1. The The Story of the First Rain is in Sanskrit. It is not meant to be understood intellectually, but to work as an element in the soundscape at the top of the show.
2. Karin should be pronounced 'Kayrin'.
3. The simplest, and perhaps most effective, convention for the execution of this scene and the sand castle scene, is mime. If the boat is located on a platform a more literal approach could be taken where a large tub of water containing spearable fish could be hidden, and into which the actors could fall. They could disappear behind the platform in the mime convention as well, but a stronger choice might be to have them mime swimming under water in full view of the audience, depending on the strength of the mime. The drowning scene at the end of The Diviners, by Jim Leonard, Jr., is an example of this approach. In The Diviners there is also a roaring underwater sound effect that adds a great deal when characters are submerged.
4. One solution that suggests itself for this effect is for NATA's knitting bag to be attached to her costume and that there is a slit between bag and costume through which the sword could slide. If, however, this were to result in NATA limping around the stage unable to bend one knee, it would be better if she simply carried the sword, but like a stick, grasping it by the base of the blade.

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