Now, America, the ever thee I sing, I can sing such grandeur and glories about you. These are the thoughts of all men, of all races, in all ages and lands. The glory of the race of dreamers and adventurers, matchless with heroism, valor, song, supper, courtship. Large, generous, proud, handsome and affectionate. Bearded, sunburned, dressed in the free costume of sailors. None to obey but serving one another for a new world. This is their America. The America I sing. To this new world, first of the generations of white men came the heroic Viking chieftain Leif Erikson. It was a time of adventure and new worlds to conquer. Leif Erikson was the first of the great explorers to act upon the enchantment of the new land beyond the western ocean, the first to colonize these shores. The DuPont cavalcade of America presents a radio play based on fragments of the Vinland sagas of the great Viking chieftains, starring Carl Swenson of the cavalcade players in the role of Leif Erikson. Comrades, let us now be fearing, for we're to our own again. Let us try to cease the daring, if his roaring pounds array. Those who will may fight in fires, let them praise their chosen land. While we feast on a whale's big diet, in our homes upon the strand. Vikings, Vikings of Greenland, we are assembled here in this great hall of our fathers. Let us remember their bones. Vikings, born of the blood of all of the white, and after him, Bjorn Booner, and after him, Torstein the Red, and after him, Torfien the Skull Cleaver, and others after. Then the hero Torvald and his son, Erik the Red. With us now, our leader. Let us remember how this Erik was banished from Norway and sailed to Iceland. After the killing of Eyulf the Foul, Erik was banished forever from Håkadal, and he betook himself westward to Bredafjord and thence to Eriksmark. There he set sail in search of that country which goon Bjorn, son of Ulf the Crow, had seen. And thus, Erik discovered this place, Greenland, and settled here in Bratli. Let us recall our history as we are assembled here before the voyage to behold a new leader. Vikings, Erik now has a son, full grown, with the strength of an eagle. Twice before have I stood in this great hall to speak of our history and to set before you new leaders. And our great Erik the Red, who once took the sword, shall now pass it on. I have spoken. Now, Erik the Red. Thank you. I stand before you the last time to give command. You have followed me through cold and bloody seas. We have much to show for that. Our terrible right arm has reached out to many shores. Our spears are stained with battle. Feared by all men, I, Erik the Red, have done this. And now I have a son, Lik, who has returned to us here from a long voyage to Norway. The king has put a gold cross above his neck. Is this not a sign he is here? Come forth, please, my son. My king, you who have followed me to this end of the earth, will you follow me now? My son, with this sword, the great name of Erik the Red is now upon your own shoulder. Carry that name well, for we Vikings have lived by it long. I take this sword, father, and I will carve out the seas with it. And who dare stop the Vikings shall taste of this sword. Vikings, tomorrow I sail eastward with a full tide, past Iceland to the islands rich with cattle and wheat. We strike quickly in return. The king of Norway has made us warriors of a new god, and his glory will shine on the tips of our spears. Let us drink to the void until the moon leaves the sky and the morning tide calls us to battle. Drink, Vikings! Drink, Vikings! Drink, Vikings! Drink, Vikings! Drink, Vikings! Leif, my son, the moon is fading in the sky. Even from our house I can hear the tide. It is time. I'm ready, father. Leif, in the history that I spoke in the great hall, I did not speak of one thing. I wish to tell it to you alone. Years ago it was told by Byarna, who is now dead, that the wind swept his boat to the west for many days, and through the mist one day he saw a new land. No man has seen it since. You shall know that there is a prize greater than all the eastern plunder. Father, why have we never sailed west? It is but a wild story told by a man. A land beyond the western sea. Oh, that tale stirs something in my blood. When you know the sea is better, lad, then you may make your own paths on it. Until then, best follow the known stars eastward. Yes, sir. The tide folds at our heels. The wind is ready. And I too, Hockey. Farewell, farewell, until I return to my house again. And I shall remember your story, your great feast. Oh, India places men. Lift the sails. All is yours. Wave with the tide. Away! Away! Away! Away! Away! Away! Away! Away! Away! Away! Away! Away! Away! Away! Away! Away! Away! Away! Away! Go, пожáj ke hueiro! The Pzd semester! There's our prize ahead. What