Act 3 — Act III. Scene 2.
Reading edition
Same as Act II. Scene 3.
(The tableau is the same, except that great cobwebs are about. The King, Queen, Princess, and attendants are all sleeping quietly. It is growing dusk. A thin thread of light comes in the door. The Prince enters, carrying his candle. He comes slowly and quietly and looks about in wonder. At first he does not see the Princess who is in deep shadow. The Gentleman in Waiting follows him in fear.)
PRINCE.
Shhh—hush, go softly—
GENTLEMAN.
Are they dead, my lord?
PRINCE.
Asleep, I think. They’re breathing easily. (Flashes his light on Man at Arms in doorway.) Look there, a spider’s web about his spear.
GENTLEMAN (in scorn).
Some soldier that! bound by a spider’s web.
PRINCE.
Asleep—the whole whole palace is asleep.
GENTLEMAN.
The roof is crumbling in up there, my lord.
PRINCE.
And see, a vine has grown between the stones. (Dreamily.) The dust is inches thick upon the floor— How easily they breathe! How strange—how strange. Is all this real—or am I in a dream? I’ve stepped into some minstrel’s tale myself. And all this glamour of enchantment deep, The mystery, and silence, and the ache Of wonder in my heart,—and I myself— Are all just brilliant, colored words and thoughts, Told for a moment on a winter’s night, Told and forgotten e’re the fire dies.
GENTLEMAN (touching him).
See, there’s a fly asleep upon the wall.
PRINCE (jumping).
There are no flies in dreams, so this is real—
GENTLEMAN.
It’s real enough, my lord—come on, let’s go. My spine feels just like icicles—come on.
PRINCE.
They’ve slept a long, long time, I think. Those clothes Are like the ones they wore long, long ago— I wonder if they’ve dreamed and what they’ve dreamed. Yes, they’ve slept long enough. (He calls) Wake up—wake up!
(Silence.)
GENTLEMAN.
Oh come, come home, this is a dreadful place.
PRINCE (calling again).
Hi there—haloo—wake up (he shakes the Courtier).
GENTLEMAN.
They’re in a spell— This place is haunted—come away my lord.
PRINCE.
I follow this adventure to the end—
GENTLEMAN.
I didn’t like those rows of men at arms All sleeping in their armor in the halls, Nor all the sleeping servants that we passed— It’s dangerous I tell you—come away—
PRINCE.
Not yet, not yet, the old tales said there was A princess.
GENTLEMAN (looking at King).
Well, here’s someone in a crown.
PRINCE.
Ah—there’s the king, the princess must be near.
GENTLEMAN (disgusted).
His crown’s all crooked.
PRINCE (rebuking him).
Still—he is a king (he bows to the sleeping King as he passes him).
(The Gentleman in Waiting stops before the Princess’ Attendant in admiration. The Prince steps up on the dais, and holds his candle so that the light, but not the grease, falls upon her face. He stands silent a moment, gasps in wonder, then takes off his plumed hat reverently.)
Oh wondrous one, the olden tales were true— Thy beauty, oh, thy beauty floods my soul With golden visions of eternal joy. Here let me kneel and worship at thy shrine.
(He kneels and kisses her—a long kiss. She slowly opens her eyes and gazes at him. The others begin to awaken slowly.)
PRINCESS (smiling at him dreamily).
Do it again.
PRINCE (kissing her hand).
Beloved.
PRINCESS.
Who are you?
PRINCE.
I am thy prince.
PRINCESS (half sitting up).
My prince, my very own? How glorious! I’ve dreamed that you would come—
PRINCE.
And I of you beloved—
PRINCESS.
But my dreams Weren’t half as wonderful as you—not half!
(Gradually the people awaken. The Queen sneezes loudly and suddenly, and all but the Prince and Princess rise.)
QUEEN.
Kechew—kechew—what simply frightful dust! Why there’s a cobweb in your crown—get out! You nasty thing (brushes off King’s crown).
KING (stretching).
I think I’ve had a nap. How dark it is! Open the casement, Courtier. (The light grows brighter as Courtier obeys.) I declare!
