried all this way

The water that is hard to sell because
it's been raining.
I need it for the young man over there-he's a flyer !
A flyer is a bold man :

Braving the storms
In company with the clouds
He crosses the heavens
And brings to friends in faraway lands
The friendly mail !
She p ays WONG, and runs over to YANG SUN with the
cup. But YAN G SUN is fast asleep.
SHEN TE (calling to WONG, with a laugh ) : He ' s fallen

asleep! Despair and rain and I have worn him out!
3a
Wong's den. The sewer pipe is transparent, and the GODS

again appear to WONG in a dream.
WONG (radiant) : I've seen her, illustrious one s ! And she

hasn't changed !
FIRST GOD : That's good t o hear.
WONG : She loves someone.
FIRST GOD : Let's hope the experience gives her the strength
to stay good!
WONG : It does. She's doing good deeds all the time.
FIRST GOD : Ah? What sort? What sort of good deeds,

Wong?
WONG : Well, she has a kind word for everybody.
FIRST GOD (eagerly ) : And then?
WONG : Hardly anyone leaves her shop without tobacco in

his pocket-even if he can't pay for it.
FIRST GOD : Not bad at all. Next?
WONG : She's putting up a family of eight.
FIRST GOD (gleefully, to the SECOND GOD ) : Eight! ( To

WONG : ) And that's not all, of course!
62
The Good Wom an of Setzuan I 63
WON G : S he b o ught a cu p o f water from m e even though it

was raining.
FIRST GOD : Yes, yes, yes, all the se smalle r good deeds !
WONG : Even they run into money. A little t ob ac c o shop

d o e sn' t make so much.
FIRST GOD (sententiously ) : A pru dent gardener works

miracles on the smallest pl o t.
WON G : She hands out rice every mo rning. That eats up

half her earnings .
FIRST GOD (a little disappointed) : Well, as a be ginnin g . . .
WONG : They call her th e Angel of the Slums-wh atever

the carpenter m ay say !
FIRST GOD : Wh at's this ? A c arp e nter spe aks ill o f her?
WON G : Oh, he only says her s h elve s weren't paid for in full.
SEC OND GOD (who has a bad cold and can't pronounce his
n's and m's ) : Wh at' s this? Not paying a c arpe n ter?
Why was that?
WONG : I s u pp o se she didn't have the money.
SECOND GOD (severely ) : One pays what one owe s, that's

in o u r book of rules ! First the l e t te r of the law, then
the spirit.
WONG : But i t
wasn't Shen Te, illustrious ones, it was her
cous in . She called him in to h el p .
SECOND GOD : Th e n her cousin must never darken her

threshold again !
64 I Bertolt Brecht
WONG : Very well, illustrious on es ! But in fairnes s to Shen

Te, let me s ay that her cousin is a businessman.
FIRST GOD : Perhaps we should inquire what is custo mary?

I find busines s quite unintelligible . But everybody's
doing it. Business ! Did the Seven Good Kings do
business? Did Kung the Just sell fish?
S E COND GOD : In any case, such a thing must not occur

again !
The GODS start to leave.
THIRD GOD : Forgive us for taking this tone with you, Wong,
we haven't been getting enough sleep. The rich rec
ommend us to the poor, and the poor tell us they
haven't enough room.
SE COND GOD : Feeble, feeble, the best of them!
FIRST GOD : No great deeds ! No heroic daring!
THIRD GOD : On such a small scale !
SECOND GOD : Sincere, yes, but what is actually achieved?
One can no longer hear them.
WONG ( calling after them )I've thought of something,

:
illustrious ones : Perhaps you shouldn't ask-too
much-all-at-once !
4
The square in front of She n Te's tobacco sh op . B es ides

Shen Te's p lace , two other shops are seen: the carpet shop
and a barber's. Morning . Outside Shen Te's the GRAND
FATHER, the SISTER-IN-LAW, the UNEMPLOYED MAN, and
MRS. SHIN stand waiting.
SISTER-IN-LAW : She ' s been out all night again.
MRS. S H I N : No sooner did we get rid of that crazy cousin

of hers than Shen Te herself starts carrying on! Maybe
she does give us an ounce of rice now and then, but
can you depen d on her? C a n you depend on her?
Loud v o ices from th e barber's.
VOICE OF SHU FU : What a re you doing in my shop? Get

o u t-a t o n ce !
VOICE OF WONG : But sir. They all let me sell . . .
WONG comes s taggerin g out of the barber's sh op pur

s ued b y MR. SHU FU, the barber� a fat man carryin g
a heavy curling iron .
SHU FU : Get out, I s aid ! Pestering my customers with your

slimy old water! Get out! Take your cup !
He holds out the c u p. WONG reaches out for it . M R .

S H U FU s tr i kes his hand with the c u rlin g iron, which
is h o t . WONG h o w ls .
SHU FU : You had it coming, my m a n !

65
66 I Bertolt Brecht
Puffing, he returns to his shop. The UNEMP LOYED

MAN picks up the cup and gives it to WONG.
UNE MP LOYED MAN : You can report that to the police.
WONG : My hand! It's smashed up!
UNE M P LOYED MAN : Any bones broken?
WONG : I can't move my fingers.
UNEMP LOYED MAN : Sit down. I'll put some water on it.
WONG sits.
MRS. smN : The water won't cost you anything.
SISTER-IN-LAW : You might have got a bandage from Miss

Shen Te till she took to staying out all night. It's a
scandal.
MRS. SHIN (despondently ) : If you ask me, she' s forgotten

we ever existed!
Enter SHEN T E down the street, with a dish of rice.
SHEN TE ( to the audience ) : How wonderful to see Setzuan

in the early morning! I always used to stay in bed
with my dirty blanket over my head afraid to wake
up. This morning I saw the newspapers being de
livered by little boys, the streets being washed by
strong men, and fresh vegetables coming in from the
country on ox carts. It's a long walk from where Yang
Sun lives, but I feel lighter at every step. They say
you walk on air when you're in love, but it's even
better walking on the rough earth, on the hard
cement. In the early morning, the old city looks like
a great heap of rubbish! Nice, though, with all its

little lights. And the sky, so pink, so transparent,
before the dust comes and muddies it! What a lot
you miss if you never see your city rising from its
slumbers like an honest old craftsman pumping his
lungs full of air and reaching for his tools, as the poet
says ! ( Cheerfully, to her waiting guests : ) Good morn
ing, everyone, here's your rice! (Distributing the rice,
she comes upon WONG. ) Good morning, Wong, I'm
quite lightheaded today. On my way over, I looked at
myself in all the shop windows. I'd love to be beauti
ful.
She slips into the carpet shop. MR. SHU FU has just
emerged from his shop.
SHU F U ( to the audience ) : It surprises me how beautiful

Miss Shen Te is looking today ! I neve r gave her a
passing thought before. But now I've been gazing
upon her comely form for exactly three minutes ! I
begin to suspect I am in love with her. She is over
poweringly attractive! ( Crossly, to WONG : ) Be off
with you, rascal!
He returns t o his shop . SHEN T E comes back out of

the carpet shop with the OLD MAN, its proprietor, and
his wife-whom we have already met-the OLD
WOMAN . SHEN T E is wearing a shmvl. The OLD MAN
is holding up a looking glass for her.
OLD WOMAN : Isn't it lovely? We'll give you a reduction be

cause there's a little hole in it.
'
SHEN TE ( looking at another shawl on the OLD WOMAN s
arm ) : The other one's nice too.
OLD WOMAN (smiling ) : Too bad there's no hole in that!

68 I Bertolt Brecht
SHEN TE : Th at's right. My shop doesn't make very much .
OLD WOMAN : And your good deeds eat it all up ! Be

more careful, my dear . . • •
SHEN TE ( trying on the shawl with the h ole ) : Just now,

I'm ligh theaded ! Does the color suit me?
OLD WOMAN : You'd better ask a man.
SHEN TE ( to th e OLD MAN ) : Does the color suit me?
OLD MAN : You'd better ask your young friend.
SHEN TE : I'd like to have your opinion.
OLD MAN : It suits you very well. But we ar it this way :

the dull side out.
SHEN TE pays up.
OLD WOMAN : If you decide you don't like it, you can
exchange it. (She pulls S H E N TE to one side. ) Has he
got money?
SHEN T E (with a laugh ) : Yang Sun? Oh , no.
OLD WOMAN : Then how're you going to pay your rent?
SHEN TE : I'd forgotten about that.
OLD WOMAN : And next Monday is the first of the month !

Miss Shen Te, I've got s omething to say to you . After
we ( indicating her husband) got to know you, we
had our doubts about that marriage ad . We thought it
would be better if you'd let us help you. Out of our
savings. We reckon we could lend you two hundred

silver dollars. We don't need anything in writing
you could pledge us your tobacco stock.
SHEN T E : You're prepared to lend money to a person

like me?
OLD WOMAN : It's folks like you that need it. We'd think
twice about lending anything to your cousin.
OLD MAN ( coming up ) : All settled, my dear?
SHEN TE : I wish the gods could have heard what your

wife was just saying, Mr. Ma. They're looking for
goo d people who're happy-and helping me makes
you happy because you know it was love that got
me into difficulties!
The OLD coUP L E smile knowingly at each other.
OLD MAN : And here's the money, Miss Shen Te.
He hands her an envelope. SHEN T E takes it. She

bows. They bow back. They return to their shop.
SHEN TE ( holding up her envelope ) : Look, Wong, here's

six months' rent! Don't you believe in miracles now?
And how do you like my new shawl?
WONG : For the young fellow I saw you with in the park?
SHEN TE nods.
MRS . SHIN : Never mind all that. It's time you took a look
at his hand!
SHEN TE : Have you hurt your hand?

70 I Bertolt Brecht
MRS . SHIN : That barber smashed it with his hot curling

iron. Right in front of our eyes.
SHEN T E (shocked at herself ) : And I never noticed ! We

must get you to a doctor this minute or who knows
what will happen?
UNEMP LOYED MAN : It ' s not a doctor he should s ee, it's

a judge. He can ask for compensation. The barber's
filthy rich.
WONG : You think I have a chan ce ?
MRS . SHIN (with relish ) : If it's really good and smashed.

But is it?
WONG : I think so. It's very swollen. Could I get a pension?
MRS. SHIN : You'd need a witn e ss .
WONG : Well , you all saw it. You could all te stify .
He looks round. The UNE M P L OYED MAN , the GRAND

FATHER, and the SISTER-IN-LAW are all sitting against
the wall of the shop eating rice. Their concentration
on eating is complete.
SHEN TE ( to MRS . SHIN ) : You saw it yourself.
I want nothing to do with the police. It's against

MRS . SHIN :
my principles .
SHEN T E ( to SISTER-IN-LAW ) : What about you?
SISTE R-IN-LAW : Me? I wasn't looking.
SHEN TE ( to the GRANDFATHER , coaxingly ) : Grandfather,

you'll testify, won't you?
SISTER-IN-LAW : And a lot of good that will do. He's

simple-minded.
SHEN TE ( to the UNE M P LOYED MA N ) : You seem to be

the only witness left.
UNEMP LOYED MAN : My testimony

would only hurt him.
I've been picked up twice for begging.
SHEN TE :
Your brother is assaulted, and you shut your eyes?
He is hit, cries out in pain, and you are silent?
The beast prowls, chooses and seizes his victim, and
you say :
"Because we showed no displeasure, he has spared
us."
If no one present will be a witness, I will. I'll say
I saw it.
MRS. SHIN ( solemnly ) : The name for that is perjury.
WON G : I don't know if I can accept that. Though maybe

I'll have to. (Looking at his hand. ) Is it swollen
enough, do you think? The swelling's not going down?
UNEMP LOYED MAN : No, no. the swelling's holding up well.
WONG : Yes. It's more swollen if anything. Maybe my wrist

is broken after all. I'd better see a judge at once.
Holding his hand very carefully, . and fixin g his eyes

on it, he runs off. MRS. SHIN g oes quickly into the
barber's shop.
UN E MP LOYED MAN (seeing her) : She IS getting on the

right side of Mr. Shu Fu.
72 I Bertolt Brecht
SISTER-IN-LAW : You and I can't ch ange the world, Shen

Te.
SHEN TE : Go away! Go away all of you!
The UNEMPLOYED MAN, the SISTER-IN-LAW, and the

GRANDFATHER stalk off, eating and sulking.
To the audience :
They've stopped answering
They stay put
They do as they're told
They don't care
Nothing can make them look up
But the smell of food.
Enter MRS. YANG, Yang Sun's mother, out of breath.
MRS. YANG : Miss Shen Te. My son has told me every

thing. I am Mrs. Yang, Sun's mother. Just think.
He's got an offer. Of a job as a pilot. A letter has
just come. From the director of the airfield in Peking!
SHEN TE : So he can fly again? Isn't that wonderful!
MRS. YANG ( less breathlessly all t he time ) : They won't

give him the job for nothing. They want five hundred
silver dollars.
SHEN TE : We can't l e t money stand in his way, Mrs. Yang !
MRS. YANG : If only you could help him out!
SHEN TE : I have the shop. I can try! (She embraces MRS.

