First Act

First Scene

Herr von Biederling enters with the prince, approaching Frau von Biederling and Wilhelmine.

HERR v. BIEDERLING: Here, wife! I am bringing you a guest. We stayed in the same house in Dresden, and since he had to make his journey to France via Naumburg, I suggested he stay with us and take a little look at my gardens.

FRAU v. BIEDERLING: I am delighted—

HERR v. BIEDERLING: He's no ordinary traveler, wife! It's a prince from another world who wants to get to know our European world and see if it's actually worthy of its praise. That's why we have to do our best to make a good impression on him. Just imagine: to become known as far as Cumba, a country that's not even on our map.

FRAU v. BIEDERLING: It's an unexpected pleasure for our family that a traveler of such high birth—

PRINCE: That's enough now, my friends, (sits down) I am of no high birth. If you want to make my stay pleasant, treat me like your son.

HERR v. BIEDERLING: That's what we will do. (Sits down next to him.) Sit down, wife! Mina! You can sit with us. What was it that I wanted to say? Since you absolutely want us to treat you—Peter! has the luggage been brought inside?—So tell me something of your journey, Prince, of your adventures. You have come quite a long way, by George; that really gives you something to talk about. And how did you come upon the idea to travel, if I may ask?

PRINCE: To reign over country and people, and not to know mankind, seems to me like a teacher of mathematics who wants to train horses.

HERR v. BIEDERLING: Or like our Herr Magister Beza from Schulpforta, ha ha ha. But do tell me, who told you about Europe, since we clever Europeans haven't heard a word about the kingdom of Cumba, by heaven.