Story by Sailorboy, dramatised by C van D

Scene 1. The chancel of a Gothic-style cathedral.

The building is empty apart from two clergymen are seated in the choir stalls. Both wear soutanes with many buttons down the front, also birettas. The older of the two – aged about sixty - has a worn, lined, ascetic face. The purple edging to his biretta, his purple sash and large pectoral cross mark him as a Bishop. He is Antonio Marelli, bishop of the diocese and head of the local religious community. The other wears the plain biretta and black sash of a priest. He has a fat, red, self-indulgent face. His name is Father Frank Greenwood. He is about thirty-five.

Bishop. Where is this boy, whom I am to hear?

Greenwood. Waiting in the choir vestry until we are ready, my lord bishop. (Calling). Joel, you can come in now. Go over there and stand on the chancel steps.

Joel enters. He is thirteen going on fourteen. He wears a ragged cotton shirt that was once white, and grey cotton trousers that end halfway down his shins. His feet are bare. Light from one of the upper windows illumines a serene little face of almost Scandinavian purity, cornflower-blue eyes and a shock of very blond hair.

Greenwood. Joel, begin when you hear the note. (Calling). Organist, give him a note, please.

From high up, the organ sounds a single note. Joel begins to sing the anthem “Veni Creator Spiritus”. His soprano voice is exquisitely beautiful. The priests listen, till Joel ends with “Patri et Filio et Spiritu Sancto” and the shimmering sounds die away into silence.

Greenwood. Wait outside, Joel. (Joel leaves). Reverend Father in God, did you ever hear such a voice? Surely only the blessed saints in Heaven……

Bishop (interrupting). My son, how many times must I tell you that it is not for us mortals to speculate about the blessed saints. However, I agree with you on the main essential. The boy does have a very fine soprano voice and would be an asset to any choir. So, answering your earlier question, yes; I will take him into this choir and this community. Who owns him now – a plantation owner did you say?

Greenwood. Yes, my lord.

Bishop. A waste of a God-given talent. Listen. Keep the boy here. Tell the Treasurer of the diocese to see the plantation owner and pay him whatever he asks. Find a room in the lay-brothers’ quarters. And he can’t go around in those rags, so tell the Vesturer to lay out all the garments he’s going to want. And, finally, one other thing.

Greenwood. Yes, my lord?

Bishop. Wise men learned, centuries ago, that the beauty of a young boy’s voice can only be preserved by destruction of the seed – by the loss of his future manhood. Strange perhaps, but true. Mother Church has approved the practice for a long time. Now, in a short time, perhaps less than a year, that boy’s voice could be lost for ever. I want to make it clear that it must not be lost – that would be a sinful waste. With a voice like that he could perform before the Cardinal, before the Holy Father, even.(He pauses). As a castrato, the boy would lose those brief pleasures of the flesh, but think of the glory he will gain! The boy must be made a castrato, without delay. You must make the arrangements for his operation.

Greenwood. Yes, my lord, I’ll see to it. (Thinks) I must find a horse-gelder or something.

Fade out.

Scene 2. A small bedroom in the lay-brothers’ quarters.

It is a bare little room, whitewashed walls, a bare board floor. Light enters through a tiny window high up. There is a narrow iron bedstead covered with a grey blanket, a wooden chair, a table with a tin jug and basin. The only decoration is a crucifix above the head of the bed. Enter Father Greenwood.

Greenwood. Joel! Joel! (enter Joel). Oh, there you are! Did you go to the refectory like I said?

Joel. Yes Father. They gave me a plate of stew. It was lovely!

Greenwood. Good! Now then, Joel, this is your very own room. You must keep it clean and tidy, and once a week you must scrub the floor. Alright? And here are some clothes for you to wear. (He holds up a chorister’s scarlet cassock, white surplice and ruff). These are for you to wear in choir, for services. And these other things are for you to wear at other times, for lessons, for instance. You must learn to understand the Latin that we use in our hymns and prayers.

Joel fingers his new clothes but says nothing.

Greenwood (continuing). Now before you put your new clothes on, have a good wash. There’s water in the jug on that table. Just take everything off – I’ll take your old clothes to the laundress.

Joel. You want me to take – everything off, Father?”

Greenwood. Yes, you funny boy! Don’t be ashamed. I’ve seen naked boys before.

Joel strips off. He is not a puny boy – in fact he has a well made body, good to look at. But his genitals are undersized for a boy of his age. His testicles are small and hard; his penis, slender and uncircumcised, no more than an inch .)

Greenwood. Come a bit closer. The Hospitaller isn’t here today, and there’s something I have to do, to make certain you are a normal healthy boy in all respects.

