Mua 
 
 ML 
 
 D«, 50 
 
 0^ 
 
 OH 
 
 OS 
 
 4^ 
 
 P225F16 
 1915 
 
 PARKER 
 FAIRYLAND
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 !^^^^'-n,y\iA-(^^ 
 
 
 
 
 — " • — -:— : 
 
 
 NEW YORK : G. SCIIIRMER 

 
 FAIRYLAND 
 
 <A<
 
 ' " ' 
 
 — — — ~- — ■ — — — — • ■■■-- 
 
 NEW YORK : G. SCHIRMER 
 

 
 ALL RIGHTS OF REPRODUCTION, TRANSLATION AND PUBLIC 
 PERFORMANCE RESERVED FOR ALL COUNTRIES, IN- 
 CLUDING NORWAY, SWEDEN AND DENMARK 
 
 Copyright, 1914, by Brian Hooker 
 Copyright, 1915, by G. Schirmer
 
 50 
 
 ARGUMENT 
 
 Rosamund, a novice, from the abbey balcony beholds the young king 
 Auburn riding across the valley, and falls a-longing for life and for him. But 
 he, scorning the kingdom that has been too easily his own, would fain go a 
 pilgrimage. He leaves his crown, not to Corvain his brother, but to the 
 Abbess Myriel. Corvain therefore steals upon Auburn while he prays 
 before the shrine, strikes him down, and leaves him for dead. But Auburn, 
 reviving, finds himself among Fairies, and within the shrine not Our Lady 
 but his own lady Rosamund; and they two are crowned King and Queen in 
 B. vision of Fairyland. 
 
 Auburn being gone, Corvain by force seizes upon the kingdom; which 
 Myriel claims also; so each takes tribute from the People, who are grievously 
 oppressed thereby. Rosamund, fleeing from the abbey in search of Auburn, 
 falls into the power of Corvain. Auburn returns to claim his crown again; 
 but none will recognize him for the King; Rosamund knows him only for her 
 Prince of Fairyland; and he, being come back again to earth, knows her not. 
 Myriel, pursuing Rosamund, comes upon the two together. While she and 
 Corvain quarrel for possession of the fugitive. Auburn before all the people 
 interferes, proclaiming himself king, and invoking the magic power of the 
 Rose which he has brought from Fairyland. But the Rose withers before 
 the scornful laughter of Corvain, wherein the People join; Rosamund, re- 
 nouncing Corvain's protection, is led away prisoner by Myriel; and Auburn 
 is left desolate. 
 
 Rosamund, believing steadily in her Fairy lover, is to be burned for 
 witchcraft. Myriel strives to make her repent, persuading her how that her 
 vision had been of Holiness, not of Love; but Rosamund will not doubt. 
 Rosamund and Auburn, being without hope, now wholly remember each 
 other and despise their dream; seeing yet Robin and his People as nothing 
 more than mere peasant clods, who therefore cannot aid them. Auburn 
 single-handed desperately attacks Corvain, who has him seized and bound 
 also to the stake. In that last moment, while the fagots kindle, they 
 hear the drinking-song of the common folk in the tavern, and by that mirth 
 know them for the People of the Hills. The Rose burns in Auburn's bosom 
 like a star, while Rosamund sings the magic song thereof. The scene 
 transforms again into the likeness of their vision, wherein Myriel and 
 Corvain are overpowered by the throng of Fairies rushing in, and Auburn 
 and Rosamund are again set free and crowned in a world that is one with 
 Fairyland. 
 
 3074^31
 
 THE PERSONS 
 
 Auburn — the King; afterward Prince of Fairyland Heroic Tenor 
 
 CoRVAiN — brother to Auburn Bass 
 
 Myriel — the Abbess Mezzo-Soprano 
 
 Rosamund High Soprano- 
 
 Robin — surnamed Goodfellow Lyric Tenor 
 
 Chorus of Nuns, Men-at-arms, and Common Folk (the People of the 
 Hills, who are also Fairies) 
 
 Act I. Before the Abbey. All-Hallows' Eve {One hour) 
 Act II. The Castle of the King. Noon (Thirty-five minutes) 
 Act III. The Village. Dawn (Thirty minutes) 
 
 The Action takes place Once Upon a Time, and within the interval of 
 a Year and a Day. 
 
 The Time is roughly the Thirteenth Century; The Place, a hill country 
 in Central Europe. These, however, are not intended to locate the story with 
 historical precision, more than in the case of any other fairy tale; but as an 
 affair of scenery and costume and setting, the form in which it meets the 
 eye. For the action takes place in the Valley of Shadows, also called the 
 World: which seen in a certain light is also Fairyland. It is concretely 
 represented as a triangular valley, some two miles on a side, having at one 
 corner the abbey; at another, the castle of the King; and at a third, the 
 village. And the scene is laid at each of these points in turn, the rest of the 
 valley being in each case visible and recognized in the distance. 
 
 The visual effect of the production, therefore, is of that mediaeval realm of 
 fancy with which Maxfield Parrish, Arthur Rackham, and others have made 
 us familiar^ And the transformation by which, at the end of the First and 
 Third Acts, the scene becomes a vision of Fairyland is presented by the sud- 
 den change from ordinary stage light to a fantastic and decorative scheme of 
 vivid colors; and by the effect of this colored light upon the scenery and 
 costumes. 
 
 VI
 
 ACT THE FIRST 
 
 Before the Abbey 
 All-Hallows* Eve
 
 FAIRYLAND 
 
 An Opera in Three Acts 
 
 ACT THE FIRST 
 
 The scene* represents the left hand corner of 
 a triangular valley. On extreme left, down 
 stage, rise the gray and mossy walls of the 
 abbey; in the midst of which, facing right, 
 is a great door, with a balcony over it. 
 Beyond, the hills slope diagonally back and 
 to the right, so that the level distance of the 
 valley is behind the right side of stage. In 
 the extreme distance, up right centre, ap- 
 pears the village in the opposite corner of 
 the valley. The foreground is separated 
 from the rest of the picture by a cleft or 
 chasm, tvhich runs in a rough zigzag from 
 just behijid the abbey to the right front 
 corner of the scene. The path leading from 
 the abbey down and away to the right 
 crosses this chasm by a bridge at a point 
 in front of the distant village {right centre); 
 ayid to left of the bridge and on the hither 
 side of the chasm stands a icayside shrine, 
 vine-covered, its interior hidden in shadow, 
 facing the audience across the path. Early 
 evening in aidumn. Sunset, and yellow 
 light over middle distance. Suggestion of 
 color in the foliage. 
 
 The end of the overture runs into the peasants' 
 chorus as the curtain rises on an empty 
 stage. The singing comes softly from off 
 stage in the direction of the village. A few 
 peasants, carrying tools, fagots, etc., come 
 by twos and threes down the hill-slopes to 
 the left, cross the stage, and disappear down 
 the path to the right, singing as they go. 
 The effect is that they are the last stragglers 
 of homeward-bound laborers, following the 
 
 greater number who have gone already 
 toward the village, and whose singing is 
 still audible in the distance. Among the 
 last of these, two — an old man and a 
 young, savage-looking forester — speak to 
 each other against the music of the chorus. 
 
 Chorus 
 In lowly and rude land 
 
 Our folk are fain to dwell, 
 By corn-land or woodland, 
 
 Or fallow of the dell; 
 So we who bear her burden 
 Will give our mother guerdon — 
 A fair land, a good land. 
 
 Whose children love her well. 
 
 The Forester 
 Stir thyself. Gaffer! 
 
 The Old Man 
 
 I am not so swift 
 As once I was. 
 
 The Forester 
 The rest are home by now. 
 Hark to them! — Art thou grown too old to 
 
 sing 
 And dance on Hallows' Eve? 
 
 At this point the Chorus pauses, so that 
 the next few words of the tivo peasants 
 are heard. Rosamund comes out on the 
 balcony, in the white robes of a novice, 
 and stands looking out over the distant 
 valley, a prisoner dreaming freedom. 
 The two peasants call attention to her. 
 
 *Right and Left refer throughout to the right and left of the audience, facing the stage. 
 
 3
 
 FAIRYLAND 
 
 The Old Man (icondering) 
 Look there! — 
 The Chorus rises again, rather louder, as 
 more peasants pass across the stage. 
 
 The Old Man 
 
 An angel 
 Of light on the Tower, Kneel thou! Take 
 her blessing. 
 
 The Forester 
 I will pray for her. She will never dance, nor 
 
 sing, 
 Nor love. Thy mercy on Thy saints, O Lord ! 
 
 He boivs his head, still standing. The 
 other peasants have their attention called 
 to Rosamund, and in turn call the 
 attention of the audience to her by follotc- 
 ing the example of the two. The Old 
 Man and one or tivo others are on their 
 knees; the rest pausing in momentary 
 reverence. But all this is background 
 kept quiet enough to focus the whole 
 scene upon Rosamund, the ichite figure 
 against the ivied wall. The Chorus 
 goes right on; and Rosamund does not 
 notice the peasants viore than as part 
 of the scene. Her gestures are emphatic 
 enough to draw attention, a pantomime 
 of longing for escape into the beautiful 
 world. 
 
 Chorus 
 By sunbeam and shadow 
 
 Her treasury shall shine 
 With gold of the meadow 
 And ruby of the vine; 
 
 So we that do possess her 
 Will pray Our Lady bless her: 
 Sing Ave and Credo, 
 
 And kneel around her shrine. 
 
 The Old Man 
 
 Saints of the blessed abbey, pray for me, 
 And bring a blessing on my soul. 
 
 As the Chorus pauses again a Third 
 Peasant comes in from the right. 
 
 The Old Man 
 
 {the last to rise and turn toward the newcomer) 
 
 No need 
 To spoil a man's prayers. 
 
 The Forester 
 
 Ay, old holiness. 
 We must be very careful of thy soul; 
 Come home before we meet with them that 
 
 have 
 No souls. 
 
 They start aumy up right. The rest is mere 
 talking as they go. 
 
 Third Peasant 
 Look at the sun ! Is this a time 
 For prayer? We shall be taken by the elves 
 If we delay much longer. 
 
 The Forester 
 
 Let us go! 
 
 They go out up right, leaving the stage 
 empty again except for Rosamund. The 
 Orchestra shows Auburn riding across 
 the valley in the distance. Rosamund 
 suddenly sees, turns, and leans out over 
 the balcony, stretching her arms toward 
 the sight; then buries her face in her 
 hands. Her action is passionately em- 
 phatic. The Chorus is heard again, 
 more softly. 
 
 Chorus 
 Unfailing for ever 
 
 Her mysteries remain: 
 The blood of the river. 
 The body of the grain — 
 The Autumn of her dying. 
 Her Winter buried lying. 
 Whom Spring shall deliver. 
 And Summer crown again!
 
 FAIRYLAND 
 
 The sound of the angelus breaks in on the 
 close of the chorus music. The Or- 
 chestra suggests the music of the nuns. 
 Rosamund starts, crosses herself, and 
 disappears within. Corvain enters, 
 right, by tcay of the path and the bridge; 
 pauses impatiently before the shut gate, 
 and in a grudging, perfunctory way obeys 
 the message of the bell. As he looks up, 
 he sees Robin dancing out of the forest 
 on the left and across the stage above the 
 chasm. 
 
 Robin {humming as he goes) 
 So we 7vho bear her burden — 
 
 Corvain 
 
 Hold you there! 
 
 Fellow! 
 
 Robin (pausing on the further side of the chasm, 
 and bowing ivith elvish and ironical deference) 
 Gramercy for thy fellowship, 
 
 Good master! Lord, how light these honors 
 fall! 
 
 Poor Robin is become the mate of lords. 
 
 And fellow to the brother of the King ! 
 
 Corvain 
 Be done, dog! Tell me, which way went the 
 King? 
 
 Robin 
 Shall a dog look what way a king should go? 
 
 Corvain 
 Ay, lest the King run forth to bay the moon. 
 And be lost. 
 
 Robin 
 Sir, which king? 
 
