m and help from a number of Genii he had come
across. There were three temples, connected by colonnades, and above
the portal of one of these was written, Temple of Wisdom; over
another, Temple of Reason; the third, Temple of Nature. These temples
were situated in a beautiful grove, which Tamino entered with three
Genii who each bore a silver palm branch.

"Now, pray tell me, ye wise ones, is it to be my lot to loosen
Pamina's bonds?" he asked anxiously.

"It is not for us to tell thee this, but we say to thee, 'Go, be a
man,' be steadfast and true and thou wilt conquer." They departed,
leaving Tamino alone. Then he saw the temples.

"Perhaps she is within one of these temples," he cried; "and with the
words of those wise Genii in my ears, I'll surely rescue her if she is
there." So saying, he went up to one of them and was about to enter.

"Stand back!" a mysterious voice called from within.

"What! I am repulsed? Then I will try the next one," and he went to
another of the temples.

"Stand back," again a voice called.

"Here too?" he cried, not caring to venture far. "There is still
another door and I shall betake me to it." So he went to the third,
and, when he knocked, an aged priest met him upon the threshold.

"What seek ye here?" he asked.

"I seek Love and Truth."

"That is a good deal to seek. Thou art looking for miscreants, thou
art looking for revenge? Love, Truth, and Revenge do not belong
together," the old priest answered.

"But the one I would revenge myself upon is a wicked monster."

"Go thy way. There is none such here," the priest replied.

"Isn't your reigning chief Sarastro?"

"He is--and his law is supreme."

"He stole a princess."

"So he did--but he is a holy man, the chief of Truth--we cannot
explain his motives to thee," the priest said, as he disappeared
within and closed the door.

"Oh, if only she still lives!" Tamino cried, standing outside the
temple.

"She lives, she lives!" a chorus within sang, and at that reassurance
Tamino was quite wild with happiness. Then he became full of
uncertainty and sadness again, for he remembered that he did not know
where to find her, and he sat down to play upon his magic flute. As he
played, wild animals came out to listen, and they crowded around him.
While he was playing, lamenting the loss of Pamina, he was answered by
Papageno from a little way off, and he leaped up joyously.

"Perhaps Papageno is coming with the Princess,"