(Fritz and Rudolph exchange glances.)
Fritz— Max—
Rudolph— No.
Canzler— (Returning to the stump.)
The question, Hartzel, is not what they've done;
It's what they think they have a right to do.
They own, they think, our bodies and our brains.
There is no thing or thought or word or deed
Can take its way, but must report to them
And square itself and do a bondman's work.
They have a right, they think, to chop the North,
Lop off her great green boughs and graft instead
The South's pale branches.
The question, Hartzel, is not what they've done;
It's what they think they have a right to do.
They own, they think, our bodies and our brains.
There is no thing or thought or word or deed
Can take its way, but must report to them
And square itself and do a bondman's work.
They have a right, they think, to chop the North,
Lop off her great green boughs and graft instead
The South's pale branches.
Fritz— To bear bastard fruit.
Canzler—The oak's red blood must nourish olive leaves.
They would remake the world Val-father made
And take the seasons from his great right hand.
We must be like them or be not at all.
Like them in manhood, Hartzel?
They would remake the world Val-father made
And take the seasons from his great right hand.
We must be like them or be not at all.
Like them in manhood, Hartzel?
Fritz— No; in Faith.
And even their gods know not the Saxon tongue.
And even their gods know not the Saxon tongue.
Rudolph—If a man speak Val-father's name, he dies.
Max—And we must die if we be not baptized.
Fritz—Must even ask of them what we may eat!
Canzler—Why is it not enough to be a man?
To do a man's work and to live a life
Free like the wild deer, and to grow like these?
To do a man's work and to live a life
Free like the wild deer, and to grow like these?
(He looks about upon the trees.)
You, Hartzel, have lived longer than we have
And you have seen more seasons, and you know
In father Woden's forests how the trees
Grow as they will, acknowledging no lord
But him who made them to be lordless, and
Obeying no law save that law that bids
Each be itself and bring forth its own fruit.
In all the populous forests of this world
There is no tyrant tree that lifts its head
Above the rest and says, "Obey my law."
For each tree hath its own law in itself,
And no tree hears another, but each hears
The voice of father Woden in the loam
Laying the law of selfhood on each seed.
The seed bursts and the law starts toward the sky.
The acorn lays it softly on the oak,
The chestnut on the chestnut, and the pine
Upon the loftiest mountain hears its cone
Whispering with father Woden in the air,
Learning the law it taketh to the ground.
Thus by that law that each tree be itself,
This forest hath become a stalwart state,
A nation governed by one law, a vast
Green kingdom of ten thousand happy trees
With father Woden monarch in the boughs.
The law of selfhood is the law of trees;
Who says the law of sameness governs man?
Because the South has not the girth of trunk
To bear Val-father's weight upon its boughs,
Must he climb down from ours and let the South
Climb up and with its law bind leaf and limb?
Did he, who made these oaks to grow and spread
Their branches, make our branching minds to be
Pinched to a point and put inside a ring?
And you have seen more seasons, and you know
In father Woden's forests how the trees
Grow as they will, acknowledging no lord
But him who made them to be lordless, and
Obeying no law save that law that bids
Each be itself and bring forth its own fruit.
In all the populous forests of this world
There is no tyrant tree that lifts its head
Above the rest and says, "Obey my law."
For each tree hath its own law in itself,
And no tree hears another, but each hears
The voice of father Woden in the loam
Laying the law of selfhood on each seed.
The seed bursts and the law starts toward the sky.
The acorn lays it softly on the oak,
The chestnut on the chestnut, and the pine
Upon the loftiest mountain hears its cone
Whispering with father Woden in the air,
Learning the law it taketh to the ground.
Thus by that law that each tree be itself,
This forest hath become a stalwart state,
A nation governed by one law, a vast
Green kingdom of ten thousand happy trees
With father Woden monarch in the boughs.
The law of selfhood is the law of trees;
Who says the law of sameness governs man?
Because the South has not the girth of trunk
To bear Val-father's weight upon its boughs,
Must he climb down from ours and let the South
Climb up and with its law bind leaf and limb?
Did he, who made these oaks to grow and spread
Their branches, make our branching minds to be
Pinched to a point and put inside a ring?