YANG. ) I happen to have two hundred with me now.
Take it. (She gives her the old couple's money. )
The G oo d Woman of Setzuan I 73
It wasa loan but they s aid I could repay it with

my tobacco stock.
MRS . YANG :And they were calling Sun the Dead Pilot of
Setzuan! A friend in need!
SHEN TE : We must find another three hundred.
MRS YANG : How?
SHEN T E : Let me think. (Slowly. ) I know someone who

can h elp . I didn't want to call on his services again ,
he's hard and cunnin g But a flyer must fly. And I'll
.
make this the last time.
Distant soun d of a plane.
MRS . YANG :If the man you mentioned can do it. . . Oh, .
look, there's the morning mail plane, heading for

Peking!
SHEN TE : The pilot can see us , let's wave!
They wave. The noise of the engine is louder.
MRS . YANG : You know that pilot up there?
SHEN T E : Wave, Mrs . Yan g ! I kn ow the pilot who will

be up there . He gave up hope. But he'll do it now.
O ne man to raise himself above the misery, above
us all. ( To the audience : )
Yang Sun, my lover :

Braving the storms
In company with the clouds
Crossing the heavens
And bringing to friends in faraway lands
The friendly mail!
4a
In front of the inner curtain. Enter SHEN TE, carrying

Shui Ta's mask. She sings.
THE SONG OF DEFENSELESSNESS

In our co un t ry
A useful man needs luck
Only if he finds strong backers
Can he prove himself useful.
The good can't d e fe nd themselves and
Even the gods are defenseless.
Oh, why don't the gods have their own ammu n i tion
And launch against badness their own ex pe d itio n
En thr on ing the good and preventing sedition
And bringing the world to a peaceful condition?
Oh, w hy the gods do the buying and selling

don't
I nj u s ti ce
fo rb id di n g , starvation dispelling
Give bread to each city and j oy to each dwelling?
Oh, w hy don't the gods do the buying and selling?
She puts on SHUI TA's mask and sings in his voice.
You can o nly help one of your luckless brothers

By tram p lin g down a do ze n others .
Why is it the gods do not feel indign a tio n

And come down in fury to end exploitation
Defeat all defeat and forbid desperation
Refusing to tolerate such toleration?
Why is it?
74
5
Shen Te's tobacco shop . Behind the coun ter, MR. SHUI TA,
reading the p ap er. M RS . SHIN is cleaning up . She talks and
he takes no notice.
MRS. SHIN : And when certain rumors get about, what

happ ens to a little place like this? It goes to pot. I
know. So, if you want my advice, Mr. Shui Ta, find
out just what has been going on between Miss Shen
Te and that Yang Sun from Yellow Street. And
remember : a certain interest in Miss Shen Te has
been expressed by the barber next door, a man with
twelve houses and only one wife, who, for that
matter, is likely to drop off at any time. A certain
interest has been expressed. He was even inquiring
about her means and, if that doesn't prove a man
is getting serious, what would? (Still getting no re
sp onse, she leaves with her bucket. )
YANG SUN ' s VOICE : Is that Miss Shen Te's tobacco shop?
MRS. SHIN ' s VOICE : Yes, it is, but it's Mr. Shui Ta who's
here today.
SHUI TA runs to the mirror with the short, lig ht steps

of SHEN TE, and is just about to start primpin g, when
he realizes his mistake, and turns away, with a short
laugh. Enter YANG S U N . MRS. SHIN enters behind h im
and slips into the back room to eavesdrop .
YANG suN : I am Yang Sun. ( SHUI TA bows. ) Is Shen Te

.
m?
.
75
76 I Bertolt Brecht
SHUI TA : No.
YANG suN : I gues s you know our relationship? (He is

inspecting the stock. ) Q uit e a place ! And I th ough t
she was j ust talking big. I'll be flying again, all right.
( He takes a cigar, solicits and receives a light from
SHUI TA . ) You think we can squeeze the other three
hundred out of the tobacco stock?
SHUI TA : May I ask if it is your intention to sell at once?
YANG suN : It was decent of her to come out with the two
hundred but they aren't much use with the other
three hundre d still missing.
SHUI TA : Shen Te was overhasty promising so much . She

might have to sell the shop i tself to raise it. Haste, they
say, is the wind that blows the house down.
YANG SUN : Oh , she isn't a girl to keep a man waiting. For

one thin g or the o the r , if you take my me anin g .
SHUI TA : I tak e your meaning.
YANG SUN ( leering ) : Uh, huh .
SHUI TA : Would you explain what the five hu n dred silver

dollars are for?
YANG SUN : Want to sound me out? Very well. The direc

tor of the Peking airfield is a friend of mine from
flying school. I give him five hundred : he gets me
the job.
SHUI TA : The p ri ce is high.
YANG SUN : Not as these things go. He'll have to fire

one of the present pilots-for negligence. Only the

man he has in mind isn't negligent. Not easy, you
understand. You needn't mention that part of it to
Shen Te.
SHUI TA (looking intently at YANG SUN ) : Mr. Yang Sun,

you are asking my cousin to give up her possessions,
leave her friends , and place her entire fate in your
h ands . I presume you intend to marry her?
YANG SUN : I'd be prepared to.
Slight pause.
SHUI TA : Those two hundred silver dollars would pay the

rent here for six months . If you were Shen Te
wouldn't you be tempted to continue in business?
YANG sUN : What? Can you imagine Yang Sun the flyer
behind a counter? (In an oily voice. ) "A strong cigar
or a mild one, worthy sir? " Not in this century !
SHUI TA : My cousin wishe s to follow the promptings of

her he art, and, from her own poin t of view, she may
even have what is called the right to love . Accord
ingly, she has commissioned me to help you to this
post. There is nothing here that I am not empowered
to turn imme diately into cash. Mrs . Mi Tzu, the land
lady, will advise me about the s ale.
Enter MRS. MI TZU.
MRS . MI Tzu : Good morning, Mr. Shui Ta, you wish to

see me about the rent? As you know it falls due the
day after tomorrow.
SHUI TA : Circumstances have changed, Mrs . Mi Tzu : my

78 I Bertolt Brecht
cousin is getting married . Her future husband here,

Mr. Yang Sun, will be taking her to Peking. I am
interested in selling the tobacco stock.
MRS . MI TZU : How much are you asking, Mr. Shui Ta?
YANG SUN : Three hundred sil-
SHUI TA : Five hundred silver dollars .
MRs. MI Tzu : How much did she pay for it, Mr. Shui Ta?
SHUI TA : A thousand. And very little has been sold.
MRS . MI TZU : She was robbed. But I'll make you a special
offer if you'll promise to be out by the day after
tomorrow. Three hundred silver dollars .
YANG SUN (shrugging) : Take it, man, take it.
SHUI T A : It is not enough.
YANG suN : Why not? Why not? Certainly, it's enough.
SHUI TA : Five hundred silver dollars.
YANG suN : But why? We only need three!
SHUI TA ( to MRS. MI TZU ) : Excuse me. ( Takes Y AN G SUN

on one side. ) The tobacco stock is pledged to the old
couple who gave my cousin the two hundred.
YANG SUN : Is it in writing?
SHUI TA : No.
YANG SUN ( to MRS . MI TZU ) : Three hundred will do.

The Good Wom an of Setzu an I 79
MRS. MI TZU : Of course, I need an assurance that Miss

Shen Te is not in debt.
YANG SUN : Mr. Shui Ta?
SHUI TA : She is n ot in debt.
YANG SUN : Wh en can you let us have the money?
MRS. MI Tzu : The day after tomorrow. And remember :

I'm doing this because I h ave a soft spot in my heart
for young lovers ! (Exit. )
YANG SUN ( calling after h e r ) B oxes, j ars an d s acks-three

:
hundred for the lot and the pain's over! ( To SHUI TA : )
Where else can we rais e money by the day after
tomorrow?
SHUI TA : Nowhere . Haven't you enough for the trip and

the first few weeks?
YANG SUN : Oh, certainly.
SHUI TA : How much, exactly.
YANG SUN : Oh, I'll dig it up, even if I have to steal it.
SHUI TA : I see.
YANG suN : Well, don't fall off the roof. I'll get to Peking
somehow.
SHUI TA : Two people can't travel for nothing.
YANG SUN (not giving SHUI TA a chance t o answer ) : I'm

leaving her behind. No mills tones round my neck !
SHU! TA : Oh.
80 I Bertolt Brecht
YANG SUN : Don't look at me like that!
SHUI TA : How precisely is my cousin to live?
YANG SUN : Oh, you'll think of something.
SHUI TA :A small request, Mr. Yang Sun. Leave the two

hundred silver dollars here until you can show me
two tickets for Peking.
YANG suN : You learn to mind your own business, Mr.

Shui Ta.
SHUI TA : I'm afraid Miss Shen Te may not wish to sell

the shop when she discovers that . . •
YANG SUN : You don't know women. She'll want to. Even
then.
SHUI TA ( a slight outburst) : She is a human being, sir!

And not devoid of common sense !
YANG suN : Shen Te is a woman : she is devoid of common

sense. I only have to lay my hand on her shoulder,
and church bells ring.
SHUI TA ( with difficulty ) : Mr. Yang Sun!
YANG SUN : Mr. Shui Whatever-it-is !
SHUI TA : My cousin i s devoted t o you . • . because . • •
YANG SUN :Because I have my hands on her breasts . Give

me a cigar. (He takes one for himself, stuffs a few
more in his pocket, then changes his mind and takes
the whole box. ) Tell her I'll marry her, then bring
me the three hundred. Or let her bring it. One or the
other. (Exit. )
MRS. smN (sticking her head out of the back room ) : Well ,
he has your cousin under his thumb, and doesn't care
if all Yellow S treet knows it!
SHUI TA ( crying out) : I've lost my shop ! And he doesn't

love me ! (He runs berserk through the room, repeat
ing these lines incoherently. Then stops suddenly, and
addresses MR S . SHIN. ) Mrs . Shin, you grew up in the
gutter, like me. Are we lacking in h ardness? I doubt
it. If you steal a penny from me, I'll t ake you by the
throat till you spit it out ! You'd do the s ame to
me. The times are bad, this city is hell , but we're
like ants , we keep coming, up and up the walls , how
ever smooth ! Till b ad luck come s . Being in love, for
instance. One we akness is enough, and love is the
deadliest.
MRS. SHIN ( emerging from the back room ) : You should

have a l ittle talk with Mr. Shu Fu, the b arbe r. He's
a real gentleman and j ust the thing for your cous in.
(Sh e runs off. )
SHUI TA :
A caress becomes a stranglehold
A sigh of love turns to a cry of fear
Why are there vultures circling in the air?
A girl i s going to meet her lover.
SHUI TA sits down and MR. SHU FU enters with MRS .

