Ogre

Ha, old witch, it is done at last!

I have broken the King's stronghold!

I have stolen away his children twain

From the clutch of their guardsmen bold.

I have dragged them here to my castle tower.

Prince Hero is strong and fair.

[pg 6]

But he and his sister shall rue my power,

When once up yon winding stair.

Witch

Now why didst thou plot such a wicked thing?

The children no harm have done.

Ogre

But I have a grudge 'gainst their father, the King,

A grudge that is old as the sun.

And hark ye, old hag, I must have thy aid

[pg 7]

Before the new moon be risen.

Now brew me a charm in thy caldron black,

That shall keep them fast in their prison!

Witch

I'll brew thee no charm, thou Ogre dread!

Knowest thou not full well

The Princess thou hast stolen away

Is guarded by Fairy spell?

Her godmother over her cradle bent.

"O Princess Winsome," she said,

[pg 8]

"I give thee this gift: thou shalt deftly spin,

As thou wishest, Love's golden thread."

So I dare not brew thee a spell 'gainst her.

My caldron would grow acold

And never again would bubble up,

If touched by her thread of gold.

Ogre

Then give me a charm to bind the prince.

Thou canst do that much at least.

[pg 9]

I'll give thee more gold than hands can hold,

If thou'lt change him into some beast.

Witch

I have need of gold—so on the fire

I'll pile my fagots higher and higher,

And in the bubbling water stir

This hank of hair, this patch of fur

This feather and this flapping fin,

This claw, this bone, this dried snake skin!

Bubble and boil

And snake skin coil,

[pg 10]

This charm shall all plans

But the Ogre's foil.

Ogre

Ho, Frog-eye Fearsome, let the sport begin!

Hence to the tower! Drag the captives in!

Princess

Oh, save us, good, wise witch,

In pity, save us, pray.

The King, our royal father,

Thy goodness will repay.

[Pulls back, wringing hand.

Oh, I cannot, cannot mount the tower!

Oh, save us from the bloody Ogre's power!

Witch

Pour drop by drop upon Prince Hero's tongue.

First he will bark. His hands and feet

Will turn to paws, and he will seem a dog.

Seven drops will make the change complete.

The poison has no antidote save one,

And he a prince again can never be,

Unless seven silver plums he eats,

Plucked from my golden apple-tree.

Ogre

Revenge is sweet,

And soon 'twill be complete!

Then to my den I'll haste for gold to delve.

I'll bring it at the black, bleak hour of twelve!

Witch

And I upon my broomstick now must fly

To woodland tryst. Come, Hornèd Owl

And Venomed Toad! Now play the spy!

Let no one through my orchard prowl.

King

Good dame, Godmother of our daughter dear,

Perhaps thou'st heard our tale of woe.

Our children twain are stolen away

By Ogre Grim, mine ancient foe.

All up and down the land we've sought

For help to break into his tower.

And now, our searching all for nought,

We've come to beg the Witch's power.

Godmother

Nay! Nay! Your Majesty, go not

Within that orchard, now I pray!

The Witch and Ogre are in league.

They've wrought you fearful harm this day.

She brewed a draught to change the prince

Into a dog! Oh, woe is me!

I passed the tower and heard him bark:

Alack! That I must tell it thee!

Queen

My noble son a dog? A beast?

It cannot, must not, shall not be!

I'll brave the Ogre in his den,

And plead upon my bended knee!

Godmother

Thou couldst not touch his heart of stone.

He'd keep thee captive in his lair.

The Princess Winsome can alone

Remove the cause of thy despair.

And I unto the tower will climb,

[pg 17]

And ere is gone the sunset's red,

Shall bid her spin a counter charm—

A skein of Love's own Golden Thread.

Take heart, O mother Queen! Be brave!

Take heart, O gracious King, I pray!

Well can she spin Love's Golden Thread,

And Love can always find a way!

Queen

She's gone, good dame. But what if she

Has made mistake, and thread of gold

Is not enough to draw our son

From out the Ogre's cruel hold?

[pg 18]

Canst think of nought, your Majesty?

Of nothing else? Must we stand here

And powerless lift no hand to speed

The rescue of our children dear?

King

I have it now! This hour I'll send

Swift heralds through my wide domains,

To say the knight who rescues them

Shall wed the Princess for his pains.

