>Act
I
No. 2: Chorus (with solos)
No. 3: Recit. & Song (Lutin) with Chorus
Enter LUTIN, appearing through the gap in the cloud as though rising from the earth below.
Chorus. | |||
Hail, Lutin, wondrous traveller! | |||
Thrice welcome back to Fairyland! | |||
Hail, Lutin, wondrous traveller! | |||
Thrice welcome back to Fairyland! | |||
Exploring fay, thyself bestir | |||
To tell us all That did befall |
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Thy stay amid those mortals banned While far, far away from Fairyland! |
Darine. | ||
We to ascertain are eager All the ills that did beleaguer |
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And assail thy mortal portals Whilst thou wast among the mortals. |
Fleta. | ||
Didst thou join in all their revels? Drink and dance with all their devils? |
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Didst thou see, with awestruck daring, Dicer dicing, swearer swearing? |
Chorus. | ||
Tell us all that did befall — Tell us some and tell us all! |
Zayda. | ||
Didst thou watch, with sorrow sobbing, Liar lying, robber robbing, |
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Drinker drinking, gorger gorging, Pinker pinking, forger forging? |
Locrine. | ||
Cooer cooing, biller billing, Wooer wooing, killer killing, |
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Prater prating, blabber blabbing, Hater hating, stabber stabbing? |
Chorus. | ||||
Tell us all that did befall — Tell us some and tell us all! |
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Didst thou join in all their revels? Didst thou dance with all their devils? |
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Didst thou see, with awe-struck daring Dicer dicing — swearer swearing? |
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Didst thou watch, with sorrow sobbing, Liar lying, robber robbing, |
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Drinker drinking, gorger gorging, Pinker pinking, forger forging? |
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Prater prating, blabber blabbing, Hater hating, stabber stabbing? |
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Kicker kicking, beater beating, Sticker sticking, cheater cheating? |
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Ah! | ||||
Tell us all that did befall — O tell us some and tell us all, |
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tell us some and tell us all, tell us all! |
Lutin. (recit.) | ||||
What! tell you all? Not so! | ||||
All that down there occurred? | ||||
'Twould numb your souls with awe — | ||||
You know not what you ask! | ||||
Describe you all I know? | ||||
Repeat you all I heard? | ||||
Narrate you all I saw? | ||||
God save me from such task! | ||||
One tale I'll try to tell — it will
suffice To illustrate their tendency to vice! |
SONG— Lutin.
Lutin. | One incident I'll tell that will appall | |
Each gentle little heart and head. | ||
Come, fairies, gather round me, one and all — | ||
(The details to impart I dread!) | ||
A tale to cause a demon's flesh to creep, | ||
And absolutely shock his ears; | ||
'Twould bring the tears to eyes that never weep, | ||
And melt a very rock to tears! | ||
Chorus. | 'Twould melt a very rock to tears! | |
Lutin. | So horribly bad that
tale appears, It's scarcely fit for fairy spheres; 'Twould outrage e'en a demon's ears — And I'm going to tell it to you, my dears! |
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Chorus. (in great delight). | ||
He's going to tell it
to us, my dears! He's going to tell it to us, my dears! |
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Lutin. | Although 'twill make
your blood run cold, The terrible details I'll unfold! |
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Chorus. | So horribly bad that tale appears, It's scarcely fit for fairy spheres; 'Twould outrage e'en a demon's ears — |
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Lutin. | And I'm going to tell it to you, my dears! |
Lutin. | There was a gallant knight of Portugee, | |
Who loved a Moorish maid so well | ||
That he took ship and sailed to Barbaree | ||
(That's where the little jade did dwell). | ||
He journeyed o'er the stormy sea apace | ||
(Of nothing was that knight afraid), | ||
And when at last they met in an embrace, | ||
What do you think the naughty maiden said? | ||
Chorus. | We wonder what the little hussy said! | |
Lutin. | (spoken) She said — but no, their
dark careers Would shock your souls and draw your tears; They're quite unfit for decent ears — And I'm hanged if I'll tell 'em to you, my dears! |
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Chorus. (disappointed). | ||
He'll be hanged if he'll tell 'em to
us, my dears! He'll be hanged if he'll tell 'em to us, my dears! |
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Lutin. | First thoughts are silver — second,
gold; And I'm sorry to say that they can't be told! |
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Chorus. (vexed). | ||
His tale is cast in mocking mould — He says it is both bad and bold; We hoped for details, and behold — |
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Lutin. | I'm sorry to say that they can't be
told! I'm sorry to say they can't be told! I'm sorry to say they can't be told! |
Lutin. | Sopranos. | Altos. | |||
He's sorry, | |||||
he's sorry, he's sorry, | He's sorry, he's sorry, | ||||
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, | he's sorry, he's sorry, | he's sorry, he's sorry, | |||
to say they can't be told! | to say they can't be told! | to say they can't be told! |
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Page modified 13 March 2009