Right gladly will I tell it thee. Attend. Once on a time there lived a man who spent Much time in puzzling over cosmic truths. That which tormented his poor brain the most Was, how to learn of Evil's origin. And to that question he could not reply. The world was made by God, so he would say, And God can only have in him the Good. How then doth Evil spring from out the Good? Time and again he puzzled over this, But could not find the answer that he sought. Now it befell that on a certain day This seeker on his travels passed a tree That was engaged in converse with an axe. Unto the tree the axe did speak these words: 'That which thou canst not do I can achieve, I can fell thee; but thou canst not fell me.' Unto the vain axe thus the tree replied: ''Twas but a year ago a man did cleave The very wood of which thine haft is made Out of my body with another axe.' And when the man had listened to these words A thought was straightway born within his soul Which he could not set clearly down in words, But which completely answered his demand: How Evil could originate from Good. KEANE: Think on this story, daughter and thou'lt see, How contemplating nature's mysteries May form fresh knowledge in a human head. I know how many things I can make clear Unto myself by spinning out in thought The tales by which the knights enlighten us. BERTHA: I know I am a simple little thing, Without ability to understand The learned words which clever people use In setting forth the science they profess. I have no taste for matters of that kind. Whenever Thomas tells us of his work I nearly fall asleep. But I could spend Unnumbered hours in listening to the tales Which father brings back home on his return From visiting the castle, and wherewith He often weaves a story of his own As he recounts them to us hour on hour. (Exeunt.) (After an interval, the Countryfolk come across the meadow.) FIRST COUNTRYMAN: My uncle yesterday came home again. He dwelt a long time in Bohemia, And earned an honest living in the mines. Full many a bit of news he hath to tell Picked up by him upon his journeyings. Excitement and unrest are everywhere. Attacks are made upon the Spirit-Knights. Our local brotherhood can not escape; Already preparations have been made And ere long will this castle be besieged. SECOND COUNTRYMAN: I hope 'twill not be long 'ere they attack. Many amongst us will most certainly Gladly enlist among the fighting-men; I mean to be among the first myself. FIRST COUNTRYWOMAN: Thou wilt but hurry headlong to thy doom! How can a man be such a witless fool! Hast thou forgot how strongly fortified The castle is? The battle will be grim. SECOND COUNTRYWOMAN: