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LEILA。 She certainly did surprising things！
FLETA。 Oh； give her back to us； great Queen； for your sake if
not for ours！ （All kneel in supplication。）
QUEEN （irresolute）。 Oh； I should be strong； but I am weak！
I should be marble； but I am clay！ Her punishment has been heavier
than I intended。 I did not mean that she should live among the
frogsandwell； well； it shall be as you wishit shall be as you
wish！
INVOCATIONQUEEN。
Iolanthe！
From thy dark exile thou art summoned！
Come to our call
Come； come； Iolanthe！
CELIA。 Iolanthe！
LEILA。 Iolanthe！
ALL。 Come to our call； Iolanthe！
Iolanthe； come！
（Iolanthe rises from the water。 She is clad in water…weeds。 She
approaches the Queen with head bent and arms crossed。）
IOLANTHE。 With humbled breast
And every hope laid low；
To thy behest；
Offended Queen； I bow！
QUEEN。 For a dark sin against our fairy laws
We sent thee into life…long banishment；
But mercy holds her sway within our hearts
Risethou art pardoned！
IOL。 Pardoned！
ALL。 Pardoned！
（Her weeds fall from her； and she appears clothed as a fairy。 The
Queen places a diamond coronet on her head； and embraces her。 The
others also embrace her。）
CHORUS。
Welcome to our hearts again；
Iolanthe！ Iolanthe！
We have shared thy bitter pain；
Iolanthe！ Iolanthe！
Every heart and every hand
In our loving little band
Welcomes thee to Fairyland；
Iolanthe！
QUEEN。 And now； tell me； with all the world to choose from；
why on earth did you decide to live at the bottom of that stream？
IOL。 To be near my son； Strephon。
QUEEN。 Bless my heart； I didn't know you had a son。
IOL。 He was born soon after I left my husband by your royal
commandbut he does not even know of his father's existence。
FLETA。 How old is he？
IOL。 Twenty…four。
LEILA。 Twenty…four！ No one； to look at you； would think you
had a son of twenty…four！ But that's one of the advantages of
being immortal。 We never grow old！ Is he pretty？
IOL。 He's extremely pretty； but he's inclined to be stout。
ALL （disappointed）。 Oh！
QUEEN。 I see no objection to stoutness； in moderation。
CELIA。 And what is he？
IOL。 He's an Arcadian shepherdand he loves Phyllis； a Ward
in Chancery。
CELIA。 A mere shepherd！ and he half a fairy！
IOL。 He's a fairy down to the waistbut his legs are mortal。
ALL。 Dear me！
QUEEN。 I have no reason to suppose that I am more curious
than other people； but I confess I should like to see a person who
is a fairy down to the waist； but whose legs are mortal。
IOL。 Nothing easier； for here he comes！
（Enter Strephon； singing and dancing and playing on a flageolet。
He does not see the Fairies； who retire up stage as he enters。）
SONGSTREPHON。
Good morrow； good mother！
Good mother； good morrow！
By some means or other；
Pray banish your sorrow！
With joy beyond telling
My bosom is swelling；
So join in a measure
Expressive of pleasure；
For I'm to be married to…dayto…day
Yes； I'm to be married to…day！
CHORUS （aside）。 Yes； he's to be married to…dayto…day
Yes； he's to be married to…day！
IOL。 Then the Lord Chancellor has at last given his consent
to your marriage with his beautiful ward； Phyllis？
STREPH。 Not he； indeed。 To all my tearful prayers he answers
me； 〃A shepherd lad is no fit helpmate for a Ward of Chancery。〃 I
stood in court； and there I sang him songs of Arcadee； with
flageolet accompanimentin vain。 At first he seemed amused； so
did the Bar； but quickly wearying of my song and pipe； bade me get
out。 A servile usher then； in crumpled bands and rusty bombazine；
led me； still singing； into Chancery Lane！ I'll go no more； I'll
marry her to…day； and brave the upshot； be it what it may！ （Sees
Fairies。） But who are these？
IOL。 Oh； Strephon！ rejoice with me； my Queen has pardoned
me！
STREPH。 Pardoned you； mother？ This is good news indeed。
IOL。 And these ladies are my beloved sisters。
STREPH。 Your sisters！ Then they aremy aunts！
QUEEN。 A pleasant piece of news for your bride on her wedding
day！
STREPH。 Hush！ My bride knows nothing of my fairyhood。 I
dare not tell her； lest it frighten her。 She thinks me mortal； and
prefers me so。
LEILA。 Your fairyhood doesn't seem to have done you much
good。
STREPH。 Much good！ My dear aunt！ it's the curse of my
existence！ What's the use of being half a fairy？ My body can
creep through a keyhole； but what's the good of that when my legs
are left kicking behind？ I can make myself invisible down to the
waist； but that's of no use when my legs remain exposed to view！
My brain is a fairy brain； but from the waist downwards I'm a
gibbering idiot。 My upper half is immortal； but my lower half
grows older every day； and some day or other must die of old age。
What's to become of my upper half when I've buried my lower half I
really don't know！
FAIRIES。 Poor fellow！
QUEEN。 I see your difficulty； but with a fairy brain you
should seek an intellectual sphere of action。 Let me see。 I've a
borough or two at my disposal。 Would you like to go into
Parliament？
IOL。 A fairy Member！ That would be delightful！
STREPH。 I'm afraid I should do no good thereyou see； down
to the waist； I'm a Tory of the most determined description； but my
legs are a couple of confounded Radicals； and； on a division；
they'd be sure to take me into the wrong lobby。 You see； they're
two to one； which is a strong working majority。
QUEEN。 Don't let that distress you； you shall be returned as
a Liberal…Conservative； and your legs shall be our peculiar care。
STREPH。 （bowing）。 I see your Majesty does not do things by
halves。
QUEEN。 No； we are fairies down to the feet。
ENSEMBLE。
QUEEN。 Fare thee well； attractive stranger。
FAIRIES。 Fare thee well； attractive stranger。
QUEEN。 Shouldst thou be in doubt or danger；
Peril or perplexitee；
Call us； and we'll come to thee！
FAIRIES。 Aye！ Call us； and we'