Fairy Tales Read online

  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

  and meet a simple carpenter?

  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.