VOICE
She has graz'd my side,
Look at the wounds, how deep and how wide!
WITCHES (in chorus)
The way is broad, the way is long;
What mad pursuit! What tumult wild!
Scratches the besom and sticks the prong;
Crush'd is the mother, and stifled the child.
WIZARDS (half chorus)
Like house-encumber'd snail we creep;
While far ahead the women keep,
For when to the devil's house we speed,
By a thousand steps they take the lead.
THE OTHER HALF
Not so, precisely do we view it;
They with a thousand steps may do it;
But let them hasten as they can,
With one long bound 'tis clear'd by man.
VOICES (above)
Come with us, come with us from Felsensee.
VOICES (from below)
Aloft to you we would mount with glee!
We wash, and free from all stain are we,
Yet barren evermore must be!
BOTH CHORUSES
The wind is hushed, the stars grow pale,
The pensive moon her light doth veil;
And whirling on, the magic choir
Sputters forth sparks of drizzling fire.
VOICE (from below)
Stay! stay!
VOICE (from above)
What voice of woe
Calls from the cavern'd depths below?
VOICE (from below)
Take me with you! Oh take me too!
Three centuries I climb in vain,
And yet can ne'er the summit gain!
To be with my kindred I am fain.
BOTH CHORUSES
Broom and pitch-fork, goat and prong,
Mounted on these we whirl along;
Who vainly strives to climb tonight,
Is evermore a luckless wight!
DEMI-WITCH (below)
I hobble after, many a day;
Already the others are far away!
No rest at home can I obtain—
Here too my efforts are in vain!
CHORUS OF WITCHES
Salve gives the witches strength to rise;
A rag for a sail does well enough;
A goodly ship is every trough;
Tonight who flies not, never flies.
BOTH CHORUSES
And when the topmost peak we round,
Then alight ye on the ground;
The heath's wide regions cover ye
With your mad swarms of witchery!
[They let themselves down.]