SCENE I:

Inside ‘the Hollow Hill.’

A great, dim-lighted, cavernous place, which shows signs of masonry. It is part cavern and part cellarage of a ruined, burned-down and forgotten old monastery in the hills. The only entrance (at the centre rear), a ramshackle wooden door, closes against a flight of rocky steps. Light comes from an opening in the roof, and from the right, where a faggot-fire glows under an iron pot. The scene reaches (right and left) into dim corners, where sleeping children lie curled up together like kittens.

By the fire sits the piper, on a tree-stump seat, stitching at a bit of red leather. At his feet is a row of bright-colored small shoes, set two and two. He looks up now and then, to recount the children, and goes back to work, with quizzical despair.

Left, sits a group of three forlorn Strollers. One nurses a lame knee; one, evidently dumb, talks in signs to the others; one is munching bread and cheese out of a wallet. All have the look of hunted and hungry men. They speak only in whispers to each other throughout the scene; but their hoarse laughter breaks out now and then over the bird-like ignorance of the children.

A shaft of sunlight steals through the hole in the roof. Jan, who lies nearest the piper, wakes up.

Jan Oh!

[The piper turns] Oh, I thought. . . I had a dream!

Piper [softly] Ahe?

Jan I thought. . . I dreamed. . . somebody wanted me.

Piper Soho!

Jan [earnestly] I thought. . . Somebody Wanted me.

Piper How then? [With watchful tenderness.]

Jan I thought I heard Somebody crying.

Piper Pfui! What a dream. Don’t make me cry again.

Jan Oh, was it you? Oh, yes!

Piper [apart, tensely] No Michael yet!

[Jan begins to laugh softly, in a bewildered way; then grows quite happy and forgetful. While the other children waken, he reaches for the pipe and tries to blow upon it, to the Piper’s amusement. Ilse and Hansel, the Butcher’s children, wake.

Ilse Oh!

Hansel Oh!

Piper Ahe?

Ilse I thought I had a dream.

Piper Again?

Ilse . . . It was some lady, calling me.

Hansel Yes, and a fat man called us to come quick; A fat man, he was crying about me! That same fat man I dreamt of, yesterday.

Piper Come, did you ever see a fat man cry, About a little Boy?

[The Strollers are convulsed with hoarse mirth.

Hansel No, Never.

Ilse Never! Oh, what a funny dream!

[They giggle together.] [The piper silences the Strollers, with a gesture of warning towards the rocky door.

Piper [to himself] ’T is Hans the Butcher. [To the Children] Well, what did he say?

Hansel ‘Come home, come home, come home!’ But I didn’t go. I don’t know where. . . Oh, what a funny dream!

Ilse Mine was a bad dream! Mine was a lovely lady And she was by the river, staring in.

Piper You were the little gold-fish, none could catch. Oh, what a funny dream! . . . [Apart, anxiously] No Michael yet. [Aloud] Come, bread and broth! Here not all, three at a time; ’T is simpler. Here, you kittens. Eat awhile; Then

[Rudi wakes.]

Rudi Oh! I had a dream, an awful dream!

[The piper takes Jan on his knee and feeds him, after ladling out a big bowl of broth from the kettle for the Children, and giving them bread.

Piper Oh! oh! I had a dream!

Children Oh, tell it to us!

Piper I dreamed. . . a Stork. . . had nested in my hat.

Children Oh!

Piper And when I woke

Children You had

Piper One hundred children!

Children Oh, it came true! Oh, oh; it all came true!

The strollers Ah, ho, ho, ho! [The dumb one rises, stretches, and steals toward the entrance, stopping to slip a blind-patch over one eye. The piper goes to him with one stride, seizing him by the shoulder.

