 | Harlequin Cock-Robin And Jenny Wren ; Or, Fortunatus And The Water of Life, The Three Bears, The Three Gifts, The Three Wishes, And The Little Man Who Woo'd The Little Maid |  |
SCENE III.
—A FOREST.The Three Bears enter, and in uncouth gambols express delight at the change in their condition.—Demonio enters, and implies, in pantomime, that Cock Robin is to be buried there.—They are delighted, and conceal themselves.—Mournful Chorus heard from behind.— The Spirits of the Oak, the Willow, and the Fir, come out from their respective trees.
Oak.
This is sad news indeed that greets our ears!
Willow.
Poor Robin! oh, I can't restrain my tears.
[Weeps.
Fir.
Ah me! our grief for him may well be bitter,
No longer on our boughs he'll trill and twitter!
Willow.
I saw him lying in his little nest;
His blood but mocked the crimson of his breast!
Each night my tears will quite bedew my pillow:
Let me be known henceforth as ‘Weeping Willow!’
Enter Health.
Health.
This spot poor Robin's little corpse receives!
Here, where with tender care he strewed with leaves
Those poor lost babies who were left hard by,
And wandered here, to lay them down to die!
But see, [Looking off.]
he comes, hid by his velvet pall!
Well, forest fays, take him for all in all,
Cock-Robin was a bird;—it's very plain,
We ne'er shall look upon his like again!
Enter Funeral Procession; Rook as Parson, Lark as Clerk; Cock Robin's Body, under a pall, borne by Kite.
Forest F.
[Invoking.]
Fairy Fresh Air, by whom each sapling lives!
Oak.
Fairy Fresh Air, who life and vigour gives!
13
Fairy Fresh Air, who gives us lengthened years!
Willow.
Fairy Fresh Air, who dries my bitter tears!
Forest F.
Goddess of health and strength, and life and death,
Restore this little bird with thy sweet breath!
Fairy Fresh Air appears.
Fresh A.
If death and burial he would escape,
He must henceforth appear in human shape:
So is my power limited. Shall I—?
Forest F.
Oh, better even that than he should die!
Fresh A.
Go forth, Cock-Robin, from this woody glade,
As Little Man who loved the Little Maid!
Cock-Robin changes to Little Man.
Lit. Man.
Delightful change! one of the race of men!
But, bless me! how about poor Jenny Wren?
Fresh A.
She must go forth, according to my plan,
As Little Maid, beloved by Little Man!
Jenny Wren changes to Little Maid.
Lit. Maid.
What's this? a pretty little girl, I vow!
I was a little dicky-bird just now!
A transformation there has surely been,
And yet I see no transformation-scene!
I still feel peckish, though a mouth I've got,
[To Fresh Air.
Am I a dicky-bird, or am I not?
[Fresh Air shakes her head.
And who is he?
[Indicating Little Man.
Fresh A.
Why, little Jenny Wren,
He is the very least of little mén!
Lit. Maid.
And I? You know you must have changed me, too!
Fresh A.
The very least of little women you!
SONG, Fresh Air, and Fairies.
Fresh A.
There was a little man,
And he woo'd a little maid,
And he said, ‘Little Maid, will you wed, wed, wed?
I have little more to say
Than, will you?—yea or nay?
For the least said is soonest mended-ed-ed.’
And he woo'd a little maid,
And he said, ‘Little Maid, will you wed, wed, wed?
I have little more to say
Than, will you?—yea or nay?
For the least said is soonest mended-ed-ed.’
The little maid replied,
And some say, a little sighed,
‘But what shall we have for to eat, eat, eat?
Will the love that you're so rich in
Light the fire in the kitchen,
And the little god of love turn the spit, spit, spit?’
And some say, a little sighed,
‘But what shall we have for to eat, eat, eat?
Will the love that you're so rich in
Light the fire in the kitchen,
And the little god of love turn the spit, spit, spit?’
The little man replied,
And, I'm told, a little cried,
For his little heart was full of sorrow, sorrow, sorrow,
‘We will manage as we can,’
Said this foolish little man,
‘And what we haven't got we will borrow, borrow, borrow!’
And, I'm told, a little cried,
For his little heart was full of sorrow, sorrow, sorrow,
‘We will manage as we can,’
Said this foolish little man,
‘And what we haven't got we will borrow, borrow, borrow!’
[Little Man and Little Maid illustrate the Song with pantomimic action, as the Fairies sing it, and at the end of the Song, all go off.
| Harlequin Cock-Robin And Jenny Wren ; Or, Fortunatus And The Water of Life, The Three Bears, The Three Gifts, The Three Wishes, And The Little Man Who Woo'd The Little Maid | |