 Corvain 
 
 Are there so many; 
 
 My brother, oaf I 
 
 Robin (seated on the edge of the gulf and 
 counting on his fingers) 
 
 The good sisters here. 
 They say we have a king in heaven. The folk 
 In the village yonder, they tell wonders, too; 
 They say there is a king in Fairyland. 
 Now of these three to lose one — 
 
 Corvain 
 
 Answer me! 
 Saw ye the King in the forest? 
 
 Robin 
 
 Sir, I have seen 
 No man to-day more like a king than thee. 
 
 Corvain 
 More like! . . 
 
 (He makes an angry movement toivard 
 the bridge; Robin moves nimbly back 
 from the chasm.) 
 
 What now? Come hither. 
 
 Robin (warily approaching from his own side of 
 the chasm) 
 
 Nay, my lord, 
 Not too much fellowship. Look, there is yet 
 A gulf between us. 
 
 (He tosses a pebble into the chasm. There 
 is an instant's pause while it falls. 
 Corvain goes on more quietly.) 
 
 Corvain 
 
 Hearken ! Went he not 
 Clad as a pilgrim, in gray weeds, with stafif 
 And sandal? Would ye know him so? 
 
 Robin (with the air of Ananias patronizing 
 
 an amateur liar) 
 
 Brother, 
 I have known many seek the Holy Land — 
 Poor folk, like — us; dry women, lonely men 
 And such like. But a king! — Why, look ye 
 
 now, 
 'Tis against nature! If we tell that tale. 
 Men will but say that we have murdered him 
 For the sake of his crown.
 
 FAIRYLAND 
 
 CORVAIN 
 
 Dost thou say so. 
 
 Villain? 
 
 Robin 
 The saints forbid! I only say 
 We dare not lose him. 
 
 CoRVAIN 
 
 Fellow, must I be 
 My brother's keeper? 
 
 Robin 
 Brother to a crown, 
 And fellow to a clown — Ay, noble sir, 
 Or— 
 
 {His gesture suggests beheading as the 
 alternative. There is a second's 'pause, 
 CoRVAiN standing rigid with rage, while 
 Robin comically watches him. Then 
 Robin is seized with an ironical in- 
 spiration.) 
 
 Aha! See now: — This is Hallows' Eve, 
 No night for prince or pilgrim wandering, 
 For whoso seeks the Holy Land to-night 
 May chance on Fairyland athwart his way. 
 Good ! Say the goblins have him, or the gnomes 
 Took him to be their king, or he hath seen 
 A Singing Woman in the wood, and gone 
 To slumber by her side for seven years. 
 And wake a madman. There now is a tale 
 Folk will believe! Say I well? 
 
 Corvain 
 
 Thy long tongue 
 One day will crop thy long ears. Enough! Go, 
 Rouse the village — 
 
 Robin 
 On this night ? Holy saints ! 
 Hallows' Eve? Never a soul stirs from his 
 
 door — 
 There be too many abroad that have no souls : 
 Not for twenty kings ! 
 
 {Convent hell, and music of the nuns' 
 chant within.) 
 
 Marry, here be more 
 Seekers after lost crowns. 
 
 {Going) 
 
 Corvain 
 
 Wait, thou! 
 
 Robin 
 
 NotI— 
 It is not good to walk too near the throne. — 
 Give ye good e'en — Brother — and keep ye safe 
 From them who walk in darkness! 
 
 {Nuns' music in the orchestra, and a 
 woman's voice intoning, within the abbey. 
 Against this Corvain growls, looking 
 after Robin.) 
 
 Corvain 
 
 Insolent ! 
 {turning away down stage) 
 
 O brother Auburn, holy brother Auburn, 
 Whose babe's eyes look between me and my 
 
 will — 
 Whose dreams rise like a smoke across my 
 
 way — 
 How long — ; 
 
 Chorus of Nuns 
 
 {within) 
 In sempiterna saecula. 
 
 Amen! 
 
 A Single Voice 
 {within) 
 
 Corvain 
 I shall remember ! 
 
 Chorus of Nuns 
 {within) 
 Ave Virgo gloriosa, 
 Stella maris, mundi rosa 
 Peccatorum gratiosa
 
 FAIRYLAND 
 
 Consolatrix hominum: 
 
 Quando tandem, quando fore 
 
 Ave Mater, quae primaevae 
 
 Ut laetanti cum tremore 
 
 Matris mala pellis Evae, 
 
 Sponsus mihi in decore 
 
 Filium prolata saevae 
 
 Paret intra patriam? 
 
 Genti nostrae Dominum! 
 
 Quo jocunda spes amari 
 
 
 Et amando amplexari 
 
 ( The chant rises suddenly louder as the doors 
 
 Et amplexu consecrari 
 
 open, and the nuns march forth two and 
 
 Ebriavit animam. 
 
 two, bearing garlands; the Abbess 
 
 {Finally the Abbess hangs her garland. 
 
 Myriel at their head, and Rosamund, 
 
 kneels, then as the last nuns disappear. 
 
 conspicuous by her position and the 
 
 rises and confronts Corvain. Rosa- 
 
 contrast of her white garments, bringing 
 
 mund lingers in the shadow of the 
 
 up the rear. With bowed heads and 
 
 doorway, watching and listening.) 
 
 measured step they move across toward 
 
 
 the shrine.) 
 
 Chorus (dying away off stage) 
 
 
 amator amplectende. 
 
 dilecta, quam priori 
 
 Totam me in sinu prende. 
 
 Supernalis dignam thori 
 
 Floris gloriae ostende 
 
 Ducent angelorum chori 
 
 Ima penetralia; 
 
 Paranymphi praemio! 
 
 Per medullam cordis mei, 
 
 beata, quae surridet 
 
 Modo turpis, modo rei, 
 
 Ubi creaturam videt 
 
 Infer caritatem Dei 
 
 Suae carnis, qui residet 
 
 Quae despernit alia ! 
 
 Conditor in gremio! 
 
 • 
 
 
 Myriel (speaking, as did Corvain previously. 
 
 i^As the procession reaches Corvain, the 
 
 against a murmur of intoning within) 
 
 Abbess steps aside from her place and 
 
 Lord Corvain, 
 
 confronts him indignantly. He moves 
 
 This place is holy, and this eventide 
 
 aside down right, between awe and de- 
 
 Appointed for such joys as are not thine. 
 
 fiance; and the two stand facing each 
 
 What is thy will.? 
 
 other, as the nuns, without looJdng up, 
 go on to hang their garlands upon the 
 
 Corvain 
 
 shrine, each pair kneeling an instant 
 
 Little enough, good Mother : 
 
 after doing so; then march back, still 
 
 Nuns (ivithin) 
 
 singing, into the abbey.) 
 
 Amen! 
 
 ' 
 
 Corvain 
 
 Regis nutrix angelorum, 
 
 — Only to seek j'our saintly king, 
 
 Da contemptum terrenorum, 
 
 Auburn. (with evil emphasis) 
 
 Odium in vitiorum 
 
 If he be long away, my will 
 
 Triste ministerium; 
 
 May count for something more. Look to it. 
 
 Vanitate solve mentem. 
 
 
 Fac devotara, paenitentem. 
 
 Myriel 
 
 Et valentis perferventem 
 
 Thou? 
 
 Fove desiderium. 
 
 Surely, then we shall have a king indeed !
 
 8 
 
 FAIRYLAND 
 
 CORVAIN 
 
 What, have ye no more news of him than I, 
 His brother? Ye be women still — some one 
 In this unmanned communion of Christ's 
 
 brides 
 Might so far sin as to have heard his voice 
 Singing, or caught the gleam of his red hair 
 Across the valley? 
 
 Myriel 
 
 I have no word of him, 
 Nor need for other evil words of thine. 
 
 {She turns covitemphiously away. Rosa- 
 mund comes timidly to meet her.) 
 
 Farewell. 
 
 Rosamund 
 
 Mother — 
 
 Myriel 
 Rosamund — thou ? 
 
 Rosamund 
 
 The King- 
 Is he lost? 
 
 CoRVAiN {roughly) 
 Ay, or gone to kneel by tombs, 
 And feast his soul on saints' bones. 
 
 Rosamund 
 {fondly, half to herself, taking no notice of him) 
 
 I have dreamed 
 Such a one should be king! 
 
 (Myriel is about to answer; but Corvain, 
 with immediate jealous admiration, in- 
 terposes.) 
 
 Corvain 
 
 In Fairyland, 
 Maybe. Ha, ha, ha! He is half minstrel, half 
 Priest, altogether fool. The rest is man. 
 
 Rosamund {innocently to Corvain, without the 
 
 least notice of his coarseness) 
 I never saw a man so beautiful — 
 So George against the dragon might have gone, 
 Or Michael, thundering Lucifer down from 
 heaven. 
 
 (Myriel expresses silent disapproval) 
 Standing alone upon the balcony 
 Yonder, and gazing out into the world 
 Where the sun crowned the hills with gold, and 
 
 all 
 The shadows filmed with silver, and the songs 
 Of merry -weary folk returning home 
 Blew down the blossomy breeze, through the 
 
 dull hum 
 Of bees and croon of doves around the towers — 
 I saw one riding on a great red steed, 
 Glorious in golden armor, with his brow 
 Flung upward in the sunbeams, and his hair 
 Burning over him like an aureole. 
 Pass like some brave archangel, clanging 
 
 down 
 The mountain, over the river, through the 
 
 vale, 
 Into the forest — 
 
 Corvain 
 So ho ! Stole away ! 
 
 {Neither woman pays any attention to him. 
 He is left quite out of the scene, covering 
 his chagrin with a parade of contempt.) 
 
 Myriel 
 Child, were thine eyes upon thy beads, to see 
 So fondly? 
 
 Corvain 
 
 {half aside, half trying to break into the scene) 
 Bah! 
 
 Myriel 
 There is a gulf between 
 Thee and the world, 
 
 Rosamund 
 
 Therefore the world seems all 
 Wonderful as a dream of Fairyland. 
 
 Corvain {name business) 
 Fairyland ! 
 
 Myriel 
 
 Have a care lest thou raise up 
 The dust of carnal dreams against the light. 
 And gazing on bright clouds, despise the sun.
 
 FAIRYLAND 
 
 Rosamund 
 I do not love to look upon the sun — 
 Only by his light to behold all else 
 And find all fair . . . Mother, I know 
 
 this world 
 Turns ashes; yet — how shall I dream of heaven 
 If not by every sign God shows us here? 
 The sweet songs and rich blossoms and kind 
 
 eyes, 
 The glory and the gladness and the power — 
 Are these evil? 
 
 CoRVAix {maliciously delighted) 
 
 Answered! Well answered ! See 
 The saint speechless! Pretty one, live, laugh, 
 
 love 
 To-day. To-morrow — 
 
 Myriel {sternly facing him) 
 
 Ay — to-morrow. . . 
 
 {She turns deliberately to Rosamund, 
 ohliterating Corvain) 
 
 Child, 
 Thou hast thine answer. This is he who loves 
 Earth! 
 
 Rosamund 
 I haVe sinned — 
 
 (Corvain, with elaborate unconcern, swag- 
 gers over to the bridge, and stands 
 looking up stage.) 
 
 Myriel 
 
 Go seek forgiveness. Pray 
 The white saints wash thee pure of earth, and 
 
 show 
 Thy heart the way to heaven. 
 
 Rosamund {moving toivard the door) 
 
 Where lies the road 
 To Fairyland? 
 
 Corvain 
 {suddenly pointing behind them, off to the left) 
 Lo, where he comes! — 
 
 Myriel {with startled anger, hurrying Rosa- 
 mund, who tries to follow Corvain's 
 gesture) 
 
 Obey! 
 Rosamund 
 I pray thee, let me wait to see his face, 
 Noble and pure, the knight I saw but now! 
 
 Myriel 
 There is a devil in thee. What, shall I 
 Be answered?— 
 
 {In the next few lines there is no interruption: 
 Myriel goes right on, and Corvain 
 speaks while she is speaking.) 
 
