My godmother bids me spin, that my heart may not be sad. 
Spin and sing for my brother’s sake, and the spinning makes me glad. 
Spin, sing with humming whir, the wheel goes round and round. 
For my brother’s sake, the charm I’ll break, Prince Hero shall be found. 
Spin, sing, the golden thread,
Gleams in the sun’s bright ray,
The humming wheel my grief can heal,
For love will find a way.]

  [Pauses with uplifted hand.

What’s that at my casement tapping? 
Some messenger, maybe. 
Pause, good wheel, in thy turning,
While I look out and see.

  [Opens casement and leans out, as if welcoming a carrier dove,
    which may be concealed in basket outside window.

Little white dove, from my faithful knight,
Dost thou bring a message to me? 
Little white dove with the white, white breast,
What may that message be?

  [Finds note, tied to wing.

Here is his letter.  Ah, well-a-day! 
I’ll open it now, and read. 
Little carrier dove, with fluttering heart,
I’m a happy maiden, indeed.
(She reads.) “O Princess fair, in the Ogre’s tower,
In the far-off Summer-land
I seek the South Wind’s silver flute,
To summon a fairy band. 
Now send me a token by the dove
That thou hast read my note. 
Send me the little heart of gold
From the chain about thy throat. 
And I shall bind it upon my shield,
My talisman there to stay. 
And then all foes to me must yield,
For Love will find the way.

Here is set the hand and seal
Of thy own true knight, the faithful—­Feal.”

  [Princess takes locket from throat and winds chain around dove’s
    neck.

Princess sings.

[The Dove Song.

Now, flutter and fly, flutter and fly,
Bear him my heart of gold,
Bid him be brave little carrier dove! 
Bid him be brave and bold! 
Tell him that I at my spinning wheel,
Will sing while it turns and hums,
And think all day of his love so leal,
Until with the flute he comes. 
Now fly, flutter and fly,
Now flutter and fly, away, away.]

  [Sets dove at liberty.  Turning to wheel again, repeats song.

Princess repeats. My Godmother bids me spin,
That my heart may not be sad;
Spin and sing for my brother’s sake,
And the spinning makes me glad.

Sing!  Spin!  With hum and whir
The wheel goes round and round. 
For my brother’s sake the charm I’ll break! 
Prince Hero shall be found.

Spin!  Sing!  The golden thread
Gleams in the sunlight’s ray! 
The humming wheel my grief can heal,
For Love will find a way.

  [First messenger appears at window, dressed as a Morning-glory.

Morning-glory. Fair Princess,
This morning, when the early dawn
Was flushing all the sky,
Beside the trellis where I bloomed,
A knight rode slowly by.