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No. 1 - Opening Chorus, Scene and Couplets

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Villagers: Far and near our cry be heard,
Long life to great George the Third!
Though he rules from o'er the sea,
Faithful colonists are we.
What a mien and what a grace!
Basses: Ah! what a grace!
Others: What a fine, majestic face!
Basses: Ah! what a face!
All: It almost is a shame, we're thinking,
To make him thus preside o'er drinking!
To make him thus preside o'er drinking!
Yet, it is a common thing
Thus to use one's Queen or King,
And our village is bestirr'd
So to honour George the Third,
So to honour George the Third.
Peter: On this solemnity right royal,
Where is that vagabond disloyal?
Where's Rip van Winkle, eh?
Chorus: Don't know.
Peter: Can any of you say?
Chorus: Don't know.
Peter: Ah! well, sing on —
And for this he shall pay!
Chorus: Yes, it is a common thing
Thus to use one's Queen or King,
And our village is bestirr'd
So to honour George the Third,
So to honour George the Third.
Katrina: Here comes Rip's wife;
Gretchen, on my life!
Gretchen: Mynheer! don't be hard on Rip, I pray!
For my poor sake,
O'er hill and brake
He wanders weary night and day!
Peter: Pooh! pooh! pooh! pooh! make no excuses,
Gretchen, you're patient over much
Of Rip, and his eternal abuses!
Shame on the fellow, that he's Dutch!
Not in all Kaatskill keeps away
One colonist, save Rip, today!
Gretchen: You'll be kind, I can see,
That my heart's divining,
Such a head sure must be
Pity-ward inclining.
Katrina: Now a smile all aglow
O'er his face is breaking!
Do not look at me so,
You're so very taking!
Burgomaster: Ah! go 'long.
Gretchen: No, no, you couldn't if you would
Keep up an angry mood!
Burgomaster: There you're wrong!
Gretchen: No, no, we will not go away
Until we've had our say!
Burgomaster: Tempt me not!
Katrina: And, prithee, wherefore shouldn't I?
Yes, certainly I'll try!
Katrina & Gretchen:
  O please, sir, don't be cruel,
For clemency's a jewel!
And for you aye we'll ever, ever pray!
Your heart you will not harden,
And poor Rip you will pardon
For our sake!
You'll be kind, I can see,
That our heart's divining,
Such a head sure must be
Pity-ward inclining.
Now a smile all aglow
O'er his face is breaking!
Do not look at me so,
You're so very taking!
Yes, you are, you know you are,
You are, you are!
Chorus: Let those meddling soldiers come,
Not for them shall we be dumb!
Far and near our cry be heard,
Long life to great George the Third!
Though he rules from o'er the sea,
Faithful colonists are we.
What a mien and what a grace!
Basses: Ah! what a grace!
Others: What a fine, majestic face!
Basses: Ah! what a face!
All: It almost is a shame, we're thinking,
To make him thus preside o'er drinking!
To make him thus preside o'er drinking!
Yet, it is a common thing
Thus to use one's Queen or King,
And our village is bestirr'd
So to honour George the Third,
So to honour George the Third.

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British Musical Theatre | Rip Van Winkle

Page modified 29 May 2017