to kiss.
Prince:
But if you want to see it fly,
should you not expend some effort
to chase after it? You only dream
when you have to catch a dream.
Cinderella:
How nice you understand me. True,
so true.
Prince:
Now, now, compose yourself. I know
you’re now going to put this dress on
that the fairy tale chose for you.
You were born to have such sweet things
and you can’t escape these fetters,
these ten thousand too many whims
that all rise up inside of you.
May I conduct you toward the door?
They stand up.
See, it would be a shame for you.
This fineness you have inside you
ordains that you will be my wife.
You cry?
Cinderella:
For I must follow you despite
the aforesaid and so gladly
will I follow you from now on.
Prince:
I ask very, very much.
Cinderella gathers up the dresses and exits.
Hey, Father!
King (from above):
What kind of a girl is that, son?
Prince:
Is she good enough now?
King:
As a goddess she shall ascend
to my throne. Her ennoblement
shall stir the land into music
and revelry. I’ll be right down
and proclaim it to our nation.
In the meantime she’ll come with you
amid rejoicing, which like incense
will lead, follow.
He exits.
Prince:
I’ll wait here until her return.
To Cinderella, who appears above in the gallery in her extravagant dress.
Ah, is it you?
Cinderella:
To serve you, lord.
Prince:
O dear, no! O how———
He leaps up the stairs toward her.
Cinderella:
Yes, yes.
* Cinderella’s singing.
† An ironic play on teichoscopy, a classic dramatic device.
‡ A mildly pejorative expression in the German, compare to a “rare” or “strange bird.”
§ Directed at the Prince, who cannot hold his breath.
THE CHRIST CHILD
Joseph:
What goes on inside this cottage?
Who are these strange people I see?
What a curious gathering!
In the weak glow of my lantern,
I can make out all kinds of faces.
Who are you? Where do you come from
and what would make you turn out here?
Speak!
Young Girl:
Speak! I can hardly explain why.
I’d rather you didn’t ask me.
I only heard that here on this night
something glorious would happen
and thought I’d like to be here too,
even though I am but a poor,
scorned girl.
Soldier:
scorned girl. Did they not say,
the Long-Awaited One would be born?
Old Man:
I heard something to that effect too.
Joseph:
Who says so?
Soldier:
Who says so? I don’t know.
Young Girl:
Who says so? I don’t know. Nor do I.
Joseph:
But who are these worthy gentlemen
in discussion among themselves?
They appear to be of a high rank,
as shown by their sumptuous garments.
All this cultured bearing of theirs
is too plain for me to take them
to be mere humble folk.
First King:
to be mere humble folk.We are
potentates from the Orient.
Some give us the title of wise men.
To others we appear as kings.
Joseph:
Is that so? Well, that’s fine by me.
It’s a shame that I can’t wait on you
with something.
Second King:
with something. We thank you from our hearts,
but we don’t need anything at all.
Our being here is refreshment enough.
Joseph:
Is it possible that you made
such a long journey just to come
I can hardly understand why.
Take no offense on my account.
Third King:
It may well indeed have been God
who gave us a sign to follow,
to come here, inside this cramped space,
where lies that little boy, the one
who shall one day redeem mankind.
Joseph:
How did you come by this wonderful
idea? I’m almost frightened.
Of course, a child has been born here,
but hardly for such a lofty
purpose.
Soldier:
purpose. Show it to us.
Joseph:
purpose. Show it to us. If you would
like to see it now, take a quick look
around. It lies there in the corner
by his mother.—And you, boy, you’re
in awe too?
Jester:
in awe too? Incredibly so!
Vagabond:
I too would very much like to see
this miracle child.
Joseph:
this miracle child. Your glimpse is
granted you. Come, closer.
All step toward the child.
granted you. Come, closer. This is it!
Mary:
Who’re these people you’re talking to?
Joseph:
They would like to see our baby.
They say—
Mary:
They say— Well, what do they say then?
Joseph:
It’s the Messiah.
Mary:
It’s the Messiah. What? This child?
Joseph:
Yes, and it be born for the sake
of the happiness of mankind.
Mary:
Have they been taken in by fraud?
