half fictitious, half allegorical.--The text, done by the
old stage-director Schikaneder was long mistaken for a fiction without
any common sense, but Mozart saw deeper, else he would not have adapted
his wonderful music to it.--It is true that the tales of old Egypt are
mixed up in a curious manner with modern freemasonry, but nobody,
except a superficial observer, could fail to catch a deep moral sense
in the naive rhymes.

The contents of the opera are the following: Prince Tamino, a youth as
valiant as he is noble and virtuous, is implored by the Queen of Night,
to save her daughter, whom the old and sage High-priest Sarastro has
taken from her by force. The bereaved mother pours forth her woe in
heart-melting sounds and promises everything to the rescuer of her
child. Tamino is filled with ardent desire to serve her.--On his way
he meets the gay Papageno, who at once agrees to share the Prince's
adventures. Papageno is the gay element in the opera; always cheerful
and in high spirits, his ever-ready tongue plays him many a funny
trick. So we see him once with a lock on his mouth by way of
punishment for his idle prating. As he promises never to tell a lie
any more, the lock is taken {193} away by the three Ladies of the Queen
of Night. Those Ladies present Tamino with a golden flute, giving at
the same time an instrument made with little silver bells to Papageno,
both of which are to help them in times of danger. The Queen of Night
even sends with them three boy-angels. These are to point out to them
the ways and means by which they may attain their purpose.

Now the young and beautiful Princess Pamina is pursued by declarations
of love from a negro-servant of Sarastro. Papageno comes to her
rescue, frightening the negro Monostatos with his feathery dress.
Papageno, on the other hand fears the negro on account of his
blackness, believing him to be the devil in person. Papageno escapes
with Pamina, but the negro overtakes him with his servants. Then
Papageno shakes his bells, and lo, all forgetting their wrath forthwith
begin to dance.

Meanwhile Tamino reaches 'Sarastro's castle, and at once asks for the
High-priest, poor Pamina's bitter enemy. The Under-priests do not
allow him to enter, but explain that their Master Sarastro is as good
as he is sage, and that he always acts for the best. They assure
Tamino, that the Princess lives and is in no danger. Full of thanks,
the Prince begins to play on