SCENE I. - In the Wood

The Good Fairy. At last I am in this wood where I must save the Lady Alice from danger. How dark it seems here after the bright light of my skyey home. Surely I shall be glad to return to the courts of fairyland. Yet it is pleasant to be of service to the young and innocent, to those who are good and true. Some there are on earth who do not love the truth, who do not do the things that are honest and kind, and they must be punished. Kind and gentle deeds must be rewarded with our help.

Here in this dark grove dwells Comus, an evil spirit, who loves not the good. Here he finds the unlucky traveler and takes him to his court. There he offers him food and a pleasant drink. But in the glass is a potion which drives memory from the mind and makes one forget home and friends. Then the unhappy traveler loses his human head and must have the head of some animal or bird. Comus enjoys seeing his victims act like wild and foolish animals or the forest.

In this dangerous wood the Lady Alice and her brothers are wandering, and my duty it is to protect them from the evil Comus. Hark! I think I hear the noisy band. Here will I hide and listen.

[Comus and his crew enter; men and women with animal heads.]

Comus. Now the sun has gone from the western heavens and the star of night shines over us. This is the hour we love the best. All the serious, wise old people who love the day and its work are weary now and have gone to bed. We who love fun and a merry dance, we wake when the sky is flecked with golden stars. Now the moon calls the fairies from brook and fountain to play their merry games and sing. These are the joys of night in our dark and secret grove. Come, make a merry ring and dance. No care have we nor fear. We will dance and sing until the first ray of light is seen in the east.

[They dance until Comus speaks.]

Comus. Break off! break off! I hear a footstep not our own approaching this place. Run to your places lest you frighten the traveler whoever it may be.

[They disappear.]

I believe some maiden approaches. I will weave my spells and appear to her in the dress of a shepherd and she will not be afraid. Here she comes. I will step aside and learn how she happens to be alone in my grove.

[Comus hides.]

Lady Alice (entering). I thought I heard the sound of noisy merrymaking, - with music as if many were dancing. Here was the sound, but here I see no one. Alas! I should be sorry to meet rude youths, but where can I go, what can I do, left alone in this dark and gloomy wood? O my brothers, where are you? When they saw me wearied, unable to go farther, they left to find me nourishment and shelter, promising soon to return. Truly they must be lost in this vast forest. O dark night, why have you stolen the way from them and left me alone and helpless? Helpless? No, not helpless, for the good mind has helpers ever present in pure-eyed Faith and white-handed Hope. I will pray to God, who will send me a guardian to guide me to my home. What is that light I see? My brothers seek me and I will sing to them. Perhaps they are not far away and will hear my voice.

Sweet Echo, sweetest nymph, that liv’st unseen
Within thy airy shell,
Canst thou not tell me of a gentle pair
That likest thy Narcissus are?
O if thou have
Hid them in some flowery cave,
Tell me but where,
Sweet Queen of Parley, Daughter of the Sphere!

Comus (to himself). What sweet song is this? Can any mortal sing with such charm and beauty? Such sacred and home-felt delight I never heard till now. I’ll speak to her, and she shall be my queen.

Comus (dressed as a shepherd). Hail, fair goddess! for you must be more than mortal, to sing such sweet and wondrous strain.

Lady Alice. Nay, gentle shepherd. I sang not as loving my own voice, and praise is lost that falls on unattending ears. Stern necessity compelled my song.

Comus. How comes it, Lady, that you are thus alone?

Lady Alice. My brothers left me upon a grassy turf. Darkness came upon the grove, and I fear they are lost.

Comus. Were they men full grown or still young?

Lady Alice. Young and fair my brothers are.

Comus. Two such I saw, so lovely in their youthful grace I thought I looked upon some fairy scene. If these are the lads you seek, we can easily find them.

Lady Alice. Gentle villager, quickly tell me the shortest way to them!

Comus. Due west it lies.

Lady Alice. To find it out, good shepherd, would be too difficult in this darkness to a stranger.

Comus. I know every step, fair lady, for I live close by and daily tread the path in caring for my sheep. Gladly will I conduct you and find your brothers if they are still in this grove. Till daybreak you can rest in a cottage near by, where you will be safe until you wish to travel on.

Lady Alice. Kind shepherd, I take your word, and gladly go to the shelter you mention. Kindness is often found in lowly homes. Lead on, and I will follow.

Comus. This way, fair lady!

SCENE II. - Another Place in the Forest

Elder Brother. How our steps are stayed by the darkness of the night and of the forest. Would that the moon and stars would pierce the clouds! If only we could see some faint glimmer of a candle in some lowly hut that would guide us on our way.