 Corvain 
 Archangel ! — 
 
 Myriel 
 
 Go!— 
 Corvain 
 
 Prince of dreams ! — 
 Myriel 
 What, stubborn? What, unwilling? 
 
 (Rosamund is fairly driven off into the 
 abbey. Myriel turns upon Corvain, 
 as Auburn enters from the left above 
 the chasm, crosses over by the bridge, and 
 comes down right.) 
 
 Corvain 
 
 Lo, where he comes ! 
 {Calling to Auburn as lie approaches) 
 Too late! Here was a pretty lady, fain 
 To follow thee to Fairyland ! 
 
 Auburn 
 
 I love 
 A lady in the Holy Land. 
 
 {There is not a shadow of priggishness about 
 him: he is simply brimming with en- 
 thusiasm which keeps him imperturbably 
 and even humorously good-natured: a 
 poet, not a puritan; no ascetic, but an 
 idealist.)
 
 10 
 
 FAIRYLAND 
 
 CoRVAiN (scornfully) 
 Ay, ay. 
 Holy Land, Fairyland, it is all one— 
 Meanwhile, who shall be king here ? 
 
 Auburn 
 
 Of king so great a matter? 
 
 Is the name 
 
 CoRVAiN (dryly) 
 
 So they say. — 
 
 (Turns to Myriel. The completeness of 
 his contempt for Auburn is almost 
 kindly.) 
 
 How think ye? Did the Lord mistake and send 
 The saint into the world before the king. 
 Or did the women blunder, and change the 
 babes? 
 
 Myriel (frozen stiff) 
 We have heard enough blasphemy. 
 
 Auburn 
 
 Nay, what harm 
 In a word? We know him well for one whose 
 
 love 
 Covers her shame with laughter. 
 
 (He turns to Corvain) 
 
 Take the crown 
 In God's name, brother; and with all my heart. 
 Be thou — 
 
 (He holds out the crown to him. Myriel 
 interposes.) 
 
 Myriel 
 Not so! Hold! 
 
 Auburn (to Myriel) 
 
 Shall I hold so dear 
 This painted picture-book of shadow and 
 
 sun, (a gesture) 
 This game of bare-the-head and bow-the- 
 
 knee. . , 
 These golden toys? Ye call me dreamer. Why, 
 These are dreams. I outgrow them. 
 
 Myriel 
 
 Dost thou crown 
 
 A dog with dreams? 
 
 Corvain 
 Or an abbess? Come, give up 
 Thy toys to thy nurse, child — thy dry nurse. 
 (with sloiv emphasis) 
 
 Auburn , 
 To a brother, if he will. 
 
 Nay, 
 
 A brother! 
 
 Myriel 
 
 Never to such 
 
 Corvain 
 Go and pray, woman. Leave men 
 To deal with men, 
 
 Myriel (to Auburn) 
 
 A picture-book of souls; 
 A game of life and death; a toy whereby. 
 Since the beginning of the world, strong hell 
 Hath triumphed over heaven. 
 
 Corvain {indicating the crown) 
 
 Here is that 
 Wherefore, since the beginning of the world. 
 Men have slain one another. Shall I yield 
 This to her? 
 
 Myriel (gesturing toward the shrine) 
 Not to me; to one who was 
 A woman, and now reigns throned over all. 
 Mother and maid and queen. 
 
 Auburn 
 
 Let it be so! 
 And over all our land shall blow the flt^jvers 
 Of Eden! 
 
 Corvain 
 John-a-Dreams !
 
 FAIRYLAND 
 
 11 
 
 Auburn (without pausing) 
 
 Women shall bear, 
 And men labor ungoverned. There shall be 
 No law but love, no crown save on whose brow 
 Burns the Star of the Sea, and in her heart 
 The red Rose of the World! 
 
 CoRVAiN {dryly) 
 
 Ay, ay — she died 
 Some years back. Let be, there are crowns 
 
 in heaven 
 Already. Also there are maids alive 
 That may be mothers. In the Devil's name 
 Let the kings reign and the saints pray! 
 
 Come home. 
 Take a wife, rule thy kingdom, be a man ! 
 
 Myriel 
 In the Devil's name? 
 
 CoRVAiN {losing patience) 
 
 O, God's, Mary's, the saints'. 
 The gobhns' ! 
 
 {He turns to Auburn with a certain 
 dangerous quietness) 
 
 Fool, I would give life for this, 
 Ay — or take life. Beware! 
 
 Auburn 
 {No pause. Myriel is already speaking.) 
 
 Nay— 
 
 Myriel 
 
 Be thou ware 
 Of fire from heaven ! Avoid ! We have endured 
 Overlong. Begone from us, ere that Power 
 Whose word I bear remove thee from His sight 
 For ever. Give back! 
 
 {As CoRVAiN retreats from her across the 
 bridge, she turns to Auburn.) 
 
 Hither! Thy sword, my son. 
 Thy sword! Break down the bridge! 
 
 Break the bridge down! 
 Brother from brother will I set apart, 
 Blood from blood, saith the Lord! 
 
 {The bridge falls. In the hush, the nuns' 
 music is heard within the abbey. Au- 
 burn turns to Myriel, with bowed 
 head, offering her the crown.) 
 
 Auburn 
 
 Mother, now 
 Thy blessing. 
 
 {She gives it silently, by a gesture, v)hile a 
 single voice within is heard intoning the 
 Invocation. Then she motions the croivn 
 away toward the shrine.) 
 
 Myriel 
 Not to me; to Her. 
 
 Nuns {within) 
 
 Amen. 
 (Myriel goes slowly into the abbey. 
 Auburn crosses to the shrine, holding up 
 the crown before it. The sunset has 
 faded into dusk.) 
 
 CoRVAiN {watching him) 
 Holds the world such another John-a-Dreanis.'* 
 {He disappears in the darkness up right.) 
 
 Nuns {within) 
 Ave Mater, quae primaevae 
 Matris mala pellis Evae, 
 Filium prolata saevae 
 
 Genti nostrae Dominum. 
 
 {It is by vow twilight. A faint mist rises 
 out of the chasm and films the scene. 
 Auburn crosses to the shrine, and stands 
 with bowed head before it. His soliloquy 
 which follows is heard against the singing 
 of the nuns off' stage: that is to say, it is 
 not interrupted for interpolations from 
 the Nuns' Chorus — that is a mere 
 convenience of printing.) 
 
 Auburn 
 Mother, my more than mother, thou whose eyes 
 Out of all azure skies look down on me — 
 Whose hand is in the cool brush of the breeze 
 Over my brow, whose voice hums lullaby
 
 12 
 
 FAIRYLAND 
 
 Where brooks laugh in the sun, whose robe 
 
 flows green 
 Along the springtime — 
 
 Nuns (without) 
 Quando tandem, quando fore 
 Ut laetanti cum tremore 
 Sponsus mihi in decore 
 Paret intra patriam? 
 
 Auburn 
 
 Lo, now even I, 
 A prince of dreams, lay my poor glory down. 
 Lady, before the darkness of thy shrine, 
 While I go forth to find thee. O let me learn 
 The beauty painted here in shadow and sun; 
 The love that is the meaning of this dream 
 Wherein we toss, longing; the harmony 
 Where all earth's dissonances close and cling 
 Satisfied, full of sleep. 
 
 Nuns (without) 
 O amator amplectende, 
 Totam me in sinu prende, 
 Floris gloriae ostende 
 Ima penetralia. 
 
 Auburn 
 
 Rose of the World ! 
 Lift up mine eyes from loving dust, and let 
 Thy glory swim before me as a star 
 Guiding my happiness to Bethlehem ! 
 Lift up my heart. Rose of the World, and show 
 Thy wonder opening as a rose unfoldeth 
 Her deep heart under the dawn — Star of the 
 
 Sea ! — 
 Rose of the World ! 
 
 {During Auburn's invocation, Corvain 
 clambers stealthily out of the gulf, and 
 creeps up behind him. In the deepening 
 gloom, his coming might hardly be 
 noticed bid that he is heralded by a faint 
 growl of thunder from the Orchestra. 
 As Auburn sings his closing lines, 
 Corvain half draws his sword; changes 
 his mind and returns it to its sheath; 
 
 then grasps the croum and sivings it 
 high over the head of the kneeling figure, 
 just as Auburn sings the last phrase. 
 At the same instant a flash of lightning 
 makes the picture stand out in momen- 
 tary relief. 
 
 Corvain strikes. Auburn falls forward 
 senseless. Almost at the same moment, 
 the Rose within the shrine breaks into a 
 point of red light, and in the distance the 
 music of the Fairy chorus is heard against 
 the singing of the Nuns. Corvain 
 shrivels back, staring at the red light. 
 As the fairy music grows nearer and 
 louder, he runs wildly hither and yon, 
 headed back each time by a momentary 
 gleam of light from the heart of some 
 flower; and at last, he flings aivay the 
 crown and rushes off among the rocks 
 on the right.) 
 
 Chorus of Fairies (off stage) 
 When the summer day is done. 
 And the saints in heaven sleeping 
 Leave the earth in elfin keeping, 
 
 At the setting of the sun — 
 Waken, Little Folk, awaken! 
 Here are fears to be forsaken, 
 Treasure given, pleasure taken; 
 
 Follow, follow, every one! 
 (Two Fairies with brooms enter right and 
 left, and cross the stage, sweeping away 
 the mist. Then four others with wands, 
 who advance to the shrine and kindle 
 their wands at the red light within, then 
 go about lighting up little colored lights 
 in all the flowers. The scene brightens 
 into a colorfid and unearthly radiance; 
 but the interior of the shrine is still dark 
 save for the small red glow of the Rose.) 
 
 Fairies (entering) 
 When the breezes breathe in tune, 
 And the light of wonder hovers 
 Round the hearts of happy lovers 
 At the rising of the moon —
 
 FAIRYLAND 
 
 13 
 
 Fill and thrill them with the power 
 And the passion of the hour, 
 That embosom and embower 
 All the mystery of June! 
 
 {The chasm fills with a mass of misty light, 
 over which, as over a solid substance, 
 the Fairies troop on the stage, singing 
 and dancing. The whole background of 
 the scene is a cloud of colored light.) 
 
 Fairies 
 
 When the veils of earth are torn, 
 And a yearning and a yearning 
 Set the rose of beauty burning 
 
 In the hush before the morn, — 
 Throng around them, where the golden 
 Joy hath drowned them, and the olden 
 Wonder crowned them unbeholden 
 
 In a Fairyland reborn! 
 
 (At the end of the chorus, Robin enters with 
 a great cup in his hands. Standing by 
 the shrine and before Auburn, he ad- 
 dresses the Chorus.) 
 
 Robin 
 Ye who are free of worlds beyond the portal, 
 Honor with me the dream wherefrom we 
 spring, 
 The mortal joy that maketh us immortal: 
 Health to our Queen and King! 
 
 Chorus 
 
 Our Queen and King! 
 
 (He raises the cup so that the light from the 
 shrine catches the wine in it, drinks, 
 and scatters the last drops upon Auburn, 
 who rises slowly to his feet, looking about 
 amazed. As he turns toward the shrine, 
 the interior thereof is suddenly illumin- 
 ated, disclosing instead of the image of 
 the Virgin, Rosamund enthroned. Be- 
 fore her the magic Rose grows out of the 
 earth, its blossom just below her breast, 
 and the light of it reddening from beneath 
 
 her white robe and her face. She and 
 Auburn look in wonder upon each other.) 
 
 Auburn 
 Lo, that one beauty, fair beyond all seeming, 
 More than mine eyes may compass or re- 
 ceive — 
 Surely of this my life was only dreaming, 
 And yet — I live! 
 
 Chorus 
 Fairyland ! 
 
 Rosamund 
 Lo, the one joy too dear for disobeying. 
 
 More than my heart may fathom, lest it 
 break — 
 Surely for this my dreams were only praying. 
 And yet — I wake ! 
 
 Chorus 
 Fairyland ! 
 
