Script

(Chinese Countryside. The ENSEMBLE provides marching sounds. MUSHU, frightened, looks out toward the audience.)

Whoa! That's either a total eclipse or one big Hun!

(MUSHU hides. SHAN-YU enters, accompanied by the Huns MAGYAR and SUBAR-TU. They drag two frightened Chinese soldiers, CHEN and LIU.)

Halt!

(The marching stops.)

Congratulations. You Chinese scouts have found the Hun army - and have the great misfortune of colliding with me, Shan-Yu, Leader of the Huns! I will destroy you and anyone who gets in the way of my defeat of China!

Our Emperor will stop you.

Did you hear that, Magyar?

I heard him, boss.

I heard him, too, boss.

They think that their pathetic Emperor can stop the Huns? We number in the thousands. Nothing will stop me.

This is our country. The Emperor will drive you out.

Your Emperor invited me. By building the Great Wall of China, he challenged my strength. Well, I'm here to play his game.

(lifts CHEN and LIU to their feet)

Go! Tell your Emperor to send his strongest armies.

(to MAGYAR and SUBAR-TU)

Follow me. On to the Imperial City!

(SHAN-YU draws his sword. The ENSEMBLE provides chaotic marching. The HUNS chase CHEN and LIU offstage. MUSHU peeks his head out.)