Tales Before Tolkien

by Douglas A. Anderson

  Lila. Maidens three like living wands

  Rosa. Artless wild their locks

  Lila. Of the dawn their unquiet gowns

  Rosa. Of the twilight’s glowing

  Lila. On their shadowy faces frowns

  Rosa. Matched their hearts unknowing

  Lila. Strangers three leapt on the shore

  Rosa. Breakers’ rude play scorning

  Lila. Gleamed the panoply they wore

  Rosa. Clashed its dreadful warning

  Lila. Bold were they like forest lions

  Rosa. Tall and young and knightly

  Lila. Seemed they well imperial scions

  Rosa. Bearing birth so rightly

  Lila. He whose shield was all dim gold

  Its device, a flame—

  “You who shall marry me,

  I am the Prince of Hungary

  Know well my name!”

  Rosa. He whose moony silver shield

  Held for device a tower—

  “You who shall marry me,

  I am the Prince of Muscovy

  This is my hour—

  Know well my name!”

  Lila, Rosa. “You who shall marry me,

  I am the Prince of (Hungary/Muscovy)

  Know well my name!”

  Violetta. But he whose shield as innocence as white

  And empty of device—

  “You who shall marry me,

  First shall you name me—

  Love bears my name!”

  Lila, Rosa, “You who shall marry me

  Violetta. Know first my name!”

  (The song, when hardly ended, is as if broken by a loud discord from behind, though which, however, seems to sound the same fairy music as before. The sisters start round, to see Mother Nightshade emerged from the cave’s blackness. In one hand she bears her long staff, in the other a dish with three mince-pies. Lila retreats in fear, Rosa is struck motionless, but Violetta seems to be drawn step by step towards the Witch.)

  Nightshade. (with a cackling laugh) Well sung, gooselings!

  Featly you’ve chanted

  Your future ganders

  And bold Alexanders!

  Pity ’twould be

  Were you all at sea

  Your wishes ungranted!

  Violetta. Aren’t you the Witch?

  Nightshade. Rich as a witch!

  Witch-rich!

  Here’s of my treasure

  For your good pleasure!

  I came myself

  Your fay, I guessed

  Might allow her affection

  For your three chits

  To outstrip her wits

  And so it were best

  This slight reflection

  These pies here—look!

  Should come with the cook!

  (She sets down the dish of pies.)

  Lila. (awed) But—but what are they?

  Are they for us?

  Rosa. (after turning away to cross herself hurriedly)

  If they are for us

  We could not eat anything at all at present, thank you!

  (aside) In this repulsive supernatural den—

  Mary defend us!

  Nightshade. One here

  Knows no fear.

  Violetta. What should I fear?

  I have not harmed you

  Nor have you ever yet harmed me.

  Nightshade. Youth harms age

  Age is a cage

  But youth goes free

  Cracks and vices come with years

  Blind are eyes and deaf are ears

  Heavy are feet and sharp is tongue

  Age shall never sing a song

  Youth can hear and youth can see

  Youth can leap o’er top of tree

  Youth rejoices, youth is loved

  Age, biting lip, is only moved

  By jealousy.

  Violetta. I know you will not harm us.

  Nightshade. How know you that?

  Violetta. I feel no shrinking from you.

  Nightshade. He! he!

  Strange are all new sensations!

  The Witch is loved!

  Violetta. I did not say I loved you—and yet I might—

  I cannot tell so quickly what I feel.

  I do not think you evil.

  Nightshade. Dare you to kiss me?

  Violetta. A kiss is love

  As yet I neither love nor hate you.

  Nightshade. I’ll beg a kiss from Violetta!

  Violetta. How is my name known to you?

  Nightshade. The Witch knows many things.

  Violetta. Why should you have me kiss you?

  Nightshade. To show you have no fear.

  (Violetta kisses her on the mouth.)

  Nightshade. So sweet it tasted

  As though I were returned to youth itself!

  Your generosity shall be rewarded

  I promise you.

  Rosa. (to Mother Nightshade) Please don’t ask me to kiss you!

  I am not mercenary, and really want

  No witch’s gratitude!

  Lila. Neither ask me!

  So tight and cold and fasting are my lips

  I could not kiss at all.

  Nightshade. My guests you are

  Here in this cave—

  Eat you my food!

  ’Twill warm your blood.

  Straight from the oven come these mince-pies

  (She lifts the dish.)

  Try how they smell! Look how they rise!

  And what you crave

  May well be inside

  With hunger for guide!

  (She sets the dish down again.)

  Eat, I beseech!—

  A pie for each.

  Lila. (quickly) Rosa, you must refuse for us at once!—

  At other times one does not have to prompt you!

  Nigthtshade. You care not to accept my poor refreshment!

  But that can soon be altered—

  (She goes about the dish of pies three times, passing her staff over them, chanting.)

  Pies, forthright

  Put out might!

  Put forth hunger

  Till no longer

  Timid hand

  Doth you withstand!

  Open eyes in admiration!—

  Open mouths in expectation!—

  Tingle tongues of maidens three!