 Auburn {coming before her, aivestricken) 
 Art thou not she that is crowned queen in 
 heaven? 
 
 Rosamund 
 I have no heaven but thou art lord thereof, . . 
 No crown, saving the rapture thou hast given. 
 
 Auburn 
 O love, my love! 
 
 {He kneels at her feet. She bends above him, 
 her hands upon his head.) 
 
 Chorus 
 Fairyland ! Fairyland ! Fairyland ! 
 
 Robin 
 
 {in the centre of the stage, to the left of the 
 shrine: the Chorus grouped around the 
 edges of the scene) 
 Rose of the world, they are lost who would find 
 thee. 
 Star of the sea, they grow weary and weep. 
 Running before crowned with thorns, and 
 behind thee 
 Drowned in thy light on the deep;
 
 14 
 
 FAIRYLAND 
 
 Yet shall they come through mistake and 
 misnammg 
 Where thou art holy at last, being whole — 
 Having a rose for thy flesh, and a flaming 
 Star for a soul. 
 
 Yea, thou shalt lead them to wonderful places 
 
 Ere they discover how laughter redeems 
 Beauty, and shame, looking dreamward, em- 
 braces 
 Love, the unconquered of dreams. 
 Heaven, earth and hell shall they range un- 
 forbidden. 
 Strong in command of the glory that grows 
 Out of the dust, understanding the hidden 
 Fire in the rose. 
 
 Chorus 
 Crown them! Crown them! Crown them! 
 
 (Auburn is seated beside Rosamund. The 
 Fairies throng about, crowning them 
 with garlands and strewing flowers before 
 them. This goes on during the duet 
 following, which is sung against the 
 interpolated stanzas for the chorus.) 
 
 Auburn 
 
 Now it is won: in the hour of proud surrender. 
 
 Leans my queen from her throne thrice 
 
 glorified, 
 
 Down upon mine, undenying, divinely tender. 
 
 Bending the eyes of a mother, the eyes of 
 
 a child, the eyes of a bride. 
 
 Chorus 
 
 Where lies the road to Fairyland? Over the hills 
 of dawn. 
 Under the seas of sunset, yonder on every hand. 
 Whithersoever a soul shall follow the one star far 
 withdrawn 
 At the end of the world, is the way unfurled 
 that leads to Fairyland. 
 
 Rosamund 
 Now it is done: as a song that songs remember, 
 
 Cometh my lord to his own inheriting. 
 Over the heart made pure for his bridat 
 chamber 
 Folding the arms of a lover, the arms of a 
 man, the arms of a king. 
 
 Chorus 
 What shall we find in Fairyland? Whatever the 
 tales have told. 
 Whatever the songs have longed for, whatever 
 the children planned: 
 Folly deeper than wisdom, beauty brighter than 
 gold. 
 Laughter and tears from all the years in the 
 light of Fairyland! 
 
 Auburn, Rosamund, Robin 
 Now it is known: the kingdom of fancy, 
 founded 
 Firm in the flesh that hungers, the soul that 
 knows. 
 Throned upon clay, with fire as a robe 
 surrounded. 
 
 Auburn 
 Crowned with the light of heaven — 
 
 Rosamund 
 The light of a dream — 
 
 Robin 
 The light of the Rose! 
 
 Chorus 
 Who shall be king in Fairyland? He that will 
 not forgo 
 Eyes to see and ears to hear and a heart to 
 understand. 
 Who shall be queen? A child and a woman. 
 Verily they shall know 
 Heaven in earth and earth in heaven and 
 both in Fairyland! 
 
 Curtain.
 
 ACT THE SECOND 
 
 The Castle of the King 
 Noon
 
 ACT THE SECOND 
 
 The scene represents a courtyard or paved 
 terrace in the castle of Corvain, which is 
 situated upon a precipitous rock in that 
 corner of the valley which is to the right 
 of the abbey. The distance, as before, 
 shows the village in the opposite corner of 
 the valley; but in this case to left of the 
 centre; and the diagonal ridge of hills runs 
 back from right to left. Moreover, since we 
 are now raised high above the level of the 
 valley, the distance appears only upon the 
 \ back drop, and the middle distance is 
 invisible. On the extreme right is the front 
 of the main building, a high Gothic porch 
 running some two thirds of the way up 
 stage; with a doorway under the shadow of 
 it. The upper third of the practicable, from 
 the upper corner of the porch straight 
 across to the left, is raised to the same height 
 as the porch itself; its upper edge is bounded 
 by a balustrade, beyond ivhich the top of the 
 outer castle wall is just visible, as being 
 lower down the slope. This raised portion 
 comes down to the main stage level in a broad 
 flight of steps which runs along its whole 
 length, and meets at right angles a similar 
 flight of steps running down the whole front 
 of the porch: so that the general effect is of a 
 shallow amphitheatre, all of clean bright 
 stone. There is not a green or growing 
 thing in sight, except in the distance. En- 
 trances and exits are to left and right of the 
 raised upper portion, and through the 
 doorway in the porch. There are two or 
 three rigid stone seats along the parapet 
 and another down left centre on the lower 
 level. A small but rather ornate chair 
 stands up right centre upon the raised 
 portion. Full sunlight throughout the act. 
 
 At the curtain-rise, Corvain is standing at the 
 head of the porch steps as though just come 
 
 out of the building. He is royally dressed, 
 a gorgeous mass of flowing color; and the 
 change in his manner since the first act is 
 at once apparent. He is now secure in 
 everything he had coveted; and he carries 
 it off with an air of lazy and sardonic 
 supremacy — the dignity of the gorged tiger. 
 A group of Men-at-arms are standing 
 about him, one of ivhom is in the act of 
 delivering a message from some one off 
 stage to the left. 
 
 Man-at-arms 
 . . . Therefore they pray my Lord — 
 
 Corvain 
 {lazily, without waiting for him to finish) 
 
 Go bring them in. 
 They shall be heard. 
 
 (He moves deliberately up to the parapet and 
 looks out, as the Man-at-arms goes off, 
 left.) 
 
 When we met last, we looked 
 On yonder valley from the abbey-side. 
 Now we are here. 
 
 {He seats himself in the chair.) 
 
 Surely they shall be heard. 
 
 {The soldier returns at once with Robin and 
 half a dozen miserable looking peasants, 
 among them The Forester and The 
 Old Man. Robin comes forward and 
 kneels before Corvain, u-ho recognizes 
 him with malicious triumph.) 
 
 Robin 
 Justice, lord King! 
 
 Corvain 
 
 How now — fellow? 
 
 Robin {rising and indicating the peasants) 
 
 These folk, 
 Thy people — 
 
 17
 
 18 
 
 FAIRYLAND 
 
 CORVAIN 
 
 Not my fellows? Lord, how light 
 These honors fall! What seek my — people? 
 
 Robin {angry and humiliated, but with some 
 tincture of his grotesque humor) 
 
 Oh, 
 A trifle. Here! (beckoning) 
 
 This woman had no bread, 
 Wherefore her babe died. That old dog, 
 
 being tired 
 Of honest hunger, stole. See, his gray hair 
 Hides no ears. Yonder rascal, having lost 
 Roof, corn and cattle, shot the King's deer. 
 
 Look — 
 No more archery ! 
 
 {showing stump of the man's right hand) 
 Sir, we are broke down 
 With too much honor. One crown is enough — 
 We are too frail to bear the weight of two. 
 
 CoRVAIN 
 
 Well — I forgive them. 
 
 Robin 
 
 My lord, Myriel, 
 Claiming our land for God's kingdom, declares 
 Herself His treasurer. Good — Thou art 
 
 king- 
 Must we pay twice? 
 
 CORVAIN 
 
 Nay surely. That were foul wrong. 
 Once is enough. Pay me. 
 
 Robin 
 
 Sir, we have paid 
 Her already. 
 
 CoRVAIN 
 
 So! What is that to me? 
 Go to her. 
 
 Robin 
 To her? 
 
 Corvain 
 Would ye have your king 
 Kinder than God? 
 
 Robin 
 God help us ! Wilt thou press 
 Wine out of dry grapes? 
 
 Corvain {yawning) 
 
 I will even try. — 
 Give ye good-den — Brother. 
 
 Robin 
 
 Brother! Beware 
 
 Thine own brother! 
 
 Corvain {motioning to the soldiers) 
 
 These good folk weary me. 
 Answer them. 
 
 {Before his last word is out, the Men-at- 
 arms have sprung forward, and are 
 driving the Peasants back. Their 
 protests and the retorts of the Men-at- 
 arms form a confusion of sound which 
 lasts while the Peasants are driven 
 clear off stage to the left.) 
 
 Chorus 
 (Peasants) 
 Colin, Tibbal, Bartlemy! 
 
 (Men-at-arms) 
 Out, ye beggars! Dogs, go hang! 
 
 (The Woman) 
 Will ye turn on us who sprang 
 From your own blood? 
 
 (First Man-at-arms) 
 
 Ay, will we! 
 
 (Peasants) 
 — Colin, Tibbal, Bartlemy — 
 
 (The Old Man) 
 — Are ye not ourselves? 
 
 (Second Man-at-arms) 
 
 {presenting his spear) 
 
 — Marry, 
 Not by the length of this !
 
 FAIRYLAND 
 
 19 
 
 (The Forester) 
 
 We be 
 Dogs, ell? Beware of claw and fang! 
 
 (Men-at-arms) 
 Out, ye beggars! Dogs, go hang!_ 
 
 (CoRVAix, meanwhile, leans hack in his 
 chair ivith his feet thrust out in front of 
 him, calmly enjoying the proceedings. 
 Against the dying away of the choral 
 disturbance off stage, the orchestra an- 
 nounces Rosamund. Corvain looks off 
 left with indolent curiosity.) 
 
 What now? — Marry, here be more 
 Seekers after lost kings. — 
 
 (The soldiers return, bringing Rosamund, 
 footsore and afraid. Corvain starts as 
 he sees her, and turns upon the soldiers.) 
 
 Corvain 
 
 Lo, my sweet saint 
 Of the abbey !— 
 
 (to the soldiers) 
 
 Let her go! When angels fall. 
 The better for the world. 
 
 (Rosamund comes hesitatingly down the 
 steps toward him. The soldiers sta)id 
 above, curious and pointing.) 
 
 Corvain (to the soldiers) 
 Leave us! 
 
 {They disperse right and left. Rosamund 
 approaches Corvain.) 
 
 Rosamund {timidly) 
 
 My lord. 
 Where lies the road to Fairyland? 
 
 Corvain {amazed and amused) 
 
 The road 
 To — Pretty one, so call whichever way 
 Was thine to follow hither. 
 
 Rosamund 
 
 Nay, but I seek 
 The King in Fairyland. 
 
 Corvain {humoring her) 
 
 He is found. I 
 Am the King hereabout. 
 
 Rosamund 
 
 Thou dost not know. 
 {Coming up to hitn, with a sort of despairing 
 confidence.) 
 Sir, I beseech thee of thy gentleness. 
 Make no jest of me. I have — I have known 
 The prince of faery in a waking dream, 
 And I will follow him to Fairyland 
 And find him, and delight him, or I die. 
 
 Corvain 
 When the nuns find thee, thou shalt surely die. 
 But for me — thou art safe with me. Nay, 
 
 then, 
 Beautiful child, look upon me, look well — 
 Dost thou not remember? 
 
 Rosamund 
 
 Surely. Corvain, 
 The King— 
 
 Corvain 
 Thy king. 
 
 Rosamund {with something like horror) 
 Thou! 
 
 Corvain {confidently) 
 
 Look again — 
 
 (Rosamund, between hope and horror, per- 
 ceives the mere brotherly resemblance. 
 She is certain this is the ivrong man, and 
 yet—) 
 
 Rosamund {fascinated) 
 
 Like — ay, 
 Strangely like — -yet — thou art not the same — 
 There is no wonder in thine eyes. 
 
 Corvain 
 
 Who knows 
 His dream by daylight? Who hath known in 
 
 dreams 
 Anything unremembered? Come to me! 
 Now I will show thee all of Fairyland 
 That is true ! Thou hast found thy prince a king !
 
