TENTH ACTION(The Wounded Pedlar)

STAGE A

While theOutcastshave been approaching, CASPAR has come forth from the Place of the Tree and watched them coming.

Now, where he joins BELSHASAR and MELCHIOR, the THREE KINGS call, in song, to the dim Figures who draw near.

Carol 8. Trio and Solo. Ballad of the Kings and the PedlarTHE THREE KINGSWho are ye that come singing in darkness,Outcast in the desert so late?CLAUSO Kings, it is me, Claus the Pedlar,And these be my children and mate.THE THREE KINGSWho are those there, your comrades, beside you:Those shadows, say, who should they be?CLAUSThey be Death, and his young brother, Sorrow,And his old brother, Poverty.THE THREE KINGSNay, but who is that other amidst them,That lifteth her face: What is she?CLAUSThat is Song, and she is their sisterWho waiteth upon them, all three.(Claus,Ruthand the twoChildrenhave now joined theThree Kings.)CASPARGoodman, why are the eyes of your womanSo weary of look and so wild?CLAUSHe hath broken our home, hath King Herod,And killed us our new-born child.Now tell us, ye Kings that be Wise Men,Now tell us, where darkly we roam:What right hath a king of a pedlarTo rob him his child and his home?MELCHIORA king hath the right of his powerTo raise high his glory and crown.CLAUSThen it’s Claus hath the right of a pedlarTo pull his high glory adown.CASPARA king hath his host and his captainsTo shatter the weak with his horde.CLAUSThen it’s Claus he will be his own captainTo sharpen the edge of his sword.BELSHASARNay, a king hath the might of his lordship’Tis death for his slave to defy.CLAUSThen it’s me hath the right of my manshipTo master his might or to die.For ’tis God is my King and not Herod,And God he keepeth no slave;And liever than live Herod’s henchmanI’ll lie a free man in the grave.So I dared him his host and his captains,And struck for my babe a sword blow;And ’tis here they have broken my body;With Death now right soon must I go.CASPARNay, cheerly, Claus! Cheerly, goodwife and kiddies!Now you have wandered to a lucky place.Our Evergreen shall heal your hurt. Run, Elf,And fetch him balsam gum to balm his wounds.(Elfruns within.)CLAUSNo balsam gum can heal us our lost babe.Ruth, wife, where lieth now his little body?RUTHDeath holds him fast. Death holdeth him forever.MELCHIORHerod is king. Ye should have awe of kingsAnd bow before them.BELSHASARWe are kings and wise,And warn you what you owe to Herod.CLAUSHerod!I have paid back to Herod all I owe him—The red blade of this broken sword.CASPARBrave said!Give me the hasp. See, we will hang it hereOn this green bough, to be your shining crossOf freedom and remembrance—yea, a signFor Herods, when they pass, to pause and think on.MELCHIOR(ToBelshasar)He flouteth what we say!(Belshasarshrugs, but motionsMelchiorto listen.Elfreturns.)CASPARSo, Pedlar Claus,Lay-by thy pack, and rest you here till morrow;Tend him, good Elf and Gnome. Now, mother, bravely!These beasties shall make hospitalityAnd share their holy frost-cakes with your children,Wiping their eyes with love: And these war-weary,Glad of our Evergreen, shall take new hopeFrom yon clear star.(He helpsClausto rise and supports him to the foot of the Tree, where he places his pack forClausto recline. The stretcher is borne away. Far off, a long blast sounds.)BELSHASARHark, hark! What trumpet calls?MELCHIOR’Tis Herod’s host. Take heed!RUTHGod shield us now!(She turns towardCaspar, who comforts her and theChildren.)

Carol 8. Trio and Solo. Ballad of the Kings and the Pedlar

THE THREE KINGS

Who are ye that come singing in darkness,Outcast in the desert so late?

Who are ye that come singing in darkness,

Outcast in the desert so late?

CLAUS

O Kings, it is me, Claus the Pedlar,And these be my children and mate.

O Kings, it is me, Claus the Pedlar,

And these be my children and mate.

THE THREE KINGS

Who are those there, your comrades, beside you:Those shadows, say, who should they be?

Who are those there, your comrades, beside you:

Those shadows, say, who should they be?

CLAUS

They be Death, and his young brother, Sorrow,And his old brother, Poverty.

They be Death, and his young brother, Sorrow,

And his old brother, Poverty.

THE THREE KINGS

Nay, but who is that other amidst them,That lifteth her face: What is she?

Nay, but who is that other amidst them,

That lifteth her face: What is she?

CLAUS

That is Song, and she is their sisterWho waiteth upon them, all three.

That is Song, and she is their sister

Who waiteth upon them, all three.

(Claus,Ruthand the twoChildrenhave now joined theThree Kings.)