land is it, Hockey? According to the last star of morning, I make it an island of the Hebrides. Is it a rich land? Is it worthy of our valor? The soil is known to be fertile. It's said the women are of a wondrous beauty here. Good, good. Let us pick some for the long winter. Tell you can stay behind and watch the boats. By my blonde beard, I shall take two wives this time. Good, good. Lock oars. Into the water. We're close enough to ride in with the surf. All right, all hands easy. Now, whip the tide on the third wave. Take it with the next wave. Easy. In she goes. Left, left the pole, pole my land. Listen, they have seen us. I wish the sun was up. We shall take 20 head of cattle and a good quantity of wheat. We have not many plows, normally. Then you will take some plows. And some of the women, too. They're coming closer to find out who we are. We'll tell them. Draw swords. Let's see how many we can spear to the trees. Forward, men. Forward with a sword. Forward with a sword. Forward with a sword. Forward with a sword. Forward with a sword. Forward with a sword. Forward with a sword. Forward with the sword. Forward with the sword. Forward with a sword. Forward with a sword. Forward with a sword. Forward with the sword. Forward with a sword. The cattle bellied like women. They have frightened at the herd of herds, A plague on the cattle, how many men have we lost? 12 good men life. Fools! They should have spat in the face of death and fought their way back to the ship. We shall mourn them with these women, eh? Well spoken, Helga. Let's divide the women among us. Aye, that's the way. Who'll take this one with the long hair? I will. Huh? And this one who wails like ten women? I claim her. And now this silent pretty one who weeps like a bird. I take this one. You will not take me. What? She speaks! Girl, my name is Hockey. I have a log house. Do not come near me. Watch out, Hockey. She will scratch you. No one of you will take me if you have taken the others. You cannot harm me, for the white Christ is in my heart. Leave her alone, Hockey. I will tame her. Woman, I am Leif, son of the great Eric the Red. Have you heard of me? Speak. Oh, you won't speak. Then I'll kiss you. Come here. No! Oh, then I must fetch you. Come. Watch out! Climbing the rope for the sale. Calm down! Calm down, you little fool. I'll bring her down, Leif. No, I'll climb after her and she'll pay for this for it. Stop! If you come any higher, I shall jump. By the gods, I shall catch you and tame you. Look out! She's going to jump. Now hold! Hold! The tide will carry rock and stone. We have enough women without her. Let the fish have her. Leif, what are you doing? Have you gone mad? Let her go! Come back! Come back, Leif! You are listening to the DuPont Cavalcade of America presenting the story of Leif Erikson starring Carl Swenson of the Cavalcade Players. The Cavalcade of America is brought to you each Monday by DuPont, maker of better things for better living through chemistry. I will extol thee, O Lord, for thou hast upheld me and hast not made my enemy to rejoice over me. Speak! It is I, Tyroona. Stand when you speak to me, woman. Why do you come here at night on this lonely beach? I come to pray as you see me now. Whom do you speak to? There's no one here. I speak to my God, who is everywhere, listening. What do you ask of him? I ask him for peace. Why, are you not happy? Have you not been given a house? I command you to smile. It's hard to smile or to sing in a strange land. And yet you're beautiful, even with your eyes a thousand miles away. Why, you're proud. I'd not harm you for that. And are you proud, too, of your boats as they come home filled with stolen wheat and cattle and weeping women? That's our life. I have watched two of your sacrifices and all your bloodshed. And that is why you find me here on my knees. For I cannot live happily among your people. Why do you look at me that way? I'll be not afraid to speak. That cross around your neck. The King of Norway put it there with his own hand. He proclaimed me a Christian and all my people. But we are first Vikings. You cannot serve such opposite gods. Oh, let me teach you the ways of this new god, the white Christ. Why do you smile at me? I smile at your courage to talk this way to a warrior. Tell me more of this God who can make you so brave. What are his sacrifices? He asks that we live only by his words, which are peace and love of one another. Those are strange words to live by. Are they not more wonderful words than plunder and hate? But is it not the way of this world of ours? The strong shall conquer the weak. That is not his way. He taught us the meek shall possess the land. The meek? How can that be? The fury of fire and sword and conquest shall pass away. You, you have watched the seas. Is it not