Queen

Quick! Let us fly! I hear the sound of feet,

[pg 19]

As if some horseman were approaching nigher.

'Twould not be seemly should he meet

Our royal selves so near the Witch's fire.

King

Tis Feal the Faithful! Rise, Sir Knight,

And tell us what thou doest here!

Knight

O Sire, I know your children's plight.

I go to ease your royal fear.

Queen

Now if thou bringst them back to us,

A thousand blessings on thy head.

King

Ay, half my kingdom shall be thine.

The Princess Winsome thou shalt wed.

Queen

But tell us, how dost thou think to cope

With the Ogre so dread and grim?

What is the charm that bids thee hope

Thou canst rout and vanquish him?

Knight

My faithful heart is my only charm,

But my good broadsword is keen,

And love for the princess nerves my arm

With the strength of ten, I ween.

Come weal, come woe, no knight can fail

Who goes at Love's behest.

Long ere one moon shall wax and wane,

I shall be back from my quest.

I have only to find the South Wind's flute.

In the Land of Summer it lies.

It can awaken the echoes mute,

With answering replies.

[pg 22]

And it can summon the fairy folk

Who never have said me nay.

They'll come to my aid at the flute's clear call.

Love always can find a way.

King

Go, Feal the Faithful. It is well!

Successful mayst thou be,

And all the way that thou dost ride,

Our blessings follow thee.

Princess

Art thou my brother? Can it be

That thou hast taken such shape?

Oh turn those sad eyes not on me!

There must be some escape.

And yet our parents think us dead.

No doubt they weep this very hour,

For no one ever has escaped,

Ere this, the Ogre's power.

[pg 24]

Oh cruel fate! We can but die!

Each moment seems a week.

Is there no hope? Oh, Hero dear,

If thou couldst only speak!

But no! Within this tower room

We're captive, and despair

Must settle on us. 'Tis the doom

Of all dragged up yon winding stair.

Godmother

Rise, Princess Winsome,

Dry your weeping eyes.

[pg 25]

The way of escape

Within your own hand lies.

Waste no time in sorrow,

Spin and sing instead.

Spin for thy brother's sake,

A skein of golden thread.

Question not the future,

Mourn not the past,

But keep thy wheel a-turning,

Spinning well and fast.

All the world helps gladly

Those who help themselves,

[pg 26]

And the thread thou spinnest,

Shall be woven by elves.

All good things shall speed thee!

Thy knight, the Faithful Feal,

Is to thy rescue riding.

Up! To thy spinning-wheel!

Princess

All good things shall speed me?

Sir Knight, the Faithful Feal,

Is to my rescue riding?

[In joyful surprise.

Turn, turn, my spinning-wheel!

1. My godmother bids me spin,

that my heart may not be sad.

Spin and sing for my brother's sake,

and the spinning makes me glad.

2. Spin, sing with humming whir,

the wheel goes round and round.

For my brother's sake, the charm I'll break,

Prince Hero shall be found.

Spin, sing, the golden thread,

Gleams in the sun's bright ray,

The humming wheel my grief can heal,

For love will find a way.

What's that at my casement tapping?

Some messenger, maybe.

Pause, good wheel, in thy turning,

While I look out and see.

Little white dove, from my faithful knight,

Dost thou bring a message to me?

Little white dove with the white, white breast,

What may that message be?

[pg 34]

[Finds note, tied to wing.

Here is his letter. Ah, well-a-day!

I'll open it now, and read.

Little carrier dove, with fluttering heart,

I'm a happy maiden, indeed.

(She reads.) "O Princess fair, in the Ogre's tower,

In the far-off Summer-land

I seek the South Wind's silver flute,

To summon a fairy band.

Now send me a token by the dove

That thou hast read my note.

Send me the little heart of gold

[pg 35]

From the chain about thy throat.

And I shall bind it upon my shield,

My talisman there to stay.

And then all foes to me must yield,

For Love will find the way.

Here is set the hand and seal

Of thy own true knight, the faithful—Feal."

Princess sings

Now, flutter and fly, flutter and fly,

Bear him my heart of gold,

Bid him be brave little carrier dove!

Bid him be brave and bold!

Tell him that I at my spinning wheel,

Will sing while it turns and hums,

And think all day of his love so leal,

Until with the flute he comes.

Now fly, flutter and fly,

Now flutter and fly away, away.

