s in the hills which look down in the
town of Hellabrunn. Around her stray her geese. She lies on
the green grass, beneath the branches of a shady
linden-tree. Near her is the hut which she inhabits with an
old cruel Witch. Behind her stretch wild woods and lonely
mountains. She sings and feeds her flock. The Witch appears,
scolding and berating the girl, whom she orders to prepare
a magic pasty which will kill whoever eats of it. The
Goose-Girl begs the Witch to let her go into the world of
men. But she implores in vain.

Out of the woods, and from the hills, a youth comes roving.
He seems poor. But by his side there hangs a sword and in
his hand he holds a bundle. He is the King's Son, though the
Goose-Girl does not know it. And in the bundle is a royal
crown.

The King's Son tells the Goose-Girl of his wanderings. He
has left his home, and the King's service, to be free. The
Goose-Girl asks him what a King may be. He answers her,
marvelling at her beauty and her ignorance. She longs to
follow him. He falls in love with her, and asks her to go
maying with him, through the summer land. He kisses her; and
then a gust of wind blows the girl's wreath away. The King's
Son picks up the wreath and hides it near his heart. In
exchange for it he offers her his crown. The sweethearts are
about to run off together when a wild wind alarms them and
the Goose-Girl finds her feet glued to the ground. Thinking
she is afraid to roam with him the King's Son tosses his
crown into the grass, tells the girl that she is unworthy to
be a King's mate and leaves her, vowing she shall never see
him more till a star has fallen into a fair lily which is
blooming near.

The Goose-Girl is still sighing for her lover, when the
Witch returns, abuses her for having wasted her time on a
man and weaves a magic spell to prevent her escape.

A Fiddler enters, singing a strange song. He is followed by
two citizens of Hellabrunn, a Woodcutter and a Broom (or
besom) maker, who have been sent to ask the Witch where they
can find the son of the King, who is just dead. They are in
mortal fear of the old woman. But the Fiddler scoffs at her
and all her arts. The Fiddler, acting as their mouthpiece,
says that the people of Hellabrunn are dying to have a King