SHIN.
SHUI TA : Mr. Shu Fu?
SHU FU : Mr. Shui Ta.
They both bow.

82 I Bertolt Brecht
SHUI TA : I am tol d that you have expressed a certain inter

est in my cousin Shen Te. Let me set aside all pro
priety and confess : she is at this moment in gr ave
danger.
SHU FU : Oh, dear!
SHUI TA : She has lost her shop, Mr. Shu Fu .
SHU FU : The charm of Miss Shen Te, Mr. Shui Ta, derives
from the goodness, not of her shop, but of her heart.
Men call her the Angel of the Slums.
SHU! TA : Yet her goodness has cost her two hundred

silver dollars in a single day : we must put a stop to it.
SHU FU : Permit me to differ, Mr. Shui Ta. Let us, rather,

open wide the gates to such goodness! Every morning,
with pleasure tinged by affe ction, I watch her charita
ble ministrations. For they are hungry, and she giveth
them to eat! Four of them, to be precise. Why only
four? I ask. Why not four hundred? I hear she has
been seeking shelter for the homeless. What about my
humble cabins behind the cattle run? They are at
her disposal. And so forth. And so on. Mr. Shui Ta,
do you think Miss Shen Te could be persuaded to
listen to certain ideas of mine? Ideas like these?
SHUI TA : Mr. Shu Fu, she would be honored.
Enter WONG and the POLICEMAN. MR. SHU FU turns

abruptly away and studies the shelves.
WONG : Is Miss Shen Te here?
SHU! TA : No.
WONG : I am Wong the water seller. You are Mr. Shui Ta?
S HUI TA : I am.
WONG : I am a friend of Shen Te ' s.
SHUI TA : An intimate frien d , I hear.
WONG ( to the POLICEMAN ) : Yo u see? ( To SHill TA : ) It's

because of my hand.
POLICEMAN : He hurt his h and , sir, tha t's a fact.
SHill TA (quickly ) : You ne ed a sling, I se e . (He takes a

shawl from the back room, and throws it to WONG. )
WONG : But that's her new shawl !
SHUI TA : She has no more use for it.
WONG : But she b ought it to please someone!
SHUI TA : It happens to be no longer necessary.
WONG (making the slin g ) : She is my only witness.
P OLICEMAN : Mr. Shui Ta, your cousin is supposed to have

seen the barber hit the water seller with a curling
:rron.
SHUI TA : I'm afraid my cousin was not present at the time .
WONG : But she w a s , sir! Just ask her ! Isn't she in?
SHill TA (gravely ) : Mr. Wong, my cou sin has her own

troubles. You wouldn't wish her to add to them by
committing perjury?
WONG : But it was sh e that told me to go to the judge !

84 I Bertolt Brecht
SHUI TA : Was the judge supposed to heal your hand?
MR . SHU FU turns quickly around. SHUI TA bows to

SHU FU, and vice versa.
•
WONG ( taking the sling of}, and putting it back) : I see

how it is .
POLICEMAN : Well, I'll b e on my way. (To WONG : ) And

you be careful. If Mr. Shu Fu wasn't a man who
te m pe rs justice with mercy, as the saying is, you'd
be in jail for libel. Be off with you!
Exit WONG, followe d by POLICEMAN.
SHUI TA : Profound apologies, Mr. Shu Fu.
SHU FU : Not at all, Mr. Shui Ta. (Pointing to the shawl. )

The episode is over?
SHUI TA : It may take he r time to recover. There are some

fresh wounds.
SHU FU : We shall be discreet. Delicate. A short vacation

could be arr anged. . • .
SHUI TA : First of course, you and she would have to t alk

things over.
SHU FU : At a small supper in a small , but high-class,

restaurant.
SHUI TA : I'll go and find he r . (Exit into back room. )
MRS . SHIN (sticking her head in again ) : Time for con

gratulations, Mr. Shu Fu?
S HU FU : Ah, Mrs. Shin! Please inform Miss Shen Te's

guests they may take shelter in the cabins behind
the cattle run!
MRS. smN nods, grinning.
SHU FU ( to the audience ) : Well? What do you think of

me, ladies and gentlemen? What could a man do
more? Could he be less selfish? More farsighted? A
small supper in a small but . . . Does that bring
rather vulgar and clumsy thoughts into your mind?
Ts, ts, ts. Nothing of the sort will occur. She won't
even be touched. Not even accidentally while passing
the salt. An exchange of ideas only. Over the flowers
on the table-white chrysanthemums, by the way (he
writes down a note of this ) yes, over the white
-
chrysanthemums, two young souls will . . . shall I

say "find each other"? We shall NOT exploit the mis
fortune of others. Understanding? Yes. An offer of
assistance? Certainly. But quietly. Almost inaudibly.
Perhaps with a single glance. A glance that could also
-also mean more.
MRs. SHIN (coming fmward ) : Everything under control,

Mr. Shu Fu?
SHU FU : Oh, Mrs . Shin, what do you know about this

worthless rascal Yang Sun?
MRS. SHIN : Why, he's the most worthless rascal . • •
SHU F U : Is he really? You're sure? (As she opens her

mouth. ) From now on, he doesn't exist! Can't be
found anywhere !
Enter YANG SUN.

86 I Bertolt Brecht
YANG SUN : What's been going on here?
MRS. SHIN : Shall I call Mr. Shui Ta, Mr. Shu Fu? He
wouldn't want strangers in here !
SHU F U : Mr. Shui Ta is in conference with Miss Shen Te.

Not to be disturbed.
YANG SUN : Shen Te here? I didn't see her come in. What
kind of conference?
SHU F U ( not letting him enter the back room ) : Patience,

dear sir! And if by chance I have an inkling who you
are , pray take note that Miss Shen Te and I are about
to announce our engagement.
YANG SUN : What?
MRS. SHIN : You didn't expect that, did you?
YANG SUN is trying to push past the barber into the

back room when SHEN TE comes out.
SHU FU : My dear Shen Te, ten thousand apologies ! Per

haps you . . .
YANG suN : What is it, Shen Te? Have you gone crazy?
SHEN TE ( breathless ) : My cousin and Mr. Shu Fu have

come to an understanding . They wish me to hear Mr.
Shu Fu's plans for helping the poor.
YANG SUN : Your cousin wants to part us.
SHEN TE : Yes.
YANG suN : And you've agreed to it?

SHEN TE : Yes.
YANG SUN : They told you I was bad. ( SHEN TE is silent. )

And sup p ose I am. Does that make me need you
less? I'm low, Shen Te, I have no money, I don't
do the right thing but at least I put up a fight! (He
is near her now, and speaks in an undertone . ) H av e
you no eyes? Look at him. Have you forgo tten
already?
SHEN TE : No.
YANG SUN : How it was raining?
SHEN TE : No.
YANG SUN : How you cut me down from the willow tree?
Bought me water? Promised me money to fly with?
SHEN TE (shakily ) : Y an g Sun, what do you want?
YANG SUN : I want you to come with me.
SHEN TE (in a small voice ) : For give me, Mr. Shu Fu,
I want to go with Mr. Yang Sun.
YANG SUN : We're lovers you know. Give me the key to

the shop. ( SHEN TE takes the key from around her
n eck . YANG SUN puts it on the counter. To MRS.
SHIN : ) Leave it under the mat when you're through.
Let's go, Shen Te.
SHU FU : But this is rape ! Mr. Shui Tal !
YANG SUN ( to SHEN TE ) : Tell him n ot to shout.
SHEN TE : Please don't shout for my cousin, Mr. Shu Fu.

88 I Bertolt Brecht
He doesn't agree with me, I know, but he's wrong.

( To the audience : )
I want to go with the man I love
I don't want to count the cost
I don' t want to consider if it's wise
I don't want to know if he loves me
I want to go with the man I love.
YANG SUN : That's the spirit.
And the couple leave.

5a
In front of the inner curtain. SHEN TE in her wedding

clothes, on the way to her wedding.
SHEN TE : Something terrible has happened. As I left the

shop with Yang Sun, I found the old carpet de aler's
wife waiting on the street, trembling all over. She
told me her husb and had taken to his bed sick with
all the worry and excitement over the two hundred
silver dollars they lent me. She said it would be b est
if I gave it b ack now. Of course, I had to s ay I would.
She said she couldn't quite trust my cousin Shui Ta
or even my fiance Yang Sun. There were tears in
her eyes . With my emotions in an uproar, I threw
myself into Yang Sun's arms, I couldn't resist him.
The things he'd s aid to Shui Ta had taught Shen Te
nothing. Sinking into his arms, I said to myself :
To let no one perish, not even oneself

To fill everyone with happiness, even oneself
Is s o good
How could I have forgotten those two old pe ople?

Yang Sun swept me away like a small hurricane .
But he's not a b ad m an, and he loves me. He'd
rather work in the cement factory than owe his flying
to a crime. Though, of course, flying is a great passion
with Sun . Now, on the way to my· wedding, I waver
between fear and j oy.
89
6
The "private dining room" on the upper floor of a cheap

restauran t in a poor section of town. With SHEN TE : the
GRANDFATHER, the SISTER-IN-LAW, the NIECE, MRS. SHIN,
the UNEMPLOYED MAN. In a corner, alone, a PRIEST. A
WAITER pouring wine. Downstage, YANG SUN ta l king to
his MOTHER. He wears a dinner jacket .
YANG SUN : B ad news, Mamma. She came right out and

tol d me she can't sell the shop for me. Some idiot
is bringing a claim because he lent her the two hun
dred she gave you.
MRS. YANG : What did you say? Of course, you can't

marry her now.
YANG SUN : It's no use saying anything to her. I've sent

for her cousin, Mr. Shui Ta . He said there was nothing
in writing.
MRS. YANG : Good idea. I'll go and look for him. Keep
an eye on things .
Exit MRS. YANG. SHEN TE has been pouring wine.
SHEN TE (to the audience, pitcher in hand) : I wasn ' t

mistaken in him. He's bearing up well . Though it
must have been an awful blow-giving up flying. I
do love him so . ( Calling across the room to him : )
Sun, you haven't drunk a toast with the bride !
YANG SUN : What do w e drink to?

90
SHEN TE : Why, to the future !
YANG suN : When the bridegroom's dinner j ac ke t won't

be a hired one !
SHEN TE : But when the bride's dress will still get rained
on sometimes !
YANG SUN : To everything we eve r wished for !
SHEN TE : May all our dre ams come t ru e !
They drink.
YANG SUN ( w ith loud con v iviality ) : And now, frie n d s ,

before the wedding gets under way, I h av e to ask the
bride a few questions. I've no idea what kind of wife
she'll make , and it worries m e . ( W h e el in g on SHEN
TE . ) For example. Can you m ake five cups of tea
with thre e tea le aves?
SHEN TE : No.
YANG suN : So I won't be getting very much tea. Can you

sleep on a straw m attre ss the size of that book? ( He
poin ts to the large volume the PRIEST is reading. )
SHEN TE : The two of us?
YANG SUN : The one of you.
SHEN TE : In that case, no.
YANG suN : What a wife ! I'm shocked!
While the audien ce is laugh ing, his MOTHER re t urns .

With a shrug of her sh oulders, she tells YANG SUN
92 I Bertolt Brecht
the expected guest hasn't arrived. The PRIEST shuts

the book with a bang, and makes for the door.
MRS . YANG : Where are you off to? It's only a matter
of minutes.
PRIEST (watch in hand) : Time goes on, Mrs. Yang, and

I've another wedding to attend to. Also a funeral.
MRS . YANG ( irately ) : D'you think we planned it this

way? I was hoping to manage with one pitcher of
wine, and we've run through two already. (Points to
empty pitcher. Loudly. ) My dear Shen Te, I don't
know where your cousin can be keeping himself!
SHEN T E : My cousin? !
MRS. YANG : Certainly. I'm old-fashioned enough to think

such a close relative should attend the wedding.
SHEN T E : Oh, Sun, is it the three hundred silver dollars?
YANG SUN (not looking her in the eye ) : Are you deaf?
Mother says she's old-fashioned. And I say I'm
considerate. We'll wait another fifteen minutes.
HUSBAND : Another fifteen minutes.
MRS. YANG (addressing the company ) : Now you all know,

don't you, that my son is getting a job as a mail pilot?
SISTER-IN-LAW : In Peking, too, isn't it?
MRS . YANG : In Peking, too! The two of us are moving

to Peking!
SHEN T E : Sun, tell your mother Peking is out of the ques

tion now.
YANG SUN : Your cousin'll tell her. I f h e agrees. I don't

agree.
SHEN TE ( amazed, and dismayed ) : Sun!
YANG SUN : I hate this godforsaken Setzuan. What people !

