Scene 4: Queen of the Gypsies
"Well," said Martha as soon as she was finished curtsying. "I guess I'll go back to my own valley."
And with that, the haremaid began to head back towards the gate, when suddenly:
"Lilllllllyyyyyyyy."
A hoarse, elderly voice echoed around the stage (and even in the audience).
"Lily?"
Martha looked around, her paws clasped together. "Who's that?"
"Lillllllyyyyyyy."
POOF.
A puff of smoke arose from the well, and out came-
"AAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!" screamed Martha, the five other maidens, and even the audience.
Dotti frowned and put her paws on her hips as she glared around her. The lanky haremaid then clambered out of the well, swishing her long, multi-layered, multi-colored, multi-tasseled skirt. The long strings of beads that hung from her neck and head clattered noisily and the large, brass hoop-rings on her ears swung about freakishly. As the haremaid dropped her legs outside the well, the audience could see she had on multiple gaudy anklets. Dotti grinned, revealing her snaggly old teeth, and shook out her baggy clothes, giving off a weird powdery substance.
Martha wrinkled her nose but nevertheless went up to the other haremaid. "Who are you?"
"Who am I?" Dotti replied, speaking like an old hag. "Come closer and I'll tell you who I am."
"Er, no thanks, I think I'll just stay over here as you tell me." And with that, Martha went and sat down on a rock near a flower box.
Dotti took center stage, and the five other maidens stood right behind her.
"Ahhhh," sang Dotti, trying to get into the right key. "Ahhhhhhhh."
The piano repeatedly hit the right key, something which took Dotti a long time to get. "Ahhhhh ahhhhh aaaaahhhhhh oooooohhhhhhh. . . . ." She raised her tambourine and started to sing.
And so did the five other maidens.
I am the queen of the gypsies
Dotti blinked and glanced behind her. What the . . .? Nevertheless she continued singing . . . with the five other maidens keeping perfect time with her.
Gyp, gyp, gyp, gyp, gyp, gypsies
(Dotti banged her tambourine against her hip, keeping in rhythm)
I ride along in my gypsy caravan
It's the finest gypsy band in the land
There are no kings in the gypsies
Gyp, gyp, gyp, gyp, gyp, gypsies
"Gyp, gyp, gyp, gyp, gyp, gypsies," sang Song, standing forward a bit, singing faster.
Dotti actually stopped singing to glare at the squirrelmaid, but swiftly started again.
You know what they mean
When they shake their tambourine
And I'm their gypsyyyyyyyyy
"Queeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-" Song once again stepped up, singing at a higher pitch - only to be whacked in the face by Dotti's tambourine.
"QUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN," the haremaid finished, stepping in front of Song and spreading her arms wide.
They all then bowed and curtsied, and went on with the show.
"Are you really a gypsy queen, gypsy queen?" Martha asked Dotti.
"Yes, little girl," Dotti replied. "And I have a prediction for you."
"You do?"
"Yes, and I will sing it to you in my song . . . my song," Dotti added, glaring at the five other maidens.
"Tell me, tell me," Martha pleaded, taking her place again near the flower box.
Dotti set down her tambourine on the bench and once again sang the wrong notes while the piano impatiently hit the right ones.
"Ahhhhh, ahhhhhh ahhhhh ooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhh wwwwwooooooooooooo. . . ."
Dotti paused dramatically, then started her song.
I took the-
The other five jumped in.
-WING-
Dotti jumped and squawked.
-of an owwwwwwwllllllllllll-
Dotti made a motion to the others to shut up, which they kindly did. The haremaid then turned and smiled at the audience, favoring them with a snaggle-toothed grin.
For a long moment, there was silence. Then:
"And the eye of a yak," Dotti sang quickly.
"Eye of a yak," sang the other five.
The long brown tooth of an alley cat.
Dotti's shoulders slumped, and with a look of resignation, sang along.
I put it in my pot
And what do you think I goooooot?
Dotti was about to go on with the next verse, but the five beat her to it.
What do you think I got?
What do you think I got?
What do you think I got?
What do you think I got?
"ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT ALREADY!" roared Dotti. ". . . I think I'll tell my prediction. C'mere, little girl," she added, beckoning to Martha.
Martha obeyed.
"Sit down," Dotti ordered, pointing at the bench.
Again Martha obeyed, and Dotti sat down next to her - only to jump up. She had sat on her tambourine. After tossing the instrument away, Dotti went on.
"Last night I had a vision."
"You did?"
"Yes. And it was about you."
"About me?"
"Yes."
"What was it?"
"Well, a handsome prince is comin' to ask you to marry him."
Martha looked simply overjoyed at this.
"But this marriage must never take place-"
Martha's face became a look of surprise.
"-because it'll come to a terrible tragedy and be unhappiness for everyone."
Well, Martha looked pretty put out at this.
Suddenly the sound of trumpets were heard, playing "Call To The Post".
"What's that?" Martha asked.
"The prince is coming!" shrieked Dotti.
"Yay!" shouted the five maidens, clapping their paws and hopping up and down excitedly.