ACT I. THE HOUSE OF MONS NILSSON AT COPPERBERG
ACT II. SCENE I. THE HANSEATIC OFFICE AT STOCKHOLM
SCENE II. THE BLUE DOVE INN
ACT III. THE KING'S STUDY
ACT IV. SCENE I. SQUARE IN FRONT OF THE HANSEATIC OFFICE
SCENE II. THE STUDY OF MASTER OLAVUS
ACT V. THE GARDEN TERRACE IN FRONT OF THE ROYAL PALACE
AT STOCKHOLM
ACT I
The main living-room in MONS NILSSON'S house at Copperberg (which is the old name of the present city of Falun in Dalecarlia).
There is a door in the rear, with a window on either side, through which are visible small city houses with snow-covered roofs and the flames belching from many blast-furnaces. A large open fireplace with mantelpiece occupies the center of the right wall. A fine log fire is going in the fireplace. On the same side, nearer the footlights, is a door.
A long tablefills the middle of the floor. At its farther end stands an armchair with cushions on the seat and bright textiles draped over the back and the arm supports. Wooden benches run along the two long sides of the table.
Wooden seats are placed along the left wall.
Above the wainscotting of the walls appear large, simple frescoes depicting the adventures of GUSTAVUS VASA in Dalecarlia (at the beginning of the war of liberation). The one at the left of the rear door shows him at the home of Master John at Svärdsjö; the one at the right pictures him threshing in the barn of ANDERS PERSSON OF RANKHYTTAN (while Danish soldiers are searching the place for him).
The ringing of a church-bell is heard from the outside as the curtain rises.
MONS NILSSON is seated at the table, writing. His WIFE is arranging tankards and beakers of silver on the mantelshelf.
MONS. That's four o'clock, is it not?
WIFE. Of course.
MONS. Sounds like fire.
WIFE. Is that any special sound?
MONS. Yes, it sounds like "help-help, help-help!"