Faust: Part One
Huckster-witch
Ye gentlemen, don’t pass me thus!
Let not the chance neglected be!
Behold my wares attentively:
The stock is rare and various.
And yet, there’s nothing I’ve collected—
No shop, on earth, like this you’ll find!—
Which has not, once, sore hurt inflicted
Upon the world, and on mankind.
No dagger’s here, that set not blood to flowing;
No cup, that hath not once, within a healthy frame
Poured speedy death, in poison glowing:
No gems, that have not brought a maid to shame;
No sword, but severed ties for the unwary,
Or from behind struck down the adversary.
Gossip! the times thou badly comprehendest:
What’s done has happed—what haps, is done!
’Twere better if for novelties thou sendest:
By such alone can we be won.
Let me not lose myself in all this pother!
This is a fair, as never was another!
The whirlpool swirls to get above:
Thou’rt shoved thyself, imagining to shove.
But who is that?
Note her especially,
’Tis Lilith.
Who?
Adam’s first wife is she.
Beware the lure within her lovely tresses,
The splendid sole adornment of her hair!
When she succeeds therewith a youth to snare,
Not soon again she frees him from her jesses.
Those two, the old one with the young one sitting,
They’ve danced already more than fitting.
No rest to-night for young or old!
They start another dance: come now, let us take hold!
FAUST (dancing with the young witch)
A lovely dream once came to me;
I then beheld an apple-tree,
And there two fairest apples shone:
They lured me so, I climbed thereon.