Know what they look like when I half close my eyes?
Horses! Whinnying, fretting, stamping, screwing their
necks up ! (Loudly. ) And what is it the thunder says?
They are su-per-flu-ous! (He hammers out the syl
lables. ) They've run their last race! They can go
trample themselves to death ! (Pause. ) I've got to get
out of here.
SHEN TE : But I've promised the money to the old couple.
YANG SUN : And since you always do the wrong thing, it's
lucky your cousin's coming. Have another drink.
SHEN TE (quietly ) : My cousin can't be coming.
YANG SUN : How d'you mean?
SHEN TE : My cousin can't be where I am .
YANG SUN : Quite a conundrum !
SHEN TE ( desperately ) : Sun, I'm the one that loves you.

Not my cousin. He was thinking of the job in Peking
when he promise d you the old couple's money-
YANG SUN : Right. And that's why he's bringing the three
hundred silver dollars. Here-to my wedding.
SHEN TE : He is not bringing the three hundred silver

dollars.
YANG SUN : Huh? What make s you think that?

94 I Bertolt Brecht
SHEN TE ( looking into his eyes ) : He says you only bought

one ticket to Peking.
Short pause.
YANG SUN : That was yesterday. (He pulls two tickets part
way out of his inside pocket, making her look under
his coat. ) Two tickets . I don't want Mother to know.
She'll get left behind. I sold her furniture to buy these
tickets, so you see . • •
SHEN TE : But what's to become of the old couple?
YANG SUN : What's to become of me? Have another drink.

Or do you believe in moderation? If I drink, I fly
again. And if you drink, you may learn to under
stand me.
SHEN T E : You want to fly. But I can't help you.
YANG SUN : "Here's a plane, my darling-but it's only got

one wing ! "
The WAITER enters.
WAITER : Mrs . Yang!
MRS . YANG : Yes?
WAITE R : Another pitcher of wine, ma'am?
MRS . YANG : We have enough, thanks . Drinking makes me

sweat.
WAITER : Would you mind paying, ma'am?
MRS. YANG ( to everyone ) : Just be patient a few moments

The Good Wom an of Setzu an I 95
longer, everyone , Mr. Shui Ta is o n h i s w ay ove r ! ( To

the WAITER : ) D on' t be a sp o ils p o rt .
WAITER : I can't let you leave till you've p aid your bill,
m a'am.
MRS . YANG : B ut they know me here !
WAITER : That's j ust it.
PRIEST ( ponderously getting up ) : I humbly take my le ave .

(A nd he does. )
MRS . YANG ( to the others, desperately ) : Stay where you

are , everybody ! The priest says he'll be back in two
min u tes !
YANG SUN : It's no good, Mamma. Ladies and gentlemen,

Mr. Shui Ta s till hasn't arrived and the priest has gon e
home. We won't detain you any longer.
They are leaving now.
GRANDFATHER ( in the doonvay, having forgotten to put

his glass down ) : To the bride ! ( He drinks, puts down
the glass, and follows the others. )
Pause.
SHEN TE : Shall I go too?
YANG SUN : You? Aren't you the bride? Isn't th is your

wedding? (He drags her across the room, tearing her
wedding dress. ) If we can w ai t , you can wait. Mother
calls me her falcon . She wants to see me in the clouds.
But I think it m ay be St. Nevercome 's Day before
she'll go to the door and see my plane th un d e r by.
(Pause. He pretends the guests are still presen t. ) Why
96 I Bertolt Brecht
such a lull in the conversation, ladies and gentlemen?

Don't you like it here? The ceremony is only slightly
postponed-because an important guest is expected at
any moment. Also because the bride doesn't know
what love is. While we're waiting, the bridegroom will
sing a little song. (He does so. )
THE SONG OF ST. NEVERCOME'S DA Y

On a certain day, as is generally known,
One and all will be shouting : Hooray, hooray!
For the beggar maid's son has a solid-gold throne
And the day is St. Nevercome's Day
On St. Nevercome's, Nevercome's, Nevercome's Day
He'll sit on his solid-gold throne
Oh, hooray, hooray! That day goodness will pay!
That day badness will cost you your head!
And merit and money will smile and be funny
While exchanging salt and bread
While exchanging salt and bread
And the grass, oh, the grass will look down at the sky
And the pebbles will roll up the stream
And all men will be good without batting an eye
They will make of our earth a dream
They will make of our earth a dream
And as for me, that's the day I shall be
A flyer and one of the best
Unemployed man, you will have work to do
Washerwoman, you'll get your rest
Washerwoman, you'll get your rest
MRS . YANG : It looks like he's not coming.
The three of them sit looking at the door.

6a
Wong's den. The sewer pipe is again transparent and again

the GODS appear to WONG in a dream .
WONG : I'm s o glad you've come, illustrious ones . It's Shen

Te. She's in great trouble from following the rule
about loving thy neighbor. Perhaps she's too good for
this world !
FIRST GOD : Nonsens e ! You are e aten up by lice and

doubts !
WONG : Forgive me, illu strious one, I only meant you might
deign to intervene.
FIRST GOD : Out of the question! My colleague here inter

vened in s ome squabble or other only yesterday. (He
points to the THIRD GOD who has a black eye. ) The
results are before us !
WONG : She had t o call o n her cousin again. But not even
he could help . I'm afraid the shop is done for.
THIRD GOD ( a little concerned) : Perhaps we should help

after all?
FIRST GOD : The gods help those that help themselves.
WONG : What if we can't help ourselves, illustrious ones?
Slight pause.
SECOND GOD : Try, anyway ! Suffering ennobles!
97
98 I Bertolt Brecht
FIRST GOD : Our faith in Shen Te is unshaken!
THIRD GOD : We certainly haven't found any other good

people. You can see where we spend our nights from
the straw on our clothes.
WONG : You might help her find her way by-
FIRST GoD : The good man fin ds his own way here below !
SECOND GOD : The good woman too.
FIRST GOD : The heavier the burden, the g re ater her

strength!
THIRD GOD : We're only onlookers, you know.
FIRST GOD : And everything will be all right in the end, 0

ye of little faith !
They are gradually disappearing th rough these last

lines.
7
The yard behind Shen Te's shop. A few articles of furni

ture on a cart. SHEN TE and MRS . SHIN are taking the wash
ing off the line.
MRS. SHIN : If you ask me, you should fight tooth and nail
to keep the shop.
SHEN T E :How can I? I have to sell the tobacco to pay

back the two hundred silver dollars today.
MRS . smN :No husband, no tobacco, no house and home !

What are you going to live on?
SHEN TE : I can work. I can sort tobacco.
MRS . SHIN :Hey, look, Mr. Shui Ta's trousers ! He must

have left here s tark naked!
SHEN T E : Oh, he may have another pair, Mrs . Shin.
MRS . sHIN : But if he's gone for good a s you s ay, why has
he left his p ants behind?
SHEN TE : Maybe he's thrown them away.
MRS. SHIN : Can I take them?
SHEN TE : Oh, no.
Enter MR. SHU FU, running.
SHU FU : Not a word! Total silence ! I know all. You have
99
100 I Bertolt Brecht
sacrifice d your own love and h appiness s o as not to

hurt a dear old couple who had put their trust in you !
Not in vain does this district-for all its malevolent
tongue s-call you the Angel of the Slums ! That young
m a n couldn't rise to your level , so you left him . And
now, when I see you closing up the little shop , that
ve ritable haven of rest for the multitude, well, I can
not, I cannot let it pass . Morning after morning I have
stood watching in the doorway not unmoved-while
you graciously handed out rice to the wretched. Is that
never to happen again? Is the good woman of Setzuan
to disappear? If only you would allow me to as sist
you ! Now don't say anything ! No assurances, no ex
clamations of gratitude ! (He has tak e n out his check
book. ) Here ! A blank check. (He places it on the
cart. ) Just my signature . Fill it out as you wish . Any
sum in the world. I herewith retire from the scene,
qu ietly, unobtrusively, m aking no claims, on tiptoe,
full of veneration, absolutely selflessly . . (He has
.
gone. )
MRS. SHIN : Well ! You're saved . There's always some idiot

of a man . . . . Now hurry ! Put down a thousand silver
dollars and let me fly to the bank before he comes to
his senses .
SHEN TE : I can pay you for the washin g without any check.
MRS. SHIN : Wh at? You're not going to cash it just because

you might h ave to marry him? Are you crazy? Men
like h im wan t to be led by the nose ! Are you still
th inking of that flyer? All Yellow Street knows how
he treated you !
SHEN TE :
When I he ard his cunning laugh, I was afraid
But when I s aw the holes in hi s shoes, I loved him

dearly.
MRS. smN : Defending that good-for-nothing after all that's

happened!
SHEN TE (staggering as she holds some of the washing) :

Oh!
MRS. smN ( taking the washing from her, dryly ) : So you

feel dizzy when you stretch and bend? There couldn't
be a little visitor on the way? If that's it, you can for
ge t Mr. Shu Fu's blank check : it wasn't meant for a
chri stening present!
She goes to the back with a basket. SHEN TE's eyes

follow MRS. SHIN for a moment. Then she looks down
at her own body, feels her stomach, and a great joy
comes into her eyes.
SHEN TE : 0 j oy ! A new human being is on the way. The

world awaits him. In the cities the people say : be's
got to be reckoned with, this new human being ! (She
imagines a little boy to be present, and introduces him
to the audience. ) This is my son, the well-known
flyer!
Say : Welcome
To the conqueror of unknown mountains and
unreachable regions
Who brings us our mail across the impassable deserts !
She leads him up and down by the hand.
Take a look at the world, my son. That's a tree. Tree,

yes . Say : "Hello, tree ! " And bow. Like this . (She
bows. ) Now you know each other. And, look, here
comes the water s eller . He's a friend, give him your
1 02 I Bertolt Brecht
hand. A cup of fresh water for my little son, please.

Yes, it is a warm day. (Handing the cup. ) Oh dear, a
policeman, we'll h ave to make a circle round him.
Perhaps we can pick a few cherries over there in the
rich Mr. Pung's garden. But we mustn't be seen. You
want cherries? Just like children with fathers. No, no,
you can't go straight at them like that. Don't pull. We
must learn to be reasonable . Well, have it your own
way. (She has let him make for the cherries. ) Can
you reach? Where to put them? Your mouth is the
best place. (She tries one herself. ) Mmm, they're
good. But the policeman, we must run ! ( They run . )
Yes, back to the street. Calm now, so no one will
notice us. ( Walking the street with h er child, she
sings. )
Once a plum-'twas in Japan
Made a conquest of a man
But the man's turn soon did come
For he gobbled up the plum
Enter WONG, with a CHILD by th e hand. He coughs.
SHEN TE : Wong!
WONG : It's about the carpenter, Shen Te. He's lost his shop,
and he's been drinking. His children are on the streets.
This is one. Can you help?
SHEN TE ( to the CHILD ) : Come here, little man. ( Takes

him down to the footlights. To the audience : )
You there ! A man is asking you for shelter!
A man of tomorrow says : what about today?
His friend the conqueror, whom you know,
Is his advocate !
( To WONG : ) He can live in Mr. Shu Fu's cabins. I
may have to go there myself. I'm going to have a
The Good Woman of Setzu an I 103
baby . That's a s ecret--don't tell Ya ng S un-we'd

only be in his way. Can you find the carpenter for me?
ONG : I knew you'd think of something. ( To the CHILD : )

Good-b y e, son, I'm going for your father.
lEN TE : What about your hand, W on g ? I wanted to help,

but my cousin . . .
ONG : Oh , I can get al on g with one h an d , don't worry.

