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Lithuanian Nationalist!

The water nymphs, Paracelsus named "undinae", or Ondines. In his book, he told a story about one such creature and her interaction with the human world. Herewith we present our rendition of that story. Imagine that before us is the mighty Rhine River, and over there [points to his left and back of stage] is a little stream which flows into it. All around the little stream are ancient and mysterious trees. ....

NARRATOR MOVES TO DOWNSTAGE LEFT [ENTER THE ONDINE AND HER SISTERS. They cavort and swim along the stream.] Paracelsus tells us: ...the undinae have their abode in water, and the water is given to them as to us the air, and just as we are astonished they they should live in water, they are astonished about our being in the air. [The Ondine looks up slowly.]

[EXEUNT SISTERS TO RHINE] [Narrator is now telling a faerie tale.] This is the true story of one such water spirit, who grew curious about the land and its creatures. There was a nymph in Staufenberg who played in the streams and lakes with her sisters. But she developed a strange yearning for the air, and on rainy days

[ENTER ANIMALS AND ROAM ABOUT.] she would come up and sit by the game trail in the forest. She loved to watch the strange, beautiful animals of the land, and was curious about their peculiar features. One day she saw the strangest and most beautiful animal of them all:

[ENTER VON STAUFENBERG, hunting, He comes by the track two or three times.] It was the young and handsome lord of Staufenberg, hunting in the forest. Day after day saw saw him as he roamed the forest and she soon fell in love. [EXEUNT ANIMALS. She waves goodbye and wanders around a bit, then sits down by the track, looking expectant and combing her hair. Ondine puts on her human shape. Von Staufenberg comes by again and sees her. They are entranced. The confused, tired knight does a double take, kisses her hand, looks poetic.]