Thursday, 30 November 2017

All Hail!

First Witch:
All hail, Hunchmausen! Hail to thee Duke of Nussholz Pomme-Lesia!

The Horseman:
Really?

First Witch:
Yes, I just said, didn't I?

'All hail ... oh come on, Mary - get 
into the spirit of things!'
The Horseman:
But it's all rather sudden.

First Witch:
The spirits spake unto me!

The Horseman:
Well, could they spake a bit more loudly? Could they spake, for example, about where this place is that I shall be Duke of?

Second Witch:
All hail, Hunchmausen! Hail to thee, Emperor of Fenwick!

The Horseman:
Hang on, hang on! I thought I was going to be Duke of Nussholz Whatever-Whatever.

Second Witch:
Hail to thee, Emperor of Fenwick!

The Horseman:
What, at the same time as being Duke of Nussholz? Or is there some notion of this being sequential?

Third Witch:
All hail, Hunchmausen! King of Gelderland thou shalt be!

The Horseman, choking:
What a what?

Third Witch:
King of Gelderland thou shalt be!

The Horseman:
Shalt I? How? A minute ago I was merely a duke. Are you sure?

First Witch:
Hail!

Second Witch:
Hail!

Third Witch:
Hail!

Fourth Witch:
Can I say "Hail" too?

First Witch:
Mary, stop improvising!

Fourth Witch:
But I never get any lines.
'All ...' *cough* 'Glenda!' *cough*
 'wardrobe malfunction!'

The Horseman:
King! King! And Gelderland - it is a rich and powerful kingdom?

Third Witch:
Have you ever been to Mittleheim before?

The Horseman:
No

Third Witch:
Then, yes it is.

The Horseman:
Huzzah! My fortunes have changed.

The horseman seems about to ride off eastwards in his enthusiasm, but then manages to check himself.


The Horseman:
You wouldn't, you know, be fibbing.

First Witch:
Oh no, no, no, no. That's not what we do. We foretell - we are the three witches of yore!

The Horseman:
Where's that? Also, counting your number, I can't help feeling that there might be some basic numerical challenges to your title of the three wi....

All:
Quick, let's go! Er ... Hail!

Exeunt

Munchausen is alone in the dark. He begins to whistle a jaunty tune. Waiting a moment, he then spurs his horse eastwards down the road. After a short while, he breaks out into song. Forward to adventure! Forward to Mittelheim and a kingdom of his own!

Behind him, the place where the baron halted is quiet. Then, from behind a bush Morag's voice hisses: 'Is he gone?'
'Yes,' replies Mary. 'The coast is clear.'
All four reappear from behind various pieces of vegetation.
Glenda says brightly 'You see: I told you it would be fun!'
From the west comes the sound of a cart. The unmistakable odour of pig farmer grows stronger as the sound gets nearer. As the farmer arrives, he stands back terrified as four dark apparitions appear in front of him. A wailing voice shouts out: 'All hail Herr Pig Farmer! Hail to thee Duke of Nussholz Pomme-Lesia!

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