# The Bartered Bride (1908)/Argument

ARGUMENT.
The scene is laid in a small village in Bohemia. A chorus is joyfully singing of love. Marie, a young girl, and her lover, Hans, are not so happy, for Marie's parents want to marry her off to a man she does not love. Hans, her lover, is sure that all will turn out well, and that if she only loves him, no one can compel her to marry the other man. At the sound of approaching footsteps, Hans goes, and Marie hides as Kezal, a matrimonial agent, Kruschina, Marie's father, and Kathinka, her mother, come on the scene. Kezal has been negotiating for a marriage between Marie and Wenzel, the son of Micha, one of the men of the village, but they have not yet told Marie of their choice. The father does not think it necessary to get her consent, but the mother has more sympathy for her daughter, and asks them to wait and hear what Marie has to say. Kezal sings the praises of Wenzel and arouses their curiosity to such an extent, that they regret that he did not bring Wenzel with him. Marie comes on the scene and refuses to hear of marrying Wenzel. She loves Hans and will marry no one else. Kruschina promises Micha in writing that he will give Marie to his son. Marie is still firm in her decision, so Kezal tells Kruschina to go and talk it over with Micha, while he goes to see what he can do with Hans. In the next scene, which ends the act, some country folk are gathered in front of the inn, drinking, while the young men and girls dance.
ACT II.
A room in the inn. Hans is seated at one end of the table, and Kezal at another. They drink. Hans is extolling the joy of loving and being loved, when Kezal comes up to him and tells him that love is nothing if one has no money, but Hans disagrees. Young men and girls are dancing. Wenzel comes in rather tipsy, when Marie approaches him, and begs him not to marry the girl he is promised to, because she loves another. She also tells him that she knows a very pretty girl, who is madly in love with him. Wenzel promises to renounce the girl, and is very much touched by the interest Marie has taken in him.
​In the meantime, Kezal asks Hans to give up Marie and promises him 300 gulden if he does so. Hans agrees, on the condition that she marry no one but Micha's son (for he is Micha's son, but from his first wife). Kezal yields, and the contract is signed. Hans rejoices at his own cleverness and looks forward to a happy life with Marie.
In the next scene, Kezal returns to the parents with Hans, and they all rejoice that Kezal has been able to straighten matters so cleverly.
ACT III.
A travelling company comes to the town and the manager announces all the celebrities. Wenzel is still tipsy and is very much smitten by the pretty tight-rope dancer Esmeralda, who encourages his advances. Unfortunately, the man who was to play the bear has gotten drunk, and they cannot find another who would fit in the hide. The manager, seeing that Wenzel is so interested in Esmeralda, thinks it a good way to get him to do the bear-tricks, and finally persuades him to get into the hide and dance.
In the next scene, Wenzel's mother comes to take him to Marie, but he refuses to go, saying that he does not want her, because he was told she would torture him to death, because she loves another. Kezal tells Marie and the rest that Hans had sold her for 300 gulden. Marie refuses to believe it, but when she sees the contract, she is convinced of her lover's faithlessness. She asks them to leave her alone. They go. Hans comes and talks to her of his love, tells her the whole trick in a very jolly and bantering way, but she does not see through it, and refuses to listen to him, when he tries to explain the mystery. Kezal and the others come on the scene, and though they are happy to have gotten rid of Hans, they are rather disgusted with his mean treatment of Marie. Hans tries to convince Marie that she will marry Micha's son anyway, but she is still ignorant of the fact that Hans is Micha's longlost son. When Agnes and Micha come in, they recognize Hans and see that Kezal has fallen into his own snare; and when Marie admits that she loves Hans, they ridicule, Kezal and he takes to his heels.
Wenzel comes in dressed in the bear-hide and is dragged away by his mother. The happy lovers are then blessed by Micha, and all rejoice in the wedding of the Bartered Bride.