 20 
 
 FAIRYLAND 
 
 (Rosamund suddenly breaks from her 
 hesitation, and puts out her hands to him.) 
 
 Rosamund 
 Touch me — 
 
 {He catches both her hands and draws her to 
 him. The Orchestra buries a slight 
 suggestion of Auburn under a harshly 
 emphasized suggestion of Corvain. 
 Instantly, she shriyiks and struggles 
 away.) 
 
 No, no, it is all wrong, all wrong ! 
 Thou dost not know. 
 
 Corvain (coolly) 
 
 I know this: Myriel 
 "VYill burn thee — burn thee with fire. 
 
 {watching her) Standing so 
 
 The lash behind thee and the love before — 
 Choose between that flame and this ! Sweet, 
 
 am I not 
 Thy master ? Surely thou hast found thy dream . 
 {She turns to fly. Corvain raises his hand, 
 and the entrances fill with his Men-at- 
 arms. Rosamund glances desperately 
 round, then wilts upon the bench, left 
 centre.) 
 They who come here, abide here, sweetheart. 
 Wait 
 
 {He turns away, then pauses at the door.) 
 Thine own time. Thou art safe with me. 
 Think well! 
 
 {He goes into the castle, after dismissing by 
 a gesture the Men-at-arms.) 
 
 Rosamund 
 O far away, beyond all human need 
 The songs and flowers and crowns of Fairyland ! 
 Why must t^e pain seem truer than the joy- 
 Ever the wrong so brave, the hope so frail, 
 Ever the day so long, the dream so far! 
 And yet — Am I so faithless? Heart of mine, 
 Have I not known.'* Surely these hollow 
 
 towers 
 Will melt in melody down, and these vain 
 
 stones 
 
 Blaze into bloom, and over the dark of the 
 
 world 
 The dawn of Fairyland rise up like fire. 
 Hearing what songs the Little People sing! 
 
 {She is on her feet, exalted with the memory of 
 her vision. The song that follows is 
 musically an attempt to remember the 
 Song of the Rose at the end of Act I.) 
 
 Chorus (q^ stage) 
 Fairyland ! Fairyland ! Lo, a miracle, a song ! 
 
 Rosamund 
 In a garden glad and green 
 Blooms a rose, unknown, unseen. 
 Ruby-bosomed like a flame. 
 Holy, like a holy name; 
 All the world hath part and right 
 In the garden's rich delight : 
 Each may gather all he knows — 
 I alone have known the Rose ! 
 
 Through a world of waste and wrong 
 
 Flows a benison of song. 
 
 Pouring on the multitude 
 
 All their souls can bear of good; 
 
 Bringing them who know and care 
 
 Beauty, laughter, pain and prayer — 
 
 Each his own realities — 
 
 Mine the singer's lips and eyes ! 
 
 {Breaking the hush at the close comes a 
 crackle of men's laughter off stage, left. 
 Robin enters, more interested in Rosa- 
 mund than in what is behind him. An 
 instant later Avbvrn follows, pausing up 
 left to speak to the soldiers off stage. He 
 is dressed as a pilgrim, but noticeably 
 tattered and disheveled; arid the hair 
 which straggles from under his cockle-hat 
 is nearly white. Except for his face and 
 gestures, which remain 'incongruously 
 young, he appears supernaturally aged 
 and altered; like an old man retaining 
 all but the surface of youth, or a young 
 inan who had contrived to put on age like
 
 FAIRYLAND 
 
 21 
 
 a garment. The Rose is fastened in the 
 hosom of his gown — a 'perfectly ordinary 
 stage flower with no light in it.) 
 
 Auburn 
 Peace! Am I not your king? 
 
 {laughter again, off stage) 
 
 Robin {to Rosamund) 
 
 That is not like 
 The songs our mothers sang of Fairyland. 
 
 {She has eyes only for Auburn, loho slowly 
 turns and comes down.) 
 
 Rosamund {passing Robin) 
 Fairyland ! 
 
 (Auburn comes down the steps, facing her. 
 She recognizes him as if he were un- 
 changed.) 
 
 — Thou art come! 
 
 {She rushes forward, as if to throio herself 
 into his arms; but his blank stare meets 
 her like a blow. She stops transfixed, 
 while he speaks.) 
 
 Auburn 
 
 Beautiful stranger- 
 
 Lady most fair. 
 
 Rosamund 
 
 Oh, my Lord, thou — thou! 
 Thou dost not know! 
 
 {It is less a reproach than a sheer cry of 
 pain, contrasted with her cry of joy a 
 moment since. She stumbles blindly 
 toward him, groping with her hands, and 
 sinks at his feet. Auburn turns to 
 Robin.) 
 
 Auburn 
 
 Who is this? 
 
 Robin 
 
 One who knows 
 Thee: a strange creature. — Now if, thou be 
 
 king. 
 Marry, what king? 
 
 Auburn 
 Your own king. Auburn. Who 
 
 Should I be? 
 
 Rosamund 
 He is king in Fairyland! 
 
 Robin 
 Maybe. Not at home here — nor here. 
 
 {tapping his forehead) Good sir, 
 
 We have all seen Auburn! 
 
 Auburn {to Rosamund) 
 
 What dost thou know 
 Of Fairyland? 
 
 Rosamund 
 Nothing now. 
 
 Auburn 
 
 Ye shall know 
 More, having seen what wonders I have known. 
 Children of earth, think ye this blossom 
 
 bloomed 
 In any earthly garden? 
 
 Robin 
 
 I have seen 
 Such a one flowering in a wayside hedge. 
 Reddening before dim altars — ay, sometimes 
 Even in kings' crowns. 
 
 Auburn {to Rosamund) 
 
 What dost thou say? 
 
 Rosamund 
 
 Not like 
 
 The Rose of Fairyland. 
 
 Robin 
 
 See there, now! 
 
 Auburn 
 
 Go!- 
 
 Are your ears faithless? Then believe your eyes! 
 Rouse the village, gather my people here 
 And ye shall see, deep in the heart of the rose. 
 The light of Fairyland burn forth like fire, 
 And hear what songs the Little People sing 
 To crown their own !
 
 22 
 
 FAIRYLAND 
 
 Robin 
 
 I cannot call to mind 
 That Auburn wrought miracles — 
 
 {His half-ironical unbelief is too much for 
 Rosamund. She does not believe any- 
 thing herself, just noiv; but that any 
 other 'person slwuld venture to doubt 
 Auburn throws her into a fine feminine 
 rage. She advances imperiously upon 
 Robin.) 
 
 Rosamund 
 
 Out! Away! 
 Thou earth! Thou scornful nothing! Who 
 
 art thou — 
 Dross of the furrow, drainage of the vine, 
 Waste water flung away into the mire — 
 Thou. . . judge. . . him! Begone! Do 
 his bidding! 
 
 Robin 
 
 Nay, 
 Here is one who believes ! I go. . . 
 
 (He turns up right.) Take heed, 
 
 Brother — roses have thorns. Ay, and crowns 
 
 too. — 
 It is not good to walk too near a throne ! 
 (exit) 
 (Rosamund reacts from anger to timidity 
 and comes hesitatingly to Auburn, who 
 is looking after Robin.) 
 
 Rosamund 
 Dost thou not remember? 
 
 Auburn {full of his own concerns) 
 
 Am I so changed? — 
 Lo, since I woke into the world again, 
 None remember ! My people mock at me — 
 No matter. They shall know soon. 
 
 Rosamund 
 
 Thou and I — 
 Were we not crowned in Fairyland? 
 
 Auburn 
 
 I have been 
 King in Fairyland. Also I am king 
 Here. Dost thou know? 
 
 Should be king. 
 
 Rosamund 
 
 I have dreamed such a one 
 Tell me. 
 
 {He is seated wearily on the stone bench, 
 down left; she at his feet, looking up at 
 him. Against Auburn's account of his 
 vision is an orchestral reminiscence of the 
 abbey music. To this Myriel enters 
 up left, in the gorgeous purple and gold 
 of the mitred abbess, and comes forward 
 to the head of the steps up centra; the 
 Nuns gathering like a black cloud up left, 
 as the scene goes on. Auburn and Rosa- 
 mund, uiith the stone seat screening them, 
 are utterly unconscious: she intent upon 
 him, and he upon his dream.) 
 
 Auburn 
 
 While I prayed, there fell 
 Darkness; and out of darkness brake like 
 
 flame 
 A glory of strange joy, and all around 
 Fairies dancing, and a red rose that burned 
 With a star for the heart thereof — 
 
 Rosamund 
 
 Was there 
 
 No queen? — 
 
 AuEfURN {almost in a trance) 
 She sat above me, throned on flowers 
 And crowned with stars, all heaven in her 
 
 eyes. 
 And on her breast the Rose of all the World — 
 
 {half rousing himself) 
 Thou art here, at my feet. — 
 {relapsing into his r every) 
 
 And thereupon 
 Suddenly clanged the abbey bell. — The fire 
 In the heart of the rose faded, and there came 
 Lightning, sharp as the wail of women's 
 
 prayers, 
 And thunder, like the laughter of strange men. 
 And broke the vision.
 
 FAIRYLAND 
 
 23 
 
 (Rosamund raises her eyes and arms to 
 him, as Myriel, ivith the last lines of 
 Auburn's dream, comes doiim where she 
 can see them, and pauses an instant 
 astonished, with a backward sweep of her 
 robes. Auburn and Rosamund, looking 
 into each other s eyes, are for an instant 
 oblivious of her. In that instant a point 
 of red light appears in the Rose, and as 
 if lit thereby, a faint light of recognition 
 in Auburn's face. The next instant 
 Myriel has broken the spell.) 
 
 Rosamund (her hands behind Auburn's head, 
 as the Rose flashes) 
 
 Dear, look upon me — 
 Look well! 
 
 Auburn 
 Rose of the World! 
 
 (Myriel towers above them, with uplifted 
 arms, the shadow of her falling in the 
 form of a cross between them. Instantly 
 the light in the Rose vanishes, and there- 
 with the recognition in Auburn's face.) 
 
 Myriel 
 
 Forbear ! — 
 
 (Rosamund shrinks back to the left. Au- 
 burn rises.) 
 
 Rosamund (to Myriel) 
 
 Hast thou 
 Found me so soon? 
 
 Myriel 
 Let her not escape ! 
 
 {This is spoken to the Nuns, The circle 
 of them closes in upon Rosamund like 
 two black wings; but as she rises from 
 her crouching position and stands erect, 
 they shrink away from her, rustling and 
 whispering. Myriel has turned to 
 bend reverently before Auburn as he 
 rises in protest; and her next words are 
 to him.) 
 
 Nay, 
 
 Father, she is beyond thy charity — 
 A torn veil, a soul ruined, a lost nun: 
 Waste not heaven upon such ! 
 
 Auburn 
 
 Myriel, 
 Dost thou know me? 
 
 Myriel 
 
 I know thee for a saint 
 Out of the Holy Land, having beheld 
 In a vision the very Mother, crowned 
 Among angels — 
 
 Rosamund {half aside) 
 
 Ah, but she does not know 
 What we have known ! 
 
 Auburn 
 Thou shalt know more of heaven 
 Soon, having seen Fairyland. — Even now 
 The King comes. Presently I shall be king. 
 
 (He goes up stage and stands looking out over 
 the parapet, 2tp right centre. Corvain 
 appears in the porch, a group of Men- 
 at-arms following through the doorway. 
 He takes in the situation of Rosamund's 
 capture ivith one triumphant glance; but 
 does not see Auburn at all.) 
 
 Corvain 
 Heaven's angels come to help us! 
 
 {to the soldiers) Abide my sign; 
 
 We do not draw swords on a flock of doves. 
 We spread a net around them. 
 
 {The Men-at-arms disappear. Corvain 
 comes down the steps to Myriel. 
 Speaking with sarcastic deference.) 
 