Hartzel—But they say that they got that ring from some
God that once came down—
God that once came down—
Canzler— From their southern skies?
Who gave the southern cypress mouth to speak
Val-father's law unto the northern pine?
God, do you say, come down to bind men? God?
A God that binds? (Looking up at the trees.)
I see no ring on these.
Who gave the southern cypress mouth to speak
Val-father's law unto the northern pine?
God, do you say, come down to bind men? God?
A God that binds? (Looking up at the trees.)
I see no ring on these.
Canzler—Where in our northern sagas will you find
A track of any shackle-bearing god?
In all the past has any such a god
Come down the northern sky? All round the walls
Of Midgard stand the Asas guarding man
Against whatever brings bonds.
A track of any shackle-bearing god?
In all the past has any such a god
Come down the northern sky? All round the walls
Of Midgard stand the Asas guarding man
Against whatever brings bonds.
(Selma comes from the cottage with a bucket.)
Fritz— Sons of Lok.
Canzler—The southern gods may bring down shackles, but
The northern hammer breaks the shackles off.
The northern hammer breaks the shackles off.
Selma— (From back among the trees.)
I'm going after water, Father.
I'm going after water, Father.
Canzler—And one shall come to take that hammer up.
Max—The Asas walk the walls of Midgard still.
(Selma goes out left.)
Rudolph —Val-father made the mountain rocks to be
The bastions of the oppressed.
The bastions of the oppressed.
Fritz— He made the grave.
(He sits down on the log and takes his head between his hands.)
Canzler—"In him shall be the strength of all your dead."
No, Hartzel; as Fritz says, their ring was wrought
Far in the south at that old fire that burns
Eternal mid the hills. Of old they forged
Law for our fathers, and, with iron hands,
Welded it on them. For five hundred years
The noise of that old furnace filled the world,
And from her red mouth link on link her hands
Drew one continuous shackle, and the North
Walked heavily, until Val-father's spear
Flashed southward. Then the noise stopped. The great beast,
That wore for head and neck those seven hills,
Roused her and saw her whelps come bleeding back
And heard wild Tyr holloing the tribes for dogs
Round her on every side, and rose at bay
And clawed through bloody foam and ceased and saw
Her hills go round and round and with a crash
Stretched her vast skeleton over all the south.
No, Hartzel; as Fritz says, their ring was wrought
Far in the south at that old fire that burns
Eternal mid the hills. Of old they forged
Law for our fathers, and, with iron hands,
Welded it on them. For five hundred years
The noise of that old furnace filled the world,
And from her red mouth link on link her hands
Drew one continuous shackle, and the North
Walked heavily, until Val-father's spear
Flashed southward. Then the noise stopped. The great beast,
That wore for head and neck those seven hills,
Roused her and saw her whelps come bleeding back
And heard wild Tyr holloing the tribes for dogs
Round her on every side, and rose at bay
And clawed through bloody foam and ceased and saw
Her hills go round and round and with a crash
Stretched her vast skeleton over all the south.
Hartzel—Then she is dead.
Canzler— Rome dead?
Hartzel— If she is bones.
Canzler—-Bones, Hartzel, are not dead. The life returns.
The ghastly thing moves in the silent night
When swords are sleeping and the ear hears not.
Old hands scratch round old battle-fields and there
The skulls that wore the helmet don the hood,
And when the morning breaks no man will say.
"The thing that stands there is the thing that fell."
Our father found it so. For after that
Great hunt down in the south, the tribes lay down
And slept and woke and saw—they knew not what.
It wore a sword, but had no hauberk on.
'Twas robed in black and on each shoulder sat
What seemed an eagle in a vulture's plumes.
They, too, thought bones were dead, and seeing no
Mark of their swords upon it nor anywhere
The indenture of those old hills in the south,
They showed it all the paths among the tribes.
The ghastly thing moves in the silent night
When swords are sleeping and the ear hears not.
Old hands scratch round old battle-fields and there
The skulls that wore the helmet don the hood,
And when the morning breaks no man will say.
"The thing that stands there is the thing that fell."
Our father found it so. For after that
Great hunt down in the south, the tribes lay down
And slept and woke and saw—they knew not what.
It wore a sword, but had no hauberk on.
