________________________________________________
_ ACT I - SCENE I
SCENE--A cottage in Sweden.--CATHERINE, a young and handsome woman, is sitting at her spinning wheel.--A little Boy and Girl, of six and seven years of age, are seated on the ground eating their dinner.
CATHERINE sings, while she is spinning.
Haste from the wars, oh, haste to me,
The wife that fondly waits for thee;
Long are the years, and long each day,
While my loved soldier's far away.
Haste from the wars, &c.
Lone ev'ry field, and lone the bow'r;
Pleasant to me nor sun nor show'r:
The snows are gone, the flow'rs are gay--
Why is my life of life away?
Haste from the wars, &c.
Little Girl.
When will father come home?
Little Boy.
When will he come, mother? when? To-day? to-morrow?
Cath.
No, not to-day, nor to-morrow, but soon, I hope, very soon;
for they say the wars are over.
Little Girl.
I am glad of that, and when father comes home,
I'll give him some of my flowers.
Little Boy
(who is still eating).
And I'll give him some of my bread and cheese, which he'll like better than flowers, if he is as hungry as I am, and that to be sure he will be, after coming such a long, long journey.
Little Girl.
Long, long journey! how long?
--how far is father off, mother?--where is he?
Little Boy.
I know, he is in--in--in--in--in Finland? how far off, mother?
Cath.
A great many miles, my dear; I don't know how many.
Little Boy.
Is it not two miles to the great house, mother,
where we go to sell our faggots?
Cath.
Yes, about two miles--and now you had best set out towards the great house, and ask Mrs. Ulrica, the housekeeper, to pay you the little bill she owes you for faggots--there's good children; and when you have been paid for your faggots, you can call at the baker's, in the village, and bring home some bread for to-morrow (patting the little boy's head)--you that love bread and cheese so much must work hard to get it.
Little Boy.
Yes, so I will work hard, then I shall have
enough for myself and father too, when he comes. Come along--come
(to his sister)
--and, as we come home through the forest,
I'll show you where we can get plenty of
sticks for to-morrow, and we'll help one another.
Little Girl sings.
That's the best way,
At work and at play,
To help one another--I heard mother say--
To help one another--I heard mother say--
[The children go off, singing these words.]
Cath
(alone.)
Dear, good children, how happy their father
will be to see them, when he comes back!
--(She begins to eat the remains of the dinner,
which the children have left.)
The little rogue was so hungry, he has not left me much; but he would have left me all, if he had thought that I wanted it: he shall have a good large bowl of milk for supper. It was but last night he skimmed the cream off his milk for me, because he thought I liked it. Heigho!--God knows how long they may have milk to skim--as long as I can work they shall never want; but I'm not so strong as I used to be; but then I shall get strong, and all will be well, when my husband comes back
(a drum beats at a distance).
Hark! a drum!--some news from abroad, perhaps--nearer and nearer
(she sinks upon a chair)
--why cannot I run to see--to ask
(the drum beats louder and louder)
--fool that I am! they will be gone! they will be all gone!
(she starts up.)
[Exit hastily.] _
Read next: Act 1 - Scene 2
Read previous: Dramatis Personae
Table of content of Knapsack
GO TO TOP OF SCREEN
Post your review
Your review will be placed after the table of content of this book