Piper [to him, and the others, apart] Look you. No Michael yet! And he is gone Full three days now, three days. If he be caught, Why then, the little ravens shall be fed! [Groans from the three] Enough that Cheat-the-Devil leaked out too; No foot but mine shall quit this fox-hole now! And you, think praise for once, you have no tongue, And keep these magpies quiet. [Turns away. [To himself] Ah, that girl. The Burgomeister’s Barbara! But for her, And moon-struck Michael with his ‘one more look’! Where is he now? And where are we? [Turning back to the Children] So, so.

[The Strollers huddle together, with looks of renewed anxiety and wretchedness. Their laughter at the Children breaks out forlornly now and then. The piper shepherds the Children, but with watchful eyes and ears toward the entrance always. His action grows more and more tense.

Rudi [over his broth] Oh, I remember now! Before I woke. . . Oh, what an awful dream!

Ilse Oh, tell us, Rudi, Oh, scare us, Rudi, scare us!

Rudi [bursting into tears] . . . Lump was dead! Lump, Lump! [The Children wail.

Piper [distracted] Who’s Lump?

Rudi Our Dog!

Piper [shocked and pained] The Dog! No, no. Heaven save us I forgot about the dogs!

Rudi He Wanted me; and I always wasn’t there! And people tied him up, and other people Pretended that he bit. He never bites! He Wanted me, until it broke his heart, And he was dead!

Piper [struggling with his emotion] And then he went to heaven, To chase the happy cats up all the trees; Little white cats! . . . He wears a golden collar . . . And sometimes [Aside] I’d forgot about the dogs! Well, dogs must suffer, so that men grow wise. ’T was ever so.

[He turns to give Jan a piping lesson]

CHILDREN

Oh, what a funny dream! [Suddenly he lifts his hand. They listen, and hear a dim sound of distant chanting, going by on some neighboring road. The piper is puzzled; the Strollers are plainly depressed.

Jan What is it?

Piper People; passing down below, In the dark valley. [He looks at the Children fixedly] Do you want to see them?

Children Don’t let them find us! What an ugly noise. No, no don’t let them come!

Piper Hark ye to me. Some day I’ll take you out with me to play; High in the sun, close to the water-fall . . . . And we will make believe We’ll make believe We’re hiding! . . .

[The Strollers rock with mirth.]

Children Yes, yes! Oh, let us make believe!

Strollers Oho, ho, ho! A make-believe! Ho, ho!

Piper But, if you’re good, yes, very, very soon I’ll take you, as I promised,

Children Gypsies, oh!

Piper Yes, with the gypsies. We shall go at night, With just a torch [Watching them.]

Children Oh!

Piper Like fire-flies! Will-o’-the-wisps! And make believe we’re hiding, all the way, Till we come out into a sunny land, All vines and sunlight, yes, and men that sing! Far, far away forever. [Gives Ilse a bowl to feed the other children] [Jan pipes a measure of the Kinder-spell, brokenly. The piper turns. So! Thou’lt be My master, some day. Thou shalt pipe for me.

Jan [piping] Oh, wasn’t that one beautiful? Now you!

Piper [taking the pipe] The rainbow-bridge by day; And borrow a shepherd-crook! At night we take to the Milky Way; And then we follow the brook!

We’ll follow the brook, whatever way The brook shall sing, or the sun shall say, Or the mothering wood-dove coos! And what do I care, what else I wear, If I keep my rainbow shoes!

[He points to the little row of bright shoes. The Children scream with joy. Ilse and Hansel run back.

Children Oh dear! What lovely shoes! Oh, which are mine? Oh! Oh! What lovely shoes! Oh, which are mine?

Piper Try, till you see. [Taking up a little red pair] But these, these are for Jan. [Jan is perched on the tree-stump, shy and silent with pleasure.

Ilse Oh, those are best of all! And Jan

Piper And Jan Is not to trudge, like you. Jan is to wear Beautiful shoes, and shoes made most of all, To look at! [Takes up a pair of bird’s wings.]

Children [squealing] Oh! Where did you find the wings? Bird’s wings!