Joel comes across. Father Greenwood extends a finger, places it underneath the boy’s testicles.

Greenwood. Just give a little cough. (Joel coughs, his genitals jerk). Good, no hernias then.

(Greenwood continues to gently fondle the boy’s scrotum, then takes his little penis between his thumb and forefinger, rolling the foreskin to and fro over the glans. He does this repeatedly, trying to make Joel sexually excited.

Father Greenwood. Are you enjoying that, Joel? Does it give you a nice feeling?

Joel doesn’t reply. He is blushing.

Father Greenwood. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, Joel! These feelings are given to us for enjoyment. They’re not dirty. So, why not just relax?

The camera zooms in on Father Greenwood’s hand. He continues masturbating Joel, trying to bring him to an erection.

Father Greenwood (repeating himself) Is that nice, Joel? Do you feel something starting to come out? Don’t try and hold it back. Just enjoy it! Do you like it?

Joel. It’s nice and tickly!

The camera zooms in again, showing that Joel is now half-hard.

Father Greenwood You’ll be able to practise doing this by yourself, Joel. Now, tell me, do you understand what it means by “having sex”, Joel?

Joel. Oh yes, Father. It’s what a man does to a woman, to make a baby. I know how it’s done, I’ve seen it in pictures.

Father Greenwood. It’s much more than that, Joel. We mortals have been given sex, as a way of showing our deep love for one another. When a boy loves a girl, he shows her how much he loves her by having sex with her. Have you ever been with a girl, Joel?

Joel No, Father. I’ve thought about it often but I’ve never tried.

Father Greenwood. Now, Joel, I’m going to let you in on a great secret. It’s quite usual for a man to fall in love with a boy – a boy like you. And when that happens, they often have sex together, the man showing how much he loves the boy, and the boy accepting the man’s love. Like a boy and girl, they join their bodies together. But because a boy’s body isn’t the same as a girl’s, they have to do it a little differently.

Joel. I’m not sure I understand. How do they do it? (His face creases up into a frown).

Greenwood. Joel, I can’t hide it any longer. I loved you the moment I saw you. And when I heard you sing – oh you darling, darling boy – can you understand what I’m asking?

Joel (hesitantly) You – you want me to – to have sex with you, Father?

Greenwood. I knew you would understand! (Takes Joel in his arms and smothers him with kisses). Just go over to the bed and lie on your tummy. (Joel does so).

Greenwood (continuing) Now, Joel, just support yourself on your knees and elbows. (Joel gets into an all-fours position, spreading his buttocks. Greenwood produces a tube of gel and begins to lubricate the boy’s anus).

Joel. What are you doing, Father? What’s that stuff?

Greenwood. It’s a soothing ointment - simply a soothing ointment, that’s all.

(Greenwood unbuttons his soutane, exposing a large erection. He crouches behind Joel, and begins to take his virginity, while continuing to fiddle with the boy’s genitals).

The camera focusses on Joel’s face, his features screwed up in concentration as the priest penetrates his “other end”. The camera then moves into soft-focus mode, taking in the whole scene. The priest rides the boy like an animal, groaning with sex pleasure until he reaches a noisy climax.

Greenwood (collapsing on Joel’s neck) Oh you darling, darling boy! I love you more than ever! (Kisses him passionately).

The priest pulls his limp penis out of the boy’s bottom. Sensing that it smells, he goes over to the table and washes it clean in the hand-basin. Joel watches him.

Greenwood. How was it for you, darling boy?

Joel. I feel strange, Father – very strange.

Greenwood. You’ll soon get used to it. In time you’ll come to love it.

Joel. There’s something else, Father. I felt something go into me – something hot, right into my insides. What was it? Can it do me harm?

Greenwood. It was nothing, darling boy, really nothing. Think of it as my love passing from me to you. That’s all, so don’t worry.

Joel. Can I get dressed now, Father?

Greenwood. Run along to the ablution room first and wash yourself all over. Put a towel round your middle. Then come and see me downstairs.

Fade out.

Scene 3. Father Greenwood’s study.

Greenwood is seated at his desk. Facing him, standing, is a sturdy countryman, wearing a straw hat, a plaid shirt, bib-and-brace dungarees and heavy boots. He is holding something in his hand that we can’t see yet.

Greenwood. Now, you are Mr Hiram Hicks, is that so? And you earn a living as a castrator of farm animals?

Hicks. Well, Reverend, the answer’s yes and yes! I’m Hiram Hicks, and I’m licensed as a castrator. My daddy was a castrator before me, and his daddy before him.

