MICHAEL [sullenly] No, no more glass, to-day!
PIPER
Then fire and sword!
[They back away.]
So!—And there's not one man
In Hamelin, here, so honest of his word.
Stroller! A pretty choice you leave us.—Quit
This strolling life, or stroll into a cage!
What do you offer him? A man eats fire—
Swords, glass, young April frogs—
CHILDREN
Do it again!
Do it again!
PIPER
You say to such a man,—
'Come be a monk! A weaver!' Pretty choice.
Here's Cheat-the-Devil, now.
PETER the Cobbler
But what's his name?
PIPER
He doesn't know. What would you? Nor do I.
But for the something he has seen of life,
Making men merry, he 'd know something more!
The gentlest devil ever spiked Lost Souls
Into Hell-mouth,—for nothing-by-the-day!
OLD URSULA [with her ear-trumpet] Piper, why do you call him Cheat-the-Devil?
PIPER
Because his deviltry is all a cheat:—
He is no devil,—but a gentle heart!
—Friend Michael here hath played the Devil, betimes,
Because he can so bravely breathe out fire.
He plied the pitchfork so we yelped for mercy,—
He reckoned not the stoutness of his arm!—
But Cheat-the-Devil here,—he would not hurt
Why—Kurt the Syndic—thrusting him in hell.
[Laughter.
CHEAT-THE-DEVIL [unhappily] No, no—I will not hurt him!
PIPER
[soothingly to him]
Merry, boy!
[To the townsfolk]
And,—if ye will have reasons, good,—ye see,—
I want—one thousand guilders.