'Twas robed in black and on each shoulder sat
What seemed an eagle in a vulture's plumes.
They, too, thought bones were dead, and seeing no
Mark of their swords upon it nor anywhere
The indenture of those old hills in the south,
They showed it all the paths among the tribes.
Fritz—Welcomed it to their homes.
Max— And took its ring.
Rudolph—And then lay down and slept and never woke.
Canzler—If Rome is dead, whence all these harried lands,
Wigmodia and the Phalias, East and West?
Wigmodia and the Phalias, East and West?
Rudolph—There, even to this day, the clay is red.
Canzler—If Rome is dead, what is this thing that now
On hands and knees creeps on us toward the north
Gathering flesh for its bones as it comes?
On hands and knees creeps on us toward the north
Gathering flesh for its bones as it comes?
Hartzel—Most of them have gone over to their Faith.
Canzler—Most of them? Most of them lie, as Wiglaf says,
Piled on the dark shore where the ships come not.
Piled on the dark shore where the ships come not.
Fritz—Between the ring and sword they chose the sword.
Canzler—What is this thing that says, "Accept this Faith,"
But the same thing that to our fathers said,
"Accept this Law"? It is the same old Rome.
The snake hath cast her skin but not her fangs.
Witness the rivers red. Witness the charred
Track of the dragon and these silent lands.
Has she not gathered flesh? Has she not clothed
Her limbs and filled her bowels with the North?
Climb to the clouds and call the Saxon race
And who will answer? Silence.
But the same thing that to our fathers said,
"Accept this Law"? It is the same old Rome.
The snake hath cast her skin but not her fangs.
Witness the rivers red. Witness the charred
Track of the dragon and these silent lands.
Has she not gathered flesh? Has she not clothed
Her limbs and filled her bowels with the North?
Climb to the clouds and call the Saxon race
And who will answer? Silence.
Rudolph— And the streams
Moaning and hurrying red waves to the sea.
Moaning and hurrying red waves to the sea.
Canzler—There is a day that would but cannot die.
That day—
That day—
Max and Rudolph—At Verden.
Canzler— When our fathers died
Unarmed, defenceless, butchered, Hartzel.
Ah, that day hides her face among the years
But cannot hide her hand. Val-father has— (Closing his fingers.)
Her wrist in his grasp and holds that hand aloft
To drip and rouse the North, and it shall drip
Till Ragnarok shall swallow it up at last
And vomit it out to bleed forevermore.
Four thousand and five hundred in one day!
Till set of sun, all day the axes swang,
And when night fell the Aller's waters slipped
Thick through the headless bodies in her bed.
Oh, for once more a day like Dachtelfeld! (He turns away.)
Unarmed, defenceless, butchered, Hartzel.
Ah, that day hides her face among the years
But cannot hide her hand. Val-father has— (Closing his fingers.)
Her wrist in his grasp and holds that hand aloft
To drip and rouse the North, and it shall drip
Till Ragnarok shall swallow it up at last
And vomit it out to bleed forevermore.
Four thousand and five hundred in one day!
Till set of sun, all day the axes swang,
And when night fell the Aller's waters slipped
Thick through the headless bodies in her bed.
Oh, for once more a day like Dachtelfeld! (He turns away.)
Rudolph—Val-father's spear shall flash again, Canzler.
There shall a horn wind that shall rouse the tribes
And strew those bones again.
There shall a horn wind that shall rouse the tribes
And strew those bones again.
Fritz— Let's wind it now.
Hartzel (To Canzler.)—Do you think we should leave here?
Rudolph— Yes.
Fritz— No.
Max— No.
Our Wittikind shall come and—
Our Wittikind shall come and—
Canzler— They shall hear
The North's great hammer ringing round the world.
Max, you tell Conrad that we meet to-night.
Have Herman come. (Max goes out left.)
And, Rudolph, you go down—
The North's great hammer ringing round the world.
Max, you tell Conrad that we meet to-night.
Have Herman come. (Max goes out left.)
And, Rudolph, you go down—
Hartzel— (Touching, him with his staff.)
Canzler, you said just now the point was not
What they have done.
Canzler, you said just now the point was not
What they have done.
Canzler— Nor is it.
