Chorus Olim, Olim, Deus Accelere (Once, long ago, God Accelere) Hoc saeculum splendium (This century splendor) Accelere fiat venire olim (Accelere may come once)
Clopin: Morning in Paris, the city awakes To the bells of Notre Dame The fisherman fishes, the bakerman bakes To the bells of Notre Dame To the big bells as loud as the thunder To the little bells soft as a psalm And some say the soul of the city's The toll of the bells The bells of Notre Dame
(song stops, speaking segment begins)
Listen, they're beautiful, no? So many colors of sound, so many changing moods Because you know, they don't ring all by themselves
Clopin puppet: They don't? Clopin: No, silly boy. Up there, high, high in the dark bell tower lives the mysterious bell ringer. Who is this creature? Clopin puppet: Who? Clopin: What is he? Clopin puppet: What? Clopin: How did he come to be there? Clopin puppet: How? Clopin: Hush... (bonks puppet on the head) Clopin puppet: Ow! Clopin: and Clopin will tell you. It is a tale, a tale of a man and a monster.
(song resumes, scene changes to flashback)
Clopin: Dark was the night when our tale was begun On the docks near Notre Dame Quasimodo's father: Shut it up, will you! Male Gypsy: We'll be spotted! Quasimodo's mother: Hush, little one. Clopin: Four frightened gypsies slid silently under The docks near Notre Dame Barge Driver: Four guilders for safe passage into Paris Clopin: But a trap had been laid for the gypsies And they gazed up in fear and alarm At a figure whose clutches Were iron as much as the bells Quasimodo's father: *in alarm* Judge Claude Frollo! Clopin: The bells of Notre Dame
Chorus: Kyrie Eleison (Lord have mercy)
Clopin: Judge Claude Frollo longed to purge the world of vice and sin
Chorus: Kyrie Eleison (Lord have mercy)
Clopin: And he saw corruption everywhere, except within Frollo: (speaking) Bring these gypsy vermin to the palace of justice. Guard: You there, what are you hiding? Frollo: Stolen goods, no doubt. Take them from her Clopin: (speaking) She ran.
Chorus: Dies irae, dies illa (Day of wrath, that day) Solvet saeclum in favilla (Shall consume the world in ashes) Teste David cum sibylla (As prophesied by David and the sibyl) Quantus tremor est futurus (What trembling is to be) Quando Judex est venturus (When the Judge is come)
Quasimodo's mother: Sanctuary, please give us sanctuary!
Frollo: A baby? A monster!
Clopin and Archdeacon: Stop! Clopin: Cried the Archdeacon
Frollo: This is an unholy demon. I'm sending it back to Hell, where it belongs. Archdeacon: (singing) See there the innocent blood you have spilt On the steps of Notre Dame Frollo: (speaking) I am guiltless. She ran, I pursued. Archdeacon: Now you would add this child's blood to your guilt On the steps of Notre Dame? Frollo: (speaking) My conscience is clear Archdeacon: You can lie to yourself and your minions You can claim that you haven't a qualm But you never can run from nor hide what you've done from the eyes The very eyes of Notre Dame
Chorus: Kyrie Eleison (Lord have mercy)
Clopin: And for one time in his life Of power and control
Chorus: Kyrie Eleison (Lord have mercy)
Clopin: Frollo felt a twinge of fear For his immortal soul Frollo: What must I do? Archdeacon: (speaking) Care for the child, and raise it as your own Frollo: What? I'm to be settled with this misshapen...? Very well. Let him live with you, in your church. Archdeacon: Live here? Where? Frollo: Anywhere (singing) Just so he's kept locked away where no one else can see (speaking) The bell tower, perhaps, and who knows, our Lord works in mysterious ways (singing resumes) Even this foul creature may Yet prove one day to be Of use