SCENE I

TIME: evening.
PLACE: a large city; a quiet corner with a high wall back.

FIRST COUNTRYMAN.

SECOND COUNTRYMAN.

FIRST CITY WAG.

SECOND CITY WAG.

MERCHANT.

[Great crowds of people are seen in the streets. The TWO COUNTRYMEN have just arrived. They find a quiet corner where they place their blankets and baskets of gourds which they carry.]

FIRST COUNTRYMAN. I fear something most dreadful must have happened in that street. See what crowds of people pass that way!

SECOND COUNTRYMAN. Perhaps there is a fire. And yet—

[He stops, showing he is puzzled.]

FIRST COUNTRYMAN (anxiously). What troubles thee?

SECOND COUNTRYMAN. Look thou into that other street! It, too, is full of people, and yet none are gone from here.

FIRST COUNTRYMAN. Some awful accident hath called them from all parts of the city. We must find out what it may be.

[A MERCHANT passes.]

SECOND COUNTRYMAN (to Merchant). I pray thee stop, citizen.

(The Merchant stops.)

Canst thou tell us what dreadful thing hath befallen this city?

MERCHANT. What do you mean?

[TWO CITY WAGS pass; they stop to listen.]

SECOND COUNTRYMAN. Whither do they go, these vast multitudes? What dreadful thing go they to see?

FIRST COUNTRYMAN. Perhaps they flee from some monster just come out of the sea?

MERCHANT. It is ever thus—always the great crowds surging through the streets.

[The Merchant goes.]

SECOND WAG (to Countrymen, winking aside at First Wag). This is your first visit to a city, I take it?

BOTH COUNTRYMEN (bowing). It is, good sirs.

FIRST WAG (winking aside at Second Wag). You know what happens to strangers in our city, of course?

FIRST COUNTRYMAN (anxiously). No, good sir.

SECOND COUNTRYMAN (anxiously). Pray tell us what it may be.

FIRST WAG. 'T is said they become so dazed by the noise of the city and the rush of such countless numbers, they forget who they are.

FIRST COUNTRYMAN. Eh? Forget who they are?

FIRST WAG (nodding). Aye.

(He winks aside at Second Wag.)

You have heard of this, dear friend?

SECOND WAG (winking aside). To be sure; 't is quite common.

SECOND COUNTRYMAN. Forget their own faces?

SECOND WAG. Aye,—their faces. At least, they are not certain as to whose faces theirs may be.

FIRST COUNTRYMAN. Then we dare not leave this corner!

FIRST WAG. I would not advise it.

SECOND WAG. It would be most unsafe,—at least for to-night.

FIRST WAG. Of course there is this danger,—when you awake in the morning you may not know whether you are yourselves.

SECOND COUNTRYMAN. Would that I had never left my farm!

FIRST COUNTRYMAN. Would that I had never left my wife!

SECOND WAG. Do not despair; there is a way out of your troubles.

BOTH COUNTRYMEN. Tell us, we pray thee!

SECOND WAG. Each of you must take a gourd from his basket there and tie it around his ankle. Then, in the morning, when you awake, you will each know that it is yourself and none other.

FIRST COUNTRYMAN (to Second Countryman, joyfully). Dost thou hear? By our gourds we shall know!

SECOND COUNTRYMAN (joyfully). I hear! Thanks and yet again more thanks to thee, good sir!

[The Wags turn to go.]

FIRST WAG. May you know yourselves in the morning for what you truly are!

[They go, laughing aside. Each Countryman ties a gourd around his ankle, wraps his blanket round him, and lies down. They sleep. Pause.

Enter the WAGS softly, each carrying a small flag. They remove the gourds from Countrymen's ankles and hide them under their blankets. They then tie the flags around Countrymen's ankles and go, greatly pleased with their joke.]