Joseph:
To be honest, they just don’t make
that impression on me, after all
they are too polite, they speak much
too thoughtfully. Talk to them yourself.
Mary:
You’re most welcome. Thank you so much
for your company and kind faces,
and for being nice enough to have
asked us.
Shepherd:
asked us. Room for one or two more
might be found in this cubbyhole.
Joseph:
This crowd is getting rather large.
But I shall not bar you entry.
Instead, let me wish you a warm
good evening and ask that you make
yourselves at home as best you can.
Shepherd:
Outside all was silent, but for
singing from the starry sky: “Christ is
risen!” I thought I must see him
and now I realize this is it.
Soldier:
It’s him.
Joseph:
It’s him. You have such perfect faith,
I might end up being a believer
myself.
Mary:
myself. Aren’t you always a child,
this despite your years and many
lessons learned? Do you want your beard
laughing at you and brow’s wrinkles
to be asha
med of you? Don’t talk
so carelessly.
Joseph:
so carelessly. I’ll bear that in mind.
After all, it is vain of me
to believe such a thing of this child,
like it was the future Messiah.
Young Girl:
Why is such an enchanted glow
shining around the face of him?
From where beats this lovely shaft of light?
Or do my eyes play tricks on me?
Old Man:
No, no, I see the glow now too.
If the whole room’s not bright with it,
I’m blinded by an evil mirage.
Soldier:
Yes, I see it too, and all can see,
and all mankind to come will find
this hour precious. Will he not draw
everyone to him, who does not yet
talk, but will one day speak of things
divine? I am his prisoner
and now regret all my past deeds.
I marched through Galilee, Egypt,
Syria. I left my regiment
to greet this child. What a deep joy
transfixes me before his image.
I never trembled when in danger,
me, the one who hurt so many.
I have never shown emotion
when they cried out that I spare them.
Now what do I feel? Do I dream?
Am I no longer the same man?
Am I now another person,
Someone higher?
Old Man:
Someone higher? No, one more gentle,
and of course someone higher too.
As you revere this young little creature,
I, an old man, shall do so too.
Have I, for as long as I’ve lived,
seen a more beautiful moment?
Have I ever known, as the whole world
must by now, such a joyous event,
such great hope? Someday it will be said
this was the time when love and faith
were born.
Joseph:
were born. Don’t you go on and on,
almost like a boy or well-nigh
more. What is all this spirit for
tonight?
Mary:
tonight? Likely they are all either
very mad or simply too overjoyed.
Could it be that God speaks from their mouths?
Joseph:
Would I know? I gave it no thought.
I’ve hardly seen anything odd
in these occurrences, not till
they said a miracle lives here.
That has got me shaking my head.
You know that I am, if anything,
a sensible man, someone who’s
sober and thinks practically.
This childlike appearance, I myself
didn’t take it all too much to heart.
“Well, it’s a kid like any other.
Hopefully, he’ll turn out just fine.”
This is pretty much how I thought.
Now I’m nearly bewildered by their
dreamy talk, like I had indulged
in a heady drink. Still, I trust
in God.
Mary:
in God. Which is for the best too.
I’m pleased by how upright you are,
humble and good, as it should be.
One of the Kings:
Let us kneel before the child
and lay our gifts before him here
at his feet.
The Kings kneel.
Joseph:
at his feet. Worthy gentlemen,
aren’t you being a bit too polite?
Don’t you think you’re being much too nice
to me and my wife, to such plain
and simple people as we are?
First King:
It’s for showing this devotion,
and for this joyous arrival.
If anything, it’s just the way
we decorate things. Such objects,
as precious as they may seem to you,
we have all over the place. So
don’t tell us how grateful you are.
You’ve given us more, for we will
bring this joy back to our homeland,
for we have seen the Messiah,
the Lord, in whom many people
will one day have faith and build him
a temple. However, he will
not be so fortunate himself
as one might think.
Mary:
as one would think. What do you mean?
Second King:
A smart man says nothing at all,
not what he knows nor not what he
thinks he might know.
First King:
thinks he might know. You’re right.
e might know. You’re right(To Mary) I meant
only that your son, so great in love,
could be like in suffering, nothing
that might give you cause to worry.
