Voice of Ant-Commander. And see that you take no prisoners.
Voice of a Butterfly. Iris! Iris!
Voice of Mr. Beetle. My pile! Where ’s my lovely pile?
Tramp. What ’s ’ere? A flint! If only I could strike a spark from it, jest one, one little spark o’ light!
[He strikes it upon another stone. Sparks burst forth. The forest is lit up.
Thank ’eaven, ’ere ’s light!
Voices. Escape! escape!
Chrysalis. Who is that calling me? I come, I come!
[Music.
My wings begin to sever:
My outer sheath is torn . . .
Voices of Moths. (Rapidly coming near and nearer)
Into it, into it, into it! Wing your flight
Into the ecstasy, into the heart of the light!
Chrysalis. I shall have life for ever;
I shall at last be born!
[Moths in a bevy fly into the midst of the light. They whirl round.
Moths. Into it, into it, into it! Wing your flight
Into the ecstasy, into the heart of the light!
Tramp. What are you? Moths? What yer want? Is it life?
First Moth. (Separating from the others) Ah . . .! (Stands still)