QUEEN.
Who are those strange young men I’d like to know!
(The Prince’s Gentleman has been trying to kiss the Princess’ Attendant.)
ATTENDANT.
The brute! He tried to kiss me!
COURTIER (to Gentleman).
Here, get out! (A scuffle ensues.)
KING.
Come, stop this most disgraceful row at once. (To Prince) And who in thunder, sir, are you? And what, What have you done?!!!
PRINCE.
I’ve kissed your daughter, sire (All are horrified).
KING.
And you admit it to my face! What, ho My guards! You will repent this insult gross At leisure in my deepest dungeon dark!
PRINCE.
Do with me as you will, I’ll gladly spend My life in any dungeon that you choose, To pay for that one kiss. The price is small.
QUEEN.
It’s surely very rude; I’m quite surprised.
KING.
Rude, rude!! Well, I should say! Perhaps you think Because I just dropped off for forty winks, That I’m so old and lazy that I can’t Protect my daughter from such men as you.
PRINCESS.
Papa, papa, oh please don’t be so cross.
KING.
Please tell me how you two got through the hall. What were my men all doing to allow Intruders here? That’s what I’d like to know.
PRINCE.
They were all sleeping, sir, as we came past.
QUEEN.
Were they all sleeping, too? How very odd! I think we must have eaten something queer For lunch that made us all drop off to sleep. Perhaps it was those canned pomegranate seeds.
KING.
What nonsense—to the dungeon, sir, you go.
PRINCESS.
Then I go too. I like him very much. (She takes his hand proudly and steps toward the front of the dais. As she does so she kicks the distaff and it rolls into view.)
QUEEN.
Oh there’s that horrid distaff—throw it out. I’m so afraid you’ll prick your finger, dear.
PRINCESS.
Why, so I did before I went to sleep—
KING.
Before we went to sleep—How long—how long, have we been sleeping?
PRINCE.
Oh, a hundred years or so, I think.
ALL.
It can’t be true!
KING.
The spell has passed, and we’re awake again! Young sir, pray pardon me. I did not know, I could not guess—it seemed just like a nap.
PRINCESS.
Besides he’s always cross when first he wakes, But usually he is a perfect dear.
PRINCE (bowing).
He is a perfect father anyway, I should have done as he did had you been My daughter, oh beloved. But I’m glad You’re not.
KING.
Young sir, we owe our life to you. Now that my rage has passed I see you are Of noble birth—undoubtedly a prince. Ask of me what you will, and it is yours. For you have freed us from this dreadful spell, And roused us from our hundred years of sleep.
PRINCE (kneeling).
I know I am unworthy, but I crave Your daughter’s hand in marriage.
PRINCESS (kneeling).
Father, please— I do, do like him!
QUEEN (softly).
Dear, he seems to be A very fine young man.
KING.
I’m sure he is. Rise son, I give my daughter unto you, And half my kingdom shall be yours as well—[7]
QUEEN.
Come down into the banquet hall!!
PRINCE.
And dance The dead dust of a hundred years away.
(All exit joyously. The Prince and Princess lead. The King and Queen follow. Then come the Courtier and the Princess’s Attendant, and the others.)
Curtain.
FOOTNOTES:
THE ADDITION OF PAGEANTRY.
Note 1. The Sleeping Beauty is a story especially suitable for Spring presentation, since for many centuries and by many races its meaning has been symbolic of the reawakening of nature. Winter, personified by the Wicked Fairy, lays a spell upon Nature, causing her to fall into a deep sleep. This may be dispelled only by the kiss of Spring, the Prince of the fairy tale.
Note 2. The play as it stands may easily be expanded into a pageant by the addition of more characters, and the interpolation of dances.
The extra characters may be:
Fairies attending the Fairy of the Golden Isles, the Fairy of the Crystal Mountains, and the Fairy of the Silver Rivers.
Evil Imps and Goblins to come at the summons of the Fairy of the Sable Caves.
Pages, Minstrels, Ladies and Gentlemen in Waiting, Men at Arms, Castle Attendants, Cooks, etc.
