Tales Before Tolkien (55 page)

Through drifts and pathless ways

Will see us safely back!

I've a responsibility for these two girls—

I am the eldest.

Emerald. I'll guide you home

Fear not for that.

Violetta. What was the music?

Emerald. Not mine.

Perhaps it was Titania's

To bring you here.

Violetta. Have I not seen you in a dream?

Emerald. Often I've watched you while you smiling slept

You three

So then you may have dreamt me.

Violetta. Yes

I did dream of you.

Lila. If it's not impolite, so soon—

Why are we here?

Nightshade.
(faintly, from far recesses of the cave)
Emerald!

(The girls are startled and bewildered. Emerald also for a moment is disturbed, but then quiets the others with a light motion of her hand.)

Emerald. Have no alarm!

Only the Witch is there—old Mother Nightshade

She needs me for a purpose.

Lila.
(fearfully)
A witch!

And you will leave us!

Emerald. Soon I'll be back, and then what you have asked

And everything, I'll tell you.

Lila. Only consider, if she has heard our voices

She will come out to us!

Emerald. To-day she cannot harm you

She does the bidding of my Queen, Titania.

(aside)
Would it were
all
the truth

That I am speaking!

Rosa. Lila, be more controlled!

When Emerald promises to bring us home

What thing can hurt us meanwhile?

But if it merely is you dread to see

An ugly beldam, why, at every turn

In the world coarse horrid sights offend our eyes

Which yet we govern.

Lila. Your eyes, I know, are governed

For your tongue is the eldest.

Rosa. How can you dare to be so rude

Before a fairy?

Lila. I'm sorry, Emerald, if I am rude

But in this queer dark unexpected place

My words as well drop unexpectedly

I feel I'm in a dream.

Violetta. I fancied music came with the witch's voice

Like that we have been hearing on the way

Only it was still quieter and more magic

And sweeter

As if it neared its heart.

Emerald. Mayhap it was Titania's sovereign ring

She lent the Witch.

(She steals an uneasy glance into the darkness of the cave.)

If the ring be on her finger

Here with you must I not linger.

Nightshade.
(still more faintly than before, from the far interior)

Emerald!

(Lila, frightened, clings to Rosa, who takes her in her arms.)

Violetta. Again it sounds!

Emerald. Stay here for me, dear hearts!

Go now I must, but quickly I'll return

When things of high importance you shall learn.

(Exit.)

Lila.
(disengaging herself from Rosa)
What can she mean?

What things of high importance can concern
us

Who are so lowly born, so humble?

Rosa. Sometimes I do not feel so humble

Sometimes I've dreamt of marrying a Prince

And driving forth in crested open carriage

With footman tall behind me

Affably saluting all the people

(I mean,
I
saluting them)

Who with their shouting—

Their joyful shouting—

Make the day tremble.

Sometimes I have such dreams, while now they come

To mind, I don't know why.

Lila. I would not wish to be a fair princess

For others' idle shouting, but I'd wish

To be one for the sake of doing good

For imagine!

How many loaves of bread might not one buy

Even with but ten thousand pounds per year

Which for a princess—all the world knows—isn't much

But in each loaf

Would be new life for some poor starving person—

North, south, east, west, should roll my emblazoned vans

While sometimes I'd put money in the loaves

To add a zest to blessing.

Rosa. Benevolence of course I never mentioned

Because I thought it would be understood

Just as I should wear jewels and a crown

And be unimpeachable in my private life

And hold myself from work.

Lila. But
you,
deep-flowing silent Violetta

Whose very thoughts are timid to yourself

Whose words are frightened creatures dragged to the light

From out of darkness—

What princess would
you
be, had you the way to it?

Shyly translated to us your heart's ambition—

Its fondest, most ambition!

Violetta. I would not wed a Prince unless I loved him

I'd marry only him who needed me

His rank, for me, should be his need of me.

Lila. Who can explain how all my fears for the Witch

Have quite departed?

I seem not now to care if she comes out

I'll laugh, sing, hallo—do anything I please

I'll
call
her forth, for a wager!

(to Rosa)
Let's have what we have often had before—

A trial of rhyming song. You second be.

I never fail my part, and you do fairly.

Rosa. Say what the theme!

Lila. We'll sing of maids obscure and princely wooers.

(Lila and Rosa sing together. Afterwards Violetta joins in.)

Lila. Broke the day across the sea

Rosa. Pale green was the east

Lila. Sailed a ship was silvery

Rosa. Like strange phantom beast

Lila. Heading for the shore it came

Rosa. Half swift as an arrow

Lila. On its mast an oriflamme

Rosa. Lordly, long and narrow

Lila. Watched it from the darkling sands

Rosa. Pools and seaweed rocks

Lila. Maidens three like living wands

Rosa. Artless wild their locks

Lila. Of the dawn their unquiet gowns

Rosa. Of the twilight's glowing

Lila. On their shadowy faces frowns

Rosa. Matched their hearts unknowing

Lila. Strangers three leapt on the shore

Rosa. Breakers' rude play scorning

Lila. Gleamed the panoply they wore

Rosa. Clashed its dreadful warning

Lila. Bold were they like forest lions

Rosa. Tall and young and knightly

Lila. Seemed they well imperial scions

Rosa. Bearing birth so rightly

Lila. He whose shield was all dim gold

Its device, a flame—

“You who shall marry me,

I am the Prince of Hungary

Know well my name!”

Rosa. He whose moony silver shield

Held for device a tower—

“You who shall marry me,

I am the Prince of Muscovy

This is my hour—

Know well my name!”

