Book excerpt: Long ago and without fail, three characters brought delight to audiences: the pantalooned Pierrot; Columbine, ever saucy and adroit; and Harlequin her lover, full of good natured drolleries and amusing tricks. From the legacy left by French pantomime and the Italian commedia dell'arte, this original story in pictures has been fashioned, with a special kind of ending to transcend time. The words, as in all mime, are in the eyes of the listener.