Hartzel— Then why this
Summoning of the men? Are we to have war?
Summoning of the men? Are we to have war?
(Fritz and Rudolph, talking together, walk back among the trees.)
Canzler—Hartzel, the past and present are two limbs
On one tree. Though the one bears withered leaves
And these on this around us here are green,
The trunk is the same; the sap is the same;
The new fruit is the old fruit. What to-day
Is Wiglaf fleeing to the ocean isles
But the whole Saxon race? What is his harp
In ashes but our homes and all this land?
Are those graves yonder old? Were these, our scars, (Opening his bosom.)
Handed down from our fathers? When we start
Alarmed in the night, is it the past we fear?
There is no past to things that have been dead.
It is a scabbard empty of its sword.
What shall we do? Accept their Faith?
On one tree. Though the one bears withered leaves
And these on this around us here are green,
The trunk is the same; the sap is the same;
The new fruit is the old fruit. What to-day
Is Wiglaf fleeing to the ocean isles
But the whole Saxon race? What is his harp
In ashes but our homes and all this land?
Are those graves yonder old? Were these, our scars, (Opening his bosom.)
Handed down from our fathers? When we start
Alarmed in the night, is it the past we fear?
There is no past to things that have been dead.
It is a scabbard empty of its sword.
What shall we do? Accept their Faith?
Hartzel— No, no.
Canzler—Without it, we must steal the air we breath
And thank Val-father if we get it then.
Their blades are out; shall we not lift our shields?
Wolves are we? Wolves are not hunted so.
Bears have the caves; must our cave be the grave?
There is no room there. How then can we die?
After his great meal, Death hath lain him down.
Famine, the gleaner, has the field. There is
No plot unreaped, no sheaf unflailed. The barns
Are stuffed to breaking with the dead. And we,
In this great carnage, in this harvest-home,
The last few straws whisked from the threshing-floor,
Hunted by that old Hunger of the south
From field to wood, from wood to darker wood,
Far up strange rivers and—down under them—
Hartzel, remember; when we fall, there goes
Down the whole North. We alone stand. Of all
Val-father's oaks, there's but one acorn left
That can re-forest and make green the North.
Rudolph and you and I and the rest, save one,
Are, as it were, its protecting shell. Off there,
A sword is coming toward us, and shall we
With hands down take the point and hear the unborn
Wail of that child that should have filled the north
With shouts and wound his horn upon its hills?
Behind him, in array, the dead tribes come
On fire for the south; their umbered shields
Upon the gunwales lour; and shall the snake
Swallow the haven where that host must land?
See the North die? Never. (He turns as if to call Rudolph.)
And thank Val-father if we get it then.
Their blades are out; shall we not lift our shields?
Wolves are we? Wolves are not hunted so.
Bears have the caves; must our cave be the grave?
There is no room there. How then can we die?
After his great meal, Death hath lain him down.
Famine, the gleaner, has the field. There is
No plot unreaped, no sheaf unflailed. The barns
Are stuffed to breaking with the dead. And we,
In this great carnage, in this harvest-home,
The last few straws whisked from the threshing-floor,
Hunted by that old Hunger of the south
From field to wood, from wood to darker wood,
Far up strange rivers and—down under them—
Hartzel, remember; when we fall, there goes
Down the whole North. We alone stand. Of all
Val-father's oaks, there's but one acorn left
That can re-forest and make green the North.
Rudolph and you and I and the rest, save one,
Are, as it were, its protecting shell. Off there,
A sword is coming toward us, and shall we
With hands down take the point and hear the unborn
Wail of that child that should have filled the north
With shouts and wound his horn upon its hills?
Behind him, in array, the dead tribes come
On fire for the south; their umbered shields
Upon the gunwales lour; and shall the snake
Swallow the haven where that host must land?
See the North die? Never. (He turns as if to call Rudolph.)
Hartzel—Accept their Faith,
We need not.
We need not.
Canzler—Die?
Hartzel—We need not. (A pause.) We might flee.
Canzler— (Emphatically.)
Canzler will never vote to flee.
Canzler will never vote to flee.
Fritz— Hear that?
Canzler will never vote to flee. (Coming forward.)
Nor Fritz, chief.
