Page:The collected works of Henrik Ibsen (Volume 4).djvu/266

 t.
 * To the mountebank-meeting came also the devil;-
 * thought he'd try his luck with the rest of them.
 * His talent was this: in a manner convincing,
 * he was able to grunt like a flesh-and-blood pig.
 * He was not recognised, yet his manners attracted.
 * The house was well filled; expectation ran high.
 * He stepped forth in a cloak with an ample cape to it;
 * man muss sich drappiren, as the Germans say.
 * But under the mantle-what none suspected-
 * he'd managed to smuggle a real live pig.
 * And now he opened the representation;
 * the devil he pinched, and the pig gave voice.
 * The whole thing purported to be a fantasia
 * on the porcine existence, both free and in bonds;
 * and all ended up with a slaughter-house squeal-
 * whereupon the performer bowed low and retired.-
 * The critics discussed and appraised the affair;
 * the tone of the whole was attacked and defended.
 * Some fancied the vocal expression too thin,
 * while some thought the death-shriek too carefully studied;
 * but all were agreed as to one thing: qua grunt,
 * the performance was grossly exaggerated.-
 * Now that, you see, came of the devil's stupidity
 * in not taking the measure of his public first.
 * [He bows and goes off. A puzzled silence comes over the crowd.]