Mary:
Even as you give me joy, now you
give me a heavy heart.
Third King:
give me a heavy heart. It’s nothing.
He talks a bit too much.
He talks (To his colleague) Better
if you could keep it to yourself.
Mary:
Suffering? Am I beginning
to see what fate lies in store for my son?
You look at me as though you cared
for me, as though concerned, but what
you’re telling me doesn’t sound pleasant.
Joseph:
Peace and love and faith as well, go
above all else.
Mary:
above all else. Of course, you good
man.
Joseph:
man. While it seems a trifle gloomy,
things will soon be cheerful once more.
We don’t want to let our hearts get
any sadder. After all, God has
given this child to you, thus will
He lead it by the hand as well
through this unforeseeable life.
Old Man:
How serious everything is.
Jester:
Shall we be off?
Vagabond:
Shall we be off? Someone surely
should make a start. Joy and sorrow,
greatness and baseness, are ever
cheek by jowl; this bit of wisdom
comes from a good-for-nothing’s head.
Joseph:
Good night!
Soldier:
Good night! I’ll be off too. Good night!
Third King:
We’ll be wanting to go to our inn.
Old Man:
I should probably be going too.
Young Girl:
And I should do the same. Sleep well!
Joseph:
Well, they have all gone away now.
Mary:
Should we sleep too, like the others?
Surely you’re a little tired from
talking to our guests. They gave you
so many things to think about.
Joseph:
Of course I’m a little sleepy,
but I’d rather you slept alone
and let me keep watch, so the child,
who they tell us is so special,
doesn’t lack a faithful guardian.
Just close your eyes. Mine shall remain
open, so that nothing befalls
this gentleness, so that your dreams
are sweet and pleasant, with their shapes
calmly, lovingly wrapped around you.
Do not the stars watch outside too,
above our hill, this eternal soul
that is the spirit of the world,
that is this universe, this one
t
hat never sleeps. Listen, who knocks
there at the door?
Angel:
there at the door? You may lay
down, one mightier will keep watch.
Joseph:
I’ll do what you tell me.
Angel:
I’ll do what you tell me. Then you
do well.
Joseph:
do well. Will this child be cared for?
Angel:
Be without worry, what you love,
and who’s loved you, if you be true,
rest easy, thus you should too.
Joseph:
Good night!
Mary:
Good night! My faith is finally
restored. Someday, when everything
is not as nice as I would like
to think, maybe this way I’ll have
the strength to bear it.
Joseph:
the strength to bear it. So sleep well.
Angel:
It’s a very curious thing
about the apprehensive minds
of mortals, as though they always
want to flee what’s been decided
on high, ever wanting to believe,
putting everything in order,
making extra work for themselves.
Yet there are the good and the kind
who do so, who don’t want to sleep,
for they think they will miss something.
The Lord has dispatched me hither,
so that I stand vigilant guard.
It seems He holds both of them dear
such that He’ll go easy on them.
Surely something special is in store
for the little child, otherwise
He’d not care so for the parents.
Will He endow it with wisdom
and beauty, prepare him for life’s
journey, which is aglow with great
suffering, and then the heavy test,
to claim for himself his divine,
lofty, eternal dwelling place?
Copyright © 1986 by Suhrkamp Verlag
Translation copyright © 2015 by Daniele Pantano and James Reidel
Foreword copyright © 2015 by Reto Sorg
Compilation copyright © 2015 by New Directions Publishing
All rights reserved. Except for brief passages quoted in a newspaper, magazine, radio, television, or website review, no part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Publisher.
Design by Erik Rieselbach
Manufactured in the United States of America
First published as a New Directions Paperbook (ndp1313) in 2015
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Walser, Robert, 1878–1956, author.
[Plays. Selections. English]
Fairytales : dramolettes / Robert Walser with a foreword by Reto Sorg ; translated by Daniele Pantano and James Reidel.
ISBN 978-0-8112-2398-0
ISBN 978-0-8112-2490-1 (e-book)
I. Pantano, Daniele, translator. II. Reidel, James, translator. III. Title.