Princess repeats

My Godmother bids me spin,

That my heart may not be sad;

[pg 41]

Spin and sing for my brother's sake,

And the spinning makes me glad.

Sing! Spin! With hum and whir

The wheel goes round and round.

For my brother's sake the charm I'll break!

Prince Hero shall be found.

Spin! Sing! The golden thread

Gleams in the sunlight's ray!

The humming wheel my grief can heal,

For Love will find a way.

Morning-glory

Fair Princess,

This morning, when the early dawn

Was flushing all the sky,

Beside the trellis where I bloomed,

A knight rode slowly by.

He stopped and plucked me from my stem,

And said, "Sweet Morning-glory,

Be thou my messenger to-day,

And carry back my story.

"Go bid the Princess in the tower

Forget all thought of sorrow.

Her true knight will return to her

With joy, on some glad morrow."

[Disappears.

Princess sings

Spin! spin! The golden thread

Holds no thought of sorrow.

My true knight he shall come to me

With joy on some glad morrow.

Pansy

Gracious Princess,

I come from Feal the Faithful.

He plucked me from my bower,

And said, speed to the Princess

And say, "Like this sweet flower

The thoughts within my bosom

Bloom ever, love, of thee.

Oh, read the pansy's message,

And give a thought to me."

[Pansy disappears.

Princess sings

Spin, spin, O golden thread!

And turn, O humming wheel.

This pansy is his thought of me,

My true knight, brave and leal.

Rose

Thy true knight battled for thee to-day,

On a fierce and bloody field,

But he won at last in the hot affray,

By the heart of gold on his shield.

He saw me blushing beside a wall,

My petals pink in the sun

With pleasure, because such a valiant knight

The hard-fought battle had won.

And he kissed me once on my soft pink cheek,

And once in my heart of gold,

And bade me hasten to thee and speak.

Pray take the message I hold.

Princess sings

Spin, spin, O golden thread,

And turn, O happy wheel.

The pink rose brought in its heart of gold

A kiss, his love to seal.

Forget-me-not

Fair Princess,

Down by the brook, when the sun was low,

A brave knight paused to slake

His thirst in the water's silver flow,

As he journeyed far for thy sake.

[pg 48]

He saw me bending above the stream,

And he said, "Oh, happy spot!

Ye show me the Princess Winsome's eyes

In each blue forget-me-not."

He bade me bring you my name to hide

In your heart of hearts for ever,

And say as long as its blooms are blue,

No power true hearts can sever.

Princess sings

Spin, spin, O golden thread.

O wheel, my happy lot

It is to hide within my heart

That name, forget-me-not.

Poppy

Dear Princess Winsome,

Within the shade of a forest glade

He laid him down to sleep,

And I, the Poppy, kept faithful guard

That it might be sweet and deep.

But oft in his dreams he stirred and spoke,

And thy name was on his tongue,

And I learned his secret ere he woke,

When the fair new day was young.

And this is what he, whispering, said,

As he journeyed on in his way:

[pg 50]

"Bear her my dreams in your chalice red,

For I dream of her night and day."

Princess sings

Spin, spin, O golden thread.

He dreams of me night and day!

The poppy's chalice is sweet and red.

Oh, Love will find a way!

Daisy

O Princess fair,

Far on the edge of the Summer-land

I stood with my face to the sun,

[pg 51]

And the brave knight counted with strong hand

My petals, one by one.

And he said, "O Daisy, white and gold,

The princess must count them too.

By thy petals shall she be told

If my long, far quest is through.

"Whether or not her knight has found

The South Wind's flute that he sought."

So over the hills from the Summer-land,

Your true knight's token I've brought.

Princess

Far on the edge of the Summer-land,

O Daisy, white and gold,

My true love held you in his hand.

What was the word he told?

He's found it. Found it not.

Found it. Found it not.

That magic flute of the South Wind, sweet,

Will he blow it, over the lea?

[pg 53]

Will the fairy folk its call repeat,

And hasten to rescue me?

He's found it, found it not.

Found it, found it not.

Found it, found it not.

He's found it!

Come, Hero! Hear me, brother mine;

Thy gladness must indeed be mute,

But oh, the joy! We're saved! We're saved!

My knight has found the silver flute!

Spin, wheel, reel out thy golden thread,

My happy heart sings glad and gay,...

