_A number of thirsty field labourers, an old woman and two young girls, all from the estate of the magistrate FLAMM, come hurriedly across the fields. They are HAHN, HEINZEL, GOLISCH, OLD MRS. GOLISCH, OLD KLEINERT, THE HEAD MAID SERVANT and her ASSISTANT. The men are clad in trousers, the women have their skirts gathered up, shawls over their breasts and manicoloured kerchiefs on their heads._ HAHN [_Thirty years old, bronzed and vigorous._] I'm always the first at the fountain! The rest o' ye c'n run all ye want to! Ye can't never ketch up with me! [_He kneels down and leans over the spring._] Eh, but I'd like to jump right in. THE ASSISTANT MAID Don't ye dare! We've got a thirst too. [_To the HEAD MAID SERVANT._] Have ye a bit of a cup with ye to dip up the water? HEAD MAID SERVANT Hold on there! I comes first. HEINZEL [_Pulls the two women back by the shoulders and thrusts himself between them up to the spring._] First comes the men, then the women folks. KLEINERT There's space enough here for us all. Eh, father Bernd? Wish you a good meal. BERND Yes, yes. Only no meal's been brought for us to eat yet. We're waitin' for it--waitin' in vain. GOLISCH I ... I ... I'm wet enough to be wrung out! My tongue is lyin' in my mouth, dry as a piece o' charred wood. OLD MRS. GOLISCH Water! KLEINERT Here 'tis, enough for us all! _They all drink greedily, some immediately from the surface of the mater, some out of their hollowed hands, others out of their hats or out of little cups and bottles. The sounds of swallowing and of deep relieved breathing are clearly audible._ HEINZEL [_Getting up._] Water's a good thing but beer would be a better. HAHN An' a bit o' brandy wouldn't come amiss neither. GOLISCH August, you might be treatin' us to a quart. OLD MRS. GOLISCH He'd better invite us all to the weddin'. GOLISCH We're all comin' to the weddin'. They says it's to be soon. HEINZEL I'm not comin'. What for? To swill cold water? I needn't go no farther than the spring for that. Or for the sake of a little coffee. HAHN An' prayin' an' singin' for dessert. An' mebbe, there's no tellin', the parson from Jenkau will come over an' see if we know the ten commandments. HEINZEL Or the seven beatitudes on top o' that! That'd be a fine state of affairs. I've long forgot it all. KLEINERT You folks had better stop teasin' August. I'm tellin' you now, if I had a girl of my own, I wouldn't be wantin' no better son-in-law. He knows his business! You always know where to find him. _The working men and women have scattered themselves at ease in a semicircle and are eating their evening meal; coffee in tin pots and great wedges of bread from which they cut pieces with their clasp-knives._ OLD MRS. GOLISCH There comes Rosie Bernd around from behind the farm. GOLISCH Look an' see, will you, how that girl can jump. KLEINERT