Act 3 — Scene I.
Reading edition
(The curtain rises. Scene the same as the end of Act II. The background is still hidden in mist, which gradually rises during the following. The angels have vanished. Morning is breaking. The Dawn Fairy steps forward and shakes dewdrops from a bluebell over the sleeping children.)
Dewman (Dawn Fairy).
I'm up with early dawning,
and know who loves the morning,
who'll rise fresh as a daisy,
who'll sink in slumber lazy!
Ding! dong! ding! dong!
And with the golden light of day
I chase the fading night away,
fresh dew around me shaking,
and hill and dale awaking.
Then up, with all your powers
enjoy the morning hours,
the scent of trees and flowers—
then up, ye sleepers, awaken!
The rosy dawn is smiling,
then up, ye sleepers, awake, awake!
(Hurries off singing. The children begin to stir. Gretel rubs her eyes, looks around her, and raises herself a little, whilst Hänsel turns over on the other side to go to sleep again.)
Gretel.
Where am I? Waking? Or do I dream?
How come I in the wood to lie?
High in the branches I hear a gentle twittering,
birds are beginning to sing so sweetly;
from early dawn they are all awake,
and warble their morning hymn of praise.
Dear little singers, little singers,
good morning!
(Turns to Hänsel.)
See there, the sleepy lazybones?
Wait now, I'll wake him!
Tirelireli, it's getting late!
Tirelireli, it's getting late!
The lark his flight is winging,
on high his matin singing,
Tirelireli! tirelireli!
Hänsel (suddenly jumps up with a start).
Kikeriki! it's early yet!
Kikeriki! it's early yet!
Yes, the day is dawning;
awake, for it is morning!
Kikeriki! kikeriki!
I feel so well, I know not why!
I never slept so well, no, not I!
Gretel.
But listen, Hans; here 'neath the tree
a wondrous dream was sent to me!
Hänsel (meditatively).
Really! I, too, had a dream!
Gretel.
I fancied I heard a murmuring and rushing,
as though the angels in Heav'n were singing;
rosy clouds above me were floating—
hovering and floating in the distance away,
Sudden—all around a light was streaming,
rays of glory from Heaven beaming,
and a golden ladder saw I descending,
angels adown it gliding,
such lovely angels with shining golden wings.
Hänsel (interrupting her quickly).
Fourteen angels there must have been!
Gretel (astonished).
And did you also behold all this?
Hänsel.
Truly, 'twas wondrous fair!
And upward I saw them float.
(He turns towards the background; at this moment the last remains of the mist clear away. In place of the fir-trees is seen the "Witch's house at the Ilsenstein," shining in the rays of the rising sun. A little distance off, to the left, is an oven; opposite this, on the right, a large cage, both joined to the Witch's house by a fence of gingerbread figures.)
Zweite Scene.
Gretel (hält Hänsel betroffen zurück).
Bleib stehn! Bleib stehn!
Hänsel (eine Weile sprachlos vor Staunen).
Himmel, welch Wunder ist hier geschehn!
Nein, so was hab ich mein Tag nicht gesehn!
Gretel (gewinnt allmählich die Fassung wieder).
Wie duftet's von dorten,
O schau nur die Pracht!
Von Kuchen und Torten
Ein Häuslein gemacht!
Mit Fladen, mit Torten
ist's hoch überdacht!
Die Fenster wahrhaftig
wie Zucker so blank,
Rosinen gar saftig
den Giebel entlang!
Und—traun!
Rings zu schaun
gar ein Lebkuchen-Zaun!
Beide.
O herrliches Schlösschen,
so schmuck du und fein,
welch Waldes-Prinzesschen
mag drinnen wohl sein?
Ach möchte zu Hause
die Waldprinzess sein!
Bei leckerem Schmause
mit Kuchen und Wein
sie lüde zur Klause
uns beide wohl ein!
Hänsel (nach einer Pause).
Alles bleibt still. Nichts regt sich da drinnen.
Komm lass uns hineingehn!
Gretel (erschrocken ihn zurückhaltend).
Bist du bei Sinnen?
Junge, wie magst du so dreist nur sein?
Wer weiss, wer da drin wohl im Häuschen fein?
Hänsel.
O sieh nur, wie das Häuschen uns lacht!
(Begeistert.)
Die Englein haben's uns hergebracht!
Gretel (sinnend).
Die Englein?—Ei, so wird es wohl sein!
Hänsel.
Ja, Gretel, sie laden freundlich uns ein!
Komm, wir knuspern ein wenig vom Häuschen!
Beide.
Ja, knuspern wir, wie zwei Nagemäuschen!
(Sie hüpfen Hand in Hand nach dem Hintergrunde, bleiben wiederum stehen und schleichen dann vorsichtig auf den Fussspitzen bis an das Häuschen heran. Nach einigem Zögern bricht Hänsel an der rechten Kante ein Stückchen Kuchen heraus.)