Piper There was some hunter in the woods, Who killed more birds than he could carry home. He did not want these, though the starling did, But could not use them more! And so, [Fastening one to each heel] And so, They trim a little boy. [Puts them on Jan. He is radiant. He stretches out his legs and pats the feathers.

Children [trying on theirs and capering] O Jan! O Jan! Oh! see my shoes!

[The piper looks at Jan.]

Piper Hey day, what now?

Jan I wish. . .

Piper What do you wish? Wish for it! It shall come. [Jan pulls him closer and speaks shyly.]

Jan I wish that I could show them to the Man, The Lonely Man. [The piper looks at him and backs away; sits down helplessly and looks at him again. Oh, can I?

Piper Thou! ’T would make me a proud man.

Jan Oh! it would make Him smile!

[The Children dance and caper. Trude wakes up and joins them. Sound of distant chanting again.

Trude I had a dream!

Piper A dream! [Pretending to be amazed. Reflects, a moment] I know! Oh, what a funny dream! [The Children all fall a-laughing when he does. Noise without. Cheat-the-Devil’s voice crying, ‘Cuckoo Cuckoo!’

Cheat-the-devil Quick, quick! I’ve something here.

[The others roll away a big stone, and enter by the wooden door (rear), cheat-the-devil. He does not wear his red hood. He has a garland round his neck, and a basket on his arm.

Piper [sharply to himself] No Michael yet! [To cheat-the-devil] Michael! Where’s Michael?

Cheat-the-devil Look you, you must wait. We must be cunning. There’s a squirrel, mark you, Hopped after me! He would have found us out. I wanted him; I loved him. But I ran. For once a squirrel falls a-talking. Ah! Look what I have. Guess, guess! [Showing his basket to the Children.’]

Children Cakes! [He is sad] Shoes! [He is sadder] Then honey! [He radiantly undoes his basket, and displays a honeycomb. The Strollers, too, rush upon him.

Piper Ah, Cheat-the-Devil! They would crop your ears. Where had you this?

Cheat-the-devil Why, such a kind old farmer! He’d left his bee-hives; they were all alone; And the bees know me. So I brought this for you; I knew They ’d like it. Oh, you’re happy now!

Piper But Michael, have they caught him?

Cheat-the-devil Oh, not they! I heard no word of Michael; Michael’s safe! Once on the road I met a countryman, Asked me the way. And not a word I spoke! ’Tis far the wisest. Twenty riddles he asked me. I smiled and wagged my head. Anon cries he, This Fool is deaf and dumb!’ That made me angry, But still I spoke not. And I would not hurt him! He was a bad man. But I liked the mule. Now am I safe! Now am I home at last!

Piper ’St. Met you any people on the way, Singing?

Cheat-the-devil No, growling, growling dreary psalms All on a sunny day! Behind the hedges, I saw them go. They go from Hamelin, now; And I know why! [The piper beckons him away from the Children. The mayor’s Barbara Must go to Rudersheim, to be a Nun!

Piper To be a Nun!

Cheat-the-devil A penance for them all. She weeps; but she must go! All they, you see, Are wroth against him. He must give his child

Piper A nun!

Cheat-the-devil [nodding] Forever! She, who smiled at Michael. Look you, she weeps! They are bad people all; Nothing like these. [Looking at the Children. These are all beautiful.

Piper To lock her up! A maiden, shut away Out of the light. To cage her there for life, Cut off her hair; pretend that she is dead! Horrible, horrible! No, I’ll not endure it. I’ll end this murder. He shall give up his; But never so! Not so! While I do live To let things out of cages! Tell me, quick! When shall it happen?

Cheat-the-devil Why, it falls to-day. I saw two herds of people going by, To be there well aforetime, for the sight. And she is going last of all, at noon; All sparkling, like a Bride. I heard them tell.

Piper No, never, never! No, it shall not be! Hist!