  Eaten be, and eaten be!

  She who gave you form and number

  Blows you up to flame from ember—

  Be your magic nature strong!

  Here I end my Witch’s song.

  Violetta. (drawing near her) May we not hear what is that magic nature?

  Nightshade. Princes your sisters want—

  Love, you

  Here in the pies lie Princes twain

  One for one girl, and one again.

  Love lies never within the spell

  So choose you wisely and choose you well!

  Violetta. I wish no Prince, but she who finds no Prince

  What shall she find?

  Nightshade. Quick-stricken was the elf-maid Emerald

  When I acquainted her before your coming—

  A man without a friend!

  Him shall she wed, who does not wed a Prince.

  Violetta. Poor man!

  Lila. (coming forward) Most fortunately, however, this falls out!

  For Rosa wants a Prince, and I do, too

  While you’re indifferent, Violetta, dear!

  Quite suitable, for all we know, may be the third.

  Rosa. (to her sisters) My honesty I need not dwell upon—

  I freely grant a friendless man for husband

  Would never tempt me, for I like my friends

  And do not wish to live as in a desert.

  You, Violetta, have never thought like that

  And so it well may be that for this once

  Lila is right.

  Nightshade. What says my kindest youngling?

  Violetta. For lov
e, I’d marry him who had no friend

  And think me happy that I was his friend—

  His only friend.

  Lila. So we’re agreed! Your heart, my Violetta

  Is framed for love—it cannot fail to love

  Whome’er it pleases. No doubt in the world ’twill be

  A very excellent match.

  Rosa. (to Violetta) Indeed unjust ’twould be to withhold from us

  The coming of our dream you do not care for.

  Lila. And, sweetest Violetta, pray don’t fear

  That our more splendid marriages shall end

  The affection which has ever been between us.

  In this one matter—insist he how he will—

  I’ll cross my princely husband.

  Rosa. Why make assurances of our characters

  To one who is a very part of us?

  Am I a person—once I shall be in my palace

  Commanding and arranging everything—

  To dread to let my sister call me sister?

  (to Violetta) Godmother to your children even I’ll be.

  Lila. (to Witch) So now that we have settled it, I beg you show us

  Which of the pies is which, and we can eat them

  At once, without delay.

  Nightshade. Already I see

  The hunger works!

  Reckless as gobblers—

  Greedy as Turks!

  One maid only the chant not moves

  Because her heart already loves

  When door stands wide

  And treasure’s inside

  Useless the key!

  Rosa. In short, it’s evident which has won your favour

  Of us three sisters. And she’s welcome to it

  (Meaning no rudeness!) if you will but tell us

  What she, as well as we, requires to know—

  Which pie we each must eat, to our desire!

  Nightshade. He! he!

  Were I to tell you that, the spell were lost!

  Discover for yourselves!

  Lila. The pies are all alike!

  Nightshade. I go to fetch your Emerald the sprite

  Hers are your Princes (he who’s none is mine!)

  It’s proper you should thank her for her bounty.

  Taste you no crumb till my return

  When your three choices we will learn—

  Your three lots in the fatal churn

  Churning your fates from dreams to men!

  E’en while you bite

  I’ll read the fates right

  But when with maiden’s substance is mixed

  The witch-pie magic—fast-fixed! fast-fixed!

  Those fates will be—

  Full willingly

  I’ll speak them then!

  (She points towards the ground.)

  See yonder snail

  In house of horn

  Hastening slowly

  Like ship in sail

  By zephyr borne!

  Ere it wins

  That stony crack

  Like a man’s sins

  I’ll be back.

  So delay not to choose

  Which husband is whose

  While to speed your intent

  I’ll add one last hint—

  On what shall be bitten

  The names are written!

  (Exit)

  Lila. Heavens! what mystery has she spoken now?

  Are they inscribed like ancient monuments

  Or birthday-cakes, these pies?

  (Rosa doubtfully takes up a mince-pie, then utters a startled exclamation.)

  Rosa. Look! Writing in fire! It’s scarcely holy!

  (Lila quickly seizes one of the two remaining pies, first to stare at it, then to turn it round in her fingers while she reads to herself what is written on it. Meanwhile Violetta more quietly takes and glances at the last pie.)

  Lila. Listen to this!—

  “She who me takes

  Fortune shakes.”

  I’ll keep this one—until I’ve heard the others.

  Rosa, how runs yours?

  Rosa. (reading aloud) “She who me eats

  Day-dawn greets.”

  Lila. It’s too mysterious—I like mine better.

  (to Violetta) Your one has sorcery writing, too?

  Violetta. (handing her pie to Lila) You read it—and if you wish to, keep it

  Instead of yours.

  Lila. (reading aloud) “She who me chooses

  Nothing loses.”

  I’ll keep my own.

  (She returns Violetta her pie.)

  “She who me takes,

  Fortune shakes”—

  The promise is transparent

  For if you shake a tree, down comes its fruit—

  The goodly fruit of Fortune—in my case

  A Prince! More difficult are your two legends.

