Are we not, all of us, Water, Fire you yourselves, Bread and the Dog, the
victims of a nameless tyranny?... Do you remember the time when, before the
coming of the despot, we wandered at liberty upon the face of the earth?...
Fire and Water were the sole masters of the world; and see what they have
come to!... As for us puny descendants of the great wild animals....
Look out!... Pretend to be doing nothing!... I see the Fairy and Light
coming.... Light has taken sides with Man; she is our worst enemy.... Here
they are....

_Enter, on the right, the_ FAIRY, _in the shape of an old woman,
and_ LIGHT, _followed by_ TYLTYL _and_ MYTYL.

THE FAIRY
Well?... What is it?... What are you doing in that corner?... You look like
conspirators.... It is time to start.... I have decided that Light shall be
your leader.... You will obey her as you would me and I am giving her my
wand.... The children will pay a visit to their late grandparents this
evening.... You will remain behind; that is more discreet.... They will
spend the evening in the bosom of their dead family.... Meanwhile, you will
be getting ready all that is wanted for to-morrow's journey, which will be
a long one.... Come, up, be off and every one to his post!...

THE CAT (_hypocritically_)
That is just what I was saying to them, madam.... I was encouraging them to
do their duty bravely and conscientiously; unfortunately, the Dog, who kept
on interrupting me....

THE DOG
What's that?... Just wait a bit I...