Second Brother. Or hear the folded flocks, or sound of village flute or song, or if the cock would crow the watches of the night! Where can our dear sister be now? Does she wander in the deep grove, or against the rugged bark of some broad elm lean her head in fear? Perhaps even while we speak she is the prey of some savage beast!

Elder Brother. Cease, brother, to dream of evils that may not be. No good can come from false alarms. I do not believe my good sister has lost herself in fear. Her faith will keep her calm.

Second Brother. I do not fear the darkness and the fact that she is alone. But I do fear some harm may come to her from rude wanderers in the wood.

Elder Brother. Yet I believe she is so good and true that evil has no power to harm her. All powers of good surround her and drive evil away. But list! Some faint call sounds on my ear.

Second Brother. Yes, I hear it now. What should it be?

Elder Brother. Either some one lost in this wood, like ourselves, or else some roving woodman, or perhaps some robber calling to his fellows!

Second Brother. God save my sister!

Elder Brother. Who comes here? Speak! Advance no further!

Spirit (as a shepherd). What voice is that? Speak once again.

Second Brother. O brother! ’tis my father’s shepherd, sure.

Elder Brother. Are you Thyrsis? How could you find this dark, secluded spot? Why did you come?

Spirit. To find out you. But where is your lovely sister? Why is she not with you?

Elder Brother. Without our fault we lost her as we came.

Spirit. Alas, then my fears are true!

Elder Brother. What fears, good Thyrsis?

Spirit. I have long known that this wood was held in the power of an evil spirit, and this evening as I sat me down upon a bank I heard most lovely strains as if an angel sang. Listening, I knew it was your sister’s voice. I hastened to her and heard her tell Comus of you whom she had lost. To you I came that we may save her from the evil spirit of the wood.

Elder Brother. Let us hasten to attack him with our swords.

Spirit. Alas! Your bravery I praise, but it is vain. The evil charm of Comus can be broken only by a wondrous plant. See, I have it here. With this will we overcome his fairy spells.

Elder Brother. Thyrsis, lead on! And some good angel bear a shield before us!

SCENE III. - The Palace of Comus

Comus. Drink, Lady, of the wine. You are faint and weary, and this will refresh you. Do not refuse!

Lady Alice. Never will I drink the potion in that glass. You may control the body, but my free mind you can never bind.

Comus. Why are you angry, Lady? Here is a place filled with all delight.

Lady Alice. Is this the cottage you told me of, the place of safety where I could rest. None but good men can offer good things. I will never drink what you offer. What monsters are these? I pray Heaven guard me!

Comus. Dear Lady, stay with me and be my queen. Here may you reign over all my kingdom. See what royal robes are mine, what jewels, what costly tables and shining gold and silver. No sorrow shall you know, but only joy and pleasure.

Lady Alice. Cease your words. You cannot move the mind guided by honesty and truth. You cannot frighten me, for well I know goodness is stronger than evil, truth is more powerful than falsehood. The pure heart cannot be harmed.

Comus. Cease, cease! all this is foolishness. Be wise and taste. All trouble will be forgotten. Come, I insist!

[The brothers rush in and drive Comus and his crew away. But Lady Alice is entranced and cannot move.]

Spirit. Have you let him escape? You should have seized his wand. Without that he has no power, but now we must have help to release your sister from his wicked power. The goddess of our river Severn, the lovely Sabrina, has power over all the enchantments of Comus. Her will I call.

Sabrina fair,
Listen, where thou art sitting,
Goddess of the silver lake,
Listen and save.

Come from your home in the coral caves of the sea and help this lovely maiden in distress.

Sabrina (entering).

From off the waters fleet,
Thus I set my printless feet
O’er the cowslip’s velvet head
That bends not as I tread;
Gentle swain, at thy request
I am here!

Spirit. Dear goddess, we implore your powerful aid to undo the charm wrought by the enchanter on this maiden.

Sabrina. ’Tis my greatest joy to help the pure and good. Gentle Lady, look on me. Thrice upon thy finger tips, thrice upon thy lips, I sprinkle drops from my pure fountain. Then I touch this marble seat and break the spell. All is well. Farewell.

Spirit. Fair Sabrina, for this aid I pray that all the pretty rills will never cease to flow into your broad river. May your banks ever be fair with groves and meadows sweet, while all men shall praise you for your gentle deeds. Farewell. Now, Lady, let us hasten from this grove. Your parents await their dear children, and we must hasten ere they become alarmed over your delay. Thanks to your pure heart and the aid of the fair Sabrina, you have come safely through the enchanter’s wood.