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To her life she clings！
Matrimonial devotion
Doesn't seem to suit her notion
Burial it brings！
Here's a state of things！
ENSEMBLE
YUM…YUM and NANKI…POO。 KO…KO。
With a passion that's intense With a passion that's
intense
I worship and adore； You worship and adore；
But the laws of common sense But the laws of common
sense
We oughtn't to ignore。 You oughtn't to
ignore。
If what he says is true； If what I say is true；
'Tis death to marry you！ 'Tis death to marry
you！
Here's a pretty state of things！ Here's a pretty state of
things！
Here's a pretty how…de…do！ Here's a pretty
how…de…do！
＇Exit
Yum…Yum。
KO。 （going up to Nanki…Poo）。 My poor boy； I'm really very
sorry for you。
NANK。 Thanks； old fellow。 I'm sure you are。
KO。 You see I'm quite helpless。
NANK。 I quite see that。
KO。 I can't conceive anything more distressing than to have
one's marriage broken off at the last moment。 But you shan't be
disappointed of a weddingyou shall come to mine。
NANK。 It's awfully kind of you； but that's impossible。
KO。 Why so？
NANK。 To…day I die。
KO。 What do you mean？
NANK。 I can't live without Yum…Yum。 This afternoon I
perform the Happy Despatch。
KO。 No； nopardon meI can't allow that。
NANK。 Why not？
KO。 Why； hang it all； you're under contract to die by the
hand of the Public Executioner in a month's time！ If you kill
yourself； what's to become of me？ Why； I shall have to be
executed in your place！
NANK。 It would certainly seem so！
Enter Pooh…Bah。
KO。 Now then； Lord Mayor； what is it？
POOH。 The Mikado and his suite are approaching the city；
and will be here in ten minutes。
KO。 The Mikado！ He's coming to see whether his orders have
been carried out！ （To Nanki…Poo。） Now look here； you knowthis
is getting seriousa bargain's a bargain； and you really mustn't
frustrate the ends of justice by committing suicide。 As a man of
honour and a gentleman； you are bound to die ignominiously by the
hands of the Public Executioner。
NANK。 Very well； thenbehead me。
KO。 What； now？
NANK。 Certainly； at once。
POOH。 Chop it off！ Chop it off！
KO。 My good sir； I don't go about prepared to execute
gentlemen at a moment's notice。 Why； I never even killed a
blue…bottle！
POOH。 Still； as Lord High Executioner
KO。 My good sir； as Lord High Executioner； I've got to
behead him in a month。 I'm not ready yet。 I don't know how it's
done。 I'm going to take lessons。 I mean to begin with a guinea
pig； and work my way through the animal kingdom till I come to a
Second Trombone。 Why； you don't suppose that； as a humane man；
I'd have accepted the post of Lord High Executioner if I hadn't
thought the duties were purely nominal？ I can't kill youI
can't kill anything！ I can't kill anybody！ （Weeps。）
NANK。 Come； my poor fellow； we all have unpleasant duties
to discharge at times； after all； what is it？ If I don't mind；
why should you？ Remember； sooner or later it must be done。
KO。 （springing up suddenly）。 Must it？ I'm not so sure
about that！
NANK。 What do you mean？
KO。 Why should I kill you when making an affidavit that
you've been executed will do just as well？ Here are plenty of
witnessesthe Lord Chief Justice； Lord High Admiral；
Commander…in…Chief； Secretary of State for the Home Department；
First Lord of the Treasury； and Chief Commissioner of Police。
NANK。 But where are they？
KO。 There they are。 They'll all swear to itwon't you？
（To Pooh…Bah。）
POOH。 Am I to understand that all of us high Officers of
State are required to perjure ourselves to ensure your safety？
KO。 Why not！ You'll be grossly insulted； as usual。
POOH。 Will the insult be cash down； or at a date？
KO。 It will be a ready…money transaction。
POOH。 （Aside。） Well； it will be a useful discipline。
（Aloud。） Very good。 Choose your fiction； and I'll endorse it！
（Aside。） Ha！ ha！ Family Pride； how do you like that； my buck？
NANK。 But I tell you that life without Yum…Yum
KO。 Oh； Yum…Yum； Yum…Yum！ Bother Yum…Yum！ Here；
Commissionaire （to Pooh…Bah）； go and fetch Yum…Yum。 （Exit
Pooh…Bah。） Take Yum…Yum and marry Yum…Yum； only go away and never
come back again。 （Enter Pooh…Bah with Yum…Yum。） Here she is。
Yum…Yum； are you particularly busy？
YUM。 Not particularly。
KO。 You've five minutes to spare？
YUM。 Yes。
KO。 Then go along with his Grace the Archbishop of Titipu；
he'll marry you at once。
YUM。 But if I'm to be buried alive？
KO。 Now； don't ask any questions； but do as I tell you； and
Nanki…Poo will explain all。
NANK。 But one moment
KO。 Not for worlds。 Here comes the Mikado； no doubt to
ascertain whether I've obeyed his decree； and if he finds you
alive I shall have the greatest difficulty in persuading him that
I've beheaded you。 （Exeunt Nanki…Poo and Yum…Yum； followed by
Pooh…Bah。） Close thing that； for here he comes！
＇Exit Ko…Ko。
March。Enter procession； heralding Mikado； with Katisha。
Entrance of Mikado and Katisha。
（〃March of the Mikado's troops。〃）
CHORUS。 Miya sama； miya sama；
On n'm…ma no maye ni
Pira…Pira suru no wa
Nan gia na
Toko tonyare tonyare na？
DUETMIKADO and KATISHA。
MIK。 From every kind of man
Obedience I expect；
I'm the Emperor of Japan
KAT。 And I'm his daughter…in…law elect！
He'll marry his son
（He's only got one）
To his daughter…in…law elect！
MIK。 My morals have been declared
Particularly correct；
KAT。 But they're nothing at all； compared
With those of his daughter…in…law elect！
BowBow
To his daughter…in…law elect！
ALL。 BowBow
To his daughter…in…law elect。
MIK。 In a fatherly kind of way
I govern each tribe and sect；
All cheerfully own my sway
KAT。 Except his daughter…in…law elect！
As tough as a bone；
With a will of her own；