PEHR. Yes, yes!
FAIRY. Good and bad?
PEHR. Bad? That I think I know; the good I would learn to know.
FAIRY. You think so? But you shall soon see that all which seems good is not good, and all that seems bad is not bad.
PEHR. Only let me get out—and away from here!
FAIRY. You may go; but first I want to give you, as a help on your journey, a gift which will be of service to you. When you have it, you will have been given more than others, and therefore more will be required of you at some future time.
PEHR. Let me see it!
FAIRY. This ring has the power to grant you all your wishes—to your credit, but to no one's harm.
PEHR. That's a fine ring! But what will the old man say?
FAIRY. He is only going to meet with his just punishment—punishment for his selfishness.
PEHR. Yes, that is just. All the same I feel sorry for him.
FAIRY. Do not grieve for him; I shall watch over his sorrow.
PEHR. Sorrow! Nothing else? Sorrow, he says, is the one pleasure in life. Let him sit and enjoy it then. I shall probably furnish him with opportunities.
FAIRY. And lastly, young man, will you take provisions from the Wise Man?
PEHR. What should they be?—Good advice?
FAIRY. Yes.
PEHR. Alas, I have such quantities of that!
FAIRY. I know that, and I know its fate. Farewell then! May life so teach you to live that when your journey is over you shall be—whether great or obscure; successful or unsuccessful; learned or ignorant—a man, and above all, a manly man. Farewell! [Fairy disappears in column.]
PEHR. [Alone.] Well, Pehr, you are going out into life! Others before you have probably done likewise. But is it, then, so difficult out there? To be sure I have stood on the church roof and watched the throngs of people down in the street crawl around each other, going and coming. To me they appear so quiet and orderly, and I don't see that they trample on one another, although they are as thick as gnats. That dogs and apprentices fight sometimes, that I have seen, but grown folk—never! The old man and I never fight, although we pass each other on the stairs ten times a day. True, he has beaten me, but I have never beaten him; and other people may not be so bad either, if the truth were told. Wasn't there a fire the other day in the house of a rich merchant and didn't a lot of poor wretches come running from all directions, and didn't they go up to the rich man's place and save his goods? Oh, yes, I saw how they took silver pieces from his table and carried them far out of the city, where they hid them behind haystacks so the silver wouldn't be burned up. Wasn't that kind of them? We shall see, we shall see! Meanwhile, my dear Pehr, you shall go out and have a look at the world and make use of your gifts. [Examines ring.] Let's see! What shall I wish for first?
[Old man enters as if through wall.]
PEHR. Oh! so the old man is here. I did not hear your footsteps on the stairs. Which way did you come?
OLD MAN. [Alarmed.] Did you see?
PEHR. No.
OLD MAN. Let me look at you! [Gazes fixedly at him.] Something has happened here—
PEHR. Nothing—nothing whatever!
OLD MAN. My son, it will soon be midnight. Don't you want to retire to your room so that I may lock you in?
PEHR. You always want to shut me in! Tell me, Father, have you never meant to let me out in the world? Surely you cannot have thought that I should sit here forever, and dry up!
OLD MAN. I have seen life; I know its Sodom apples—therefore I wish to shield you.
PEHR. But life is not as sour as you say, perhaps.
OLD MAN. What do you know about it?
PEHR. Oh, I can see things from my high place! Come here and I will show you.
OLD MAN. What can you show me that I do not already know?
PEHR. [Leads Old Man to the window.] Look! Do you see the great house on the square?
OLD MAN. Yes; but make haste! Before the clock strikes twelve, you must be in bed.
PEHR. Do you see the Christmas-tree, with its gold and silver?
OLD MAN. Only paper, boy!
PEHR. And the golden fruits of the tropics?
OLD MAN. Worm-eaten—
PEHR. And the sun—Happiness—how it shines on the children's faces!
OLD MAN. Between times distorted by envy—
PEHR. And the old man who sits there, contented and happy—
OLD MAN. It's a lie! He trembles in his heart for the house rent, which must be paid on the new year—
PEHR. He—the rich man?
OLD MAN. Hides his approaching downfall!
PEHR. And those young people—Do you see how he stretches his arm—
OLD MAN. After the father's money bag!
PEHR. Shame on you! Their lips meet—
OLD MAN. In lust!
PEHR. What is that?—Ah! Now look up there, at the gable window, with the single light—
OLD MAN. Prompted by caution, which demands darkness—
PEHR. By the glow of contentment's calm light—
OLD MAN. Which they stole from the spice stall, and their delight is in planning the next expedition to the city market. I know it, do you hear! And up there, in the palace, where the lights glisten by the thousands and mirror themselves in the wines' sour streams—there they roll—empty heads and empty hearts—who say that they think and feel for the people's welfare! There they roll, between bottles and dishes—
PEHR. Why do you talk so fast? Let me continue—
OLD MAN. No! Away with you and obey, boy!
PEHR. Yes, away from here! I want to go out and see the world. I want to see child-faces—even if they can be clouded by envy's cankerworm! I want to taste the fruit of the tropics even if it is worm-eaten! I would drink the wine though it were gall, and I want to put my arm around a maid's waist, even if a bankrupt father does sit at the hearth stone! I want silver and gold—if in the end it is nothing but dross!
OLD MAN. Hell-fire! who's been here?
A VOICE. Curse not Christmas!
PEHR. What can this mean? It is so strange here to-night—stranger than usual. Father, look at me! Why, that's not his face!
OLD MAN. [Kneeling.] My son! Listen to your father—obey the old man, who wishes you only good; remain within these peaceful walls!
PEHR. It is too late!
OLD MAN. What do I see?—that ring! who gave it to you? [Tries to take the ring from Pehr.]
PEHR. Who are you? You are not my father!
OLD MAN. Your guilty, your unhappy father, who is bound by the witchcraft of the Powers! [Old Man is transformed into a big black cat.]
PEHR. Jesu Maria, help! [Bright rays dart out from Virgin's image; clock strikes twelve.]
PEHR. The witch! The witch! Away, unclean spirit! [Cat vanishes.] And now—[opens tower shutters] for life! [Fingers ring.] To the forest. [Going through window.] Out!
CURTAIN.
ACT TWO
Snow-clad woods; diagonally across stage is an ice-covered brook. Dawn. Wind blows through the trees as curtain rises. Pehr on.
PEHR. So this is the forest, whither my thoughts have so often flown through the clear air, and this is the snow! Now I want to throw snowballs, as I've seen school boys