CASPAR

Goodman, why are the eyes of your womanSo weary of look and so wild?

Goodman, why are the eyes of your woman

So weary of look and so wild?

CLAUS

He hath broken our home, hath King Herod,And killed us our new-born child.

He hath broken our home, hath King Herod,

And killed us our new-born child.

Now tell us, ye Kings that be Wise Men,Now tell us, where darkly we roam:What right hath a king of a pedlarTo rob him his child and his home?

Now tell us, ye Kings that be Wise Men,

Now tell us, where darkly we roam:

What right hath a king of a pedlar

To rob him his child and his home?

MELCHIOR

A king hath the right of his powerTo raise high his glory and crown.

A king hath the right of his power

To raise high his glory and crown.

CLAUS

Then it’s Claus hath the right of a pedlarTo pull his high glory adown.

Then it’s Claus hath the right of a pedlar

To pull his high glory adown.

CASPAR

A king hath his host and his captainsTo shatter the weak with his horde.

A king hath his host and his captains

To shatter the weak with his horde.

CLAUS

Then it’s Claus he will be his own captainTo sharpen the edge of his sword.

Then it’s Claus he will be his own captain

To sharpen the edge of his sword.

BELSHASAR

Nay, a king hath the might of his lordship’Tis death for his slave to defy.

Nay, a king hath the might of his lordship

’Tis death for his slave to defy.

CLAUS

Then it’s me hath the right of my manshipTo master his might or to die.

Then it’s me hath the right of my manship

To master his might or to die.

For ’tis God is my King and not Herod,And God he keepeth no slave;And liever than live Herod’s henchmanI’ll lie a free man in the grave.

For ’tis God is my King and not Herod,

And God he keepeth no slave;

And liever than live Herod’s henchman

I’ll lie a free man in the grave.

So I dared him his host and his captains,And struck for my babe a sword blow;And ’tis here they have broken my body;With Death now right soon must I go.

So I dared him his host and his captains,

And struck for my babe a sword blow;

And ’tis here they have broken my body;

With Death now right soon must I go.

CASPAR

Nay, cheerly, Claus! Cheerly, goodwife and kiddies!Now you have wandered to a lucky place.Our Evergreen shall heal your hurt. Run, Elf,And fetch him balsam gum to balm his wounds.

Nay, cheerly, Claus! Cheerly, goodwife and kiddies!

Now you have wandered to a lucky place.

Our Evergreen shall heal your hurt. Run, Elf,

And fetch him balsam gum to balm his wounds.

(Elfruns within.)

CLAUS

No balsam gum can heal us our lost babe.Ruth, wife, where lieth now his little body?

No balsam gum can heal us our lost babe.

Ruth, wife, where lieth now his little body?

RUTH

Death holds him fast. Death holdeth him forever.

MELCHIOR

Herod is king. Ye should have awe of kingsAnd bow before them.

Herod is king. Ye should have awe of kings

And bow before them.

BELSHASAR

We are kings and wise,And warn you what you owe to Herod.

We are kings and wise,

And warn you what you owe to Herod.

CLAUS

Herod!I have paid back to Herod all I owe him—The red blade of this broken sword.

Herod!

I have paid back to Herod all I owe him—

The red blade of this broken sword.

CASPAR

Brave said!Give me the hasp. See, we will hang it hereOn this green bough, to be your shining crossOf freedom and remembrance—yea, a signFor Herods, when they pass, to pause and think on.

Brave said!

Give me the hasp. See, we will hang it here

On this green bough, to be your shining cross

Of freedom and remembrance—yea, a sign

For Herods, when they pass, to pause and think on.

MELCHIOR

(ToBelshasar)

He flouteth what we say!

(Belshasarshrugs, but motionsMelchiorto listen.Elfreturns.)

CASPAR

So, Pedlar Claus,Lay-by thy pack, and rest you here till morrow;Tend him, good Elf and Gnome. Now, mother, bravely!These beasties shall make hospitalityAnd share their holy frost-cakes with your children,Wiping their eyes with love: And these war-weary,Glad of our Evergreen, shall take new hopeFrom yon clear star.

So, Pedlar Claus,

Lay-by thy pack, and rest you here till morrow;

Tend him, good Elf and Gnome. Now, mother, bravely!

These beasties shall make hospitality

And share their holy frost-cakes with your children,

Wiping their eyes with love: And these war-weary,

Glad of our Evergreen, shall take new hope

From yon clear star.

(He helpsClausto rise and supports him to the foot of the Tree, where he places his pack forClausto recline. The stretcher is borne away. Far off, a long blast sounds.)

BELSHASAR

Hark, hark! What trumpet calls?

MELCHIOR

’Tis Herod’s host. Take heed!

RUTH

God shield us now!

(She turns towardCaspar, who comforts her and theChildren.)

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