The porch of a country church appears at the right in the foreground. It is brilliantly white, with a roof of black shingle. Near the entrance is a sort of pillory, at the foot of which KERSTI lies in penitential garb, with the hood pulled forward to cover her face.
A big lake, surrounded by a typical Dalecarlian landscape, forms the background. At the foot of the open place before the church is a boat-landing. A point of land projects into the lake at the right, and there stands the scaffold, consisting of a simple wooden platform with a block on it. Two soldiers, fully armed, stand "at ease" by the entrance to the porch, from within which an organ prelude is heard when the curtain rises.
Two large "church-boats" (of the kind used on Lake Siljan in Dalecarlia) gliding slowly forward from opposite directions, arrive at the landing simultaneously. The rowers have raised their oars and appear to be disputing about the right of landing.
MATS'S RELATIVES are in the boat at the left; KERSTI'S RELATIVES in the boat at the right.
MATS'S RELATIVES. Look out, Mewlings!
KERSTI'S RELATIVES. Look out, millers!
MATS'S RELATIVES. [Raising their oars in menace] Look out!
KERSTI'S RELATIVES. [In the same way] Look out!
MATS'S RELATIVES. Can you match us with eight pairs?
KERSTI'S RELATIVES. With sixteen, if needs be! Come on!
MATS'S RELATIVES. At 'em! At 'em!
They begin to fight with the oars.
PASTOR. [Standing bareheaded in prow of the boat at the left] Peace! Peace in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ!