the Devil agrees to and
mockingly bestows upon him the bearskin into the bargain. Hans now
recognises it as the skin of a bear he had once killed himself. Hans'
one thought now is for his betrothed bride. On his way to her St.
Peter appears to him once more. He tells that the Plassenburg is about
to be stormed, and urges him to save it from the enemy.

The next scene opens again in the hero's native village. A crowd of
people is assembled before the Burgomaster's house; they are looking
towards the Plassenburg which they fear is already in the {397} enemy's
hand. No sound is heard from the fortress; its defenders seem to be in
deep sleep. Suddenly the trumpets sound and in breathless anxiety men
and women watch the battle that now begins.

At last a man comes running up in hot haste shouting that victory is
theirs. He relates how that believing Wallenstein to be far away all
the garrison went to sleep when they were suddenly awakened by a loud
knocking, and the cry "the Friedlander is at the gates!"

The commander Kuensberg sprang out, and at his side, fighting like a
lion, a stranger in whom they presently recognized their fellow
soldier, Hans Kraft, who had served in the same army years ago; to him
they now owe the victory. Everybody begins to praise the deliverer and
to ask where he is, for he had gone away and had not been heard of
again.

The Burgomaster advances to greet the victors accompanied by his two
elder daughters, but Luise cannot be induced to leave home. Alone she
thinks sadly of the man to whom all this time she has remained faithful
and who fails to come and let her know if he is free from the terrible
spell. While she is praying that her lover's sorrows may be ended,
Hans comes up, and seeing the maiden so sad he greets her shyly and
begs her to bandage a wound he received in the fight. While she brings
some linen and fills a cup with water for the thirsty soldier Hans lets
his half of the split {398} ring fall into the cup; she recognizes it,
then Hans makes himself known and with tears of joy, he folds her to
his heart. Thus they are found by the peasants who enthusiastically
greet Hans and tell Luise that her lover is Hans Kraft who has saved
them all. The Burgomaster of course rejoices in his darling's
happiness, while the sisters are mad with envy. Hans now bestows the
famous sack upon the innkeeper who recoils from the present with
terror; and the peasants at last recognizing