Canzler will never vote to flee. (Coming forward.)
Nor Fritz, chief.
Canzler—Where could we flee?
Fritz— We have already fled.
Canzler—No.
(Hartzel turns and, with his face to the ground, walks slowly left.)
Rudolph—Canzler, listen to me.
(Unnoticed, Conrad appears coming through the trees on the right. Several young squirrels hang from the belt about his waist and in his right hand is a cross-bow. Upon his left shoulder he carries the crucifix which he has pulled up, post and all.)
Canzler— The red ax
They swung at Verden swings clear round the North
And her great head falls.
They swung at Verden swings clear round the North
And her great head falls.
(With a jolt Conrad sets the crucifix down and leans it against one of the large trees.)
Where did that come from?
Conrad—Over on the road; by the bridge.
(Canzler goes toward it. Fritz quickly says something to Rudolph. The latter walks lack in the rear.)
Rudolph— (As if to draw him away.)
Canzler, here.
Canzler, here.
Conrad—There was a sheep's pelt lying in the bank—
(With a motion.)
Down here where we could kneel to it.
Hartzel— (Coming back.)
What is it?
What is it?
Conrad—It is the Christians' Irminsul. They chop
Ours down to put theirs up.
Ours down to put theirs up.
Rudolph— Canzler.
Conrad—They're closing round us, Canzler, every day.
If you say stay and fight through, for my part—
If you say stay and fight through, for my part—
(Suddenly Canzler turns and looks Conrad full in the face.)
I know I did, but if the rest say stay—
(After looking tip at the crucifix again, Canzler turns slowly and walks away left.)
What is the matter?
(When near the stump, Canzler again glances back; then drops his head and walks on among the trees. Conrad turns to Fritz.)
What is the matter?
Hartzel— (Apologetically, following him.)
Canzler, I hope I have said nothing. I—
I did not mean flee—in that sense. (Canzler goes out.)
I meant
Leave.
Canzler, I hope I have said nothing. I—
I did not mean flee—in that sense. (Canzler goes out.)
I meant
Leave.
(He goes out. The men stand looking after them. Rudolph comes forward.)
Fritz—This will break Canzler's heart.
Conrad— What?
Rudolph— (Pointing to the crucifix.)
Oswald.
Oswald.
Fritz—We tried to keep it from him.
Rudolph— Selma, too.
Fritz—Canzler must never tell her.
Conrad— Where is he?
Rudolph—No one has seen him since last night when Fritz—
Fritz—I saw him with the pelt—
Rudolph— (Quickly.)
Here comes Canzler.
Here comes Canzler.
(The men assume an expression of unconcern.)
Conrad— (Aloud.)
Whatever Canzler says. If he says stay—
Whatever Canzler says. If he says stay—
(Canzler appears among the trees. He stops and looks off through the forest to the right, and his brow darkens.)
Fritz—And brought it out from town and put it up.
(Rudolph lifts up the squirrels at Conrad's belt.)
Conrad—There were not many in the woods to-day.
Canzler— (Coming forward and giving his orders hastily.)
Rudolph, you and Fritz go summon the men.
Go with them, Conrad.
Rudolph, you and Fritz go summon the men.
Go with them, Conrad.
(Fritz glances off through the forest, right.)
Rudolph— That we meet to-night?
Canzler—This afternoon. Be quick. (The men start back left.)
Fritz—(Huskily.) Oswald. (Conrad glances right.) Oswald.
(Rudolph glances right, and the three go out in silence. Canzler, who has stepped left, stands in the shadow of one of the trees. A little later Oswald appears coming through the trees to the right. He is looking about as if in search of something.)
Canzler— (Firmly, but without passion.)
There, there it is. Take it, take it and go.
There, there it is. Take it, take it and go.
Oswald—(Downcast, stammering.) I—
Canzler—(Lifting his hand.) No word.
(Oswald moves slowly to the tree, takes the crucifix upon his shoulder, and, with bowed head, goes off right.)
Selma—(Calling from the left.) Oswald!
(The girl enters with her water. She stops, looks after Oswald until he has disappeared, then turns with a questioning look to her father.) O father!
Canzler— As for me,
Let a man be a man. Outside of that,
There is no power on earth that dares ask more;
No power in heaven that will.
