Fallen Fairies Web Opera Act I

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No. 10: Finale Act I

Lutin.
	The warrior, girt in shining might,
		Knows, as he bares his sword,
	That, should he murderously fight, And cut and thrust and slash and smite (No matter wrong, no matter right),
		Love will be his reward.
	The footpad nerves his coward arm
		With draughts of mead and mull,
	And stupefies his soul's alarm, And all his stealthy dread of harm, By pondering on the tipsy charm
		Of some poor tavern trull, Of some poor tavern trull!
			Oh, love's the source of every ill! Compounded with unholy skill, It proves, disguise it as you will, Ah! A gilded but a poisoned pill, A poisoned pill!

Love instigates the brawler bold;
	For love the lover lies;
The miser hoards ill-gotten gold To buy the prize, so lightly sold, That looks so warm yet burns so cold —
	The love of two bright eyes!
For lawless love the wife elopes,
	And blights her husband's lot;
For love denied the moper mopes, To toast his love the toper topes, With heavy heart the hoper hopes
	For love that loves him not, For love that loves him not!
		Oh, Love's a poison foul and fleet, Nor is its horror less complete Because, with devil-born deceit, Ah! It looks so fair and tastes so sweet, And tastes so sweet! Oh, Love's a poison foul and fleet.

Zayda. (to ETHAIS).
	Nay, heed him not! A tale has reached our ears
		That man is infamous in high degree, And he believes it — so indeed did we,
	Till we beheld you, gallant cavaliers!
Zayda & Chorus.
	Till we beheld you, gallant cavaliers!
Darine. (to SELENE).
	Send him to earth — then we can summon here
		His mortal counterpart!

SELENE looks at her reprovingly. DARINE changes her tone.

			Another reed
		No doubt, who stands in very sorest need
	Of virtuous counselling and guidance clear!
Selene.
	Well said, Darine! Thy words are words of worth. Lutin, begone! to earth return at once!

Ethais.
		Return to earth!
	Insolent varlet, get thee quickly hence!
Chorus.
	Return to earth! Fairy Lutin, get thee quickly hence!
Lutin.
	Oh, mortal plague! Oh, walking pestilence! Listen and learn, Oh, incarnation of uncleanliness!

Lutin.
	Hark ye, you sir! On yonder ball You've Kings and Queens to whom you fall, And humbly cringe and creep and crawl,
		Cast dust and ashes too your head upon,
			That they some civil word may say to you.
	Well, sir, there's not a King on earth, There's not a Prince of royal birth, Who would not barter all his worth
		To lick the very ground I tread upon —
			And I'm the meanest here! Good day to you! Good day to you!
Chorus.
			Good day! Good day! Good day!

LUTIN goes up stage and prepares to descend.

Lutin.				Chorus.
		Good day to you, Good day to you!
	That's all I have to say to you!
						Don't stay, to you, Delay to you,
					Or hurry back, we pray to you.
						Good day to you — Away to you —
					That's all we have to say to you!
						Away to you! Good day to you! Away to you!
			Good day! Good day!			Good day to you! Away to you!
	That's all I have to say to you!				That's all we have to say to you!
						Don't stay, to you, Delay to you,
					Or hurry back, we pray to you.
			Good day! Good day!			Good day to you! Away to you!
	That's all I have to say to you!				That's all we have to say.
		Good day to you!
						Good day to you!
							[LUTIN descends.

Selene.		Ethias.		Phyllon.		Chorus.
			Away!				Away to you!
							Good day to you, Good day, Good day,
	Away!						Away!
	Away!		Ah! away!		Ah! away!		Away!

The Fairies then turn to SIR ETHAIS and SIR PHYLLON.

Selene.
	Oh, gallant gentlemen,
		You see our plight!
	Take pity on us then,
		And give us light!
	Our prayer — ah! do not spurn —
		This we beseech —
	We brought you here to learn —
		Stay ye to teach!
	We foolish fairies thought
		Your guides to be,
	But we are all untaught,
		As you may see.
	Ah! You see our plight, our plight!

Chorus.
	Take pity on us, list to our appeal,
	As humble suppliants at your feet we kneel!

Ethias. (to PHYLLON)
	As gallant gentlemen,
		We see their plight!
	We will take pity, then,
		And give them light!
Phyllon. (to ETHIAS.)
	Their prayer we will not spurn
		So they beseech:
	They brought us here to learn —
		Stay we to teach!
Both.
	As gallant gentlemen,
		We see your plight!
	We will take pity, then,
		And give you light!
	In pity, then, we list to your appeal!
		We'll grant your prayer, All other prayers above, And show how gallant gentlemen can love!

Selene.		Ethias.		Phyllon.		Chorus.
	Take pity!
							Take pity!
	Take pity!
	And list to our appeal! Ah!						And list to our appeal! Ah!
	As gallant gentlemen,		As gallant gentlemen,		As gallant gentlemen,		As gallant gentlemen,
	You see our plight!		We see your plight!		We see your plight!		You see our plight!
			We will take		We will take
	Take pity on us then,		pity, take pity then,		pity, take pity then,		Take pity on us then,
	And give us light,		And give you light,		And give you light,		And give us light,
			give you light!		give you light!
							Our prayer — ah! do not spurn —
			Your prayer we will not spurn,		Your prayer we will not spurn,		This we beseech —
			So ye beseech,		So ye beseech,		We brought you here to learn —
			So ye beseech!		So ye beseech!		Stay ye to teach!
	We foolish fairies thought						We foolish fairies thought
	Your guides to be,		We will take				Your guides to be,
	We foolish		pity, then,
	fairies thought						But we are all untaught,
	Your guides to be,		As gallant gentle-				As ye may see.
			men,				Ah!
	O give us light!						And give us light!
			As gallant gentle-		As gallant gentle-
			men,		men,		O give us light!
			As gallant gentle-		As gallant gentle-
			men,		men,		O give us light!
	Take pity on us then,						Take pity on us then,
	And give us light,		We will take pity then,		We will take pity then,		And give us light,
	Take		And give you		And give you		Take
	pity!		light!				pity on us gentle-
	And give,		We will take pity,		We will take pity,		men and give,
	and give us light,		take pity and give,		take pity and give,		and give us light,
	O give us light!		And give you light!		And give you light!		O give us light!

Some of the Fairies kneel at the feet of the knights, SELENE embracing SIR ETHAIS; DARINE, ZAYDA, and LOCRINE hanging on SIR PHYLLON's neck. The remaining Fairies are grouped in attitudes of entreaty at the feet of the two knights.

End of Act I.

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Page modified 13 March 2009