(He shows how he can handle his pole with his left
hand alone. )
lEN TE : But y our right hand ! Look, take this cart , sell
everything that' s on it, and go to the doctor with th e
money . . .
ONG : Sh e's still g oo d . But first I'll bring the carpenter.

I'll pi ck up th e cart when I get b a ck . ( Exit WONG . )
lEN TE ( to the CHILD ) : Sit down over here, son, till your
father comes .
The CHILD sits cross-legged on the ground. Enter the

HUSBAND and WI F E , each dragging a large, full sack.
IFE (furtively ) : You're al o ne , Shen Te, de ar?
SHEN TE nods. The WIF E beckons to the NEP H EW off

stage. He comes on with another sack.
IFE : Y ou r cousin's away? ( S H E N TE nods. ) He's not

corning back?
lEN TE : No. I'm g ivin g up the shop.
IFE : That's why we ' re here. We w an t to know if we can

leave these things in your new h ome Will you

. d o us
this favor?
SHEN TE : Why, yes, I'd be glad to.
HUSBAND (cryptically ) : And if anyone asks about them,

s ay they're yours.
SHEN TE : Would anyone ask?
WIFE ( with a glance back at her husband) : Oh, someone

might. The police, for instance. They don't seem to
like us. Where can we put it?
SHEN TE : Well, I'd rather not get in any more trouble • • •
WIFE : Listen to her! The good woman of Setzuan!
SHEN T E is silent.
HUSBAND : There's enough tobacco in those sacks to give us

a new st art in life. We could have our own tobacco
factory!
SHEN TE (slowly ) : You'll have to put them in the back

room.
The sacks are taken off-stage, while the CIDLD is alone.

Shyly glancing about him, he goes to the garbage can,
starts playing with the contents, and eating some of
the scraps. The others return.
WIFE : We're countng on you, Shen Te !
SHEN T E : Ye s . (She sees the cmLD and is shocked. )
HUSBAND : We'll see you in Mr. Shu Fu's cabins.

NEPHEW : The day after tomorrow.
SH E N TE : Yes . Now, go. Go ! I'm not feeling well.
Exeunt all three, virtually pushed off.
He is eating the refuse in the garbage can !

Only look at his little gray mouth !
Pause. Music.
As this is the world my son will enter

I will study to defend h im .
T o b e good t o you, m y son,
I shall be a tigress to all others
If I h ave to.
And I shall have to.
She starts to go.
One more time, then. I hope really the last.
Exit SHEN T E , taking Shui Ta's trousers. M R S . SHIN

enters and watches her with marke d interest. Enter
the SISTE R-IN-LAW and the G RANDFATHE R .
SISTE R-I N-LAw :So i t ' s true, the shop has closed down .
And the furniture 's in the back yard. It's the end of
the road !
MRS. SHIN (pompously ) : The fruit of high living, selfish

ness , and sensuality ! D own the primrose path to Mr.
Shu Fu's cabins-with you!
SISTE R-IN-LAW : C ab in s? R at hole s ! He gave them to us

because his soap supplies only went moldy the re !
Enter the UN E M P LOYED MAN .

UNEMPLOYED MAN : Shen Te is moving?
SIS TER-IN-LAW : Yes. She was sneaking away.
MRs. SHIN : She ' s ashamed of herself, and no wonder!
UNEMP LOYED MAN : Tell her to call Mr. Shui Ta or she's

done for this time !
SISTER-IN-LAW : Tell her to call Mr. Shui Ta or we're done

for this time.
Enter WONG and CARP ENTER, the latter With a CHILD

on each hand.
CARPENTER : So we'll have a roof over our heads for a
change !
MRs. SHIN : Roof? Whose roof?
CARPENTER : Mr. Shu Fu's c abins . And we have little Feng

to thank for it. ( F ENG, we find, is the name of the
CHILD already there; his FATHER n ow takes him. To
the other two : ) Bow to your little brother, you two !
The CARP ENTER and the two new arrivals bow to

FENG. Enter SHUI TA.
UNEMP LOYED MAN: Sst! Mr. Shui Ta!
Pause.
SHUI TA : And what is this crowd here for, may I ask?
WONG : How do you do, Mr. Shui Ta. This is the carpenter.
Miss Shen Te promi s e d him space in Mr. S hu Fu's
c ab in s .
The Good Woman of Setzuan I 1 07
SHUI TA : That will not be possible.
CARP ENTER : We can't go there after all?
SHUI TA : All the space is needed for other purposes .
SISTE R-IN-LAW : You mean w e have t o get out? But we've

got nowhere to go.
SHUI TA : Miss Shen Te finds it possible to provide employ

ment. If the proposition interests you, you may stay
in the cabins.
SISTER-IN-LAW ( with distaste ) : You mean work? Work for

Miss Shen Te?
SHUI TA : Making tobacco, yes . There are three bales here

already. Would you like to get them?
SISTER-IN-LAW ( trying to bluster) : We have our own to

bacco ! We were in the tobacco business before you
were born !
SHUI TA ( to the CAR P E NTER and the UNE MP LOYED MAN ) :

You don't have your own tobacco. What about you?
The CARP E N T E R and the UN E M P LOYED MAN get the

point, an d go for the sacks. Enter MRS . MI TZU.
MRS . MI Tzu :Mr. Shui Ta? I've brought you your three
hundred silver dollars.
SHUI TA : I'll sign your lease instead. I've de cide d not to

sell.
MRS . MI TZU : What? You don't need the money for that
flyer?
SHUI TA : No.
MRS. MI Tzu : And yo u can pay six months' rent?
SHUI TA ( takes the barber's blank check from the cart and
fills it out ) : Here is a check for ten thousand silver
dollars. On Mr. Shu Fu's account. Look! (He shows
her th e signature on th e check. ) Your six months' rent
will be in your hands by seven this evening. And now,
if you'll excuse me.
MRS. MI Tzu : So it's Mr.

Shu Fu now. The :flyer has been
given his walking papers. These modem girls! In my
day they'd have said she was :flighty. That poor, de
serted Mr. Yang Sun!
Exit MRS . MI TZU. The CARP ENTER and the UNEM

P L OYED MAN drag the three sacks back on the stage .
CARP ENTER (to SHU! TA ) : I don't know why I'm doing

this for you.
SHUI TA : Perhaps your children want to eat, Mr. Carpenter.
SISTER-IN-LAW ( ca tching sight of the sacks) : Was my

brother-in-law here?
MRS . SHIN : Yes, he was.
SISTER-IN-LAW : I thought as much. I kn ow those sacks!

That's our tobacco !
sHUI TA : Really? I thought it came from my back room!

Shall we consult the police on the point?
SISTER-IN-LAW (defeated) : No.

SHUI TA : Pe rh aps you will sho w me the way to Mr. S hu

Fu's cabins?
Taking by the hand, SHUI TA goes off, followed

FENG
by th e CARP ENTERand his two older children, the
SISTER-IN-LAW , the GRANDFATHER , and the UNEM
PLOYED MAN. Each of the last three drags a sack.
Enter OLD MAN and O LD WOMAN.
MRS . SHIN : A pair of pants-missing from the cloth es line

one minute--and ne xt minute on the honorable back
side of Mr. Shui Ta.
OLD WOMAN : We thought Miss Shen Te was here.
MRS . smN (preoccupied) : Well, she's not.
OLD MAN : There was something she was going to give us.
WONG : She was going to help me too. (Looking at his

hand. ) It'll be too late soon. But she'll be back. This
co us in h as n ever stayed long.
MRS . SHIN (approaching a conclusion) : No, be hasn't, bas

he?
7a
The Sewer Pipe: WONG asleep. In his dream, he tells the

GODS his fears. The GODS seem tired from all their travels.
They stop for a moment and look over their shoulders at
the water seller.
WONG : illu strious ones . I've been h aving a bad dream . Our
beloved Sben Te was in great distress in the rushes
down by the river-the spot where the bodies of
suicides are washed up . She kept staggering and hold
ing her head down as if she was carrying something
and it was dragging her down into the mud . When I
called o ut to her, s he said she bad to take your B ook
of Rules to the other side, and not get it wet, or the
ink would all come off. You bad talked to her about
the virtues, you know, the time she gave you shelter
in Setzuan.
THIRD GoD : Well, but what do you suggest, my dear Wong?
WONG : Maybe a little relaxation of the rules, Benevolent

One, in view of the bad times .
THIRD GOD : As for instance?
WONG : Well, um, good will, for instance, might do instead

of love?
TIDRD GOD : I'm afraid that would create new problems.
WONG : Or, inste ad of justice, good sportsmanship?
THIRD GOD : That would only mean more wo rk .
1 10
WONG : Instead of honor, outward propriety?
THIRD GOD : Still more work! No, no ! The rules will have
to stand, my dear Wong !
Wearily shaking their heads, all three journey on.

8
Shui Ta's tobacco factory in Shu Fu's cabins. Huddled to

gether behind bars, several families, mostly women and
children. Among these people the SISTER-IN-LAW, the
GRANDFATHER, the CARPENTER, and his THREE CHILDREN.
Enter MRS . YANG followed by YANG SUN.
MRS. YANG ( to the audience ) : There's s ome thing I j ust

have to tell you : strength and wisdom are wonderful
things . The strong and wi s e Mr. Shui Ta has trans
formed my son from a dissipated good-for-nothing
into a model citizen . As you may have heard, Mr.
Shui Ta open ed a small tobacco facto ry near the cattle
runs. It flourished. Three mon ths ago--I shall never
forget it-I asked for an appointment, and Mr. Shui
Ta agreed to see us-me and my s on . I can see him
now as he came through the door to meet us . . • •
Enter SHUI TA from a door.
SHUI TA : What can I do for you, Mrs . Yang?
MRS. YANG : This m o rnin g the police came to the house.

We find you've brought an action for breach of prom
ise of marriage. In the name of Shen Te. You also
claim th at Sun came by two hundred s ilver dollars by
improper me an s .
SHUI TA : Th at is correct.
MRS . YANG : Mr. Shui Ta, th e m on ey ' s all gon e . When the
Peking job didn't materialize, he ran through it all in
1 12
three days. I know he's a good-for-nothing. He sold

my furniture. He was moving to Peking without me.
Miss Shen Te thought highly of him at one time.
SHUI TA : What do you say, Mr. Yang Sun?
YANG suN : The money's gone.
SHUI TA ( to MRS. YANG ) : Mrs . Y an g , in consideration of

my cousin's incomprehensible weakness for your son,
I am prepared to give him another chance. He can
have a job-here. The two hundred silver dollars will
be taken out of his wages.
YANG SUN : So it's the factory or jail?
SHUI TA : Take your choice.
YANG suN : May I speak with Shen Te?
SHUI TA : You may not.
Pause.
YANG SUN (sullenly) : Show me where to go.
MRS. YANG : Mr.Shui Ta, you are kindness itself : the gods
will reward you! ( To YANG SUN : ) And honest work
will make a man of you, my boy. ( YANG SUN follows
SHUI TA into the factory. MRS, YANG comes down
again to the foo tlight s . ) Actually, honest work didn't
agree with him-at first. And he got no opportunity
to distinguish himself till-in the third week-when
the wages were being paid . . •
SHUI TA has a bag of money. Standing next to his fore

man-the former UNEMP LOYED :M:AN-he counts out
the wages. It is YANG SUN's turn.
UNE M P L OYED MAN (reading) : Carpenter, six silver dollars .