Let a man be a man. Outside of that,
There is no power on earth that dares ask more;
No power in heaven that will.
(He turns and goes back toward the cottage.)
Selma—(With a sigh, looking right.) Oswald, Oswald.
ACT TWO.
SCENE ONE—A forest on the mountain tops, the great trees glooming with the shadows of nightfall. In the distance, between the dark boles, patches of sky with the fading light of evening. The scene slopes down into a clump of tangle-wood on the left. Up the slope, upon a stump that stands out from among the trees, Selma is sitting with her head bowed, her face almost hidden by her hair which has fallen forward across her shoulders. She is dressed in dappled fawn-skin. In her hand she has a spray of dog-wood blossoms from which she is thoughtlessly tearing the leaves. From the thicket below, three fairies steal in one after another, having in their hands wild-flowers and ferns.
TIME—Early spring, three years later.
First Fairy— (Running a little way up the slope and stopping.)
Sister, see! (Holding forth her flowers.) Kingcups!
Sister, see! (Holding forth her flowers.) Kingcups!
Second Fairy—(Running closer.) Sister, see, I bring
The laced fern.
The laced fern.
Third Fairy—(Running still closer.) See, see! Violets, sister!
I found them waking in an open place
Where the dew falls. (Together they approach the stump.)
I found them waking in an open place
Where the dew falls. (Together they approach the stump.)
Second Fairy—(Softly.) Sister!
Third Fairy— Flowers, sister.
(The first stoops down and looks up into Selma's face. The others whisper together. From the thicket below, two other fairies enter.)
Fifth Fairy—It's the dew falling. (They hurry up the slope.)
First Fairy—(Rising quickly.) Her eyes are wet!
Second and Third—(To fourth and fifth.) Her eyes are wet!
Fourth Fairy— Sister,
Anemones are opening in the wind.
Anemones are opening in the wind.
Fifth Fairy—And every pink is jeweled in the fells.
First Fairy—And here are buttercups.
Third Fairy— And violets.
Second Fairy— (Stooping.)
See, sister, here I bring the first frilled fern.
I found it where the dashing water-fall
Sprayed it. It was uncurling near a rock.
See, sister, here I bring the first frilled fern.
I found it where the dashing water-fall
Sprayed it. It was uncurling near a rock.
Selma— (Without looking up.)
I do not like you, for you will not tell.
I do not like you, for you will not tell.
(The fairies start and exchange glances.)
First Fairy—Oh, see the dew-globes break upon the moss!
(She runs back a little way among the trees. The others follow her and they talk among themselves.)
Second Fairy—Where is he now?
Third Fairy— He is making his way
To his cold dark cell in the cold dark house
Where the lizards dart and the crickets call.
To his cold dark cell in the cold dark house
Where the lizards dart and the crickets call.
First Fairy—I heard the grind of his wooden shoe
On the mountain road; but she must not know.
On the mountain road; but she must not know.
Fourth Fairy—We stood in the pines and we saw him pass,
A thin white shadow she would not know.
A thin white shadow she would not know.
Fifth Fairy—And, sisters, he turned his face to the stars
And we heard him sigh.
And we heard him sigh.
Fourth Fairy— And we heard him sigh.
Third Fairy—It must be, it must be, for he cannot see.
First Fairy—He cannot see till he sees no more.
Second Fairy—Oh, see them!
Third Fairy— See the fairies!
(They all look up the slope.)
First Fairy— Round they go,
In their ringlets whirling, whirling.
In their ringlets whirling, whirling.
Fourth Fairy—At every sparkle racing through the wood,
From crottle, kingcup, and green maiden-hair
In dainty gowpens fetch the dewy globes
And slide them down the sagging gossamers
To light them in the dance.
From crottle, kingcup, and green maiden-hair
In dainty gowpens fetch the dewy globes
And slide them down the sagging gossamers
To light them in the dance.
(They glance toward the stump. Seeing that they have not succeeded in attracting Selma's attention, they take hands and circle toward her singing.)
Hark the bracken rustle, sister.
Other elves are awaking, peeping,
While the cowslip buds are weeping
On the downs and in the dells.
