that the third shall stay, all three go to the Queen, who is their mistress.  Tamino’s consciousness returning, he discovers that the serpent has been slain, and hails Papageno, who comes upon the scene, as his deliverer.  Papageno is a bird-catcher by trade and in the service of the Queen of Night—­a happy-go-lucky, talkative fellow, whose thoughts do not go beyond creature comforts.  He publishes his nature (and incidentally illustrates what has been said above about the naive character of some of the music of the opera) by trolling a ditty with an opening strain as follows:—­

[Musical excerpt]

Papageno has no scruples about accepting credit and gratitude for the deed performed by the ladies, and, though he is the veriest poltroon, he boasts inordinately about the gigantic strength which had enabled him to strangle the serpent.  He is punished for his mendacity when the ladies return and place a padlock upon his mouth, closing his lips to the things of which he is most fond—­speech and food.  To Tamino they give a miniature portrait, which excites him to rapturous song ("Dies Bildniss ist bezaubernd schon,” or “Oh! cara immagine,” as the case may be).  Then he learns that the original of the portrait is Pamina, daughter of the Queen of Night, stolen from her mother by a “wicked demon,” Sarastro.  In the true spirit of knight-errantry he vows that he will restore the maid to her mother’s arms.  There is a burst of thunder, and the Queen appears in such apparel and manner as the exchequer at the theatre and the ingenuity of the stage mechanic are able to provide. (When last I saw her her robe was black, bespangled with stars and glittering gems, and she rode upon the crescent moon.) She knows the merits and virtues of the youth, and promises that he shall have Pamina to wife if he succeeds in his adventure.  Papageno is commanded to accompany him, and as aids the ladies give to Tamino a magic flute, whose tones shall protect him from every danger, and to Papageno a bell-chime of equal potency. (These talismans have hundreds of prototypes in the folk-lore of all peoples.) Papageno is loath to accompany the prince, because the magician had once threatened to spit and roast him like the bird he resembled if ever he was caught in his domain, but the magical bells give him comfort and assurance.  Meanwhile the padlock has been removed from his lips, with admonitions not to lie more.  In the quintet which accompanies these sayings and doings, there is exquisite music, which, it is said, Mozart conceived while playing at billiards.  Finally the ladies announce that three boys, “young, beautiful, pure, and wise,” shall guide the pair to the castle of Sarastro.