Note 3. If the play is presented as a pageant with many additional characters, it is suggested that the action take place in the Best, instead of the Second Best Throne Room of the King and Queen. The Second Best Throne Room was rather small and therefore more appropriate for the few characters of the original cast.
Note 4. The first dance may take place in the First Act, when the three Fairies present their gifts to the baby Princess. As many fairies as are desired may be used for this dance. See note 10 for all music.
Note 5. The second dance may be a dance of Imps and Goblins, also in the First Act. They enter with a screaming rush at the words of the Fairy of the Sable Caves:
“Demons and Trolls who dwell in dungeon moats, Come near, come near—”
Then they join in a wild sinister dance. The Fairy of the Sable Caves stops speaking until they finish the dance, then she continues with:
“Come weave a spell with me!”
They make their exit as she leaves the stage.
Note 6. The third dance may be in the Second Act when the Princess brings in the Golden Ball. Ladies and Gentlemen in Waiting follow her as she enters. They toss the ball back and forth slowly to music. The extra dancers make their exit after the words, “It’s rolling toward the fountain, stop it, quick!”
Note 7. The last dance takes place at the end of the play. Its participants are the additional Pages, Minstrels, Jesters, Ladies and Gentlemen in Waiting, Men at Arms, Castle Attendants, Cooks, etc.
If this dance is desired it will be necessary to insert a few lines after the King’s speech ending:
“Rise Son, I give my daughter unto you, And half my kingdom shall be yours as well.”
INSERT.
QUEEN.
Call all the people of the palace here, That they may all rejoice in this glad day.
COURTIER (Goes to the door and calls).
What ho! Attendants of the palace all Your presence is desired by the Queen!
KING (as they enter).
Let there be revelry and mirth and joy. The evil spell is broken, and here stands Your future king!
QUEEN.
Come, minstrels, strike the lute And let the clarion play.
PRINCESS (clapping her hands joyfully).
Let’s dance!
PRINCE.
Yes, dance The dead dust of a hundred years away.
Note 8. If the play is too long with the suggested additions it is possible to omit Scene 2, Act II., and Scene 1, Act III.
PROPERTIES.
Note 9. The most important properties are tapestries, the cradle, crowns, headdresses, parchments, the Fairies’ gifts, swords, spears, scepter—armor, if there are men at arms, the spinning wheel and distaff.
The tapestries may be made by painting with house paints upon burlap. Crowns, headdresses and armor may be made out of heavy buckram painted with silver paint; the parchments, of strips of ordinary brown wrapping paper, painted with white house paint, then roughly illuminated with lines of gold paint, touches of green and red water colors added, and then hand printed in heavy ink. The white paint must be put on thinly, with a rotary movement of the brush.... The Crystal Globe of Wisdom may be a crystal colored Christmas tree ornament.
For the last scene in the last act, an excellent effect is gained by fastening great cobwebs of woven string across the front of the stage, and by putting smaller ones over the sleeping figures. There is a spider web pattern used in linen hand drawn work, which may be made many times larger.
Note 10. Music for the Sleeping Beauty.
Act I.
(1) Fairy Dance around the Cradle.
Minuet in G, Beethoven.
(Victor Record 17,934-B. Natalie and Victor Bashko.)
(2) Dance of Evil Imps.
Marche Slave, Tschaikowsky.
(Victor Record 70050. Victor Herbert’s Orchestra.)
Play first part only, slow movement—stopping before portion is reached where old National Anthem is used.
(3) Music while the Fairy of the Silver River changes the spell.
Minuet in G—first part played softly.
(4) Exit—
Chanson Louis XIII and Pavane—Couperin-Kreisler.
(Victor Record 64,292. Fritz Kreisler.)
Act II.
(1) Game with Golden Ball.
Paderewski’s “Minuet.”
(2) End—where Princess and Court go to sleep.
Minuet in G played softly.
Act III.
Dance of Court.
Minuet—Boccherini (“Celebrated Minuet.”)
(Victor Record 64,614. Fritz Kreisler.)