 Good Mother, 
 This place is earthly — carnal; and this hour 
 Appointed for such joys as are not thine: — 
 What is thy will? 
 
 Myriel 
 Nothing more. Here is one 
 Who fled from us. We have found her.
 
 24 
 
 FAIRYLAND 
 
 CORVAIN 
 
 Not SO ! 
 Ye have lost her. It is I who have found. 
 She is beyond your danger. 
 
 Myriel 
 
 Corvain, thou art King 
 While God waits. Beware! 
 
 Corvain 
 Meanwhile, the King reigns ! 
 Meanwhile, I do my will ! Ye have a scourge 
 There, Mother, not a sword — a lash, to drive 
 This pretty trembler into my arms, a spur 
 To prick her on to pleasure. Look upon her 
 Shrinking there — look upon me, and rage to 
 
 know 
 Ye cannot work us harm. Cloister yourselves 
 From the bloom of all forgone joy, whose grave 
 Rankles your consecrated flesh. Toil, pray. 
 Dream, and close your eyes! I have opened 
 
 mine : 
 I see how richly we may drink who dare. 
 What crowns long to be conquered; and I see 
 Only a fallow drouth of women here, 
 Hating and yearning. 
 
 Myriel {quietly, to the nuns) 
 
 Let us leave him now. 
 Take her. 
 
 (She moves toward the exit up left. Cor- 
 vain raises his arm, and the gates again 
 fill with soldiers.) 
 
 Corvain 
 Ay, take her! 
 
 Myriel 
 
 Corvain ! 
 
 {They face each other: she sacredly enraged, he 
 sneering and triumphant. There is an 
 instant of tense pause. Then the ap- 
 proach of tJie Chorus is indicated in the 
 Orchestra. And with that. Auburn, as 
 having suddenly seen that which he 
 
 awaited, turns and. comes down between 
 Myriel and Corvain, with a hearing 
 of absolute authority.) 
 
 Auburn 
 
 Abide my sign: 
 It is not yours to say what ye will do; 
 I am the King. 
 
 {Tableau of astonishment: Myriel and 
 Rosamund shoioing by pose and gesture 
 what each conceives Auburn to be; while 
 the Orchestra and Chorus show the 
 nearer approach of the crowd. One stare 
 at the apparition before him, and Cor- 
 vain is smitten with the sudden super- 
 stitious panic of the unbeliever surprised.) 
 
 Corvain 
 To me. Men-at-arms! Ho, 
 
 King's men! 
 
 {The Men-at-arms rush to range them- 
 selves behind and around him, leaving 
 clear the entrances right and left.) 
 
 Auburn 
 Behold ! My people follow me I 
 
 {As he speaks, the Chorus burst in tumul- 
 tuously by both gates, filling the raised 
 platform up stage and crowding forward 
 down the steps: a peasantry driven des- 
 perate, a sheer mob mad with imminent 
 revenge; a mass of snarling faces and 
 tossing hands that clutch rude weap- 
 ons — scythes, flails, mattocks — moving, 
 threatening and expectant.) 
 
 Chorus 
 Flame shining, blood flowing, 
 
 And life plowed under year by year — • 
 The seed of your sowing 
 
 Hath ripened its load of pain; 
 The drudge of yoke and manger 
 Ye goaded into danger; 
 Aroused, overthrowing, 
 •^Is avenged again!
 
 FAIRYLAND 
 
 25 
 
 From watching, from weeping. 
 
 From days of shame and dreams of fear, 
 We rise to the reaping, 
 
 We rush to the standing grain ! — 
 Our King, returned with wonders 
 Of sorcery, and thunders 
 Of heaven in his keeping, 
 
 Shall restore, and reign ! 
 
 GoRVAiN (in a gasp) 
 Sorcery ! — 
 
 Auburn 
 Brother, I will take my crown. 
 Thou hast not done well therewith, 
 
 (He faces him with an assurance too perfect 
 for any violence. Corvain, half re- 
 covering, tries to carry it off loith an as- 
 sumption of ridicule.) 
 
 Corvain 
 
 Brother ! — Crown ! — 
 Look at him! Listen to him! Ye redeless 
 
 fools. 
 Have ye ever seen Auburn? — 
 
 {He is not very convincing; but the crowd, 
 always sensitive to scepticism, are just 
 enough taken aback to shoio it. They 
 become suddenly many-headed, peering 
 andivrangling andgesticulatiyig. Auburn 
 does not deign to look around. Perfectly 
 sure and unmoved, he slowly draws the 
 Rose from his breast and displays it. 
 Rosamund, Myriel and the Chorus 
 cry out together their several sense of 
 the situation.) 
 
 Auburn 
 
 Watch, and be still. 
 There is no need for you to understand; 
 It is enough that ye obey. 
 
 Rosamund 
 
 ]My Prince 
 Of Dreams, at last! 
 
 Myriel 
 
 Father, a miracle ! — 
 Pull down the strong man, pull down the 
 strong man ! 
 
 Chorus 
 Auburn! Auburn! A song! arose! afire! 
 Sorcery! A spell! a song! afire! Corvain! 
 
 {This comes all at once, a confused outcry of 
 expectation following close upon Au- 
 burn's last words. He noio stej)s a feio 
 paces downcentre, a littlebelowthe rest: the 
 scene focussing upon him as he holds up 
 the Rose before him with both hands, and 
 raising his eyes to it, begins his invo- 
 cation.) 
 
 Auburn 
 Rose of mystery, Rose of all the World, 
 If ever from the world I followed thee 
 Over the hills of dawn, beyond the plains 
 Of sea and desert breathless beneath noon. 
 Through midnight forests whispering dread- 
 
 fully, 
 Till I came to thy kingdom : — bring thou me 
 Home now to mine! Shine forth! So they 
 
 who deny 
 Thee shall behold thy heart burning like fire. 
 And hear what songs the elfin people sing ! 
 
 {A momenVs pause follows this climax — 
 just not quite long enough to make the 
 audience think that the failure of the Rose 
 to light up is accidental. Then there is a 
 snarl of brass and drums in the Or- 
 chestra against ivhich Coryxin throws 
 back his head and laughs aloud. The 
 Chorus at once catch up his laughter, 
 echoing it from part to part; and an 
 orchestral crescendo carries the whole 
 up into the sound of a great gust of 
 wind which roars across the stage. The 
 petals are blown from the Rose and 
 scattered on the ground; and Auburn 
 stands rigid, grasping the bare stem 
 and staring into nothingness. Every 
 figure but his own is in motion. The
 
 S6 
 
 FAIRYLAND 
 
 Chorus come forward and to the right, 
 mocking and threatening him. Presently 
 he sinks down into a sitting posture among 
 the scattered petals, gathering them up and 
 looking at them with a kind of mechanical 
 wonder. He neither hears nor sees any- 
 thing else. Rosamund throws herself 
 down beside him,tryingto see into his face. 
 
 The chorus lines which follow are dis- 
 tributed among different parts and 
 different individual singers, as in tJie 
 case of the ejection of the peasants at the 
 beginning of the act: so that the effect is of 
 a confused storm of laughter and mockery.) 
 
 Chorus (divided) 
 
 Ha! ha! ha! ha! ho! ho! ho! 
 
 Look at him! Corvain! Corvain! 
 
 May the King forever reign ! 
 Ah, I said so ! I said so ! 
 How now, wizard? Do your worst! 
 Bah, I knew it from the first! 
 
 Old wives' tales have turned his brain. 
 
 Look at him ! Corvain ! Corvain ! 
 He'd bewitch us if he durst! 
 Come away ! Ay, let us go; 
 
 We have heard his magic strain, 
 Seen how fairy roses blow — 
 Ha! ha! ha! ha! ho! ho! ho! 
 
 ( The ridicule of Auburn throws Rosamund 
 into a wholly unselfish rage. She springs 
 up from his side and turns upon the 
 Chorus, railing against their laughter: 
 which, however, continues uninterrupted 
 from the point where Corvain starts it 
 until after the whole Chorus is off the 
 stage.) 
 
 Rosamund 
 
 Have done ! keep silence, clowns ! Have your 
 
 dull dreams 
 Beheld Fairyland, that ye dare to raise 
 Riot and mockery against your King? 
 
 What have ye known? Dogs baying at the 
 
 moon, 
 Moles crying out against the morning star! — 
 Still shameless? Ay, laugh! So your breed is 
 
 known. 
 Is a man pure? Laugh! Is a woman foul? 
 Laugh! When a child's pain wonders out of 
 
 hell, 
 Or lovers' joy calls down new souls from 
 
 heaven, 
 Laugh ! Slap your knees and love yourselves ! 
 
 Laugh on! 
 
 {Her advance drives them back up stage, 
 still mocking and mowing, and brings her 
 face to face with Corvain, who is by now 
 thoroughly enjoying himself. He holds 
 out his arms to her triumphantly; and 
 with that, she wilts out of her anger into 
 personal fear, and shrinks away toward 
 Myriel. Corvain's angry and con- 
 temptuous gesture bids them begone; and 
 they follow the Chorus out up left, the 
 Nuns closing around them. The sound 
 of laughter dies away off stage. The stage 
 is empty, save for Auburn, still crouched 
 among the fallen petals; Corvain, stand- 
 ing over him; and the impassive Men- 
 at-arms in the background.) 
 
 Corvain 
 Hail, John-a-Dreams! . 
 
 (Auburn looks vaguely up at him.) 
 
 What, is the name of king 
 So great a matter? So ho! 
 
 {He turns away up the steps, right. At the 
 top, he pauses.) 
 
 Give ye good-den. 
 Brother ! 
 
 {He goes into the castle. The doors close.) 
 
 Auburn {softly) 
 I have been king in Fairyland. 
 
 Slow Curtain.
 
 ACT THE THIRD 
 
 The Village 
 Dawn
 
 ACT THE THIRD 
 
 The scene represents an open, grassy spacein the 
 midst of the village. Parts of houses just 
 appear to right and left; but the main group 
 of them is vp stage beyond the practicable 
 and on a lower level, so that the valley is 
 visible beyond them, icith the abbey and the 
 castle upon the corners of the hills to right 
 and left in the extreme distance: their 
 position and the identical arrangement of 
 the topography showing that ice are now in 
 the village ivkich appeared in the distance of 
 the two preceding scenes. Most prominent 
 among its buildings is the tavern placed 
 in the centre of the upper edge of the prac- 
 ticable, its doors forming the entrance there. 
 
 Sufficient trees and shrubbery appear about the 
 edges of the sccn^ to set it in a frame of 
 foliage not dissimilar in coloring and com- 
 position to that of Act I. A heavy stake is 
 set in the ground just below the centre. 
 
 The light is at first the dusk of early morning; 
 afterwards changing through sxnirise to full 
 daylight; and at the end transformed 
 suddenly into the unnatural light and 
 color of the fairy vision. 
 
 At the curtain rise Rosamund is discovered 
 fastened to the stake by a chain about her 
 waist: leaving her free for gesture and a 
 certain amount of motion, but without 
 suggesting any possibility of escape, or 
 appearance of being tethered rather than 
 bound. Four soldiers up stage keep guard 
 over her. Immediately after the curtain- 
 rise four others coming to relieve this guard 
 are heard singing off stage to the left: the 
 Orchestra connecting this opening with 
 the opening of Act I. 
 
 Soldiers (off stage) 
 Good Saint Aloys, one winter's night, 
 
 Walking in ghostly meditation. 
 Came upon a lady brave and bright : 
 
 Strove to achieve her soul's salvation; 
 
 Bade her beware of earthly bliss, 
 
 Turn, and amend her, and be shriven — 
 
 (They break off as they enter. The business 
 of relieving the guard is gone through in 
 brief pantomime. One of the relieved 
 guards brings a couple of the newcomers 
 down to Rosamund, and displays her 
 to them, holding a horn lantern callously 
 up to her face. The Orchestra 
 connects this with the pause between 
 stanzas of the opening chorus of Act I, 
 the reverence of the passing peasants to 
 Rosamund upon the balcony. Then the 
 relieved guard go up out left, catching up 
 the song as they go.) 
 
