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It's the general opinion
That she'll last a good deal longer when she's
tough。
KO。 Are you old enough to marry； do you think？
Won't you wait till you are eighty in the shade？
There's a fascination frantic
In a ruin that's romantic；
Do you think you are sufficiently decayed？
KAT。 To the matter that you mention
I have given some attention；
And I think I am sufficiently decayed。
BOTH。 If that is so；
Sing derry down derry！
It's evident； very；
Our tastes are one！
Away we'll go；
And merrily marry；
Nor tardily tarry
Till day is done！
＇Exeunt
together。
Flourish。 Enter the Mikado； attended by Pish…Tush and Court。
MIK。 Now then； we've had a capital lunch； and we're quite
ready。 Have all the painful preparations been made？
PISH。 Your Majesty； all is prepared。
MIK。 Then produce the unfortunate gentleman and his two
well…meaning but misguided accomplices。
Enter Ko…Ko； Katisha； Pooh…Bah； and Pitti…Sing。 They throw
themselves
at the Mikado's feet
KAT。 Mercy！ Mercy for Ko…Ko！ Mercy for Pitti…Sing！ Mercy
even for Pooh…Bah！
MIK。 I beg your pardon； I don't think I quite caught that
remark。
POOH。 Mercy even for Pooh…Bah。
KAT。 Mercy！ My husband that was to have been is dead； and
I have just married this miserable object。
MIK。 Oh！ You've not been long about it！
KO。 We were married before the Registrar。
POOH。 I am the Registrar。
MIK。 I see。 But my difficulty is that； as you have slain
the Heir Apparent
Enter Nanki…Poo and Yum…Yum。 They kneel。
NANK。 The Heir Apparent is not slain。
MIK。 Bless my heart； my son！
YUM。 And your daughter…in…law elected！
KAT。 （seizing Ko…Ko）。 Traitor； you have deceived me！
MIK。 Yes； you are entitled to a little explanation； but I
think he will give it better whole than in pieces。
KO。 Your Majesty； it's like this： It is true that I stated
that I had killed Nanki…Poo
MIK。 Yes； with most affecting particulars。
POOH。 Merely corroborative detail intended to give artistic
verisimilitude to a bald and
KO。 Will you refrain from putting in your oar？ （To
Mikado。） It's like this： When your Majesty says； 〃Let a thing be
done；〃 it's as good as donepractically； it is donebecause
your Majesty's will is law。 Your Majesty says； 〃Kill a
gentleman；〃 and a gentleman is told off to be killed。
Consequently； that gentleman is as good as deadpractically； he
is deadand if he is dead； why not say so？
MIK。 I see。 Nothing could possibly be more satisfactory！
FINALE。
PITTI。 For he's gone and married Yum…Yum
ALL。 Yum…Yum！
PITTI。 Your anger pray bury；
For all will be merry；
I think you had better succumb
ALL。 Cumbcumb。
PITTI。 And join our expressions of glee！
KO。 On this subject I pray you be dumb
ALL。 Dumbdumb！
KO。 Your notions； though many；
Are not worth a penny；
The word for your guidance is 〃Mum〃
ALL。 MumMum！
KO。 You've a very good bargain in me。
ALL。 On this subject we pray you be dumb
Dumbdumb！
We think you had better succumb
Cumbcumb！
You'll find there are many
Who'll wed for a penny；
There are lots of good fish in the sea。
YUM。 and NANK。 The threatened cloud has passed away；
And brightly shines the dawning day；
What though the night may come too soon；
We've years and years of afternoon！
ALL。 Then let the throng
Our joy advance；
With laughing song
And merry dance；
With joyous shout and ringing cheer；
Inaugurate our new career！
Then let the throng； etc。
CURTAIN。
THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE
OR
THE SLAVE OF DUTY
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
MAJOR…GENERAL STANLEY
THE PIRATE KING
SAMUEL （his Lieutenant）
SERGEANT OF POLICE
MABEL； EDITH； KATE； and ISABEL （General Stanley's Daughters）
RUTH （a Pirate Maid of all Work）
Chorus of Pirates； Police； and General Stanley's Daughters
ACT I
A rocky sea…shore on the coast of Cornwall
ACT II
A ruined chapel by moonlight
First produced at the Op…ra Comique on April 3； 1880
ACT I
（Scene。…A rocky seashore on the coast of Cornwall。 In the
distance is a calm sea； on which a schooner is lying at anchor。
Rock L。 sloping down to L。C。 of stage。 Under these rocks is a
cavern； the entrance to which is seen at first entrance L。 A
natural arch of rock occupies the R。C。 of the stage。 As the
curtain rises groups of pirates are discovered some drinking；
some playing cards。 SAMUEL； the Pirate Lieutenant； is going from
one group to another； filling the cups from a flask。 FREDERIC is
seated in a despondent attitude at the back of the scene。 RUTH
kneels at his feet。）
OPENING CHORUS
ALL： Pour； O pour the pirate sherry；
Fill； O fill the pirate glass；
And； to make us more than merry
Let the pirate bumper pass。
SAMUEL： For today our pirate 'prentice
Rises from indentures freed；
Strong his arm； and keen his scent is
He's a pirate now indeed！
ALL： Here's good luck to Fred'ric's ventures！
Fred'ric's out of his indentures。
SAMUEL： Two and twenty； now he's rising；
And alone he's fit to fly；
Which we're bent on signalizing
With unusual revelry。
ALL： Here's good luck to Fred'ric's ventures！
Fred'ric's out of his indentures。
Pour； O pour the pirate sherry；
Fill； O fill the pirate glass；
And； to make us more than merry
Let the pirate bumper pass。
（FREDERIC rises and comes forward with PIRATE KING； who enters）
KING： Yes； Frederic； from to…day you rank as a full…blown
member of our band。
ALL： Hurrah！
FREDERIC： My friends； I thank you all； from my heart； for your
kindly wishes。 Would that I could repay them as they
deserve！
KING： What do you mean？
FREDERIC： To…day I am out of my indentures； and to…day I leave
you for ever。
KING： But this is quite unaccountable； a keener hand at
scuttling a Cunarder or cutting out a White Star never
shipped a handspike。
FREDERIC： Yes； I have done my best for you。 And why？ It was my
duty under my indentures； and I am the slave of duty。
As a child I was regularly apprenticed to your band。
It was through an error no matter； the mistake was
ours； not yours； and I was in honour bound by it。
SAMUEL： An error？ What error？ （RUTH rises and comes forward）
FREDERIC： I may not tell you； it would reflect upon my well…loved
Ruth。
RUTH： Nay； dear master； my mind has long been gnawed by the
cankering tooth of mystery。 Better have it out at
once。
SONG RUTH
RUTH： When Frederic was a little lad he proved so brave and
daring；
His father thought he'd 'prentice him to some career
seafaring。
I was； alas！ his nurs'rymaid； and so it fell to my lot
To take and bind the promising boy apprentice to a
pilot
A life not bad for a hardy lad； though surely not a
high lot；
Though I'm a nurse； you might do worse than make your
boy a pilot。
I was a stupid nurs'rymaid； on breakers always
steering；
And I did not catch the word aright； through being hard
of hearing；
Mistaking my instructions； which within my brain did
gyrate；
I took and bound this promising boy apprentice to