the tempest that is ugly and rages only to pass away? But the calm, they are beautiful, are they not? And more enduring. But the sea is like that. Are men? Am I such a man? I wish you to be such a man. You have been brave. Now you must be wise. No. No, don't say any more. Go. Go, go. You trouble me with your wisdom. Leave me to think. My team, keep, keep on playing, for this is a feast of victory. Division three oxen down to the bone already. Henry shall have a port. Oh, army. And this barrel of drink is empty once more. Another barrel of drink. They shall eat and drink into the morning. Oh, my son has had a good boy. Now sound the horn. What are you going to do, father? Blow some blood into the ground or our gods of the earth must share in our system. The big one there, he looks frightened. He wishes he could fly like a bird now back to his heifer. Bring the axe. Here it is, great axe. Now who will take this broad axe and deliver it? You leave? Yes. Give me the axe. Good. Now do it. Do it if my father once did. And I after him. Look, slaves kneel. Stand up. I shall cut them down standing up. Up, you slave. But there's a woman kneeling. Lift your face, woman. Forbuna. Yes. Strike, my son. I am not afraid, Luke. Lift the axe. The god waits. He is here. He is here. Vikings, I cannot feed your gods who live only on blood. I now cast them off. I can no longer bring this Viking arm to murder. Old, old man. Do not cast your shame upon my son. It is this woman, Forbuna, whom you brought back with you. She's bewitched. She must not be touched. Let it be known throughout this land I will take Torguna as my own. My son, will you shame me in this great hall with a thousand eyes? Speak. Vikings. Vikings, Torguna has truly taught me what this cross upon my breast means. She has taught me the words thou shalt not kill. What then would you do? What then will a Viking do? Once we Vikings were explorers, and from this day I will search out new land even as you, Great Herod, once did. Where will you go? Westward. For as has been told, I believe there lies a land beyond the western sea, and I shall find it, I shall conquer it, without war in the name of the god whose cross I wear. And where are your ships? I shall take but one ship. And where are your men to sail out over the edge of the world? Have we no sons of Vikings here? Men, are you as brave as your fathers? Are there any here who will sail for a new world even if they find it at the bottom of the sea? Now who will come? Speak now. I will sail. Then I. We will follow these men. We will follow these men. Follow these men. Follow these men. Follow these men. How do the stars read this night, Topp? They tell us we are moving west like a bird. It is many long weeks and the moon bleeds as an omen. There she stands in the stern of the week. Aye. The woman Turguna was cursed to avoid. I am not afraid of death. I'd be taken there by a woman. Listen to the sound of the waters. You must throw her overboard to the sea guard. Who is the man to do it? Or else we sail to a doom. I will do it. I've had enough of witchery. Enough! Well, Snorri, what have you come here for? The woman. Listen to the sea guard calling for a sacrifice. Get back to your sail. Away with her, or else we shall never reach land. Put your sword back. Not until her blood is on it. Stand aside, leave. Back, I say. Not I. Back. Go. Go. Hold! Hold! If that rudder will all go overboard. Hold that rudder! No man is to talk. Or he shall die too. I am a little afraid now, Leith. Perhaps they are right. I have brought all this to pass. No, Toglun, it was I. I wanted always to seek forth this new land. And we shall find it. We shall follow the great curve of the earth on and on. We shall shrivel down to our very bone. And the boards on the boat will rot. But we shall find it. Togluna, open your eyes. The last star is out and morning is here. I am tired. Tired of waking always in this lonely sea. What do you hear, Togluna? Birds. It cannot be. Look there. Just ahead through the mist. At last. Yes, at last. Land. Leith, can it be true? Tell me it is true at last. Wake up! Up, all you tired vikings! Wash the sleep from your eyes and look there. See! See the strange birds above us. Land ahead! The water is warm. Smooth as a lake. We can almost reach out and touch the trees ashore with our arms. We are close enough now, Leith, to wade in. How green and silent the land is. It looks as if it were more than an island. It is part of Gaster and that is enough. It is a place where fools will grow. And children. Oh, come, my Togluna. I shall carry you in toward the white beach. We shall be there. We shall be there. We shall be there. We shall be there. We shall be there. We shall be there. We shall be there. We shall be there. We shall be there. We shall be there. We