[Steps heard scrambling down the entrance-way. [Enter Michael in mad haste. They rush upon him with exultation and relief. He shakes them off, doggedly.

Piper So! You had like to have hanged us.

Michael What of that?

Piper All for a lily maiden.

Michael Ah, thy pipe! How will it save her? Save her! Tune thy pipe To compass that! You do not know

Piper I know. Tell me no more. I say it shall not be! To heel, lad! No, I follow, none but I! Go, go! [Michael rushes out again. [To cheat-the-devil, pointing to the Children] Do you bide here and shepherd these.

Children Where are you going? Take us too! us too! Oh, take us with you? Take us!

Piper [distracted] No, no, no! You shall be kittens all. And chase your tails, Till I come back! So here!

[Catches Hansel and affixes to his little jacket a long strip of leather for a tail; then whirls him about.

Children Me too! Me too!

Cheat-the-devil Let me make tails, let me! [Seizing shears and leather.]

Piper [wildly] Faith, and you shall. A master tailor! Come, here’s food for thought. Think all, [To the Strollers] And hold your tongues, there! If a Cat If a Cat have as all men say Nine Lives, And if Nine Tailors go to make a Man, How long, then, shall it take one Man turned Tailor To keep a Cat in Tails, until she die? [Cheat-the-devil looks subdued; the children whirl about. But here’s no game for Jan. Stay! Something else. [He runs to a wooden coffer, rear, and takes out a long crystal on the end of a string, with a glance at the shaft of sunlight from the roof. The Children watch.

Be quiet, now. Chase not your tails too far, Till I come home again.

Children Come home come home!

Piper And you shall see my

Children Something Beautiful! Oh, oh, what is it? Oh, and will it play? Will it play music?

Piper Yes. [He hangs the crystal in the sun. A Rainbow strikes the wall. The best of all!

Cheat-the-devil, Jan, children Oh, oh, how beautiful, how beautiful!

Piper And hear it pipe and call, and dance, and sing. Heja! And hark you all. You have to mind The Rainbow!

[He climbs out, pipe in hand. The Children whirl about after their tails. Cheat-the-devil, and Jan on his tree-stump, open-mouthed with happiness, watch the Rainbow.

Curtain

SCENE II:

The Cross-ways: on the Long Road to Rudersheim.

A wooded country: high hills at back. The place is wild and overgrown, like the haunted spot it is reputed to be. In the foreground, right, a ruined stone well appears, in a mass of weeds and vines. Opposite, left, tall trees and dense thickets. Where the roads cross (to left of centre), stands a large, neglected shrine, with a weather-worn figure of Christ, again the ’Lonely Man’ facing towards Hamelin. The stage is empty, at rise of the curtain; but the sound of chanting from burghers just gone by fades slowly, on the road to Rudersheim.

From the hillside at the rear comes the piper, wrapped in a long green cloak, his pipe in his hand. He looks after the procession, and back to Hamelin. Enter, springing from the bushes to the right, Michael, who seizes him.

Their speech goes breathlessly.

MICHAEL

Quick! tell me

Piper Patience.

Michael Patience? Death and hell! Oh, save her save her! Give the children back.

Piper Never. Have you betrayed us?

Michael I! betrayed?

Piper So, so, lad.

Michael But to save her

Piper There’s a way, Trust me! I save her, or we swing together Merrily, in a row. How did you see her?

Michael By stealth: two days ago, at evening, Hard by the vine-hid wall of her own garden, I made a warbling like a nightingale; And she came out to hear.

Piper A serenade! Under the halter!

Michael Hush. A death-black night, Until she came. Oh, how to tell thee, lad! She came, she came, not for the nightingale, But even dreaming that it would be I!

Piper She knew you? We are trapped, then.

Michael No, not so! She smiled on me. Dost thou remember how She smiled on me that day? Alas, poor maid, She took me for some noble in disguise! And all these days, she told me, she had dreamed That I would come to save her!

Piper Said she this?

