SCENE 3
[The same. The suitors appear in line. The Fortunate Lover stands first, the Maiden, whose hand he holds, just behind him. The other suitors, in fantastic dress, are in the rear. They enter at right of stage, as it would appear to spectators.]
The evening came, and with it too,
There came the suitors fine.
They had prepared themselves, and now
Were waiting on the line.
Lover advances and crosses to farther side of cat, from which side he feeds her. Maiden remains on same side.
And first there came the favored one,
The maiden by his side,
Although she trembled for their fate,
She sought her fears to hide.
Maiden appears to tremble.
And as her lover fed the cat,
She watched with great alarm,
For cats are treacherous, you know,
And prone to do us harm.
The cat, she moved her solemn jaws,
As one by one the rats
Were swallowed down, and followed by
The spiders, snakes, and bats.
The lover and maiden kneel to cat, then in despair they rise and move away. Both lover and maiden retreat to extreme left of stage.
But yet, alas! she would not wink,
The lover’s heart to cheer,
And so he had to move away,
With sorrow and with fear.
Second suitor of the three now approaches the cat and appears very humble, serving her upon his knees.
The second suitor now approached,
A humble knight was he;
To win the favor of the cat,
He even bent the knee.
His offering was served to her
Upon a dish of gold,
And truly it was marvelous
His homage to behold.
Second suitor goes to left of cat, and stands with back to cat, and head bowed in despair.
Third suitor strides up with a flourish.
He stepped aside, and now the third
Approached with ready grace;
He did not bow as did his friend,
But showed a brazen face.
Beckons to second suitor, who slowly turns around.
“Come on!” cried he, with angry tone
Unto his comrade meek.
“Why hang you backward? We shall lose
The prize we came to seek.
Second suitor reluctantly approaches cat and begins to feed her again.
They stroke cat’s fur, and she spits and hisses.
“Come here beside me, we will feed
The sacred cat until
She blinks her eyes, for that’s the sign
Which she will sure fulfil.”
Knights kneel.
And so they worked with eager care;
The cat devoured the treat,
Yet would not wink, although the knights
Were kneeling at her feet.
Lovers appear to weep.
And in a lonely corner stood
The lover and the maid.
The sign had failed, the cat was false,
And they were sore dismayed.
Suitors leap and dance, with their hands caught in the cat’s mouth. Cat winks violently.
But all at once a piercing cry!
The suitors screamed with fright,
The cat had caught them with her teeth
And winked with all her might!
Maiden and lover run off stage.
“She winks her eyes, it is the sign!
Oh, hurry, we are free!
A ladder bring,” the maiden cried,
“And I’ll escape with thee!”
[Screen the Light]