shall be there. We shall be there. We shall be there with you. sealing tarnished off, I shall carry you in toward the white beach. We shall be the first to set foot there. Hairboe! Aye! Help us over the side. See how clean the water is. How golden the sand shines through it. That is said to do with this honey on the tongue. That must truly be the fortunate place. The land of the Western Sea. Quickly, Leith. Quickly, Leif, set me on the shore that I may know it is not a dream. Now, my goddess Targuna, I set you down and kiss you. Oh, kneel with me on this new land. Let us give thanks to the white Christ who brought us here safely and made us to love each other. In time, I will learn his wisdom from you, Targuna. And his words of peace shall grow in this earth as though we planted them there, as good things grow, as trees grow, or as flowers. Yes, he has brought us through the unknown seas to a land that shall be known for all time. In our story of chemistry at work in our world, Dupont tells you how chemistry with its long and honorable record of service to industry is doing its part to eliminate bottlenecks in American production today. Even if you'd never heard the word until a few months ago, you know today what a bottleneck is. Few words are as descriptive. You can't get more water out of a bottle than will pass through its neck in a given time, and you can't get more product out of a production line than will pass through the tightest bottleneck in the line. With the country busy at the biggest job of high-speed production the world has ever known, much depends upon America's ability to widen every bottleneck in every defense plant, and much depends on chemistry. In making the engine bearings of airplanes, for instance, silver plating is required. This plating was once a slow operation, but today the time needed has been sharply reduced by using Dupont silver and potassium cyanides in the process. There are die castings in airplane motors, too, that consume valuable minutes in a necessary cleaning process before they are dipped into the plating bands. Today, thanks to the chemist, a special degreasing vapor spray cleans them and hurries them along, spotless and dry, in three minutes. An expanded army and navy call for a good many kinds of equipment. At first glance you wouldn't think bleaching, bleaching cloth, could be a bottleneck in defense, but every soldier, every sailor, must have uniforms and blankets and sheets and towels. Most of the millions upon millions of yards of fabric called for must be bleached. Ordinary bleaching is a batch process in which four or five tons of cloth at a time move from kettle to kettle, taking as long as 24 hours to run through. Today, in a continuous peroxide bleach developed and perfected by Dupont chemists, whole miles of fabric twisted into an endless rope run through the bleaching vats in a few hours. You'd hardly expect to find a bottleneck in pontoon bridges, but a pontoon, or a ponton as it's sometimes called, will sink in the water if it leaks. The lumber of which the pontoon is made can't have too many cracks in it. How can lumber be dried for pontoons with a minimum amount of cracking? On the West Coast today, a number of lumber mills are using Dupont's synthetic urea to overcome this difficulty. Wood treated with urea dries evenly with few if any cracks. And by treating wood with urea, mills free their drying kilns for other lumber, speeding production and widening another bottleneck. Chemistry has served industry faithfully for many years. Aiding in the solution of our defense bottleneck problems is a job in keeping with the long tradition of the chemist who brings you, in the words of the Dupont pledge, better things for better living through chemistry. Music Next week, the Cavalcade of America presents Kenneth Delmar of the Cavalcade players in the colorful and exciting story of Geronimo and the last of the great Indian wars before peace and justice were finally established between the red men and the white men of the American nation. In our story of chemistry at work in our world, we will tell you about American Camper and its many services to mankind today. We hope you'll join us at the same time next Monday when Dupont again presents the Cavalcade of America. Music In support of Carl Swenson as Leif Erikson on tonight's program were the Cavalcade players with John McIntyre as Eric the Red, Frank Reddick as Snorrie, Everett Sloan as the High Priest and Jeanette Nolan as Torguna. Our play was written by Norman Rosten. The orchestra and the original musical score were under the direction of Don Burys. On the Cavalcade of America, your announcer is Clayton Collier sending best wishes from Dupont. Applause This is the Red Network of the National Broadcasting Company. Applause Music Music