Michael All this all this, and more! . . . What could lies do? I lied to her of thee; I swore I knew not of thy vanishment, Nor the lost children. But I told her true, I was a stroller and an outcast man That hid there, like a famished castaway, For one more word, without a hope, a hope; Helpless to save her.

Piper And she told thee then, She goes to be a nun?

Michael Youth to the grave! And I vile nothing cannot go to save her, Only to look my last

Piper Who knows?

Michael [bitterly] Ah, thou!

Piper Poor Nightingale! [Fingers Us pipe, noiselessly.]

Michael [rapt with grief] Oh, but the scorn of her!

Piper She smiled on thee.

Michael Until she heard the truth: A juggler, truly, and no wandering knight! Oh, and she wept. [Wildly] Let us all hang together.

Piper Thanks. Kindly spoken. Not this afternoon!

Michael Thou knowest they are given up for dead?

Piper Truly.

Michael Bewitched?

Piper So are they.

Michael Sold to the Devil?

Piper [Facing softly up and down, with the restless cunning of a squirrel at watch] Pfui! But who else? Of course. This same old Devil! This kind old Devil takes on him all we do! Who else is such a refuge in this world? Who could have burned the abbey in this place, Where holy men did live? Why, ’t was the Devil! And who did guard us one secluded spot By burying a wizard at this cross-ways? So none dare search the haunted, evil place! The Devil for a landlord! So say I! And all we poor, we strollers, for his tenants; We gypsies and we pipers in the world, And a few hermits and sword-swallowers, And all the cast-aways that Holy Church Must put in cages cages to the end! [To Michael, who is overcome] Take heart! I swear, by all the stars that chime! I’ll not have things in Cages!

Michael Barbara! So young, so young and beautiful!

Piper And fit To marry with friend Michael!

Michael Do not mock.

Piper I mock not. (Baa Baa Barbara!)

Michael Ay, she laughed, On that first day. But still she gazed. I saw Her, all the while! I swallowed

Piper Prodigies! A thousand swallows, and no summer yet! But now, ’t is late to ask, why did you not Swallow her father? That had saved us all.

Michael They will be coming soon. They will cut off All her bright hair, and wall her in forever.

Piper Never. They shall not.

Michael [dully] Will you give them back, Now?

Piper I will never give them back. Be sure.

Michael And she is made an offering for the town! I heard it of the gossips. They have sworn Jacobus shall not keep his one ewe-lamb While all the rest go childless.

Piper And I swear That he shall give her up, to none but thee!

Michael You cannot do it!

Piper Have I lived like Cain, But to make good one hour of Life and Sun? And have I got this Hamelin in my hands, To make it pay its thousand cruelties With such a fool’s one-more? . . . You know right well, ’T was not the thousand guilders that I wanted For thee, or me, or any! Ten would serve. But there it ached; there, in the money-bag That serves the town of Hamelin for an heart! That stab was mortal! And I thrust it deep. Life, life, I wanted; safety, sun and wind! And but to show them how that daily fear They call their faith, is made of blasphemies That would put out the Sun and Moon and Stars, Early, for some last Judgment! [He laughs, up to the tree-tops] And the Lord, Where will He get His harpers and singing-men And them that laugh for joy? From Hamelin guilds? Will you imagine Kurt the Councillor Trying to sing? [He looks at his pipe again; then listens intently.

Michael His lean throat freeze! But she Barbara! Barbara!

Piper Patience. She will come, Dressed like a bride.

Michael Ah, do not mock me so.

Piper I mock not.

Michael She will never look at me.

Piper Rather than be a nun, I swear she will Look at thee twice, and with a long, long look. [Chant approaches in the distance, coming from Hamelin.

Voices Dies irae, dies illa Solvet saeclum in favilla, Teste David cum Sibylla.

Quantus tremor est futurus, Quando judex est venturus, Cuncta stricte discussurus!

Piper Bah, how they whine! Why do they drag it so?

