AT THE WELL
GRETCHEN AND LIESCHEN WITH JUGS
LIESCHEN
You've heard about what Barb has done?
GRETCHEN
No, not a word. I’m not much out of late.
LIESCHEN
Today that Sybil told me straight
She’s finally been taken in.
That comes from having airs!
GRETCHEN
How’s
that?
LIESCHEN
It
stinks!
She’s feeding two now when she eats and drinks.
GRETCHEN
Oh!
LIESCHEN
She had it coming all along.
She hung upon that fellow for so long!
Yes, she was ever parading,
Off to the village and to dancing,
She must be first all of the time,
Forever treated so to pastries and to wine;
So stuck up over looking fine,
She was so brazen, had no shame at all,
Accepting gifts to let him call.
So they caressed and carried on-
And now the little flower has gone.
GRETCHEN
The poor, poor thing!
LIESCHEN
What! What pity can you
feel?
When we were at the spinning wheel,
Or when our mothers kept us in at night,
She held he sweet, sweet lover tight,
On door bench or in darkened alleyway,
No hour seemed too long that way.
So let her cringe in sinner’s shirt,
And do her penance in the church!
GRETCHEN
He will surely take her for his wife!
LIESCHEN
He’d be a fool! Quick lads have air
Enough for breathing other where.
He’s gone already.
GRETCHEN
That is not fair!
LIESCHEN
If she gets him, let her beware.
The boys will rip her wreath from her,
And we’ll strew chaff before her door!
SHE EXITS
GRETCHEN (GOING HOME)
How I could boldly scorn and rail
When some unlucky girl would fail!
On others’ sins my tongue would play;
I could not find enough to say.
However black, I’d paint it with a blacker brush,
Yet it was never black enough.
I’d bless myself and swell with pride,
Now I have naked sin inside!
Yet- all that brought me down to this,
God!
was so good! Oh, was just bliss!
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