The Little Colonel's Hero Part 17

ACT II.

SCENE. _Room in Ogre's tower. Princess Winsome kneeling with arm around Dog's neck._

_Princess._ _Art_ thou my brother? Can it be That thou hast taken such shape?

Oh turn those sad eyes not on me!

There _must_ be some escape.

And yet our parents think us dead.

No doubt they weep this very hour, For no one ever has escaped, Ere this, the Ogre's power.

Oh cruel fate! We can but die!

Each moment seems a week.

_Is_ there no hope? Oh, Hero dear, If thou couldst only speak!

But no! Within this tower room We're captive, and despair Must settle on us. 'Tis the doom Of all dragged up yon winding stair.

[_Drops her head and weeps. Enter G.o.dmother, who waves wand and throwing back curtain, displays a spinning-wheel._

_G.o.dmother._ Rise, Princess Winsome, Dry your weeping eyes.

The way of escape Within your own hand lies.

Waste no time in sorrow, Spin and sing instead.

Spin for thy brother's sake, A skein of golden thread.

Question not the future, Mourn not the past, But keep thy wheel a-turning, Spinning well and fast.

All the world helps gladly Those who help themselves, And the thread thou spinnest, Shall be woven by elves.

All good things shall speed thee!

Thy knight, the Faithful Feal, Is to thy rescue riding.

Up! To thy spinning-wheel! [_Disappears behind curtain._

_Princess._ All good things shall speed me?

Sir Knight, the Faithful Feal, Is to my rescue riding? [_In joyful surprise._ Turn, turn, my spinning-wheel!

(_She sings._)

[Spinning Wheel Song.

My G.o.dmother bids me spin, that my heart may not be sad.

Spin and sing for my brother's sake, and the spinning makes me glad.

Spin, sing with humming whir, the wheel goes round and round.

For my brother's sake, the charm I'll break, Prince Hero shall be found.

Spin, sing, the golden thread, Gleams in the sun's bright ray, The humming wheel my grief can heal, For love will find a way.]

[_Pauses with uplifted hand._

What's that at my cas.e.m.e.nt tapping?

Some messenger, maybe.

Pause, good wheel, in thy turning, While I look out and see.

[_Opens cas.e.m.e.nt and leans out, as if welcoming a carrier dove, which may be concealed in basket outside window._

Little white dove, from my faithful knight, Dost thou bring a message to me?

Little white dove with the white, white breast, What may that message be?

[_Finds note, tied to wing._

Here is his letter. Ah, well-a-day!

I'll open it now, and read.

Little carrier dove, with fluttering heart, I'm a happy maiden, indeed.

(_She reads._) "O Princess fair, in the Ogre's tower, In the far-off Summer-land I seek the South Wind's silver flute, To summon a fairy band.

Now send me a token by the dove That thou hast read my note.

Send me the little heart of gold From the chain about thy throat.

And I shall bind it upon my s.h.i.+eld, My talisman there to stay.

And then all foes to me must yield, For Love will find the way.

Here is set the hand and seal Of thy own true knight, the faithful--Feal."

[_Princess takes locket from throat and winds chain around dove's neck._

_Princess sings._

[The Dove Song.

Now, flutter and fly, flutter and fly, Bear him my heart of gold, Bid him be brave little carrier dove!

Bid him be brave and bold!

Tell him that I at my spinning wheel, Will sing while it turns and hums, And think all day of his love so leal, Until with the flute he comes.

Now fly, flutter and fly, Now flutter and fly, away, away.]

[_Sets dove at liberty. Turning to wheel again, repeats song._

_Princess repeats._ My G.o.dmother bids me spin, That my heart may not be sad; Spin and sing for my brother's sake, And the spinning makes me glad.

Sing! Spin! With hum and whir The wheel goes round and round.

For my brother's sake the charm I'll break!

Prince Hero shall be found.

Spin! Sing! The golden thread Gleams in the sunlight's ray!

The humming wheel my grief can heal, For Love will find a way.

[_First messenger appears at window, dressed as a Morning-glory._

_Morning-glory._ Fair Princess, This morning, when the early dawn Was flus.h.i.+ng all the sky, Beside the trellis where I bloomed, A knight rode slowly by.

He stopped and plucked me from my stem, And said, "Sweet Morning-glory, Be thou my messenger to-day, And carry back my story.

"Go bid the Princess in the tower Forget all thought of sorrow.

Her true knight will return to her With joy, on some glad morrow." [_Disappears._