Trip it softly, softly, sister,
Lest the stock-dove, lightly sleeping,
Wake and hear our fairy bells.
Other elves are awaking, peeping,
While the cowslip buds are weeping
On the downs and in the dells.
Trip it softly, softly, sister,
Lest the stock-dove, lightly sleeping,
Wake and hear our fairy bells.
(After circling round the stump and seeking in every way to induce her to join them, one of them tries gently to take the spray of dog-wood blossoms from her hand.)
Selma—(Calling aloud.) Father!
First Fairy—Oh, smell the wood pinks! They are waking now.
Second Fairy—The bees are stirring in the gum.
Third Fairy— O sisters,
I know a brake where the brown quails sleep.
Let's tip the leaves and let the star-light on them.
I know a brake where the brown quails sleep.
Let's tip the leaves and let the star-light on them.
(Four of them run up the slope one after another and each in turn as she disappears among the trees glances back and calls to Selma.)
(The fifth fairy stands for a time looking after the others, then comes to the stump and sits down at Selma's feet.)
Fifth Fairy— Sister,
If you will come and play, I'll show you slim
Young heath-bells in the dingle. Won't you, if
We take you where may-apples grow and pinks
Bend with their fairy mirrors on the moss?
If you will come and play, I'll show you slim
Young heath-bells in the dingle. Won't you, if
We take you where may-apples grow and pinks
Bend with their fairy mirrors on the moss?
Voice— (From the thicket below.) O sister!
(The fairy starts up and skips down the slope.)
Selma— (Without looking up.)
Three times it has bloomed and he does not come.
Three times it has bloomed and he does not come.
Sixth Fairy— (Entering hurriedly from the thicket.)
We were floating along on the river mist
And saw them creep up the mountain side—
We were floating along on the river mist
And saw them creep up the mountain side—
Seventh Fairy— (Entering.)
And heard them plotting and heard them say:
"We will throw him down, we will throw him down."
And heard them plotting and heard them say:
"We will throw him down, we will throw him down."
Sixth Fairy—We called in his ear, but he did not hear,
(The seventh starts up the slope toward Selma.)
Fifth Fairy—Oh, do not tell her! Oh, do not tell!
Seventh Fairy—They will throw him down! They will throw him down!
Fifth Fairy—Oh, catch him with delicate hands as he falls
Into the mist and—
Into the mist and—
Sixth Fairy— Save him!
Seventh Fairy— Save him!
Fifth Fairy—And I will run to the mountain cave.
(The two fairies hasten out through the thicket, the fifth disappears back among the trees, left. Singing is heard up the slope. A moment later, a number of fairies circle in with green boughs in their hands.)
On the downs and in the dells.
Trip it softly, softly, sister,
Lest the stock-dove, lightly sleeping,
Wake and hear our fairy bells.
Trip it softly, softly, sister,
Lest the stock-dove, lightly sleeping,
Wake and hear our fairy bells.
First Fairy—Oh, something black tumbled into the mist!
Second Fairy—And something bright—what was it, sister?
First Fairy—A star, I think; it glanced and fell.
Third Fairy—Sister, it flashed like a silver cross.
Fourth Fairy—And plopped into the brook. Did you see the ripples
Glitter in the moon?
Glitter in the moon?
Second Fairy— O sisters, see!
The will-o'-the-wisps rush down the valley fogs,
Their white veils trailing round the tall dark crags.
The will-o'-the-wisps rush down the valley fogs,
Their white veils trailing round the tall dark crags.
(They hurry down the mountain. Selma, startled, gets off the stump and runs a little way back in the wood and, stopping, looks after them.)
Voice of Canzler— (Up the slope.)
Where are you, child? (He enters.)
Why do you stand out here
In darkness?
Where are you, child? (He enters.)
Why do you stand out here
In darkness?
Selma—They have gone away again.
Canzler— (Who waits till she comes near him.)
Do not ask anything to stay, my child.
Where the leaf goes the tree goes, and the rocks
Flow away with the waters to the sea. (They go up the slope together.)
Do not ask anything to stay, my child.
Where the leaf goes the tree goes, and the rocks
Flow away with the waters to the sea. (They go up the slope together.)
Selma—He does not come and they will not tell.