Yang Sun, six silver dollars.
YANG SUN (quietly ) : Excuse me, sir. I do n 't think it can

be more than five . May I see? (He takes the foreman's
list. ) It says six working days. But that's a mi s take ,
sir. I took a day off for court business . And I won't
take what I haven' t earned, however miserable the
pay is !
UNEMP LOYED MAN : Yang Sun. Five silver dollars . (To

SHUI TA : ) A rare case, Mr. Shui Tal
SHUI TA : How is it the book says six when it sh o u l d say

five?
UNE M P LOYED MAN : I m u s t ' ve made a mistake, Mr. Shui

Ta. ( With a look at YANG suN . ) It won't happen
ag ain .
SHUI TA ( taking YAN G SUN aside) : You don't hold back,

do you? You give your all to the firm. You're even
honest. Do the foreman's mistakes always favor the
workers?
YANG SUN : He does have . . . frien d s .
SHUI TA : Thank you. M ay I offer you any little recom

pense?
YANG suN : Give me a trial period of one week, and I'll

prove my intelligence is worth more to you than my
s t re ng th .
MRS . YAN G (still down at the footlights ) : Fighting words,

fighting words ! That evening, I said to Sun : "If you're
a flyer, then fly, my f al c on ! Rise in the world ! " And
he got to be foreman . Yes, in Mr. Shui Ta's tobacco

factory, he worked real miracle s .
We see YAN G SUN with his legs apart standing behind

the workers who are handing along a basket of raw
tobacco above their heads.
t'ANG suN : Faster ! Faster ! You, there, d'you think you

can just stand around, now you're not foreman any
more? It'll be your j ob to lead us in song. Sing !
UN E M P LOYED MAN starts singing. The others join in the

refrain .
SONG OF THE EIGHTH ELEPHANT

Chang had seven eleph ants-all much the s ame
But then there was Little Brother
The seven, they were wild, Little B rother, he was tam e
And to g u ard them Chang chose Little Brother
Run fas ter!
Mr. Ch ang has a forest p a rk
Which must be cleared before toni ght
And a lre ady it's g rowing dark !
When the seven e lep han ts cleared that fo re s t park

Mr . Chang rode high on Li ttle Brother
While the seven toiled and moiled till dark
On his big behind s at Little B rother
Dig fas ter !
Mr. Chang has a forest p a r k
Which mus t be cleared before tonight
And a lre a dy it's growing dark !
And the seven eleph ants worked many an hour

Till n one of them co u l d work another
Old Chang, he looked sour, on the seven he di d glower
But gave a pound of rice to Little Brother
What was that?

Mr. Chang has a forest park
Which must be cleared before tonight
And already it's growing dark!
And the seven elephants hadn't any tusks

The one that had the tusks was Little Brother
Seven are no match for one, if the one has a gun!
How old Chang did laugh at Little Brother!
Keep on digging!
Mr. Chang has a forest park
Which must be cleared before tonight
And already it's growing dark!
Smoking a cigar, SHUI TA strolls by. YANG SUN, laugh

ing, has joined in the refrain of the third stanza and
speeded up the tempo of the last stanza by clapping
his hands.
MRS . YANG: And that's why I say : strength and wisdom

are wonderful things. It took the strong and wise Mr.
Shui Ta to bring out the best in Yang Sun. A real
superior man is like a bell. If you ring it, it rings, and
if you don't, it don't, as the saying is.
9
Shen Te's shop, now an office with club chairs and fine
carp ets. It is raining. SHUI TA, now fat, is just dism iss ing
the OLD MAN and OLD WOMAN. MRS. SIDN, in obviously
new clothes, looks on, sm irkin g .
SHUI TA : No! I can NOT tell you when we expect her back.
OLD WOMAN : The two hundred silver dollars came today.

In an e nvel op e . There was no letter, but it must be
from Shen Te. We want to write and thank her. May
we have her address?
SHUI TA : I'm afraid I h av e n ' t got it.
OLD MAN (pulling OLD WOMAN's sleeve ) : Let's b e going.
OLD WOMAN : She's got to come back some time!
They move off, uncertainly, w orried . SHUI TA bows.
MRS. SHIN : They lost the c arp et shop because they couldn't
pay their t axe s . The m o n ey arrived too late.
SHUI TA : They co ul d have come to me .
MRS. SIDN : People don't like coming to you.
SHUI TA (sits suddenly, one hand to his head ) : I'm dizzy.
MRS. smN : After all, you are in your seventh month. But
old Mrs . Shin will be there in your hour of trial! (She
cackles feebly . )
1 17
SHUI TA ( in a stifled voice ) : Can I count on that?
MRS. SHIN : We all have our price, and mine won't be too
high for the great Mr. Shui Ta ! (She opens SHUI TA's
collar. )
SHUI TA : It's for the child's s ake . All of this.
MRS. SHIN : "All for the child," of course.
SHUI TA : I'm so fat. People must notice.
MRS. SHIN : Oh no, they think it's 'cause you're rich.
SHUI TA (more feelingly ) : What will happen to the child?
MRs. SHIN : You ask that nine times a day. Why, it'll have
the best that money can buy!
SHUI TA : He must never see Shui Ta.
MRS. SHIN : Oh, no. Always Shen Te .
SHUI TA : What about the neighbors? There are rumors,

aren't there?
MRS. smN : As long as Mr. Shu Fu doesn't find out, there's

nothing to worry about. Drink this .
Enter YANG SUN i n a smart business suit, and carry

ing a businessman's briefcase. SHUI TA is more or less
in MRS. SHIN's arms.
YANG SUN ( surprised) : I guess I'm in the way.
SHUI TA ( ignoring this, rises with an effort ) : Till tomor

row, Mrs . Shin.
MRS . SHIN leaves with a smile, putting her new gloves

Oil .
YAN G SUN :Gloves now ! She couldn't be fleecing you? And

since when did you have a private life? ( Taking a
paper from the briefcase. ) You h aven't been at your
desk lately, and things are getting out of h and. The
police want to close us down . They s ay that at the
most they can only permit twice the lawful number of
workers .
SHUI TA (evasively ) : The cabins are quite good enou gh .
YANG SUN : For

the workers maybe, not for the tobacco .
They're too damp. \Ve must take over some of
Mrs . Mi Tzu's buildings .
SHUI TA : Her price is double what I can pay.
YANG suN : Not unconditionally. If she bas me to stroke

her knees she'll come down .
SHUI TA : I'll never agree to that.
YANG SUN : What's wrong? Is it the rain? You get so irri

table whenever it rains.
SHUI TA : Never ! I will never . . •
YAN G SUN : Mrs . Mi Tzu'll be here in five minute s . You fix

it. And S hu Fu will be with he r . . . Wh at's all that
.
noise?
During the above dialogue, WONG is heard off-stage,

calling: "The good Shen Te, where is she? Which of
you has seen Shen Te , good people? Where is Shen
Te? " A knock. Enter WON G .
WONG : Mr. Shui Ta, I've come to ask when Miss Shen Te
will be back, it's six months now . . . . There are
rumors . People say something's happened to her.
SHUI TA : I'm busy. Come b ack next week.
WONG (excited) : In the morning there was always rice on

her doorste�for the needy. It's been there again
lately!
SHUI TA : And what do people conclude from this?
WONG : That Shen Te is still in Setzuanl She's been • • • (He

breaks off. )
SHUI TA : She's been what? Mr. Wong, if you're Shen Te's

friend, talk a little less about her, that's my advice to
you.
WONG : I don't want your advice ! Before she disappeared,

Miss Shen Te told me something very important
she's pregnant!
YANG SUN : What? What was that?
sHUI TA (quickly ) : The man is lying.
WONG : A good woman isn't s o easily forgotten, Mr. Shui

Ta.
He leaves. SHUI TA goes quickly into the back room.
YANG SUN ( to the audience ) : Shen Te pregnant? So that's

why. Her cousin sent her away, so I wouldn't get wind
of it. I have a son, a Yang appears on the scene, and
what happens? Mother and child vanish into thin air!
That scoundrel, that unspeakable . . ( The sound of
.
sobbing is heard from the back room. ) What was

that? Someone sobbing? Who was it? Mr. Shui Ta the
Tobacco King doesn't weep his heart out. And whe re
does the rice come from that's on the doors tep in the
morning? (sHUI TA returns. He goes to the door and
looks out into the rain. ) Where is she?
SHUI TA : Sh! It's nine o'clock. But the rain's so heavy, you
can't hear a thing.
YANG suN : What do you want to hear?
SHUI TA : The mail plane.
YANG SUN : What? !
SHUI TA : I've been told you wanted to fly at one time. Is

that all forgotten?
YANG SUN : Flying mail is night work. I prefer the daytime.

And the firm is very dear to me-after all it belongs
to my ex-fiancee, even if she's not around. And she's
not, is she?
SHUI TA : What do you mean by that?
YANG SUN : Oh, well, let's s ay I haven't altogether-lost

interest.
sHUI TA : My cousin might like to know that.
YANG SUN : I might not be indiffe rent-if I found she was

being kept under lock and key.
SHU! TA : By whom?
YANG SUN : By you.

SHUI TA : What could you do about it?
YANG SUN : I could submit for discussion-my position in

the firm.
SHUI TA : You are now my manager. In return for a more

. . . appropriate position, you might agree to drop the
inquiry into your ex-fiancee's whereabouts?
YANG SUN : I might.
SHUI TA : What position would be more appropriate?
YANG SUN : The one at the top.
SHUI TA : My own? (Silence. ) And if I preferred to throw

you out on your neck?
YANG sUN : I'd come back on my feet. With suitable escort.
SHUI TA : The police ?
YANG SUN : The police.
SHUI TA : And when the police found n o one?
YANG sUN : I might ask them not to overlook the back

room. (Ending the pretense. ) In short, Mr. Shui Ta,
my interest in this young woman has n ot been offi
cially terminated. I should like to see more of her.
(Into SHUI TA's face : ) Besides, she's pregnant and
needs a friend. (He moves to the door. ) I shall talk
about it with the water seller.
Exit. SHUI TA is rigid for a moment, then he quickly

goes into the back room. He returns with Shen Te's
belongings: underwear, etc. He takes a long look at
The G ood Woman of Setzuan I 123
the shawl of the previous scene. H e then wraps the

things in a bundle, which, upon hearing a noise, he
hides under the table. Enter MRS. MI TZU and MR.
SHU FU. They put away their umbrellas and galoshes.
MRS. MI Tzu : I thought your manager was he re, Mr. Shui

Ta. He com bin e s charm with business in a way that
can o nl y be to the advan tage of all of us.
SHU FU : You sent for us, Mr. Shui Ta?
SHUI TA : The factory is in trouble.
SHU FU : It always is.
SHUI TA : The police are threatening to close us down

unless I can show that the extension of our facilities
is i mm i n e nt.
SHU FU : Shui Ta, I'm sick and tire d of y our cons t an tly
expanding projects . I place cab ins at your cousin's
disposal; you make a factory of them. I hand your
cousin a check ; you present it. Your cousin dis ap
pears ; you find the cabins too small and start talking
of yet more-
SHUI TA : Mr. Shu Fu, I'm authorized to inform you that

Miss Shen Te's return is now imminent .
SHU FU : Imminent? It's becoming his favorite word.
MRS. MI TZU : Yes, what does it mean?
SHUI TA : Mrs. Mi Tzu, I can pay you exactly half what

you asked for your buildings . Are you re ady to
inform the police that I am taking them over?
MRS MI TZU : Certainly, if I can take over your manager .

