The curtain rises on the Wizard, who summons the spirits of the elements to help him make a magic potion. The spell exhausts him and, just as he falls asleep with the cup of potion by his side, the Woman wanders by, her son the Fool in tow. She recalls the words a sage uttered when the boy was born: "He wins a bride with a glance of his eye, with a look he kills a foe. He achieves where others fail, with one word." How can this be true, she wonders aloud, if he never takes on a fight, never says a word, and always sleeps—even now?



At this moment the Wizard awakens and remembers he has not drunk the potion. When the Woman inquires, he tells her of its power: when a man drinks it, the first woman he looks at falls in love with him, and his enemies perish with a glance. The Wizard plans to take it before meeting the Princess, but, still exhausted, decides to nap until she arrives. As he sleeps, the Woman steals the potion and pours it down the Fool's throat, then fills the Wizard's cup with water.



Trumpets herald the arrival of the Princess, who has chosen this day to find the man worthy to be her husband, according to the old prophecy: that he will "do the deed that no other can do." The Wizard awakens and presents himself to the Princess. When she scoffs at his wrinkled old countenance, he produces what he thinks is the potion and drinks it with much fanfare. "All I feel," she responds, to the Wizard's dismay, "is that the joke is getting a little old—like you." He leaves, enraged. Other suitors appear—a warbling Troubadour (meant as a parody of Wagner) and an overprosaic Traveller (a Verdi send-up)—but their praises fall on deaf ears as well. Just then, the Fool awakens and catches the eye of the Princess, who immediately falls under the spell—while he falls back asleep.



A messenger arrives with terrible news: a mysterious forest fire is sweeping across the land and is nearly upon them. All flee but the Woman, the Princess, and the Fool. The latter awakens and tries to run, but the women hold him still and force him to face the Wizard, who has conjured the wall of flames. With the Fool's, glance the fire turns and engulfs the old man instead, fulfilling the potion's other promise. Soon the last part of the wise man's prophecy about the Fool is fulfilled as well—that he would "achieve where others fail, with one word": all others cannot help falling in love with the Princess, but when she asks if the Fool loves her, he simply replies "No." Having thus done "the deed that no other can do," he is, by prophecy, the only man worthy of the crown. The opera ends with the coronation—during which the Fool Prince, alas, falls asleep.

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