Merman & Mermaid/Libretto/Act I

by Erwin E. Harder

Act I — Scene 1.

(Interior of sunken ship Gigantic)

OWONDLO.

I must search,
I must search
This gigantic ship
For a weapon,
As enemies of the sea,
My life do threaten.

---

(As Owondlo enters the ship's rooms, ghosts appear and dance before him.)

(Music — Ballet Dance)

(Ghosts of ship's lost souls)

(Captain appears — Ghost)

OWONDLO.

How mysterious? How strange,
I hail thee, Captain.

CAPTAIN.

What seekest thou?

OWONDLO.

Seeking a weapon.
The sea has enemies
That my life will threaten.

CAPTAIN.

(Ghost)

Very well, very well,
Be quiet as you seek,
For it's late in the night.

---

(Owondlo opens a door and passes quietly through halls. Suddenly a waiter (ghost) comes with a large tray of eatables and wine. He stumbles over the carcass of a dead fish. This noise awakens other ghosts, who appear.)

HEAD WAITER.

(Ghost)

What now! this mess
Has happened here
And disturbed our
Peaceful slumber.

TWO STOKERS.

(Ghosts)

(Black faces and dressed in overalls)

1ST STOKER.

How about my lunch?
Now twenty minutes overdue.

2ND STOKER.

Yes, its twice now
You've missed by extra pail.

(Beer)

---

(Suddenly a curious fish appears and snaps at them ; they quickly close the door and disappear below.)

(Owondlo searches on.)

ENGLISH BARTENDER.

(Ghost)

Hey there; stranger!
I welcome thee.
These beastly fish
Never let me free.

(Owondlo sees fish in a bar room; lying around as if in a drunken stupor)

OWONDLO.

Well of all things queer,
These deep sea fish
Got drunk on beer.
I'll close this door
And keep those fish within,
While I hunt for sword and spear.

---

(Owondlo enters another stateroom; he has a vision of his former sweetheart of England.)

OWONDLO.

All the strange things
That this world brings,
Can it be that I
Have passed into a trance.
For life has left
A problem to solve,
That I may find perchance.
'Tis now I dream of her.
I fancy she is near.
What shall this life
For me present,
With no companion here.

---

(Owondlo dozes off to sleep)

CHAMBERMAID.

(Ghost)

Seek ye onward,
And ye shall find
That sea life here,
Has 'witched mankind.

CAPTAIN.

(Ghost passes by)

Hi ho! stranger,
Awake ye from slumber.
There's danger near.

MESSENGER BOY.

(Ghost passes by)

You're wanted in dining room number five.

OWONDLO.

(Awakens)

Where am I?
Me thinks I am not real.

---

(Owondlo searches on, looks in treasure vault)

TWO DETECTIVES.

(Ghosts)

I welcome thee,
What seekest thou?

OWONDLO.

A weapon for defense
From dangers of the sea.

TWO DETECTIVES.

These treacherous fish
Living round this vessel,
Had long lain await
Devouring our bodies.
There swims one now
With a harvest of gold,
Taken from the vessel's hold.

OWONDLO.

The sea works wonders
That plays in magic.
For I once, too,
Was swallowed whole,
By treacherous fish
Around this ship,
Mysteriously transformed my soul.

TWO DETECTIVES.

How strange ! How strange
Be the mysteries in the sea.
How strange ! How strange
Be the mysteries in the sea.

OWONDLO.

I'll close this door.
Rest in peace forever more.

(Just as Owondlo closes door, fish snap at him)

KING NEPTUNE.

Owondlo be brave
Seek ye a weapon,
Be brave, be brave.

OWONDLO.

Those fish that are so bold,
With yet no weapon for defense,
Make my thoughts aflame,
While my blood runs cold.
But on I will search,
A weapon for defense.

(Owondlo spies five Sea Nymphs enjoying themselves ; he hides and watches them)

OWONDLO.

What now behold,
This merry feast.
They laugh, they sing,
They joke in secret,
Ten thousand ways untold.
Ha ! ha ! They smack their lips
And dine on sea currants,
From Nature's hidden garden.

(1st Sea Nymph walks proudly about)

OWONDLO.

How fair she is?
This wondrous beauty.

(3rd Sea Nymph, combing sea weeds apart)

OWONDLO.

Quite stunning indeed.

2ND SEA NYMPH.

Listen! Hush!
Be not so loud.
The sea life here
Can hear our sounds
For many miles around.

}}

OWONDLO.

I'm almost tempted
To go within.

3RD SEA NYMPH.

No one has ever ventured within.

4TH SEA NYMPH.

And who could come within?

5TH SEA NYMPH.

Unless by magic.