SHU F U : What?
MRS. MI TZU : He's SO efficient.
SHUI TA : I'm afraid I need Mr. Yang Sun.
MRs . MI TZU : So do I.
sHUI TA : He will call on you tomorrow.
SHU FU : So much the better . With Shen Te likely to tum

up at any moment, the presence of that young man
is hardly in good taste .
SHUI TA : So we have reached a settlement. In what was

once the good Shen Te's little shop we are laying
the foundations for the great Mr. Shui Ta's twelve
magnificent super tobacco markets . You will bear in
mind that though they call me the Tobacco King of
Setzuan, it is my cousin's interests that have been
served . . .
VOICES ( off ) : The police, the police ! Going to the tobacco

shop ! Something must have happened!
Enter YANG SUN, WONG and the POLICEMAN.
P OLIC E MAN : Quiet there, quiet, quiet ! (They quiet down. )

I'm sorry, Mr. Shui Ta, but there's a report that
you've been depriving Miss Shen Te of her freedom .
Not that I believe all I hear, but the whole city's in
an uproar.
SHUI TA : That's a lie.
POLICE MAN : Mr. Yang Sun has testified that he heard

someone sobbing in the back room.
s HU FU :Mrs . Mi Tzu and myself will testify that n o one

here has been sobbing.
MRS. MI Tzu : We have been quietly smoking our cigars.
POLICE MAN : Mr. S hui Ta, I'm afraid I shall have to take
a look at th a t room. (He does so. The room is
empty. ) No one there, of course, sir.
YANG sUN : But I heard sobbing. What's that? (He finds

the clothes. )
WONG : Those are Shen Te's things . ( To crowd : ) Shen Te ' s

clothes are here!
VOICES (of], in sequence ) :
-Shen Te's clothes !

-They've b een found under the table !
-Body of murdered girl still missing!
-Tobacco King suspected!
POLICEMAN : Mr. Shui Ta, unless you can tell us where

the girl is, I'll have to ask you to come along.
SHUI TA : I do not know.
POLICEMAN : I can't say how sorry I am, Mr. Shui Ta. (He
shows him the door. )
SHUI TA : Everything will be cleared up in no time. There

are still judges in Setzuan.
YANG SUN : I heard sobbing!

9a
Wong's den. For the last time, the GODS appear to the
water seller in his dream. They have changed and show
signs of a long journey, extreme fatigue, and plenty of mis
haps. The FIRS T no longer has a hat; the THIRD has lost
a leg; all three are barefoot.
WONG : Illustrious ones , at last you're here . Shen Te's been

gone for months and today her cousin's been arrested.
They think he murdered her to get the shop . But I
had a dream and in this dream Shen Te said her
cousin was keeping her prisoner. You must find her
for us, illustrious ones !
FIRST GOD : We've found very few good people anywhere,

and even they didn't keep it up. Shen Te is still the
only one that stayed good.
SE COND GOD : If she has stayed good.
WONG : Certainly she has. But she's vanished.
FIRST GOD : That's the last straw. All is lost!
SE COND GOD : A little moderation, dear colle ague !
FIRST GOD (plaintively ) : What's the good of moderation

now? If she can't be found, we'll have to resign ! The
world is a terrible place ! Nothing but misery, vul
garity, and waste ! Even the countryside isn't what
it used to be. The trees are getting their heads
chopped off by telephone wires, and there's such a
126
noise from all the gunfire, and I can't stand those

heavy clouds of smoke, and-
THIRD The place is absolutely unlivable ! Good inten

GOD :
tions bring people to the brink of the abyss, and
goo d deeds push them over the e dge. I'm afraid our
book of rules is destined for the scrap he ap-
SECOND GOD : It's people ! They're a worthless lot!
TIDRD GOD : The world is too cold!
SE COND GOD : It's people ! They're too weak!
FIRST GOD : Dignity, dear colleagues, dignity ! Never despair!

As for this world, didn't we agree that we only have
to find one human being who can stand the place?
Well, we found her. True, we lost her again. We
must find her again, that's all! And at once !
They disappear.
10
Courtroom. Groups: SHU F U and MRS . MI TZU ; YANG SUN

and MRS. YAN G ; WONG, the CAR P E NTER, the GRAND
FATH E R, the NIE C E , the OLD MAN , the OLD WOMAN ; MRS.
SHIN , the P O LIC E MAN ; the UN E M P LOYED MAN, the SIS TER
IN-LAW.
OLD MAN : So m u ch power isn't good for one man.
UNE M P LOYED MAN : And he's going to op en twelve super

tobacco markets !
WIF E : One of the judges is a friend of Mr. Shu Fu' s.
SIS T E R-IN-LAW : Another o n e accepted a present from Mr.

Shui Ta only last night. A gre at fat goose.
OLD WOMAN ( to WONG ) : And Shen Te is nowhere to be

found.
WONG : Only the gods will ever know the truth.
P OLICE MAN : Order in the court! My lords the judge s !
Enter the THREE GODS in judges' robes. We overhear

their conversation as they pass along the footlights
to their bench.
THIRD GOD : We'll never get away with it, our certificates
were so b adly fo rge d .
SECOND GOD : My p redecessor's "sudden indigestion" will

certainly cause comment.
128
FIRST GOD : But he had j ust e aten a whole goose.
UNEMP LOYED MAN : Look at th at! New judges.
WONG : New judges . And what good one s !
The THIRD GOD hears this, and turns to smile at WONG.

The GODS sit. The FIRST GOD beats on the bench with
his gavel. The P OLIC E MAN brings in SHUI TA who
walks with lordly steps. He is whist led at.
POLICE MAN ( to SHUI TA ):

Be prepared for a s urpri se . The
judges have been changed.
SHUI TA turns quickly round, looks at them, and

staggers.
NIE C E : What's the matter now?
WIFE : The great Tobacco King nearly fainted.
HUSBAND : Yes, as soon as he saw the new judges .
WON G : D oes he know who they are?
SHUI TA picks himself up, and the proceedings open.
FIRST GoD : Defendant Shui Ta, you are accused of d oing

away with your cousin Shen Te in order to take pos
session of her business. Do you plead guilty or not
guilty?
SHUI TA : No t guilty, my lord.
FIRST GOD (thumbing through the documents of the case ) :

The first witness is the policeman. I shall ask him to
tell us something of the respective reputations of Miss
Shen Te and Mr. Shui Ta.
POLICE MAN : Miss Shen Te was a young lady who aimed

to please, my lord. She liked to live and let live, as
the saying goes. Mr. Shui T a, on the other hand, is a
man of principle. Though the genero sity of M i ss Shen
Te forced him at times to abandon half me asures, un
like the girl he was always on the side of the law, my
lord . One time, he even unmasked a gang of thieves
to whom his too trus tful cousin had given shelter. The
evid ence , in short, my lord, proves that Mr. Shui Ta
was incapable of the crime of which he stands accused!
FIRST GOD : I see. And are there others who could testify
along, shall we say, the same lines?
SHU FU rises.
P O LICE MAN (whispering to GODS ) : Mr. Shu Fu-a very

important person.
FIRST GOD ( inviting him to speak) : Mr. Shu Fu!
SHU FU: Mr. Shui Ta is a businessman, my lord. Need I

say more?
FffiST GOD : Yes.
SHU FU : Very well, I will. He is Vice President of the

Coun cil of Commerce and is about to be elected a
Justice of the P eace . (He returns to his seat . )
MRS. MI TZU rises.
WONG : Elected! He gave him the j ob !
With a ge st ure the FIRST GOD asks who MRS. MI TZU is.
P OLICEMAN : Another very important person. Mrs. Mi Tzu.

MRS . MI TZU : My lord , as Chairman of the Committee

on Social Work, I wish to call attention to just a
couple of eloquent facts : Mr. Shui Ta not only has
erected a model factory with model housing in our
city, he is a regular contributor to our home for
the disabled. (She returns to her seat. )
POLICE MAN (whispering) : And she's a great friend of the

judge that ate the goose !
FIRST GOD ( to the P OLIC E MAN ) : Oh , thank you. \Vhat

next? ( To the Court, genially : ) Oh, yes . We should
find out if any of the evidence is less favorable to
the defendant.
WONG, the CARPENTER, the OLD MAN, the OLD WOMAN,

the UNEMPLOYED MAN, the SISTER-IN-LAW, and the
NIE C E come forward.
POLICEMAN (whispering) : Just the riffraff, my lord.
FIRST GOD (addressing the "riffraff") . Well, urn, riffraf

f
do you know anything of the defendant, Mr. Shui Ta?
WONG : Too much, my lord.
UNEMPLOYED MAN : Wh at don't We know, my lord.
CARPENTER : He ruined US.
SISTER-IN-LAW : He's a cheat.
NIECE : Liar.
WIF E : Thief.
BOY : Blackmailer.
BROTHER : Murderer.
FIRST GOD : Thank you. We should now let the defendant

state his point of view.
SHUI T A : I only came on the scene when Shen Te was in

danger of losing what I had understood was a gift
from the gods . Because I did the filthy j obs which
someone had to do, they hate me. My activities were
restricted to the minimum, my lord.
SISTE R-IN - LAW : He had US arrested !
S HUI TA : Certainly. You stole from the bakery !
SISTE R-IN-LAW : Such concern for the bakery ! You didn't

want the shop for yourself, I suppos e !
SHUI TA : I didn't want the shop overrun with parasites.
SISTE R-IN- LAW : We had nowhere else to go.
SHUI T A : There were too many of you .
WONG : What about this old couple : Were they parasites?
OLD MAN : We lost our shop because of you !
OLD WOMA N : And we gave your cousin money !
SHUI TA : My cousin's fiance was a flyer. The money had

to go to him.
WONG : Did you care whether he flew or not? Did you

care whether she married him or not? You wanted
her to marry someone else! (He points at SHU F U . )
SHUI TA : Th e .fly e r unexpectedly turned out to b e a

scoundrel.
YAN G suN (jumping up ) : Which was the reason you m ade

him yo ur man ager?
sHUI TA : Later on he improved .
WONG : And when he improved, you sold him to her?

( He points out MRS . MI TZU. )
SHU! TA : She wouldn't let me h ave her premises unle ss

she had him to stroke her knee s !
MRS . M I Tzu : What? The man's a pathological liar. ( To

him : ) Don't mention my property to me as long as
you live ! Murdere r ! (She rustles off, in high dudgeon . )
YANG SUN (pushing in ) : My lord, I wish to speak for the

defendant.
SISTE R-IN-LAW : Naturally. He's your employer.
UN E M P LOYED MAN : And the worst slave driver in the

country.
MRS . YAN G: That's a lie ! My lord, Mr. Shui Ta is a great

man . He . . .
YANG SUN : He's this and he's th at, but he is not a m u rderer,
my l ord. Just fifteen minutes before his arrest I he ard
Shen Te's voice in his own back room.
FIRST GOD : Oh? Tell us more !
YANG SUN : I heard s obbing, my lord !

FIRST GOD : But lots of women sob, we've been finding.
YANG SUN : Could I fail to recognize her voice?
SHU FU : No, you made her sob so often yourself, young

man !
YANG SUN : Yes . But I also made her happy . Till he (point
ing at SHUI TA ) decided to sell her to you!
S HUI TA : Because you didn't love her.
WONG : Oh, no : it was for the money, my lord!
SHUI TA : And what was the money for, my lord? For the
poor! And for Shen Te so she could go on being
good!
WONG : For the poor? That he sent to his sweatshops? And

why didn't you let Shen Te be good when you signed
the big check?
SHUI TA : For the child's sake, my lord.
CARPENTER : What about my children? What did he do

about them?
SHUI TA is silent.
WONG : The shop was to be a fountain of goodness . That

was the gods' idea. You came and spoiled it!
SHUI TA : If I hadn't, it would have run dry!
MRs . S HIN : There's a lot in that, my lord.
WONG : What have you done with the good Shen Te, bad
man? She was good, my lords, she was, I swear it !

