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The action takes place in a village, looking out upon open meadows.
Bastienne, a shepherdess, fears that her "dearest friend," Bastien, has forsaken her for
another pretty face, and decides to go into the pasture to be comforted by her flock of
lambs.
But her departure is interrupted by Colas, the village soothsayer, who arrives to the
sound of bagpipes. Bastienne asks him to use his magic arts to help solve her
problem. Colas, of course, is aware of Bastienne's plight and reassures her that her
Bastien is not being unfaithful: His head has been temporarily turned by "the lady of
the manor." He advises Bastienne to feign indifference; if she does that, Bastien will
return.
They hear Bastien approaching, so Bastienne hides. He enters confidently, loudly
declaring his love for Bastienne. Colas stops him cold with the news that he's too late:
Bastienne has found another lover. Bastien is dumbfounded. How can he win her
back? Colas consults his book of magic and finds the following spell: "Diggi, daggi,
shurry, murry, horum, harum, lirum, larum, rowdy, mowdy, giri, gari, posito, besti,
basti, saron froh, fatto, matto, quid pro quo." He assures Bastien that the spell has
taken effect and all his problems are solved. Joyfully, Bastien searches for Bastienne.
But Bastienne decides to give Bastien his comeuppance, and plays her part of the
spurned lover to the hilt. In fact, she plays the part so well that Bastien threatens to
return to the lady in the manor. No problem, Bastienne retorts: She herself can easily
find admirers in the town. Bastien hints at suicide. "Have a good time!" she responds.
He threatens to drown himself. "Enjoy your cold bath!" But here he hesitates,
admitting that he's a bad swimmer.
But by now the lovers' tiff has played itself out. The pair, reconciled, is joined by
Colas and they all sing the magician's praises in a final chorus.
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