FIVE SEA NYMPHS.

The sea, the sea,
That in magic sways,
Has thousands of tales untold.
Where plant life invites one
To reap its fruit,
And, then quickly betrays.

OWONDLO.

I'll be careful now what kind.

(1st Sea Nymph brings in an armful of sea weeds, plants and golden chains)

(Loud rumbling noise is heard)

2ND SEA NYMPH.

Make haste, hurry in,
You hear that noise?

3RD SEA NYMPH.

'Tis perhaps the ghosts are feasting
In the Garden of Magic Gods.

}}

4TH SEA NYMPH.

No! some monster fish
I've seen before,
That measures in length
Two miles or more.

5TH SEA NYMPH.

Ha! Ha! you silly fool.

2ND SEA NYMPH.

Listen! you can hear
His teeth are grinding.

OWONDLO.

(Nervous)

I hope he's not so near.
I'm nervous, I'm nervous.
I wish I had a sword or spear.

(Sea Nymphs are not nervous and are making sea dresses; about them lay golden chains, gold rings and diamond rings.)

4TH SEA NYMPH.

How do you like this shape?

OWONDLO.

So nice and plump, you'll do,
I'll fall in love with you.

3RD SEA NYMPH.

(Examining dress)

It's odd indeed.

4TH SEA NYMPH.

Made of golden chains.

1ST SEA NYMPH.

I'm afraid to wear that dress.
Those treacherous, sly gold fish
Will soon spy around this place,
And eat a fancy dish.

OWONDLO.

Great Heavens, those chains of gold,
Which once were owned
By many hundred souls.

4TH SEA NYMPH.

Say not such nonsense.
I'll wear this dress,
Perhaps the sea by magic
Will bring for me a lover.

2ND SEA NYMPH.

(She slips on her dress ; Owondlo dances around in joy and stretches his neck to see)

Behold my dress,
Spun from sea weed.
Glistens with dazzling pebbles
And golden rings.

OWONDLO.

(Aria)

Ah! embroidered with diamonds!
Of all Nature's creatures,
These Nymphs are bold.
They entered the staterooms,
In search of diamonds and gold.
If I could win those Nymphs
To be my wives,
I would try and coax them
To flee with me,
To the upper world,
To keep them for
My enchanted brides.

3RD SEA NYMPH.

If you really expect
To win a lover,
Just leave one sparkling ring
On the Magic Table Rock,
In Nature's Garden;
Perchance good luck will bring.

5TH SEA NYMPH.

Just leave a dazzling pebble.

4TH SEA NYMPH.

(Leaves and goes to the Magic Table Rock and places there a diamond ring. A loud rumbling noise is heard again. Owondlo hurries to a nearby stateroom.)

ALL SEA NYMPHS.

Great magic, that monster fish perhaps?

1ST SEA NYMPH.

Hurry, he's coming this way.

4TH SEA NYMPH.

Is it true? what say ye,
A lover is coming for me.

5TH SEA NYMPH.

(Nymphs all hide)

No! no! that monster fish.

MAJOR BOOTH.

(Ghost appears)

What seekest thou?

OWONDLO.

A weapon for defense,
From dangers of the sea.

MAJOR BOOTH.

You are quite right.
Let good wishes be
Bestowed upon you by our Lord.
Here! I loan you my sword.

OWONDLO.

I thank you.
I must begone.
Adieu, Adieu, Adieu.

Act I — Scene 2.

(Garden of the Gods)

(Owondlo enters the Magic Garden of the Gods, looks around mysteriously)

OWONDLO.

How queer, how strange,
Some silly fool
Had wished to feed
The Gods in the Garden,
On Petrified currants,
Fossil and toad-stool.

---

OWONDLO.

(Pauses and gazes at the Gods)

Perhaps a Sea Nymph—

(Pauses)

Perhaps some ghost—

(Pauses)

Perhaps a gold fish—

(Pauses)

Perhaps some beast.
All likely enjoyed
A bountiful feast.

}}

OWONDLO.

(Loud rumbling noise. Puts ring on his finger. Owondlo is nervous. Fish comes with mouth open.)

Ah ! that diamond ring,
That noise, some fish !
Behold! 'tis a fish.
Just let him come this way.
I will prepare to slay.
Great magic! One good stroke.

---

(Mermaid issues out of place where Owondlo struck his sword)

(For a short time Owondlo is dumfounded)

(He soon seizes the Mermaid in his arms)

NEPTUNE.

(Appears with scepter in hand)

I name thee Fleehion.
Thrice blessed art thou,
The rarest daughter
Of my Kingdom.
Owondlo ! thou shalt have thy ways
Protect her from all enemies.

End of Act I.