(He raises his hand in an oath. )
THIRD GoD : What's happened to your hand, water s elle r?
WONG (pointing to SHUI TA ) : It's all his fault, my lord,

she was going to send me to a doctor- ( To SHUI TA : )
You we re her worst ene my !
sHUI TA : I was her only friend !
WONG : Where is she then? Tell us where your good friend

is !
The excitement of this exchange has run th ro ugh the

whole crowd.
ALL : Yes, where is she? Where is Shen Te? (Etc. )
SHUI TA : Shen Te . . . had to go.
WONG : Where? Where to?
SHUI TA : I cannot tell you ! I cannot tell you!
ALL : Why? Why did she have to go away? ( Etc . )

WONG ( into the din with the first words, but talking on
beyond the others) : Why no t, why not? Why did she
have to go away?
SHUI TA (shouting ) : B ecause you'd all have tom her to

shreds , that's why ! My lords, I have a request. Clear
the court! When only the j udges remain, I will make
a confession.
ALL (except WONG, who is silent, struck by the new turn

of e v e nts) : S o he's guilty? He's confessing ! (Etc. )
FIRST GOD ( using the gavel ) : Clear the court!
POLICEMAN : Clear the court!
WON G : Mr. Shui Ta has met his match this time.
MRS . SH I N (with a gesture toward the judges) : You're

in for a little surprise.
The court is cleared. Silence.
SHUI TA : illu strious ones !
The GODS look at each other, not quite believing their

ears.
sHUI TA : Yes, I recognize you!
SE COND GOD ( taking matters in hand, sternly ) : What have

you done with our good woman of Setzuan?
SHUI TA : I have a terrible confession to make : I am she !

(He takes off his mask, and tears away his clothes.
SHEN TE stands there. )
SE COND GOD : Shen Te l
SHEN T E : Shen Te, yes. Shui Ta and Shen Te. Both.

Your injunction
To be good and yet to live
Was a thunderbolt :
It has tom me in two
I can't tell how it was
But to be good to others
And myself at the same time
I could not do it
Your world is not an easy one, illu strious ones!

When we extend o ur hand t o a begger, h e te ars it off
for us
When we help the lo s t , we are lost o urs elves
And so
Since not to e at is to die
Who can long refuse to be b ad?
As I lay prostrate beneath the weight of good
intentions
Ruin stared me · in the face
It was whe n I was unj ust th at I ate good meat
And hobnobbed with the mighty
Why?
Why are bad deeds rewarded?
Good ones punished?
I e nj oyed giving
I truly wished to be the Angel of th e Slums
But washed by a fo s ter mother in the water of the
gu tter
I developed a sharp eye
The time came when pity was a thorn in my side
And, later, when kind words turned to ashes in my
mouth
And anger took over
I became a wolf
Find me guil ty , then, illustrious ones,
But know :
All that I h ave done I did
To help my neighbor
To love my lover
And to keep my little one from w ant
For your great, godly deeds , I was too poor, too sm all.
Pause.
FIRSTGOD (shocked) : D on ' t go on m aking yo ur s elf miser

able, Shen Te l We're overj oye d to have found you!
SHEN TE : I'm telling you I'm the bad man who committed
all those crimes!
FIRST GOD ( using-or failing to use-his ear trumpet) :

The good woman who did all those good deeds?
SHEN T E : Yes, but the bad man too!
FIRST GOD ( as if something had dawned) : Unfortunate

coincidences ! Heartless neighbors !
THIRD GOD (shouting in his ear) : But how is she to

continue?
FIRST GOD : Continue? Well, she's a strong, healthy girl . • •
SECOND GOD : You didn't hear what she said!
FIRST GOD : I heard every word! She is confused, that's all

(He begins to bluster. ) And what about this bool
of rules-we can't renounce our rules, can we? (Mor(
quietly. ) Should the world be changed? How? By
whom? The world should not be changed! (A t a
sign from him, the lights turn pink, and music plays. ) *
An d now the hour of parting is at hand.

Dost thou behold, Shen Te, yon fleecy cloud?
It is our chariot. At a sign from me
'Twill come and take us back from whence we came
Above the azure vault and silver stars.
SHEN TE : No! Don't go, illustrious ones !

* The rest of this scene has been adapted for the many
American theatres that do not have "fly-space" to lower things

from ropes. The translation in the first Minnesota edition,
following the German exactly, is reprinted here on pages
1 42- 1 44.-E. B.
FIRST GOD :
Our cloud has landed now in yo n d e r field

From which it will t r an sp o rt us back to heaven.
Farewell, Shen Te, let not thy courage fail thee . • • •
Exeunt GODS.
SHEN TE : What ab ou t the old cou ple ? They've lost their

shop ! What ab out the water seller and his hand? And
I've got to defend myself against the barber, be c au s e
I don't love him ! And against Sun, because I do
love him ! How? How?
'
SHEN T E s eyes follow the GOD S as they are imagined
to step into a cloud which rises and moves forward
over the orchestra and up beyond the balcony.
FIRST GOD (from on high ) : We have faith in you, Shen Te !
SHEN T E : There' ll be a child. And he'll have to be fed. I

can't stay here . Where shall I go?
FIRST GOD : Continue to be good, goo d woman of Setzuan !
SHEN T E : I need my bad cousin !
FIRST GOD : But not very often!
SHEN TE : Once a week at least!
FIRST GOD : Once a month will be quite enough !
SHEN TE (shrieking ) : N o , no ! Help !
But the cloud continues to recede as the GODS sing.

VALEDICTOR Y HYMN
What rapture, oh, it is to know
A good thing when you see it
And h avin g seen a good thing, oh,
What rapture 'tis to flee it
Be good, sweet maid of Setzuan
Let Shui Ta be clever
Departing, we forget the man
Remember your endeavor
Because through all the length of days
Her goodness faileth never
Sing halleluj ah ! Make S h en Te's
Good name live on forever!
SHEN TE : Help!
EPILO GUE
You're thinking, aren't you, that this is no right

Conclusion to the play you've seen tonight? *
After a tale, exotic, fabulous,
A nasty ending was slipped up on us.
We feel deflated too. We too are nettled
To see the curtain down and nothing settled.
How could a better ending be arranged?
Could one change people? Can the world be changed?
Would new gods do the trick? Will atheism?
Moral rearmament? Materialism?
It is for you to find a way, my friends,
To help good men arrive at happy ends.
You write the happy ending to the play !
There must, there must, there's got to be a way!t
* A t afternoon performances:
We quite agree, our play this afternoon
Collapsed up o n us like a pr icked balloon.
t When I first received the German ma nuscript of Good
Woman from Brecht in 1 945 it had no Epi l o gue . He wrote it
a little later, influenced by misunderstandings of th e ending in
the press on the occas io n of the Viennese premiere of the play.
I b eli eve that the Epilogue h as sometimes been sp oke n by the
actress playing Shen Te, but the actor playing Wong might b e
a shrewder choice, since the audience has already ac cepted him
as a kind of chorus . On th e other hand, it is n o t Wong who
should deliver the Epilogue : whichever actor delivers it should
drop the character he has been pl ayi ng .-E . B .
141
ALTERNATE ENDING FOR
GERMAN PRODUCTION
FIRST GOD :
And now . . (He makes a sign and music is heard.

.
Rosy light. ) let us return.

This little world has much engaged us.
Its j oy and its sorrow have refreshed and pained us.
Up there, however, beyond the stars ,
We shall gladly think of you, Shen Te, the good
woman
Who bears witness to our spirit down below,
Who, in col d darkness, carries a little lamp !
Good-bye ! Do it well!
He makes a sign and the ceiling opens. A pink cloud

comes down. On it the THREE GODS rise, very slowly.
SHEN TE : Oh, don' t , illu strious ones! Don't go away ! Don't

leave me ! How can I face the good old couple who've
lost their store and the water seller with his still hand?
And how can I defend myself from the barber whom
I do not love and from Sun whom I do love? And
I am with child. Soon there'll be a little s on who'll
want to eat. I can't stay here ! (She turns with a
hunted look toward the door which will let her
tormentors in. )
FIRST GOD : You can do it. Just be good and everything

will tum out well!
1 42
Enter the witnesses. They look with surprise a t the

judges floating on their pink cloud.
WONG : Show respect! The gods have appe ared among us !

Three of the highest gods have come to Setzuan to
find a good human being. They had found one
alre ady, but . • •
FIRST GOD : No "but" ! Here she is !
ALL : Shen Te!
FIRST GOD : She has n o t perished. She was only hidden. She
will stay with you. A good human being!
SHEN T E : B ut I need my cousin!
FIRST GOD : Not too often!
SHEN TE : At least on ce a week!
FIRST GOD : Once a m on th . That's enough!
SHEN TE : Oh,don't go away, illustrious ones ! I haven't

told you everything! I need you desperately !
The GODS sing.
THE TRIO OF THE VANISHING GODS

ON THE CLO UD
Unh app ily we cannot stay
More than a fleeting year.
If we watch our find to o long
It will disapp e ar .
Here the g old e n light of truth

With s ha do w is allo yed
1 44 I Bertolt B recht
Therefore now we ask your leave

To go back to our void.
SHEN TE : Help ! (Her cries continue through the song. )

Since our search is o ver now
Let us fast ascend !
The good woman of Setzuan
Praise we at the end!
As SHEN TE stretches out her arms to them in despera

tion, they disappear above, smiling and waving.

Good Woman of Setzuan

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BERTOLT BRECHT

THE GOOD WOMAN

Revised English version

GROVE PRESS, INC. NEW YORK

Copyright by Eric Bentley, 1947, as an unpublished MS,

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This play may not be acted, read

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 66-14106

First Evergreen Black Cat Edition 1966

MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Bertolt Brecht wrote Der gute Mensch von Sezuan in Scan­

very thin paper, folded double, which I later knew to be

"Freilich, ich lebe in finsteren Zeiten!" That was the first

"big" article about him in 1941. I was a little upset when

Brecht was nonexistent. The first publisher to show real

edition, anyone who is curious about this can look up for

Good Woman had to be said more briefly and swiftly in

*In the spring of 1946 Reyna! and Hitchcock brought out

was a city in the manuscript, though later it would be

Wong, a water seller

Shen Te, a prostitute, later a shopkeeper

Mrs. Shin, former owner of Shen Te's shop

A Family of Eight (husband, wife, brother, sister-in-law,

Yang Sun, an unemployed pilot, later a factory manager

An Old Woman, his wife

Mr. Shu Fu, a barber

Mrs. Yang, mother of Yang Sun

At the gates of the half-Westernized city of Setzuan. Eve­

WONG: I sell water here in the city of Setzuan. It isn't

THREE GODS appear.

What about those three? Old-fashioned clothes­

FIRST GOD ( with an ear trumpet ) : Ah! (He is pleased.)

WONG (giving them water): Oh, yes. And I knew you'd

FIRST GOD : We need somewhere to stay the night. You

WONG : The whole town is at your service, illustrious ones!

The GODS eye each other.

WONG: That would be Mr. Fo's place.

FIRST GOD: Mr. Fo.

WONG : One moment! (He knocks at the first house.)

VOICE FROM MR. PO's: No!

WONG returns a little nervously.

FIRST GOD (smiling): He will, won't he?

WONG: One moment! The next house is Mr. Cheng's.

FIRST GOD : Mr. Cheng.

VOICE FRO M MR. CHENG' s : Keep your gods. We have our

WONG (back with the GODS ) : Mr. Cheng is very sorry,

THIRD GOD : Are we so terrible?

WONG: Well, only with bad people, of course. Everyone

SECOND GOD: Really? How's that?

WONG : Why, because they're so irreligious.

SECOND GOD : Rubbish. It's because they neglected the dam.

FIRST GOD (to SECOND) : Sh! (To WONG: ) You're still

WONG : Certainly. All Setzuan is competing for the honor!

SECOND GOD : What did I tell you?

THIRD GOD : It could be pure coincidence.

SECOND GOD : The same coincidence in Shun, Kwan, and

FIRST GOD : Oh come, we might run into a good person

THIRD GOD : How did the resolution read? (Unrolling a

what about this water seller himself? He's good, or

SE COND GOD : You're very much mistaken. When he gave

FIRST GOD : A false bottom!

Bertolt Brecht wrote Der gute Mensch von Sezuan in Scan

At the gates of the half-Westernized city of Setzuan. Eve

What about those three? Old-fashioned clothes

SHEN TE: Stomachs rumble even on the E mperor's birth