PEHR. Play--that I have never done! Shall we play, Lisa?
LISA. Yes--but what? Shall we play a game of tag?
PEHR. How does it go?
LISA. Watch me! [She runs behind a tree and throws cones at Pehr.]
Now catch me!
PEHR. [Running after her.] But that's not so easily done! [Steps on
a cone and hurts his foot.] The damned spruce apples!
LISA. Mustn't curse the fruit of the trees!
PEHR. One can do without such fruit! I prefer the kind I saw on a
Christmas-tree. If this spruce could bear such fruit, then--
[Instantly spruce bears oranges.] Look, look! Let us taste. [They
pick fruit and eat.]
LISA. Well, what think you?
PEHR. Oh! it's rather good--but not quite what I had fancied.
LISA. So it is always--all through life.
PEHR. My dear girl, how wise you are! Lisa, may I put my arm around
your waist? [A bird in the tree begins to sing softly.]
LISA. Yes; but what for?
PEHR. May I kiss you also?
LISA. Yes--there's no harm in that, surely. [Bird sings louder.]
PEHR. I'm so warm after the play, Lisa! Shall we bathe in the
brook?
LISA. [Covers her eyes with her hands.] Bathe!
PEHR. [Throws off coat.] Yes!
LISA. [Hides behind a tree.] No, no, no! [Bird sings.]
PEHR. Who is that screech-owl up in the tree?
LISA. It is a bird that sings.
PEHR. What does he sing about?
LISA. Hush! I understand bird language; that my godmother taught
me.
PEHR. It will be fun hearing about it! [Bird sings.]
LISA. "Not so, not so!" he said just then.
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