 | The Queen of the Frogs |  |
164
Scene Sixth.
—The Marsh—Stump of Tree in centre— Enter Two Officers, Guards, Princess, King, Queen, and Attendants, &c.Queen.
This is the spot, the middle of the marsh,
Here stands the stump to which, by sentence harsh,
In honour we are bound this lamb to bind,
Poor, poor lost mutton!
Prin.
Mother, I don't mind.
I am prepared the heroine to play;
Remember Perseus and Andromeda;
Or the fair Sabra and St. George! indeed
'Tis plain, for aught that I could ever read,
Could e'er by tale or history discover,
The course a dragon never yet walked over,
To walk off with the stake of a princess,
But either he got into some great mess,
Or else was stuck through body, bones and gristle,
Or else his head cut off, clean as a whistle;
Or if there was one thing on earth that nettled him,
More than another—it turned up and settled him.
King.
She is as wise as brave, she's given us hope enough
To hang the Dragon, let us give her rope enough.
(they bind her to the stake)
Where shall we stand the dread result to note?
Queen.
“Upon a mountain's top, the most remote
And inaccessible, by shepherds trod—”
King.
(aside)
To tread what's inaccessible is odd.
Queen.
We'll stand to see what fortune out will shell,
And so one last embrace—and then, farewell.
Concerted Piece—King, Queen, Princess, and Court—“French Air.”
King.
Yes, farewell, for we must go.
All.
Oh!
King.
Say good-bye to your papa!
All.
Ah!
Queen.
And to fill the cup of woe—
All.
Oh!
Queen.
Bid adieu to your mamma.
All.
Ah!
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Should the Dragon win the day!
All.
Eh!
King.
And you down his gullet go,
All.
Oh!
King.
Dearest child, I hope you may—
All.
Eh!
King.
Choke him, ere you get too low,
All.
Oh!
(Exeunt King, Queen, and Court)
Prin.
They've tied me to the stake, I cannot fly;
The Dragon can though, and will soon be nigh;
But in the Frog I trust, as heretofore;
My Nonpareil is sound, too, to the core.
Both at their post will be in time, I know,
And with two such good heartstrings to my bow,
I fear no more this Dragon than the people
In Cheapside fear the one on Bow Church steeple!
Methought I heard a noise—perhaps the Frog
Is here already at her post, incog.
Scena—Princess—“She wore a wreath of roses.”
The Dragon can though, and will soon be nigh;
But in the Frog I trust, as heretofore;
My Nonpareil is sound, too, to the core.
Both at their post will be in time, I know,
And with two such good heartstrings to my bow,
I fear no more this Dragon than the people
In Cheapside fear the one on Bow Church steeple!
Methought I heard a noise—perhaps the Frog
Is here already at her post, incog.
She wore a wreath of roses
My sight when first she met;
A face so sweetly smiling
No frog had ever yet.
She said with much politeness
And in the softest tone,
That she'd return with grateful heart
The kindness to her shown.
Well, this is just the moment,
I wish I could see her now,
With that wreath of magic roses
Upon her fairy brow.
“Zampa.”
But let that still,
Be as it will,
My Nonpareil will guard from ill
His Princess dear,
So naught I fear,
But thus the Dragon dare!
“Cymon.”
Come on, come on, I dare you to come on!
I dare you! I dare you! I dare you to come on!
My sight when first she met;
A face so sweetly smiling
No frog had ever yet.
She said with much politeness
And in the softest tone,
That she'd return with grateful heart
The kindness to her shown.
Well, this is just the moment,
I wish I could see her now,
With that wreath of magic roses
Upon her fairy brow.
“Zampa.”
But let that still,
Be as it will,
My Nonpareil will guard from ill
His Princess dear,
So naught I fear,
But thus the Dragon dare!
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Come on, come on, I dare you to come on!
I dare you! I dare you! I dare you to come on!
Enter Dragon.
Dra.
Oh! you do, do you?
Prin.
Ah! (screaming)
Dra.
Then why these cries?
Prin.
Nay, if you take a body by surprise.
Dra.
I take a body any way or how,
When I'm as hungry as I am just now.
So down the red lane, as the children say,
You go directly.
Prin.
Help, Frog, while you may!
Music—Prince Nonpareil, wearing the invisible coat, and bearing the sword of sharpness, enters, and catches hold of Dragon's tail.
Dra.
Furies and fire, who's pulling at my tail?
Prince.
If you desire to know, Prince Nonpareil.
Prin.
It is his voice, but I can't get a sight of him.
Dra.
No more can I, or I'd make but one bite of him.
Prince.
But you shall feel me. There, and there, and there.
(cutting and stabbing him)
Dra.
Oh, I'm an undone Dragon. Mercy! spare
My life, and take my money.
Prince.
Monster, no!
Go where all wicked dragons ought to go.
(the Dragon falls and dies—The Prince flings off his coat, and appears to the Princess, whom he releases)
Victoria! my love again is free.
Prin.
Victorious, my love again I see!
Enter King and Queen.
King.
Hurrah! hurrah! you polished him off neatly.
Queen.
Never was dragon cut up more completely.
King.
You've pierced his waterproof great-coat of scale through,
And made a hole that you might drive the mail through.
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Ah, I forgot, I've not done with him yet,
There is a male out through that hole to let.
Prin.
What marvel next?
Prince.
Come forth, thou magic phial,
Thus of thy potent charm I make one trial.
(sprinkles the contents on the body of Dragon, and Prince Lizardo rises out of it)
Liz.
And, to my great relief I'm free to say.
Queen.
A handsome youth! where did you spring from, pray?
Liz.
Out of that Dragon's hide, wherein I led
A horrid life for one well born and bred,
Compelled, to serve a wicked Fairy's ends,
To live—I blush to say—upon my friends.
Restored to habits now that more befit me,
I mean to live for them—if they permit me.
Prince.
Although prepared, of course, for this event,
It gives me wonder great as my content,
To see you here before us.
Enter Grenouilletta.
Gre.
I've no doubt
But the whole secret now may be let out.
This is the Prince Lizardo, who, one day,
Fell in the Fairy Lioness's way;
And, for he wouldn't doat the cruel hag on,
She turned him into that detested Dragon!
King.
Ah! I suspect—Prince! you're a lucky dog!
To you our friend is not cold as a Frog!
Gre.
Well, I confess, sir—spare a fairy's blushes—
Here, as the Emperor of all the Rushes,
I hope to crown him.
Scene changes to
| The Queen of the Frogs | |