FIRST COUNTRYMAN (remembering).  Ah, the gourds!

[Each looks at his ankle, then at the other’s ankle.]

SECOND COUNTRYMAN.  How’s this!

FIRST COUNTRYMAN.  Did we not tie gourds around our ankles?

SECOND COUNTRYMAN (nodding).  Why, surely we did.

FIRST COUNTRYMAN (looking about).  Did we not have two baskets of gourds with us?

SECOND COUNTRYMAN (nodding).  Surely; there in the corner.

FIRST COUNTRYMAN (holding up foot to which flag is tied).  Is this a gourd or is it not a gourd?

SECOND COUNTRYMAN.  Of a surety it is a flag.

(Holding up his foot with flag.)

And if this be not a gourd, keep thy silence.

[The First Countryman stares at the flag, placing his finger on his closed lips.]

SECOND COUNTRYMAN.  Then it hath indeed happened!

FIRST COUNTRYMAN.  What hath happened?

SECOND COUNTRYMAN.  The dreadful thing foretold by the citizens.  I am not I! 
Thou art not thou!

FIRST COUNTRYMAN (trembling with fear).  How can that be?

SECOND COUNTRYMAN.  I know not.  I only know that it is.

FIRST COUNTRYMAN (weeping).  I cannot think I am not myself!

SECOND COUNTRYMAN (weeping).  Thou needst must think it, whether thou wouldst or no.

FIRST COUNTRYMAN.  Dost thou indeed think thou art some other person?

SECOND COUNTRYMAN.  If I were myself, would not the gourd still be around my ankle?

FIRST COUNTRYMAN.  Then who art thou?  And who am I?

SECOND COUNTRYMAN.  Alas!  I know not.

[Enter the WAGS.]

FIRST COUNTRYMAN (joyfully).  Here come those who will know whether we are ourselves!

[The Wags pretend not to know the Countrymen who are bowing before them.  They pass on.]

SECOND COUNTRYMAN.  Stop, good sirs!

FIRST COUNTRYMAN.  A word with thee!

[The Wags stop.]

SECOND COUNTRYMAN.  Dost thou not know us?

FIRST WAG.  I have not that pleasure.

FIRST COUNTRYMAN.  Thou didst talk with us but yester-eve!

SECOND WAG.  Some mistake, I fear, my good man.

[The Wags start off.]

SECOND COUNTRYMAN (weeping).  Wait!  I pray thee, wait!

(The Wags stop.)

Canst thou not tell us who we are?

FIRST WAG.  Do you not know yourselves?

SECOND COUNTRYMAN.  Alas! we are not ourselves.

FIRST COUNTRYMAN.  Thou wouldst know us were we as we were once.

SECOND WAG.  Perhaps those flags will solve the riddle.

FIRST WAG.  True enough; let us look at them.

[The Countrymen remove flags and hand them to Wags, who look at them intently.]

SECOND WAG (mysteriously).  Can it be?