Oomuz: How should we know that? None knows the need of the Queen.
[Oomuz returns to guard his heap.
Zoon: What think you, Oomuz? What think you is this need of the Queen?
[Oomuz shakes his head about three times. Prince of Zoon sighs.
Several Princes (together wearily): Heigho.
Melifor: Take comfort in our heritage, illustrious comrades. Come! We will drink to the sun.
Some: To the sun! To the sun! (They drink.)
Meliflor: To the golden idle hours! (He drinks.) Let us be worthy, glorious companions, of our exalted calling. Let us enjoy the days of idleness. Sing to us, mighty one of Zoon, as the idle hours go by. Sing us a song.
Moomoomon (idly): Yes, sing to us.
Zoon: As you all know, I can but hum. But I will hum you a song that I heard yesterday; very strange it was; sung in the meadows by two that were not of our people; sung in the evening. I heard it as I loitered home from the meadows beyond the marshes. There is no ease in the song, and yet ...