(Each taking one of THE GIRLS, kissing and fondling her and laughing and skipping with delight.) And I choose this one, because she smells so nice!... I choose this one!... I choose this one!...
THE FIRST CHILD
(Intervening.) One moment, one moment, if you please.... This has nothing to do with us; our turn will come. You know that only the smallest have the right to choose who is to be their mother. All we have to do is to help them with our advice and to stop them if they make mistakes; but that's a thing which has never happened yet. They were quite some distance away, at the principal gate, but they won't be long now.
TYLTYL
Here come some bigger ones!
(Enter a new group of CHILDREN, apparently about fifteen years of age. The oldest goes to TYLTYL and shakes hands with him.)
THE OLDEST CHILD
Good-evening, great-grandfather!...
TYLTYL
Who's that? I? I'm a great-grandfather now!...