The Drowning of the Baby Worm

Paul is shown by Stilgar how the Fremen obtain the Water of Life. A baby worm is drown in a vat of water, the body removed and the liquid (the Water of Life) that is expulsed from the worm's mouth is collected.

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Drowning Chamber

Water Tank

Gasp for Air

Dead Worm

Water Of Life

Script Extract

INT. ROCK LEDGE - HALL OF RITES - SIETCH TABR - NIGHT
     Stilgar motions to Paul.
                         STILGAR
                    (whispering to Paul)
               Do you know the Water of Life?... Come...
               ...Watch... the mystery of mysteries...
               the end and the beginning.
     He shows Paul through a narrow passageway -- almost
     a slot through the stone to a small room.  Through
     an opening in the stone wall, Paul is shown a very
     strange and somewhat horrifying scene.
INT. BABY WORM - MAKER ROOM - SIETCH TABR - NIGHT
     A thirty-foot baby worm is being lowered into a
     stone chamber.  The chamber is then covered with a
     wire top.  Valves are turned and water rushes into
     the chamber.  The worm begins to writhe violently
     and leap and bang against the bars above.  The worm
     begins to turn inside out from the mouth back and it
     begins to gag.  Some monks and watermasters quickly
     drain the stone chamber and wrench the worm out
     using large steel hooks.  They hold the worm above a
     large tub.  A watermaster-reed man runs a long reed
     in to the worm, causing it to spasm and gag up a
     beautiful deep blue bile as it dies.
INT. MAKER ROOM - SIETCH TABR - NIGHT
     The bile and worm water are combined in ceremonial
     containers.  Paul turns to Stilgar.
                         STILGAR
               The Water of Life.
                          PAUL
                    (inner voice)
               The most lethal poison in the Universe.