Act 1:
We meet Singurrd, a simple woodsman who sells
log sharpeners on the edge of the forest. One day he becomes lost,
so he asks the Sundew Maidens to guide him on his way.
They rejoice, and sing a song of mucous. Singurrd is bedazzled
and vows that the Sundew Maidens must be his own.
Act 2:
We begin this act under the river Yudrick, where the evil mishapen
pixies live. They plot of ways to capture all the waters of the
lands, so even the great gods will have to pay them tribute. Their
leader, Hildred, demands gold from the other pixies, but all his
requests are denied. Outcast, he swears he will not forget his
humiliation. The remaining pixies dance wildly, and this only
increases Hildred's fury.
Act 3:
After many tests of his fortitude, Singurrd arrives at the cloud-castle
where the huge Drosoffs toil ceaselessly. Singurrd replaces their
wine-flagons with barrels, so the giants become drunk when they
slake their thirsts. After they fall asleep, Singurrd dances
around their bodies. Unable to recall why he came to the
cloud-castle, he cuts off the legs off the giants, then
runs out of the castle, tumbling from the clouds to
the ground. The giants are unable to chase him so they sing a song
of woe.
Act 4:
Hildred's sister, Irmhosten, has learned of her brother's humiliation.
She travels across the land until she finds the eight Rock Witches. These
witches give her a mighty hide which gives her the power of transforming
into a tree. This provides Irmhosten with great amusement, and she loudly
proclaims, "I look like a tree, and none can claim otherwise."
Act 5:
The last act takes place in the tunnels belonging to
Irmhosten's angry sister,
Frousten. When Singurrd appears carrying Irmhosten's tree-hide,
Frousten demands he return it to the Drosoffs. Singurrd agrees, but
instead gives it to Hildred, believing the pixie to be a legless
Drosoff. Hildred runs with the tree-hide back to his cave, and transforms
it into a magical goblet. The Sundew Maidens see the
metamorphosis occur, and ask the audience the musical question,
"Why must goblets be denied humankind?"
The Drosoffs reply with a lightning storm, and the ensemble
takes cover. Only Frousten remains to ponder her life.
Epilogue
