He plied the pitchfork so we yelped for mercy,--
He reckoned not the stoutness of his arm!--
But Cheat-the-Devil here,--he would not hurt
Why--Kurt the Syndic--thrusting him in hell.
[Laughter.
CHEAT-THE-DEVIL
[unhappily]
No, no--I will not hurt him!
PIPER
[soothingly to him]
Merry, boy!
[To the townsfolk]
And,--if ye will have reasons, good,--ye see,--
I want--one thousand guilders.
JACOBUS
In all surety,
Payment you'll have, my man, But--
HANS the Butcher
As to 's friends,--
An that yon Devil be as feat wi' his hands
As he be slow o' tongue, why, I will take him
For prentice. Wife,--now that would smack o' pride!
PETER the Cobbler
I'll take this fellow that can swallow fire,
He's somewhat old for me. But he can learn
My trade.--A pretty fellow!
PIPER
And your trade?
PETER the Cobbler
Peter the cobbler.--
MICHAEL
I? What, I? Make shoes?
[Proudly]
I swallow fire.
PIPER
Enough.
BARBARA
[aside, bitterly]
I'll not believe it.
PIPER
[to HANS]
Your trade?
HANS the Butcher
I'm Hans the Butcher.
MICHAEL
Butcher?
CHEAT-THE-DEVIL
[unhappily]
Butcher!
Oh, no! I couldn't hurt them.
[Loud laughter.
BUTCHER'S WIFE
'T is a fool!
[The PIPER motions to MICHAEL and CHEAT-THE-DEVIL, who during
the following join the other player-folk, strike their tent,
pack their bundles, and wheel off the bar rows that have served
them for an Ark, leaving the space clear before the Shrine.
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