kneel for her beautiful image

of devotion and sweet splendor?

Show now love, it truly befits

you best to joyfully render

the homage here of a shy kiss.

I, too, I thought I had been hurt,

the one harmed, hated, and cast out.

How stupid and stubborn I was

alike to see an evil sin,

to hastily trust in mistrust

and be so blind in bitterness.

Cast off the rash prejudice of

condemnation and fierce justice.

Justice is this clemency here,

and clemency is peace enwreathed,

part of this sweet, blessed revel

that tosses sin into the air,

plays with it as with the flowers.

Be happy you can be happy.

O, could I speak. I must too

for such a great and blessed end.

But I lack that gift for eloquence;

passion is much too wild in me

and I am so intensely filled

by such lofty, contrary joy.

Queen:

Oh, but how sweet you speak, fair child!

King:

Take this kiss, and may all have

a fete of royal joy this day.

Prince, you’d be better served if you

fell in with the general delight.

You don’t want to be a stranger

and apart from such faithfully

devoted, heartfelt happiness.

What? Why do you still look angry?

Prince:

Not angry, nor charming either.

I just don’t know what I should say.

Prince exits.

Queen (to Snow White):

And are you no longer tired now?

You want to laugh again, have fun,

and spread cheer as if it were seed?

Snow White:

I’m tired no more. What? Did the Prince

run in fear from our rejoicing?

Does this befit this noble man?

Queen:

Sure it befits—he’s a coward!

Snow White:

I don’t know if he’s a coward.

But such conduct’s awful of him.

Go, Hunter, bring him back here.

Hunter exits.

I want to scold him when he comes,

and he’ll surely come. He just wants

us anxiously seeking for him.

Queen:

Then he will still be your sweetheart.

And then—then I say, yes indeed,

must say something I remember, say—

What do I say? Ah, yes, then say,

something like this perchance, saying:

“You fired him on with your kisses

to that—”

Snow White:

Hush, O hush. Just the fairy tale

says so, not you and never me.

I said it just once, once like that—

it’s over and done. Father, come.

Lead the way inside for us all.

All go toward the castle.

* The Prince should be seen as shorter than the other characters, even Snow White, and wearing a checkered costume.

Thorn Rose, the Sleeping Beauty

THORN ROSE,
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY

Thorn Rose:

You, you who stand in this circle,

please take a good look at this man.

He woke me from my hundred years

of deep sleep and so he wishes

to now take me to be his wife.

King:

He will wish he was not so bold.