Lucky Pehr | Page 2

the
burning candle before the Virgin's picture.] This must be the boy's

doings! The times are not such that one burns up candles needlessly.
[Snuffs out light and puts the candle into his pocket.]
A VOICE. Woe! Woe! [Head of Virgin shakes three times and a bright
ray of light darts out from the head.]
OLD MAN. [Shrinking.] Is hell let loose to-night?
A VOICE. Heaven!
OLD MAN. Pehr, Pehr! Where are you? My eyes! Light the
candles--My son, my son!
VIRGIN'S IMAGE. My SON!
OLD MAN. [Groping his way toward the stairs.] My eyes! Hell-fire!
[He rushes down the steps.]
[Two rats, Nisse and Nilla, come on right, one behind the other. They
have mourning veils swathed about their tails.]
NISSE. I say, it smells like roast pig!
NILLA. Oh, I promise you! Be careful, Nisse! I see the trap over there.
[Sits on hind legs.] 'Twas in that very trap that our little ones were lost!
O dear, dear, dear!
NISSE. If we could only hit upon some trick to play on the bad old man
it would do my bowels good! Can you see if he has left anything about
which he values?
NILLA. Suppose we gnaw the ropes so the bells will tumble down on
his head--
NISSE. Why, Nilla! you know that I have only one poor tooth left in
my head.
NILLA. But I have two--and where there's a will there's--but you, you
have no feeling for your children!

NISSE. Come now! we shan't quarrel on Christmas Eve.
NILLA. Hush! What have we here?
NISSE. A dish of porridge--
NILLA. Which the old man has left--
NISSE. For the elf. He's afraid of him!
NILLA. Now I know! We'll eat up the porridge so--
NISSE. The elf will get after him--
NILLA. And he can raise the mischief when he gets angry. [They are
over by the dish now, and eating.]
NISSE. Oh, move along and make room for me!
NILLA. Hush! It creaks in the stairs.
NISSE. Now I see the bottom of the dish; there's the lump of butter!
NILLA. Help me with this corner.
NISSE. Ah!--now we'll wipe our mouths and run. [They scurry off
left.]
[Elf slides down bell-rope.]
ELF. [Walks about and searches.] Where's my Christmas porridge? I
scented its aroma a long way off. It will taste good to me on a cold
night, like this. I hope he has given me a big lump of butter this year,
since I have been so good to him. [Loosens belt.] There! get you ready,
my stomach. I'll let out two holes in the belt, which will make it about
right. [He sees dish.] Ah, ha! what's this? Empty dishes! What has
come over the old man-hater? Has he grown stingy and arrogant, or
does he mock me, when he sets out an empty dish! There has been
porridge here [smells]--butter, too! Well, well, old man! I'm sorry for

you, but I shall have to punish you. The elf is for the purpose of
punishing and rewarding. I must sit down and think out some real
Christmas gift. [Sits in chair.] Let me see! The old man shuts himself
up in this place with his son, whom he wishes to shield from the evils
and shams of the world. The old man has seen much of the world, and
hates it; the young one has never been beyond the church door and has
seen the world only from the tower. But I know that it tempts him, just
because he has seen it like this--from a bird's-eye view. The old man
has but one wish in life--that his son shall succeed him and thus be
spared the struggles of life and the cruelty of men. It is this wish which
I shall cross; it is his only vulnerable point. Well and good! I'll call his
godmother. She shall take the boy in hand and show him all the glories
of the world; afterwards, there will be nothing more for the old man to
do in the matter. The dreams of youth--I know their powers. Well, then!
[Blows a whistle.]
[Fairy dressed like an old witch, with brown cloak and cane, emerges
from behind a post.]
FAIRY. Good evening, lad.
ELF. Good evening, old lady. Can you corrupt a young man?--Oh!
understand me aright.
FAIRY. That depends--
ELF. It won't go in that costume! You see, it's a question of the old
man's son.
FAIRY. Our Pehr?
ELF. Just he! Hush, old lady, I'm talking now! The boy is very dear to
my heart--that he has been ever since his birth. We--you and I--stood
sponsor for him, and we each have our duties. His education is being
neglected; he has seen nothing of the world, although he is fifteen
to-day. I want him to