The Piper | Page 9

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