![]() ![]() Peer: Fantastic! I have agreed to all you ask. You will soon learn to wag and wave it nicely. King of the Trolls: Next you must agree to wear a tail. Peer: I agree to live by the wise law of the Trolls. We trolls say: Be false and selfish in all things. Christians say be true and selfless in all things. King of the Trolls: Second you must let our law rule your life. Peer: It is a price worth paying for a kingdom. All that is inside the mountain is yours, but all that is outside is forsaken to you. You must never again step out into the fresh air. You must give up the sky, the sun and the moon. King of the Trolls: First you must never think of what is beyond these halls. King of the Trolls: But there are conditions. Half of what is mine shall be yours on your wedding day and the rest after I am dead. King of the Trolls: And it seems it’s my daughter you are after. Behind him expands a vast emptiness, nothingness, infinite darkness. Ah, that must be him, up there! He sits on a throne suspended from the ceiling of the hall by golden chains. Peer: Hmm, they aren’t so polite to visitors, but no doubt the King will be enchanted by my good manners and noble bearing. He’s bewitched the King’s daughter, tempted her, led her astray, wants to marry her. Trolls: Let me slash his face with my knife! Every rock glistens with gold, great lumps of gold lie around waiting to be picked up and on all sides the courtiers, the elves, the brownies, and the trolls are calling out to us: If Mum, Ingrid, and lovely Solveig could see me riding with a green princess into this mountain palace for an audience with the King, then they would finally know that fairytales are not fantasies. Girl in Green: (Jana) He looks like a pig to you, but in fact he is a magnificent stallion. Peer: What kind of horse is that? He looks like a giant, wild pig. I shall call my steed and he will carry us to my father (Whistles). Girl in Green: (Jana) So it seems we are made for each other. When she goes off on one and starts scolding, the trees run and hide, and the rocks beg her to shut up. Peer: And you know who is my mother? She is Queen of all the land below the mountains. Girl in green: (Jana) You know who my father is? He is the king of these mountains and when he is furious all the trees of the forest tremble and the very rocks shake. I won’t even pull your hair when I’m angry. Say that you shall be mine, and you shall never have to sew or cook or fetch or carry. Peer: Since we get on so well, shall we ask your father’s permission to marry? Say yes. Girl in Green: (Jana) Thank you, kind sir. Peer: Indeed you look beautiful to my eyes, and I believe that my magical powers allow me to see you correctly. Girl in Green: (Jana) Well now Prince Peer, we have much in common. These fine clothes I am wearing might seem like rags to your eyes. To your human eyes, big might seem small, and ugly might seem beautiful, and gold might seem like rust. Girl in Green: (Jana) If you enter through the gates, you must remember this: All might seem opposite to you. Girl in Green: (Jana) I heard you saying that you want to visit my father’s palace? Girl in Green: (Jana) You don’t look well dressed. Girl in Green:(Jana) Is it true that you are Prince Peer? Oh hello, who are you my pretty one, all dressed in green? Talking of which, I’ll lie down on this mossy bank and wait for dawn. Perhaps they are all getting ready to sleep. Peer: (Calls out) Oh, Gatekeeper! Let me in! Let me in! Open up the gates I say! Open Sesame! It is I, Prince Peer, on a royal visit, to parley with the King of Trolls in his palace! there’s singing and feasting going on within. The entrance to the hall of the Mountain King! And now, I’ll put my ear against it and listen carefully. to common people no doubt, it looks just like a rock face, but my conjuring eyes can see the outline of a gate. And these stones, they look just like battlements? I’ll say they are. Do they not look like a palace? Here I see a tower, in these stones. A palace in the mountains for Peer Gynt whose destiny is to be emperor of the world one day. And I don’t mean a poor log hut or a cabin. This night is lovely, but what if a storm comes out? I’ll be soaked, and the sharp wind will cut me up. See up there, the snow on the tops of the mountains sparkle in the light of the stars. And I can keep going for hours yet! Oh my young body is full of strength. Up, up, I climb, the moon lighting my steps. It’s a good thing my legs are strong, because this mountain is steep. ![]()
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