Page:Gilbert Original Plays.djvu/23

Rh The first of all our race who has set foot Upon that wicked world. See! he is here!

Enter.


 * Sel. Good welcome, Lutin, back to fairy land!

So thou hast been to earth?
 * Lut. I have indeed!
 * Sel. What hast thou seen there?
 * Lut. Better not inquire.

It is a very, very wicked world! I went, obedient to our King's command, To meet him in mid-earth. He bade me go And send both Ethais and Phyllon there.
 * Eth. Down to mid-earth?
 * Lut. Down to mid-earth at once.

He hath some gift, some priceless privilege With which he would endow our fairy world; And he hath chosen Phyllon and thyself To bear his bounty to this home of ours.
 * Zay. Another boon? Why, brother Ethais,

What can our monarch give that we have not?
 * Eth. In truth, I can not say—'twould seem that we

Had reached the sum of fairy happiness!
 * Sel. But then we thought the same, before our King

Endowed us with the gift of melody; And now, how tame our fairy life would seem Were melody to perish from our land!
 * Phyl. Well said, Selene. Come, then, let's away. (going)