Chapter V: Act III: Scene 1

(_Outside the thorn hedge that separates the palace of the Sleeping Beauty from the world. A horn is heard off stage. Presently the Prince enters with horn and spear. He stands in front of the hedge and blows again, then calls._)

PRINCE.

Haloo--haloo.

ANSWER (_faintly_).

Haloo.

PRINCE.

Come on this way,
I’ve found a little clearing--come along.

(_Crackling outside and Gentleman in Waiting appears._)

GENTLEMAN.

Zounds, but I’m all scratched up--these beastly thorns
Are just like lion’s claws. Where are we now?

PRINCE (_shrugging his shoulders_).

Oh don’t ask me--I’m perfectly at sea--

GENTLEMAN.

It seems to me we’re more like in the woods.

PRINCE (_laughing_).

Ha--ha--you’re right--come on old boy, cheer up.

GENTLEMAN (_grumpily_).

Humph--what’s the use, we’re lost--we’ve got to starve.
We’ve followed this old claw thorn hedge all day,
The forest is as thick as banks of spears,
Solid--it is--our falcon’s blown away--
We didn’t get the stag we chased--gadzooks
My arm’s like ribbons on a maying pole.

PRINCE.

Oh well, cheer up, at least we’re still alive.

GENTLEMAN.

That’s just the trouble. If I weren’t alive
I wouldn’t know how beastly starved I am.

PRINCE (_sitting down comfortably with his back to the
hedge_).

I guess we’ll last a little longer.

GENTLEMAN.

Humph!

PRINCE (_feeling in his pouch_).

Look here, look here, I’ve got a bit of bread,
I brought it out to feed the falcon with.
Here take it if you’re hungry. (_He tosses it to Gentleman._)

GENTLEMAN (_glumly_).

No, sire, no--

PRINCE (_breaking it and taking much the smaller
piece_).

We’ll share it then. (_He feels again in his pouch._)
Why, here’s a piece of cheese!

GENTLEMAN (_starting to put it in his mouth_).

Good--good.

PRINCE.

Oh, no, it’s just a candle’s end.

GENTLEMAN.

Ugh! I was just about to eat it--bah!

PRINCE.

Here save it--we may have to eat it yet.

GENTLEMAN.

The bread is awfully dry--I wish I had
A good meat pastry now--

PRINCE.

With brown old ale!
(_Singing lustily._) Oh give me the good meat pies of old;
Oh give me the foaming ale,
And the flaming logs when the day grows cold
And at dusk the minstrel’s tale--
Oh give me a sword with a straight blue blade,
And the tourney’s clash and din--
And a merrie heart and unafraid,
And a princess fair to win!
Oh give--

[Music: THE PRINCE’S SONG.

F. FANCHER--

Maestoso--]

GENTLEMAN (_nervously_).

My lord, pray do you think it wise--
To sing--well, quite so loudly?

PRINCE.

Well, why not?
Think I’ll disturb the birds--or do you think
I’ll make them jealous? (_Stands up, takes off his hat and bows._)
Birds, I humbly crave thy pardons.

GENTLEMAN (_rising_).

No, my Lord--I only thought
That since we don’t know what is hidden there--
Your voice perhaps--

PRINCE.

Yes, I’ll admit my voice
May startle even dragons into rage.

GENTLEMAN (_in fear_).

Oh, no, don’t say you think there’s dragons there.

(_Pointing behind hedge._)

PRINCE.

I shouldn’t be surprised--big scaly ones.

GENTLEMAN (_putting an eye fearsomely to hedge_).

I don’t see any; oh let’s go away.
I wouldn’t want to meet a dragon--sire.

PRINCE.

You’re safe enough I think--the hedge seems high
And sharp enough to keep all dragons out. (_then seeing that the
Gentleman is truly terrified._)
Why I was only fooling you, old boy.
The only dragons live in minstrels’ tales--
There’s not one left alive these days. But still
There’s _something_ queer about these woods.

GENTLEMAN.

I know.
Too queer for me!

PRINCE.

Why all day long I’ve thought
Of those old minstrels’ tales I used to love
When I was just a little lad, and sat
Before the great log fire, listening,
So thrilled and frightened that I hardly breathed.

GENTLEMAN.

I always went to sleep when minstrels came (_sitting down_).

PRINCE.

And there was one tale that they used to tell
About this very forest, so they say,
That there was once a castle here, and all
The people in it were asleep: the King
And Queen, and even all the mice and rats
Were sleeping. And there was a Princess, too,
So beautiful she made your heart stand still.
I used to dream about her on those nights,
And wake and look across our battlements,
And vow I’d marry her when I grew up.
But those were minstrels’ tales--(_He sighs_)
Come on, wake up--(_He shakes Gentleman’s shoulder._)
I swear I’ll find a way inside the hedge.

GENTLEMAN.

Oh don’t--oh don’t, I’m sure it isn’t safe.

PRINCE (_nobly_).

Seek safety when we’re old, but while we’re young
We’ll seek adventure with courageous hearts!

GENTLEMAN (_sighing_).

All right my lord, you’re right--As usual.
But still I think that we were fools to come
And hunt here in these woods when everyone
Said it was dangerous.

PRINCE.

Old women’s talk! (_He searches up and down hedge._)
I wonder what’s behind it. Oh look here!
I see an opening I think--yes--yes--(_He crawls half through hedge,
his feet sticking back._)
It’s tiny--I can make it bigger though.

GENTLEMAN.

You’re fooling me again.

PRINCE.

I’m not I swear--(_He works at making hole bigger._)

GENTLEMAN.

Well, I believe you--for you never lie.

PRINCE.

Haloo--I’m through. Well, by my halidome!

GENTLEMAN.

What do you see?

PRINCE.

Well by my halidome!

GENTLEMAN (_terrified_).

What is it? Are you hurt my lord?
Come out (_he tries to pull the Prince back by his legs_).

PRINCE.

Good heavens, no--let go you idiot
You’ll pull my legs off--hi--let go I say.

(_Gentleman lets go--the Prince disappears and speaks from outside._)

GENTLEMAN.

A dragon’s got you! Oh, my lord--my lord.

PRINCE.

No, no, there’s not a sign of one--but oh
Come through, come quick, oh, oh, how wonderful:
A palace, gray and old, and everything
All grown around it, thick rank vines and trees--
And crumbling turrets, and a drawbridge, too,
All tumbling in, and there’s a green old moat.
Come, let’s explore the castle, hurry through.

(_The Gentleman in Waiting fearsomely scrambles through._)

Curtain.