an open shrine (right centre) containing a large sculptured
figure of the Christ. Right, farther front, the house of KURT;
and other narrow house-fronts. Left, the Rathaus, and (down)
the home of JACOBUS. Front, to left and right, are corner-houses
with projecting stories and casement windows. At the centre rear,
a narrow street leads away between houses whose gables all but
meet overhead.

It is late summer afternoon, with a holiday crowd. In the open
casements, front (right and left, opposite each other), sit
OLD URSULA and OLD CLAUS, looking on at men and things.
--In the centre of the place now stands a rude wooden Ark with
a tented top: and out of the openings (right and left) appear
the artificial heads of animals, worn by the players inside.
One is a Bear (inhabited by MICHAEL-THE-SWORD-EATER); one is a
large Reynard-the-Fox, later apparent as the PIPER. Close by is
the medieval piece of stage-property known as 'Hell-Mouth,' i.e.
a red painted cave with a jaw-like opening into which a mountebank
dressed in scarlet (CHEAT-THE-DEVIL) is poking 'Lost Souls' with
a pitchfork.

BARBARA loiters by the tent. VERONIKA, the sad young wife
of KURT, watches from the house steps, left, keeping her
little lame boy, Jan, close beside her.

Shouts of delight greet the end of the show, a Noah's Ark
miracle-play of the rudest; and the Children continue to
scream with joy whenever an Animal looks out of the Ark.

Men and women pay scant attention either to JACOBUS, when he
speaks (himself none too sober)--from his doorstep, prompted
by the frowning KURT,--or yet to ANSELM, the priest, who
stands forth with lifted hands, at the close of the miracle-play.

ANSELM
And you, who heed the colors of this show,
Look to your laughter!--It doth body forth
A Judgment that may take you unaware,--
Sun-struck with mirth, like unto chattering leaves
Some wind of wrath shall scourge to nothingness.

HANS, AXEL, AND OTHERS
Hurrah, Hurrah!

JACOBUS
And now, good townsmen all,
Seeing we stand delivered and secure
As once yon chosen creatures of the Ark,
For a similitude,--our famine gone,
Our plague of rats and mice,--

CROWD
Hurrah--hurrah!

JACOBUS
'Tis meet we render thanks more soberly--

HANS the Butcher
Soberly, soberly, ay!--

JACOBUS
For our deliverance.
And now, ye wit, it will be full three days
Since we beheld--our late departed pest.--

OLD URSULA
[putting out an ear-trumpet]
What does he say?