Traditional puppet theater “Batliejka” is known in Belarus for a long time. This theater got its name from the name of the city of Bethlehem (in Belarus you can still hear Betliejem). Traditionally, the performance in this theater was shown on the eve of Christmas. Actors played a plot about the birth of Jesus, king Herod, Devil and Аngel.
We offer you not a Christmas performance, but an interlude, which will be held during fairs and celebrations in the squares.
INTERLUDE “THE SOLDIER AND THE DEVIL”
Characters
Soldier
Angel
Devil
Beggar woman
Loan shark
Oh, there were three angels,
And they led a sinful soul.
Why are you, soul,
Has passed the Paradise?
What have you done, my soul?
Angel says:
People should take care of their souls. Immortal and God's grace. Because the answer we will not bear on earth and the fate will be decided by God, where there will be a soul in the bright Kingdom of heaven or in the bitter hell.
War is over. The soldier returns home thinking about his soul. He fought bravely and killed in the war, so he laments not knowing how to live with such sin in his heart.
The angel calms the soldier and says:
Man is not in the will to know what will happen, but he must do the decent thing, and then his soul will go to Heaven.
Change the Angel the Devil comes to the soldier. Pretending to be a devoted friend and comrade, he offers the soldier to give his soul, and in return promises joy, fun and carelessness. Repenting of his sins, the soldier agrees to the deal, only after he will stay at home to say goodbye to his family.
But angel remembers that the man did not forget God in the war, he was willing to sacrifice himself for another. His soul is pure.
On the way home, the soldier meets a beggar woman who asks for help and alms from passers-by. What can a soldier do to help her, what can he sacrifice? He has only a pipe and a tobacco pouch in his bag, his left pocket is empty, and there are some bread crumbs in his right pocket. He gave the last to the beggar woman, covering his sins with good deeds.
The soldier went on. He meets on the way loan shark. He was deceived by his friends, left without money, and even in a strange, unknown land. The loan shark asks for rescue of the soldier, help to get out of a foreign country, to get home. The soldier helped loan shark to get in the Lojeŭ, and thereby saved deceived.
The soldier helped the beggar woman — gave the last and accompanied the loan shark home. And he did it from the heart without any self-interest. The soldier saved his soul by good deeds, he cleansed it before God. The devil couldn't take the soul. The angel drove the devil back to hell.
Go and does not sin, the Savior will do you good!
And remember that every soul needs repentance! – The Angel said, following the soldier.
Oh, three angels have gone
And they led a sinful soul!
And it is a fun to live in the Paradise
To live is fun.
But for no one ...
The text of the interlude was written in Kareličy district. The interlude was performed without musical accompaniment, keeping the tradition.
A fragment from Belarusian spiritual poem sounded a Cappella.