"From out the dawn, when sun doth rise,

"Until next morn when moon must go,

"I answer to thy beck and cries,

"thine humble servant, Carrocio!"

"The puppet's curtain I unfurl,

"And from mine hands the story's told,

"For pleasure of a boy or girl,

"To see doth cost one coin of gold.

"To take good measure of thy power,

"Forged in fire of virtue's heart,

"To ring the bell this very hour,

"Do test thy strength 'til thy muscles smart."

"And perhaps impress thine own sweetheart!" Carrocio winks at you.

"Or dost thou wish to be a king?

"Yonder sticks a sword in stone.

"If thou canst only pull it out

"Thou wilt be the next upon the throne!"

"My childhood's eye spied father's toil,

"A puppet's show of splendor royal.

"Time's breeze has blown, My father's gone,

"His child has grown, Regrets anon,

"Gears and wheels move the moppets now, in need of no one,

"And so I keep his carnival song playing on and on alone."

"I am sorry to say

"I have called it a day.

"Come to the

grounds to test thy fitness

"when I am, yea verily, open for business."

"Take the hammer in thine hands and strike a blow upon the ground,

"If thine arms be possessed of might then thou shalt hear a ringing sound.

"Once thou hast struck if thou hearest naught then thou dost know thy strength is flagging.

"But if thou dost win the strength test game thou shalt receive a stuffed dragon."

"I fear an end to my family craft, where the show is run by human heart,

"But bones do age, not so machines, and we cannot simply replace a part.

"I carry on as best I can, A machine to play my father's role,

"Control the marionettes unseen, struggling to imbue them with a soul."

"The faces pressed before me, fleeting moments chance of glee, From the lowly mongrel beggar to the resident of throne,

"Each know their place and gave me chase to find the one for me, Woman whom my life may share, this heart that waits alone."

"A beggar man called Snaz will come to watch my show,

"to steal and sell all my best jokes, mine own personal foe."

"Thine ignorance doth make me skittish,

"surely thou hast heard of wise Lord British."

"The awakening of mine heart's idyll,

"Lies 'neath me for I see her still,

"No bard could e'er describe nor tell,

"the tenderness of my fair Nell."

"'Tis said love is a fiery angel,

"Riding soft silk wings of pure redemption,

"My puppet's heart still as an anvil,

"At the wicked thrill of her attention.

"By mine angel Nell I am anointed,

"Humble cowardice felled by Passion's blade,

"As her beloved I was hence appointed,

"Perchance through destiny a marriage made."

Carrocio looks as if he is lost in a memory. After a moment he returns to reality.

"I would not be a gentleman if I spoke of this more, Forgive me the candor of mine heart's open door."

He appears somewhat embarrassed and clears his throat loudly several times.

"My coins are arrows rushing to make good,

"'Til the day when the jeweller sells his ring,

"For my sure heart is not but carved from wood,

"And she doth tend to the bed of a king."

Carrocio gives you a shocked look and drops to his knees before you. "I beseech thee, Avatar,

"Keep still thy tongue,

"My Nell has ne'er harmed anyone,

"It would cause grievous injury to her reputation,

"Through the town's wagging lips our secret to spread,

"'Twould make a permanent end of mine occupation,

"And kill our hope of a happy life dead." He looks you in the eyes, pleadingly. "In thee I must place mine hope and trust,

"Part, parcel and whole.

"To ne'er again speak of the spoils of my lust,

"Thou must not tell a soul!"

He looks at you awaiting some sort of indication. Will you keep his secret?

"Thou dost walk with honor,

"I know thou wilt not tell,

"Of dignity's stains I do not bother,

"My concerns are none save for Nell."

"Reconsider, I must insist of thee, Thou art too thin of hide,

"If he knew, Nell's brother would murder me,

"And I would not see Nell widowed before having the chance to become a bride."

"I am grateful for thine honesty about thy lack of care,

"But why hast thou placed thyself in the center of our affair?

"For Nell's sake I could not bring myself to cause harm to her brother,

"I shall convince him of mine intentions,

"I love Nell and no other.

"Leave me now for I must use this time to properly prepare."

"I am sorry to say

"I have called it a day.

"Come to the grounds at daybreak

"when the puppets are, yea verily, up and awake."

"See foolish pride and love, brutality and sin, Carrocio's tiny world of moving dolls,

"Enough to make thee gasp, or cry or grin,

"All who wish to see 'tis time to hear my calls,

"For now the puppet show is about to begin!"*

"Perchance to find in mercy's ear, A voice to know as gentle friend,

"I bid thee well, but hark return, If thou wouldst see the puppet's play or test thy strength again."