Hero shall 'scape the Ogre dread,

And I my own true love shall wed,

For love has found a way,

For love has found a way.

Knight

Lean out of thy window, O Princess fair,

Rescuers now are at hand.

Thou shalt be led down the winding stair

By the Queen of the Fairy band.

Listen, as low on the South Wind's flute

I call the elves to our tryst.

[pg 58]

Down rainbow bubbles they softly float,

Light-winged as stars in a mist.

We come, we come at thy call,

On rainbow bubbles we float.

We fairies, one and all,

Have answer'd the wind flute's note.

1. The south wind's silver flute,

From the far-off summer land,

It bade us hasten here,

To lend a helping hand.

It bade us hasten, hasten here,

To lend a helping hand.

2. To the aid of the gallant knight,

To the help of the princess fair,

To the rescue of the prince,

We come to the Ogre's lair.

To the rescue of the prince,

We come to the Ogre's lair.

3. And now, at thy behest,

We pause in our bright array,

To end thy weary quest,

For love has found a way,

To end thy weary, weary quest,

For love has found a way.

Titania

Princess Winsome,

When thy good Godmother

[pg 63]

Bade thee spin Love's thread,

It was with this promise,

These the words she said:

All the world helps gladly

Those who help themselves.

The thread thou spinnest bravely,

Shall be woven by elves.

And now, O Princess Winsome,

How much hast thou spun,

As thy wheel, a-whirling,

Turned from sun to sun?

Princess

This, O Queen Titania.

[Holding up mammoth ball.

To the humming wheel's refrain,

I sang, and spun the measure

Of one great golden skein.

And winding, winding, winding,

At last I wound it all,

Until the thread all golden

Made a mammoth wonder-ball.

Titania

Here below thy casement

Thy true knight waiting stands.

[pg 65]

Drop the ball thou holdest

Into his faithful hands.

Fairy Chorus

We come, we come at thy call,

On rainbow bubbles we float.

We fairies, one and all,

[pg 66]

Have answered the Wind-flute's note.

To the aid of the gallant Knight,

To the help of the Princess fair,

To the rescue of the Prince,

We come to the Ogre's lair.

We come, we come at thy call,

The Witch and Ogre to quell,

And now they both must bow

To the might of the fairies' spell.

Love's Golden Thread can bind

The strongest Ogre's arm,

And the spell of the blackest Witch

Must yield to its mighty charm.

Knight

The Key! The key that opens yonder tower!

Now give it me, or by my troth

Your head shall from your shoulders fly!

To stab you through I'm nothing loath!

Princess

Oh, happy day that sets me free

From yon dread Ogre's prison!

Oh, happy world, since 'tis for me

Such rescuers have 'risen.

But see, your Majesty! the plight

Of Hero—he the Prince, my brother!

Wilt thou his wrong not set aright?

Another favour grant! One other!

Knight

The spell! The spell that breaks the power

That holds Prince Hero in its thrall!

Now give it me, or in this hour

Thy head shall from its shoulders fall!

Witch

Pluck with your thumbs

Seven silver plums

[Speaking in high, cracked voice.

From my golden apple-tree!

[pg 70]

These the dog must eat.

The change will be complete,

And a prince once more the dog will be!

Prince Hero

Hail, Feal the Faithful!

My gratitude I cannot tell,

[pg 71]

That thou at last hast freed me

From the Witch's fearful spell.

But wheresoe'er thou goest,

Thou faithful knight and true,

The favours of my kingdom

Shall all be showered on you.

Hail, starry-winged Titania!

And ye fairies, rainbow-hued!

I have not words sufficient

To tell my gratitude,

But if the loyal service

Of a mortal ye should need,

[pg 72]

Prince Hero lives to serve you,

No matter what the deed!

King

And now, brave Knight, requited stand!

Here is the Princess Winsome's hand.

To-morrow thou shalt wedded be,

And half my kingdom is for thee!

Fairy Chorus

Love's golden cord has bound

The strongest Ogre's arm,

And the spell of the blackest Witch

Has yielded to its charm.

The Princess Winsome plights

Her troth to the Knight to-day,

So fairies, one and all,

We need no longer stay.

The golden thread is spun,

The Knight has won his bride,

And now our task is done,

We may no longer bide.

[pg 74]

On rainbow bubbles bright,

We fairies float away.

The wrong is now set right

And Love has found the way!