Greenwood. And I suppose you are skilled in castrating all different kinds of animals? Is there much to learn?

Hicks. All critters are different, Reverend, so you castrate ‘em in different ways. Take a hoss, now. A hoss is big and mean, so you gotta cut his balls right out, show him who’s the boss – with his balls gone it sure ain’t him! But with smaller animals I use my lil’ ol’ burdizzo here. (Now for the first time we can see what Hicks was carrying: a burdizzo castrator).

Greenwood. Is that a castrating instrument? Show me how it works.

Hicks. Well, Reverend, you know that a male animal’s balls don’t float around loose in his ball-sac, they’re on cords. My daddy called them the “strings of courage” and he used to say that when an animal’s strings of courage had been cut, he was no longer male; all that cussedness and meanness just kinda drained away. Now, watch this twig. (He snaps a twig from a bush). Imagine it’s the animal’s ball-cord. I put it between the jaws of my burdizzo, close the handles and – look”. (The camera focuses on the twig showing how it has been crushed flat). That way there ain’t no bleeding. Afterwards the balls, they just dry up. Little pigs, bull calves, I do ‘em all the same.

Greenwood. I see. Fascinating! Now tell me, Hicks, do you ever do this operation on boys?

Hicks (laughing) Sure thing, Reverend! I mean, them black boys, you gotta stop them puttin’ their rods up white girls, ain’t ya? On some plantations they used to burn the black boys’ balls out with red-hot irons, soon as they’d learned to walk. It’s quick and it’s neat, they just shrivel up. But me, I wait till they’re six, maybe seven years old, and do’em with my burdizzo. Growing up without balls, it kinda makes a boy stronger for work, and of course he’s no threat to white girls.

Greenwood. We have a boy here, that we’re very concerned about. Would you be prepared to castrate him?

Hicks. Being a nuisance with girls, is he? Sure, I’ll castrate him, and he’ll be as good as gold afterwards.

Greenwood. Good! Well now, we must discuss a time that’s convenient to you, to come and castrate this young Romeo of ours. We need a real thorough job.

(Camera and sound fade out on the two men discussing the time and place for Joel’s emasculation).

Scene 4. In the monastery garden, two days later.

Joel is coming down a path, kicking stones along. Father Greenwood appears from the opposite direction.

Greenwood. Hello Joel! Isn’t it a lovely day! Where have you been?

Joel. Been to look at the chickens.

Greenwood. I’ll walk along with you. Look, I’ve brought you a piece of sugarcane.

Joel. Thank you, Father. (He begins to chew the sugarcane).

Greenwood. There’s something I’d like to show you in the Bishop’s private garden. It’s this way. (Joel stumbles and almost falls.) Why, what’s the matter?

Joel. I’m not feeling very well, Father. Sort of……..giddy………oh! (He collapses with a groan.)

Greenwood (calling) Hicks! Hicks!

From a shed that we’ve not noticed before because it was hidden by bushes, Hicks emerges.

Greenwood. Help me get him into the shed.

Hicks. (incredulously). Is this the boy? Land’s sakes, he’s fairer than my own children. He’s never a black boy!

Greenwood. He has negro blood, believe me. And it could crop out at any time.

Hicks. That’s true, sure enough.

They enter the shed, where a sturdy table has been set up. The two men lift Joel on to this.

Hicks. Let’s have a look. (He removes Joel’s trousers and studies the boy’s private parts). M-mm, doesn’t look as if he could do much. Still, you never can tell. Now, Reverend, are you sure he won’t come round all of a sudden?

Greenwood. Quite sure. He’s been sucking on some sugarcane laced with opium.

Hicks. Okay. Now, Reverend, will you please hold his right leg out of the way while I feel for the cord……okay, here it is, so I just put the burdizzo on here and close the handles…(there is an audible click)..leave it a minute or two……then a bit higher up…….hold his left leg please…now the other one….and again……

While Hicks explains to Greenwood what he is doing, the camera zooms in close, on to Joel’s genital area. Joel is being castrated by having his spermatic cords crushed through, twice on each side.

Hicks. There, Reverend, all done. He’ll have no use for girls now, and they’ll have no use for him.

Greenwood. Help me get him to the Infirmary. He’ll need to lie quiet for a bit.

Fade out.

Scene 5. In the infirmary, a few hours later.

Father Greenwood stands at the door, holding a jug in his hand. The door opens and Brother Francis, the Hospitaller, comes out. He is a lay brother but is tonsured like a monk and wears a monk’s brown habit. He has a kindly, rather stupid face.