 Soldiers 
 Bade her beware of earthly bliss, 
 
 Turn, and amend her, and be shriven. — 
 "Father," quoth she, "because of this 
 
 Be thou rewarded, and — forgiven," 
 
 Out of her heart she plucks a rose 
 
 Lighting the dark with holy splendor. — 
 
 Man never heard and Heaven knows 
 Whither away his steps attend her. 
 
 {The Orchestra recalls Auburn's ride 
 across the valley in Act I. The abbey 
 bell is heard in the distance and the sun- 
 rise just begins in the sky. Myriel enters 
 up right, sombrely and simply dressed. 
 She is halted by the guard, one of whom 
 holds up the lantern to her face. Thus 
 recognized she passes rfo?t'n<o Rosamund. 
 In the ensuing scene, there is a change 
 evident in both. Rosamund is at once 
 stronger and more tolerant than before; 
 and Myriel has set her whole resolute 
 ivill upon being charitable.) 
 
 Myriel {to the soldiers) 
 
 It 
 
 29
 
 30 
 
 FAIRYLAND 
 
 {They let her pass. She comes to Rosa- 
 mund, who makes no acknowledgment 
 of her presence.) 
 Daughter, it is I : 
 (Rosamund moves only her eyes) 
 No more 
 Thy judge; only another woman, come 
 To help and hear. 
 
 Rosamund 
 There is no help. 
 
 Myriel 
 
 Dost thou 
 
 So hate me? 
 
 Rosamund (quietly) 
 I have thought of many things 
 This night. Mother, thou in thy holiness, 
 And the dear sisters, with their quiet eyes 
 Reflecting heaven — even the snowy saints 
 
 We pray to — even 
 
 Ah, but they never knew 
 What I have known! Other things, better 
 
 things — 
 It may be I am not fit to choose heaven — 
 Be it so: / choose! — Therefore ye must now 
 Destroy; not hating me — fearing my dream. 
 
 Myriel 
 Fearing! — I have sinned — 
 
 {She crushes her pride back into charity; 
 and with that, there comes clearly to 
 her the sense of what Rosamund's 
 vision might mean — what it would mean 
 to herself, in terms of her own holiness. 
 She interprets it so with the sheer confi- 
 dence of inspiration.) 
 
 Daughter, be thy name 
 Blessed among women! In my blind hour 
 I said thy faith came to thee out of hell. 
 Forgive. I know now. Child, thy dreams 
 
 have seen 
 Heaven — only, being a soul unborn 
 Out of the body, thou hast named the Love 
 Past Understanding for the love we know, 
 Calling Paradise Eden. . , 
 
 Rosamund 
 
 Thou dost not know. 
 Mother. It was not heaven. 
 
 Myriel 
 
 Am I so changed? 
 I was a woman ere I was a nun — 
 How should I not understand? O, look well! 
 See how it might be, thence how it hath been. 
 And so the truth ! 
 
 Rosamund 
 
 It is true that I love 
 The Prince of Fairyland. 
 
 Myriel {with desperate enthusiasm) 
 It shall not be! 
 God will not let so much be given in vain; 
 Thou shalt not look downward, seeking for 
 
 Him: 
 Burn thy wings in the star of Bethlehem! 
 
 {very earnestly and more quietly) 
 Little sister mine, thou are near to death. 
 Balancing between worlds. I promise thee 
 Life, absolution, sainthood. 
 
 Rosamund (dreamily) 
 
 All for me? 
 I had rather remember. 
 
 Myriel 
 
 As the lost 
 Remember! — 
 
 (She controls herself again, and turns away 
 up stage with wholly honest regret.) 
 Farewell. I can only be 
 Thy judge. 
 
 (She goes out, right. The light is by now 
 that of sunrise. The Orchestra, 
 following Rosamund's imagination as 
 before, recalls her first account of 
 Auburn: "/ saw one riding on a great 
 red steed" from Act I. The soldiers 
 notice Auburn, creeping in right. 
 The first, about to challenge him, is
 
 FAIRYLAND 
 
 31 
 
 restrained by the others, as about to see 
 good sport. Auburn produces a sword 
 wherewith he tries vainly to free Rosa- 
 mund.) 
 
 Auburn 
 Chains ! 
 
 {He hews furiously at the stake itself; the 
 sword shatters in his hand. While he 
 stands helpless, the soldiers l^reak into 
 pantomime of laughter, and go out into 
 the tavern, leaving one on guard, who 
 remains up stage quite out of the scene.) 
 
 Rosamund 
 Wherefore art thou come to me? 
 
 Auburn 
 Nothing. A jest for fools. Thou shalt not die 
 While I live. — It sounds bravely, does it not? — 
 No matter. 
 
 Rosamund 
 Dost thou know me? 
 
 Auburn 
 
 The one soul 
 On earth believing me; my one friend here 
 Where all people mock at me; and my one 
 Love now when nothing more remains of me 
 Worth loving. What else have I ever known? 
 I would have crowned thee, when I was a king; 
 I would have saved thee, when I was a man. — 
 No matter. I have grown old in the dark, 
 And lost the dawn. 
 
 Rosamund 
 And thy queen? 
 
 Auburn 
 
 I am here 
 At thy feet. I remember no more. Let 
 The dream perish ! 
 
 {He kneels before her. She looks down at 
 him happily.) 
 
 Rosamund 
 
 Art thou so changed? — My lord, 
 I have yielded my harvest; I have found my 
 
 need. 
 There is nothing more. 
 
 Auburn {raising his head) 
 Touch me! 
 
 {She rests her hands iipon his head. The 
 Orchestra emphasizes Rosamund's 
 account of Auburn in Act I and 
 Auburn's invocation. At the climax 
 he rises slowly, and they gaze upon each 
 other wondering. The ensuing lines of 
 recognition are sung together in duet.) 
 
 Do I 
 
 Dream again? 
 
 Rosamund 
 Do I not remember? 
 
 Auburn 
 
 Thou, 
 Crowned with stars, throned among roses- 
 
 ROSAMUND 
 
 Riding in golden arms under the sun- 
 Auburn, my king! 
 
 Thou 
 
 Auburn 
 
 My Queen of Fairyland ! 
 
 Both 
 What hath befallen us? 
 
 Auburn 
 
 We have seen one light 
 Whereof death is the shadow. Still, still the 
 
 same. 
 And thou and love are one. Flower of my 
 
 Spring, 
 Have I seen thee in Autumn? Moon of my 
 
 dream, 
 Dost thou shine again? I am nothing more 
 Than a poor pilgrim who have lost my palm
 
 32 
 
 FAIRYLAND 
 
 On the way to the shrine; yet if it be 
 
 Thy will, take these bare hands. Smile 
 
 down, and so 
 Lighting the windows of ray heaven for me, 
 Bring the wanderer home! 
 
 Rosamund 
 
 We have seen one light, 
 Whereof death is the shadow. Lord of my joy, 
 I have known thee in sorrow. Sun of my 
 
 dawn. 
 Make me thine again, and I mind no more 
 The small pain that shall make darkness of me 
 Than songs of little children far away, 
 Singing to call me home. 
 
 {By this time it is hroad daylight. The 
 village wakes up; and the Chorus come 
 in here and there, by tiDos and threes, 
 moving about the stage; most of them 
 finally going into the tavern. Soldiers 
 appear and set up two high thrones, up 
 right and left {for Myriel and Cor- 
 vain). Auburn goes about from group 
 to group of the peasants, seeming vainly 
 to urge them to rebellion. They are 
 amused, incredulous, embarrassed. The 
 Orchestra suggests the opening chorus 
 of Act I, as Robin comes in up left, and 
 is stopped by Auburn.) 
 
 Robin (entering) 
 
 So we who bear 
 
 Her burden- 
 
 AUBURN 
 
 Hold you there, good fellow! 
 
 Robin (pausing) 
 
 Who 
 Calls me Goodfellow.'' 
 
 Auburn 
 
 One who hath need of thee. 
 
 Rosamund 
 Auburn, the King! 
 
 Robin 
 Dost thou say so? 
 
 Auburn 
 
 Say thou 
 So, lest we all perish. If it be true. 
 Auburn reigns; if it be a lie, no less 
 Corvain falls, and the people crown their king. 
 
 (This piece of practical politics impresses 
 Robin as decidedly a good idea, and his 
 respect for Auburn visibly awakens; but 
 having all the peasants sensitiveness to 
 the reality of his own honor, he is a little 
 irritated too. He assumes a grotesque 
 air of putting the two through an exam- 
 ination.) 
 
 Robin 
 And the Rose? And the Song? 
 
 Rosamund 
 
 Dreams. 
 Robin 
 
 It may be 
 
 We have our dreams too. Shall a dog forge 
 
 crowns 
 Out of the gold of the moon? Shall a blind 
 
 mole 
 Honor the morning star? See now, ye believe 
 Neither yourselves, nor us, nor your own 
 
 dream. 
 
 Rosamund 
 Art thou so bitter? 
 
 Auburn 
 
 Nay, it is not that; 
 They live by dreams; we others die of them. 
 (to Robin, with the wholly honest courtesy 
 of an equal) 
 Thy pardon. 
 
 Robin (astonished) 
 Thou art strangely like a king! 
 
 Rosamund 
 
 Dost thou say so?
 
 FAIRYLAND 
 
 33 
 
 Robin 
 Not I. If My Lord will— 
 
 {He gestures toward the tavern; and Au- 
 burn assenting^ the two start off together. 
 During this dialogue^ the pantomime has 
 continued. The Soldiers and the Nuns 
 have been marching in and grouping 
 themselves about the two thrones. Au- 
 burn, halfway up stage, turns back for 
 a last word to Rosamund; and at the 
 same time Corvain and Myriel enter 
 left and right. So that as Auburn 
 moves up stage again, he encounters 
 Corvain and a line of Soldiers block- 
 ing the way. Robin has just escaped them 
 and gone into the tavern, from which 
 sounds of revelry begin to be audible.) 
 
 Corvain 
 Patience awhile, good Brother. What is thy 
 will? 
 
 Auburn (quietly desperate) 
 Nothing. A little longer, and my will 
 Might have been more. 
 
 Rosamund 
 
 He is the King ! 
 
 Corvain (deliberately) 
 
 So? I 
 Am still king hereabout. Our mother keeps 
 Her king in heaven. Mayhap it were as well 
 Thy king should go and reign in Fairyland, 
 Lest we faint under three crowns. 
 
 Myriel 
 
 Well dost thou 
 Know he is not the King. What hast thou done 
 With Auburn? Out of consecrated ground 
 His blood cries out upon a brother! Man, 
 Dost thou think I do not know? 
 
 Corvain 
 
 Too late now. 
 Mother. Why not have cried murder before 
 I caught out of thine hand this golden toy 
 
 Wherefore kings have been slain? Well dost 
 
 thou know 
 Our Auburn lies in consecrated ground ! 
 Whoso digs deep enough may find his bones 
 Under your abbey ! 
 
 (The counter-charge leaves her momentarily 
 speechless with indignation. Corvain 
 goes on, dangerously triumphant.) 
 
 Lord, what a coil! Brother 
 From brother set apart, a king discrowned, 
 A pretty lady burned for loving-^all 
 For God's glory! Well, I will do my share — 
 Take him! 
 
 (This last is to the Soldiers, who at once 
 advance upon Auburn.) 
 
 Auburn 
 First I will do mine. 
 
 (After one desperate glance around, he 
 suddenly wrests the heavy crozier from 
 Myriel, and with it furiously attacks 
 Corvain. Corvain is struck down, 
 half stunned; and the Soldiers over- 
 power Auburn just in time to save him.) 
 
 Myriel and the Nuns 
 
 Sacrilege ! 
 
 Corvain and the Soldiers 
 Treason, ho! 
 
 Corvain (alone, as he rises) 
 Bind him yonder! 
 
 (to Myriel) Enough ! thou 
 Hast thy victim, I mine. 
 