  Rosa. Because you’re young and dull of comprehension!

  The election is soon made for older me.

  Nothing to lose is not therefore to gain

  Something—while on the other hand be sure

  The day-dawn is to banish hateful night—

  My night of hopeless longing for the things

  I have not!—This I hold, without a doubt,

  Is best of all the choices!

  Lila. We dare not lightly guess, and praise our guesses—

  Too much depends on it. For we shall never

  So near Princesses be a second time

  In our dim, moveless lives. So, Violetta—

  Cool as you are, uncaring as you seem—

  Say what you think about these oracles!

  It often is said that they without the will

  Are clear-sighted.

  Rosa. (to Violetta) We’ll trust your loyalty and candour.

  Violetta. I’d help you, but I see no more than you

  Into the meanings.

  Rosa. You would, but do not, help us!

  Violetta. To help you, I am giving up my choice.

  Lila. You’re most unkind!

  Rosa. I hope she is not more than most unkind!

  Surely by your strange sympathy, Violetta,

  With that old hag, her handiwork you’d know?

  We only ask which is the unblest pie!

  Violetta. Poor anxious sisters! if I knew, I’d say.

  Rosa. What use then was it to be her pet, and kiss her!

  Violetta. Indeed, no use.

  Lila. (smiling wryly) Still you may think you have a useful friend

  At court! How we decide, little you care—

  You won’t be left to wander in the cold!

  Violetta. You scar your heart, to have such evil thoughts.

  Truly I felt her bodily seeming hid

  Another spirit in her. Hardly a witch

  She was. And so I kissed her—for she wanted it—

  Not anything the feeling was to gain me.

  Rosa. Though you may chance to reap a gain from it!

  (While the sisters are contending, enter behind them silently from the cave’s interior Mother Nightshade and Emerald. The Witch’s face is muffled. For a minute they stand unnoticed, overhearing the talk. Then the Witch takes a single stride to approach the girls swiftly, and stamps her foot. They see her, and Rosa and Lila recoil, but Violetta stays where she is.)

  Nightshade. (in a shrill and awful, yet lovely, voice of command) Peace!

  (There is a hush, while faint music plays, But it soon stops.)

  Nightshade. (more quietly) Peace!—all of you. Emerald, be you my tongue!

  Emerald. I may not say I cannot

  And yet, alas! I scarcely have a tongue

  Even for myself!

  Frightened I am—

  Melancholy and miserable

  And everything a fairy should not be.

  I don’t know what I’ve done!

  My ill-considered wish for you three innocents

  Plunges one into woe

  And now the moment has arrivedr />
  When, out of hesitating mists,

  Your fortunes shall take solid lasting shape.

  I have no impudence to show you what to do—

  A life I’ve spoilt!

  Nightshade. (warningly) Emerald!

  Emerald. Oh yes, I know!—

  I must be quick to obey Titania’s ring!—

  But my heart mutinies

  Just like a bird struggling in limy snare!—

  However! since it’s so ruled—come, dear three!

  Divided by a fairy’s airy whim—

  You hold in hand these pies made by the Witch

  Two I have bless’d, one she has far from bless’d—

  You know about them?

  Lila. Yes, indeed we know.

  Emerald. Two girls shall have resounding marriages,

  One, an unkind one—

  Have you the resolution now to eat?

  Rosa. Violetta does not want a Prince

  Only whether we have chosen right

  We’re not quite sure.

  Emerald. But now you must decide.

  Lila. Then we’ll decide to keep the one in our hand,

  Each of us. Please—please be quick!

  Rosa. What must we do?

  Emerald. As one by one I shall invite you

  Tell me aloud what pie it is you hold

  Then, to the last crumb and currant, eat it up!

  Rosa. My privilege is to be first—nor would I shirk it

  Though all this weird to-do were much more horrid!

  Lila. For, in the books, the eldest of the sisters

  Always goes first!

  Rosa. In those same books, the youngest is most fair

  And therefore she’s triumphant. Now is real life—

  Different in all respects, though very strange.

  I’ll call you “highness” when you are one, Lila!

  You do the same for me!

  Lila. Mark that the title is in your mouth first,

  Dear Rosa! Let it be a prophecy!

  Emerald. The Queen of Fairies her ring is here—

  Have care in case it carries back a tale

  Of wrangling maids! Say nothing more at all

  Save to my questions. You, Rosa, speak the first!

  Rosa. I am to meet the dawn—such is the message

  Of my pie!

  (She eats.)

  Emerald. Impatient Lila, what does yours announce?

  Lila. I shall shake Fortune. May I do so truly!

  (She eats.)

  Emerald. Since I am back I have not heard your voice,

  Quiet Violetta! What then promises

  Your writing?

  Violetta. I nothing lose.

  Emerald. So won’t you eat?

  Violetta. (thoughtfully and looking away) Why must I eat,

  Thereby to keep the things I’d rather lose?

  Am I so gracious that I have no ugliness

  Or awkwardness—so saintly that there’s in me

  No trace of envy, spite or meanness—I could lose?

  But if it says, I am to lose no good