Of Tales and Dreams

ACT I

Once upon a dream- no, a nightmare-

Once upon a nightmare- but it was real-

Once upon a nightmare, that did happen

There was a weaver's daughter with fair eyes

From Papa, she learned to tell pretty lies,

Weave wondrous tales, leave everyone in sighs

Did you travel a thousand lands?- Yes, yes, yes

I've held deserts and oceans in my hands

You saw the prince and the Taj Mahal?- Yes, I did

And he bought my tapestries, one and all!

What'd he pay?- An elephant's weight in gold-

Your weaving's worth its weight in gold?- No, no no,

My weaving becomes like gold, it is gold!

A weaver's daughter can weave gold from thread?-

Only a weaver's daughter? Pah! When I'm dead!

Once there was a simple weaver's daughter

What she lacked in beauty, she filled with lies

Every lie of hers was heard far and wide

"Her tales of gold, are they true?", one asked

Why yes!, answered a village boy, all true

Once upon a nightmare, her tales trapped her

ACT II

Once upon a time- No! It was a dream-

Once upon a dream- a fool's dream that ruined me-

Once upon a fool's dream that ended in ruin

Was a charming prince with burning ambition

From the queen, he learned to thirst for glory

And thirsted and lusted and emptied his coffers

To his knights, he promised new lands and maids

Yes, you shall get all you wish, just serve me

To his council, he promised gold, gold, gold,

Gold, gold, gold, he said, let me wage my wars

To his queen mother, a prosperous throne

Kingdom never hungry, let me conquer!

 Victor, he returned to empty coffers

And tales of gold and a weaver's daughter

She shall save me, he said, and summoned her

Once there was a prince in love with glory

He found it at a price, his kingdom's life

He used all its gold; he dried it to bone

What of what you promised me, said his knights

Said his council, said his queen mother

Once upon a fool's dream, his dreams trapped him