Michael [overcome] Oh, can it be the last of all? O Saints! O blessed Francis, Ursula, Catherine! Hubert and Crispin Pantaleone Paul! George o’ the Dragon! Michael the Archangel!

Piper Michael Sword-eater, canst not swallow a chant? The well, the well! Take care.

Voices [nearer] Inter oves locum praesta, Et ab hoedis me sequestra, Statuens in parte dextra.

Confutatis maledictis, Flammis acribus addictis: Voca me cum benedictis.

[Michael climbs down the ancient well, reaching his head up warily, to see.

The piper waves to him debonairly, points to the tree-tops, left, and stands a moment showing in his face his disapproval of the music. He fingers his pipe. As the hymn draws near, he scrambles among the bushes, left, and disappears.

Enter slowly, chanting, the company of burghers from Hamelin, men together first, headed by priests; then the women. Anselm and all the townsfolk appear (saving Veronika, the wife of Kurt); Jacobus is meek; Kurt very stern. As they appear, the piping of the Dance-spell begins softly, high in air. The hymn wavers; when the first burghers reach the centre of the stage, it breaks down.

They look up, bewildered: then, with every sign of consternation, struggle, and vacant fear, they begin to dance, willy-nilly. Their faces work; they struggle to walk on; but it is useless. The music whirls them irresistibly into a rhythmic pace of 3/4 time, and jogs their words, when they try to speak, into the same dance-measure. One by one, two and two they go, round and round like corks at first, with every sign of struggle and protest, then off, on the long road to Rudersheim. Fat priests waltz together. Kurt the fierce and Jacobus the sleek hug each other in frantic endeavor to be released. Their words jolt insanely.

KURT, JACOBUS

( No, no. No, no No, no. No, no! ( Yes, yes. I, yes. Yes, yes. Yes, yes!

Some ( La crymos a Dies ill ( Bewitched the Devil! bewitched bewitched! ( I will not will not will I will! ( No, no but where! Help help! To arms!

Others ( Suppli canti suppli Oh! ( To Hamelln back to Hamelln stay! ( No, no! No, no, Away, away! [They dance out, convulsively, towards Rudersheim. KURT and JACOBUS, still whirling, cry,

JACOBUS, KURT ( Yes, yes! yes, yes! Let go let go ( No, no! I will not No! . . . No

[Exeunt left, dancing.

OTHERS ( Keep time, keep time! Have mercy! Time! ( Oh, let me go! Let go let go! ( Yes, yes Yes, yes No, no no no!

[BARBARA appears, pale and beautiful; richly dressed in white, with flowing locks. She is wan and exhausted. The dance-mania, as it seizes her, makes her circle slowly and dazedly with a certain pitiful silliness. The nuns and monks accompanying her point in horror. But they, too, dance off with each other, willy-nilly, like leaves in a tempest. BARBARA is left alone, still circling slowly. The piping sounds softer. She staggers against a tree, and keeps on waving her hands and turning her head, vaguely, in time.

MICHAEL looks forth from the well; then climbs out and approaches her.

MICHAEL

She is so beautiful, how dare, I tell her? My heart, how beautiful! The blessed saint! . . . Fear nothing, fairest Lady. You are saved. [She looks at him unseeingly, and continues to dance. He holds out his arms to stop her. Pray you, the danger’s gone. Pray you, take breath! Poor, shining dove, I would not hold thee here, Against thy wish. ’Tis Michael, the sword-eater. [The piping ceases.]

BARBARA [murmuring] Yes, yes I must I must I must. . . [Reenter the PIPER from the thickets.]

MICHAEL Look, I will guard you like a princess, here; Yes, like Our Lady’s rose-vine.

BARBARA [gasping] Ah, my heart! [The PIPER comes towards her. She sees him and holds out her arms, crying: Oh, he has saved me! I am thine thine thine! [Falls into his arms half-fainting. The PIPER stands amazed, alarmed, chagrined.