Lila, Rosa. “You who shall marry me,

I am the Prince of (Hungary/Muscovy)

Know well my name!”

Violetta. But he whose shield as innocence as white

And empty of device—

“You who shall marry me,

First shall you name me—

Love bears my name!”

Lila, Rosa, “You who shall marry me

Violetta. Know first my name!”

(The song, when hardly ended, is as if broken by a loud discord from behind, though which, however, seems to sound the same fairy music as before. The sisters start round, to see Mother Nightshade emerged from the cave's blackness. In one hand she bears her long staff, in the other a dish with three mince-pies. Lila retreats in fear, Rosa is struck motionless, but Violetta seems to be drawn step by step towards the Witch.)

Nightshade.
(with a cackling laugh)
Well sung, gooselings!

Featly you've chanted

Your future ganders

And bold Alexanders!

Pity 'twould be

Were you all at sea

Your wishes ungranted!

Violetta. Aren't you the Witch?

Nightshade. Rich as a witch!

Witch-rich!

Here's of my treasure

For your good pleasure!

I came myself

Your fay, I guessed

Might allow her affection

For your three chits

To outstrip her wits

And so it were best

This slight reflection

These pies here—look!

Should come with the cook!

(She sets down the dish of pies.)

Lila.
(awed)
But—but what
are
they?

Are they for us?

Rosa.
(after turning away to cross herself hurriedly)

If they are for us

We could not eat anything
at all
at present, thank you!

(aside)
In this repulsive supernatural den—

Mary defend us!

Nightshade. One here

Knows no fear.

Violetta. What should I fear?

I have not harmed you

Nor have you ever yet harmed me.

Nightshade. Youth harms age

Age is a cage

But youth goes free

Cracks and vices come with years

Blind are eyes and deaf are ears

Heavy are feet and sharp is tongue

Age shall never sing a song

Youth can hear and youth can see

Youth can leap o'er top of tree

Youth rejoices, youth is loved

Age, biting lip, is only moved

By jealousy.

Violetta. I know you will not harm us.

Nightshade. How know you that?

Violetta. I feel no shrinking from you.

Nightshade. He! he!

Strange are all new sensations!

The Witch is loved!

Violetta. I did not say I loved you—and yet I might—

I cannot tell so quickly what I feel.

I do not think you evil.

Nightshade. Dare you to kiss me?

Violetta. A kiss is love

As yet I neither love nor hate you.

Nightshade. I'll beg a kiss from Violetta!

Violetta. How is my name known to you?

Nightshade. The Witch knows many things.

Violetta. Why should you have me kiss you?

Nightshade. To show you have no fear.

(Violetta kisses her on the mouth.)

Nightshade. So sweet it tasted

As though I were returned to youth itself!

Your generosity shall be rewarded

I promise you.

Rosa.
(to Mother Nightshade)
Please don't ask
me
to kiss you!

I am not mercenary, and really want

No witch's gratitude!

Lila. Neither ask
me!

So tight and cold and fasting are my lips

I could not kiss at all.

Nightshade. My guests you are

Here in this cave—

Eat you my food!

'Twill warm your blood.

Straight from the oven come these mince-pies

(She lifts the dish.)

Try how they smell! Look how they rise!

And what you crave

May well be inside

With hunger for guide!

(She sets the dish down again.)

Eat, I beseech!—

A pie for each.

Lila.
(quickly)
Rosa, you must refuse for us at once!—

At other times one does not have to prompt you!

Nigthtshade. You care not to accept my poor refreshment!

But that can soon be altered—

(She goes about the dish of pies three times, passing her staff over them, chanting.)

Pies, forthright

Put out might!

Put forth hunger

Till no longer

Timid hand

Doth you withstand!

Open eyes in admiration!—

Open mouths in expectation!—

Tingle tongues of maidens three!

Eaten be, and eaten be!

She who gave you form and number

Blows you up to flame from ember—

Be your magic nature strong!

Here I end my Witch's song.

Violetta.
(drawing near her)
May we not hear what is that magic nature?

Nightshade. Princes your sisters want—

Love, you

Here in the pies lie Princes twain

One for one girl, and one again.

Love lies never within the spell

So choose you wisely and choose you well!

Violetta. I wish no Prince, but she who finds no Prince

What shall she find?

Nightshade. Quick-stricken was the elf-maid Emerald

When I acquainted her before your coming—

A man without a friend!

Him shall she wed, who does not wed a Prince.

Violetta. Poor man!

Lila.
(coming forward)
Most fortunately, however, this falls out!

For Rosa wants a Prince, and I do, too

While you're indifferent, Violetta, dear!

Quite suitable, for all we know, may be the third.

Rosa.
(to her sisters)
My honesty I need not dwell upon—

I freely grant a friendless man for husband

Would never tempt me, for I like my friends

And do not wish to live as in a desert.

You, Violetta, have never thought like that

And so it well may be that for this once

Lila is right.

Nightshade. What says my kindest youngling?

Violetta. For love, I'd marry him who had no friend

And think me happy that
I
was his friend—

His only friend.

Lila. So we're agreed! Your heart, my Violetta

Is framed for love—it cannot fail to love

Whome'er it pleases. No doubt in the world 'twill be

A very excellent match.

Rosa.
(to Violetta)
Indeed unjust 'twould be to withhold from us

The coming of our dream you do not care for.

Lila. And, sweetest Violetta, pray don't fear

That our more splendid marriages shall end

The affection which has ever been between us.

In this one matter—insist he how he will—