 (Auburn is chained to the stake beside 
 Rosamund and to her left. The 
 Soldiers pile fagots around them. 
 Myriel presently comes down to Rosa- 
 mund.) 
 
 Myriel 
 
 Daughter, believe 
 There is not any anger in my heart 
 Against thee. Put away thy bitter strength
 
 34 
 
 FAIRYLAND 
 
 And receive pardon — or, if not for thyself, 
 Remember this poor mad soul thou hast drawn 
 Down to thee. Put away thy bitter joy. 
 And save him. 
 
 Auburn 
 Dear, would I live so? 
 
 CORVAIN 
 
 Nay, save 
 Thine own life, pretty one! There is yet time 
 Despite all dreams, dry women, and dead men. 
 What, stubborn? What, unwilling? Presently 
 The sparks crack, and the little dancing flames 
 Lap the lithe limbs of thee, questioning all 
 Thy beauty — then the fire towers and clings — 
 
 oh, 
 A hungry lover! — pillowing thy white pain 
 In downy-bosomed clouds, holding the last 
 Wild leap of thee helpless, till thy life shines 
 In the red heart of a great rose. 
 
 Rosamund 
 {utterly unshaken, almost amused) 
 Auburn, 
 I will tell thee a secret : he is a fool, this king — 
 He thinks we are afraid. 
 
 ( There is a muffled shout of laughter from 
 vnthin the tavern, as Corvain turns 
 aivay.) 
 
 Auburn 
 
 And then our wise 
 Mother: she thinks we need heaven. 
 
 (Another howl of laughter from the tavern, 
 covering Myriel's pantomime of in- 
 vocation.) 
 
 The Nuns 
 
 Myriel 
 
 Amen. 
 
 Ave Virgo gloriosa! 
 
 (As the Nuns sing the following, Myriel 
 and Corvain assume their seats. The 
 Soldiers are preparing to light the 
 fire. Auburn and Rosamund are 
 
 interested only in the growing under- 
 current of hilarity within the tavern, 
 which disturbs the chant; and in so doing, 
 they call the attention of the audience 
 thereto.) 
 
 The Nuns 
 Domine, propone ducem 
 Crucifixi ferre crucem 
 Per tenebras et in lucem; 
 
 (The fagots are ready, and a Soldier 
 approaches with a torch. The Drinking- 
 Song begins to be heard within the tavern. 
 The chant continues.) 
 
 Aut nolentem pertinere, 
 Domine, ne te videre 
 Defendatur, miserere. 
 
 (The fagots are lighted. At the first flicker 
 of flame, the Drinking-Song bursts out 
 full force, drowning the chant, lohich 
 presently gives place to it: so that whereas 
 the flrst stanza of the chant is heard 
 alone, the last stanza of the Drinking- 
 Song is so heard.) 
 
 Chorus (within the tavern) 
 Ye lads of beggary, lords of birth. 
 
 And brothers about the bowl. 
 Come join the mirth of your mother Earth, 
 And pass her soul 
 
 Round, round, and round again — 
 Time your trouble was drowned again — 
 Jollity followed and found again. 
 And hearts made whole. 
 
 Her frozen breast was a rose of spring 
 
 Or ever your woes began ; 
 So laugh your best, and be king by king 
 
 And man by man (while years go) 
 
 Round, round, and round again — 
 Time your trouble was drowned again — 
 Jollity followed and found again 
 By him who can!
 
 FAIRYLAND 
 
 35 
 
 Then think upon her, and sing her honor, 
 
 And drink to her fair renown, 
 Till flowers loom up in the blooming cup, 
 
 And stars bow down {to the ground, so) 
 
 Round, round, and round again — 
 Time the Devil teas drowned again — 
 J ollity followed and found again, 
 {And throned again, and crowned again) 
 With wine's own crown! 
 
 {The smoke and fire are spreading around the 
 stake; yet not so much as to conceal the 
 two figures there from the plain sight 
 of the audience. The fire-music in the 
 Orchestra is the patter of the Fairies' 
 entrance in Act I. From the first catch 
 of the drinking-song, Rosamund has sud- 
 denly recognized the Fairy magic in the 
 peasants' mirth; and as the song goes on, 
 she is rapt into full understanding how 
 the common folk are the Fairies after 
 all, and the world one with her dream. 
 Of the two. Auburn is the still and des- 
 perate martyr; Rosamund is trans- 
 figured beyond any thought of death.) 
 
 Rosamund 
 Hearken : the song ! 
 
 Auburn 
 
 Beloved, we have drunk one 
 Cup of red wine together — one more now, 
 And then — Fairyland ! 
 
 {He is standing rigid, looking only at her, 
 and clutching mechanically at the withered 
 Rose in his breast. Rosamund lays 
 her hand upon his. At that touch, the 
 Rose suddenly blooms and lights upwithin 
 as at first. Instantly the doors of the 
 tavern fly open, disclosing a tableau 
 of Robin and part of the Chorus 
 grouped in a scene of revelry under 
 brilliant light: Robin upon a table, 
 with the same great cup in his hand which 
 he bore in the first Fairy scene; the others 
 , with uplifted arms around him.) 
 
 Rosamund 
 
 Look — the Rose ! 
 
 The Nuns and Soldiers 
 
 The Rose! 
 
 {The dry stem in Auburn's hand is a 
 burning blossom. The others are trans- 
 fixed, staring at it. Rosamund throws 
 back her head and breaks into the Song of 
 the Rose. As she sings, Robin and the 
 Chorus come out of the tavern, waving 
 their cups. The lights change as in 
 Act I into the wild color of the Fairy 
 vision. 
 The Chorus, noiv Fairies in the unearthly 
 light, keep pouring in. Myriel and 
 Corvain shrink from their thrones before 
 the advancing multitude, and fall back 
 down left and right; while the Nuns and 
 Soldiers give way before the crowd of 
 Fairies with their cups and floivers. The 
 effect of all this is not that of a struggle, 
 but of an overpowering spell whereto 
 there is no resistance: so that Rosa- 
 mund's big solo is not disturbed, but as 
 it were illustrated, by the stage effect. 
 This action goes on through the ivhole time 
 of her singing.) 
 
 Rosamund 
 Rose of the World, thou art every one's own. 
 Whosoever 
 Wanders the garden shall wear thee and 
 bear thee along 
 Under the bosom of joy, on the crest of 
 endeavor 
 Blooming, a blush and a melody, blossom 
 and song; 
 Still, when the kisses are done, when the battle 
 is over. 
 Burning before him, beyond him, alone and 
 afar — 
 Light in the heart of the saint; in the heart of 
 the lover 
 
 Fire; in the child's heart, a star.
 
 36 
 
 FAIRYLAND 
 
 Star of the Sea, thou art known: of thy gold 
 is our treasure. 
 All who have fought for thee, sought for thee, 
 under the sun, 
 Fearing strange gods, bearing old pain, obey- 
 ing new pleasure — . 
 Surely their sorrows are many; their joys 
 are as one. 
 Ever an earth more unearthly, a heaven more 
 human. 
 Body and soul of desire in immortal alloy. 
 Dreams in the sword of the man, in the womb 
 of the woman — 
 
 One hope, one beauty, one joy! 
 
 (The transformation is complete. Robin 
 comes out before the stake, holding his 
 cup aloft.) 
 
 Robin 
 Health to the King and Queen! 
 Chorus 
 
 Our King and Queen! 
 
 {He drinks, and casts the last drops of wine 
 upon the fire. It vanishes, and the chains 
 fall.) 
 
 Chorus 
 Crown them ! Crown them ! Crown them ! 
 (Auburn and Rosamund are momentarily 
 lost in the crowd of Fairies as Robin 
 turns to the others. During his next 
 four lines, the thrones are brought down 
 and placed side by side near the stake, and 
 Auburn and Rosamund robed glorious- 
 ly and seated therein. The Fairies are 
 grouped around them; Myriel and the 
 Nuns further to the left, Corvain and 
 the Soldiers further to the right and 
 Robin beside the thrones.) 
 Robin 
 Ye whose blind power is melted into mirth, 
 
 Whose holiness is now a sin forgiven : 
 Knowing not heaven, what have ye known of 
 earth? 
 Knowing not earth, what can ye know of 
 heaven? 
 
 Chorus 
 Fairyland ! Fairyland ! Fairyland ! 
 
 {By now the final tableau is arranged, and 
 the scene proceeds to an end as in Act I, 
 ivithout movement.) 
 
 Auburn, Rosamund, Robin 
 Now it is known: the kingdom of fancy, 
 founded 
 Firm in the flesh that hungers, the soul that 
 knows; 
 Throned upon clay, with fire as a robe sur- 
 rounded. 
 
 Auburn 
 Crowned with the light of heaven — 
 
 Rosamund 
 The light of a dream — 
 
 Robin 
 
 The light of the Rose ! 
 
 {Against this is sung the Chorus following: 
 so that the whole comes to an end to- 
 gether.) 
 
 Chorus 
 Where shall loe hide from Fairyland? We who 
 are woman-born: 
 A music of God's making to the word of mans 
 demand? — 
 Never an ear too dull to hear the call of the Elfin 
 horn, 
 Nor an eye so blind but it shall find the way to 
 Fairyland! 
 
 How shall we dwell in Fairyland? We who are 
 dust and fire. 
 Glory and gloom interwoven, a dark and a 
 shining strand? — 
 One in the pain ice remember, one in the joy we 
 desire. 
 Waking on earth, sleeping in heaven, dream- 
 ing in Fairyland! 
 
 Curtain.
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY 
 
 Los Angeles '^^\^ Q ^ ^^' ' 
 
 This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. 
 
 Bei 
 
 ] 
 \ 
 
 F 
 a 
 Y 
 
 V 
 
 Bui 
 
 s 
 
 Cha 
 
 P 
 
 fc 
 a 
 F 
 
 ^ 
 
 Dan 
 
 in 
 d( 
 R 
 
 Deb 
 
 ly 
 
 Fi 
 
 N 
 
 Duk 
 
 (A 
 
 „ , Form L9-Series 4939 
 
 Erlat 
 
 dn 
 
 leaux, after the romance of Pierre 
 Louys, French and English text. 
 English version by Leonard Marsh 
 
 Fevrier, Henry. Monna Vanna: lyric 
 drama in four acts and five tableaux, 
 by Maurice Maeterlinck; French 
 text with English version by Claude 
 Aveling 
 
 Herbert, Victor. Natoma: an opera in 
 three acts; the book by Joseph D. 
 Redding 
 
 Madeleine: a lyric opera in one 
 
 act; adapted from the French of 
 Decourcelles and Thibaut, by Grant 
 Stewart 
 
 Leoncavallo, 'R. Pagliacci (Punch- 
 inello): drama in two acts; Italian 
 text with English version by Henry 
 Grafton Chapman 
 
 Mascagni, P. Cavalleria rusticana 
 (Rustic chivalry): melodrama in one 
 
 35 
 
 35 
 
 35 
 
 25 
 
 25 
 
 dance); a musical play in three arts; 
 the words by Otto Julius Bierbaum; 
 German text with English version by 
 M. T. E. Sandwith 35 
 
 Wolf -Ferrari, Ermanno. Doctor Cupid 
 (L'Amore Medico): Musical comedy 
 in two acts, after Molicre. Verse by 
 Enrico Golisriani. Italian text with 
 English version by Claude Aveling 35 
 
 Inquisitive women (Le donne curi- 
 
 ose): a musical comedy in three acts, 
 after Carlo Goldoni, by Luigi Sugana; 
 Italian text with English version by 
 A. J. du P. Coleman 35 
 
 The jewels of the Madonna: opera 
 
 in three acts, on Neapolitan life; verse 
 by C. Zangarini and E. Golisciani; 
 Italian text with English version by 
 Claude Aveling 35 
 
 — — Suzanne's secret (II segreto di 
 Susanna): interlude in one act (after 
 the French of Golisciani); the book 
 by Max Kalbeck; Italian text with 
 I'.nglish version by Claude Aveling 35
 
 iXi\ 
 
 <:4 , i^'^IS^i