PIPER Mine?

MICHAEL [furiously] Thine? So was it? All a trap? Cock’s blood! Thine, thine! And thou hast piped her wits away. Thine!

PIPER [holding her off] No, not mine!

BARBARA [to him] Why did you steal me hence? When did you love me? Was it on first sight?

PIPER [confounded] I, love thee?

MICHAEL Knave! thief! liar!

PIPER Give me breath. [Holds off BARBARA gently.]

BARBARA Where are you taking me?

PIPER I? Taking thee?

MICHAEL [to her] He shall not steal thee!

BARBARA [in a daze] I must follow him.

PIPER No! ’T is too much. You shall not follow me! I’ll not be followed. Damsel, sit you down. Here is too much! I love you not.

BARBARA [wonderingly] You do not? Why did you pipe to me?

MICHAEL And steal her wits, Stealer of all the children!

BARBARA [vaguely] Are they safe?

PIPER [to MICHAEL] Oh, your good faith! [To her] They’re safe.

BARBARA I knew I knew it!

PIPER And so art thou. But never shall they go To Hamelin more; and never shale thou go To be a nun.

BARBARA To be a nun, no, no! Ah me, I’m spent. Sir, take me with you.

MICHAEL [still enraged to the PIPES] Rid her of the spell! Is this thy pledge?

PIPER [distracted] I do but rub my wits To think to think. [To himself] What shall I do with her, Now that she’s here! Suppose her bound to stay! [To them] Hearken. You, Michael, on to Rudersheim

MICHAEL And leave her here? No, no!

PIPER Then take the girl.

BARBARA To Rudersheim? No, never, never!

PIPER Well . . . Hearken. There is the hermit, over the hill. [Apart, wildly] But how suppose she will not marry him? I will not take her where the children are. And yet [An idea strikes him. To her] Hark, now; hark, now, and tell me truly; Can you spin cloth?

BARBARA [amazed] I? Spin?

PIPER [eagerly] Can you make shoes?

BARBARA I I make shoes! Fellow!

PIPER So.

MICHAEL Art thou mad!

PIPER With me you may not go! But you’ll be safe. Hearken: you, Michael, go to Rudersheim; And tell the nuns

BARBARA No, no! I dare not have it! Oh, they would send and take me! No, no, no!

PIPER Would you go back to Hamelin?

BARBARA No no no! Ah, I am spent. [Droops towards the PIPER; falters and sinks down on the bank beside the well, in a swoon. The PIPER is abashed and rueful for the moment.

MICHAEL All this, your work!

PIPER [looking at her closely] Not mine. This is no charm. It is all youth and grief, And weariness. And she shall follow you. Tell the good nuns you found her sore bewitched, Here in this haunt of ’devils’; clean distraught. No Church could so receive a dancing nun! Tell them thou art an honest, piteous man Desires to marry her.

MICHAEL Marry the Moon!

PIPER No, no, the Moon for me! She shall be yours; And here she sleeps, until her wits be sound. [He spreads his cloak over her, gently] The sun’s still high. ’T is barely afternoon. [Looks at the sunshine. A thought strikes him with sudden dismay] ’T is no, the time is going! On my life, I had forgot Them! And They will not stay After the Rainbow fades.

MICHAEL [confounded] Art thou moon-mad?

PIPER [madly] No. Stir not! Keep her safe! I come anon. But first I go. They’ll not mind Cheat-the-Devil! They’ll creep, to find out where the Rainbow went. I know them! So would I! They’ll all leak out!

MICHAEL Stay stay!

PIPER No; guard her, you! Anon, anon!

MICHAEL But you will pipe her up and after you!

PIPER [flinging him the pipe from his belt] Do you fear this? Then keep it till I come. You bide! The Other cannot.

MICHAEL Who?

PIPER The Rainbow, The Rainbow!

[He runs madly up the hillside, and away.]

Curtain