Oh, pipe at me!
Now I'm a mouse! I'll eat you up! Rr--rr!--

CHILDREN
Oh, pipe! Oh, play! Oh, play and make us dance!
Oh, play, and make us run away from school!

PIPER
Why, what are these?

CHILDREN
[scampering round him]
We're mice, we're mice, we're mice! . . .
We're mice, we're mice! We'll eat up everything!

MARTIN'S WIFE
[calling]
'T is church-time. La, what will the neighbors say?

ILSE
[Waving her doll]
Oh, please do play something for Fridolin!

AXEL'S WIFE
Do hear the child. She's quite the little mother!

PIPER
A little mother? Ugh! How horrible.
That fairy thing, that princess,--no, that Child!
A little mother?