Greenwood. I’ve brought Joel some freshly-made lemonade, Brother Francis. How is he?

Br. Francis. Settling down now, I’d say, Father. I’ve nursed a lot of boys after their castration and Joel seems to be doing as well as most. First thing after coming round he vomited his breakfast, but there’s been no recurrence since then.

Greenwood. Oh good. May I see him?

Br. Francis. Come this way, Father.

The camera follows the two men into the sick bay. Joel is lying on a narrow bed, naked except for a pair of light cotton drawers. He tosses restlessly about.

Greenwood. Hello, Joel. I’ve brought you some lemonade. How are you feeling now?

Joel (in a whiny voice) I’ve been so sick, Father, and my head aches, and I’ve got such a dismal pain down here…….What’s been happening to me, Father? Why am I in here?

Greenwood. We’ll talk about it later. Meanwhile you must rest, and get well again. I’ll ask Brother Francis to give you something to help you to sleep. (He turns to go).

Br. Francis. His genital area is quite red, still. I’ve swabbed it with surgical spirit but it doesn’t make a lot of difference.

Greenwood. I’ve got an idea. I’ll ask the Bishop’s steward if there’s any ice left in the ice-house from last winter. I’m sure there is. An ice pack would bring the boy some relief, don’t you think?

Br. Francis. It would be just the thing, Father. Thank you for thinking of it.

Fade out.

Scene 6: in Joel’s room. Three weeks later.

We find Joel sitting on the side of his bed, his trousers round his ankles. He is fingering his “private area”. The camera zooms in, showing that Joel’s testicles have disappeared and his scrotum has clumped-up into a tight knot of puckered skin. He looks up as Father Greenwood enters the room.

Greenwood. Hello, Joel. I just thought I’d….

Joel (interrupting) Father, what’s been happening to me? What’s happened to my….my balls?

Greenwood. I can see it’s time we had a serious talk about your future, Joel. Now a few weeks ago, I brought you here for the Bishop to hear you sing. The Bishop was so impressed that he decided, there and then, that it would be a sin for your voice to be lost, which it would be, when you attained puberty. He gave me instructions that you were to have a little procedure, and that has been done. As you’ve found out for yourself, your private parts have been altered. You are not a boy any more, not completely; you are a castrato. That’s an Italian word meaning a boy – usually a chorister – who has been castrated, to prevent his voice changing at puberty. And

Joel (interrupting) You mean I’ve been castrated ? Had my balls taken out, so I’ll never be able to – to – (his chin begins to wobble, his eyes fill with tears and he begins howling. Between sobs we can just make out the words “fuck girls”).

Greenwood. Joel, stop it! Stop it at once! Anyone would think you were unique. Let me tell you, thousands – just thousands of boys are castrated every year and they never make any fuss.

Joel continues howling.

Greenwood. Stop being sorry for yourself and remember where you came from. You were going to be a slave on a plantation – you were nothing! Many boys would have given anything – anything at all – for the opportunities that you are going to have. Your sacrifice has been very small – two little blobs of gristle between your legs. Do you want to go back to the plantation, to being a slave?

Joel (between sobs) No, Father.

Greenwood. No of course not. Your duty is to stay here and sing. Now listen because I’ve got some news for you. The Bishop thinks you shouldn’t stay moping around here all the time. He knows a family in the city who have heard you sing, and they’d love to meet you. They have invited you to have lunch with them after morning Mass next Sunday. Would you like that?

Joel (sniffing) Yes, Father, very much.

Greenwood. Good, I thought you would. Their name is Sanders. They have two boys, a bit younger than you, and a daughter, called Alice, who is fourteen. Now Joel, there’s something you must know. Girls of that age often tempt boys – entice boys – into doing bad things with them. Alice is a very lively girl, I understand. Now, if Alice says anything to you…..

Joel (who seems to have recovered) I know what to do, Father. I shall say “I’m sorry Alice, but I can’t. I’ve had that operation that some boys have, on my privates, and I just can’t.”

Greenwood. Joel, I’m impressed! It’s very mature of you to think like that. That’s exactly what you must do. Now I think that’s everything. Are we friends again? Then put your clothes on, run along to the Hospitaller and ask him to give you a lovely enema.

Joel. Why do I need an enema, Father? I’m not sick, not any more.

Greenwood. To wash your bowels out, you silly boy! Then when you are all lovely and clean inside, you can come back here, take your clothes off and we’ll have some fun. A whole afternoon of love and sex.

Joel (meekly) Yes, Father.

Joel goes out. Father Greenwood watches his retreating form, his expression anticipating the boy’s return.

F I N I S