Childrens Classics in Dramatic Form | Page 3

Aha! I have caught you at last!
WOLF (_to horse_). This is the thanks I get for showing you--

HORSE. Something you did not want yourself. I owe you nothing, sir.

THE WISE CROW
TIME: _last summer._ PLACE: _a meadow._
* * * * *
THE CROW. THE SPARROW.
* * * * *
[The CROW and the SPARROW _meet at a spring._]
SPARROW. Ah me, the spring is dry!
CROW. All the springs are dry!
SPARROW. There may be water in the brook.
CROW. No, the brook is dry.
SPARROW. What shall we do?
CROW. There may be water in this pitcher. I will see. Aha! Here is
water! Come and drink.
SPARROW. I cannot reach it. It is too low.
CROW. Stretch your neck!
SPARROW. I stretch and stretch--I cannot reach it.
CROW. Why, neither can I! Stretch as I will, I cannot reach it.
SPARROW. What shall we do?
CROW. We will break the pitcher. Come, now!

SPARROW. I strike and strike.
CROW. I strike and strike.
SPARROW. We cannot break it.
CROW. No, we cannot break it.
SPARROW. What shall we do?
CROW. Let us try to overturn it. Come, now!
SPARROW. I push and push.
CROW. I push and push.
SPARROW. We cannot overturn it.
CROW. No, we cannot overturn it.
SPARROW. We must have water! What shall we do?
CROW. Ah, I know the way to get the water!
(_He drops pebbles in the pitcher._)
SPARROW. Why do you drop pebbles in the pitcher?
(_He drops in more pebbles; the water rises._)
Please tell me why you do that.
[Illustration]
CROW. Now come and drink, Miss Sparrow!
SPARROW. Why, I can reach the water How queer! How very queer!

THE WOLF AND THE LAMB
TIME: _last spring._ PLACE: _a pasture._
* * * * *
THE LAMB. THE WOLF.
* * * * *
[The LAMB _is drinking from the brook. The_ WOLF _enters._]
WOLF. Aha! There is my dinner. Now I'll make it seem that I ought to
eat her. Lamb, Lamb, how dare you? How dare you?
LAMB. What do you mean, sir?
WOLF. How dare you muddle the water?
LAMB. The water is clear where you stand, sir.
WOLF. The water is muddled where I stand, miss.
LAMB. How can that be, sir?
WOLF. I say the water here is muddled.
LAMB. But, sir, the water runs from you to me.
WOLF. Oh, well, we will say no more about the water. Now just one
year ago you called me names.
[Illustration]
LAMB. How could that be, sir?
WOLF. I say you called me names, miss.
LAMB. But, sir, one year ago I was not born.

WOLF. Well, then, it was your father. It is all the same to me. I mean
to eat you anyway.

THE SELFISH WOMAN
TIME: _yesterday._ PLACE: _the village._
* * * * *
WOMAN. BEGGAR.
* * * * *
[The SELFISH WOMAN _is taking cakes from her oven. There is a
knock at the door._]
WOMAN. Enter!
[The BEGGAR _enters. She wears a long cloak._]
BEGGAR. I am hungry, good woman. Will you give me a cake?
WOMAN. The cakes are too large to give away. I will make a cake for
you.
[_She makes a very small cake and puts it in the oven._]
BEGGAR. I thank you, good woman.
[_The woman takes the cake from the oven._]
WOMAN. This cake is too large to give away. I will make another cake
for you.
[_She makes a very, very small cake and puts it in the oven._]
BEGGAR. I thank you, good woman.

[_The woman takes the cake from the oven._]
WOMAN. This cake is too large to give away. I will give you a slice of
bread.
[_She cuts a slice from a loaf of bread._]
BEGGAR. I thank you--
WOMAN. A slice is too much to give away. Here is a crust for you.
[_The beggar shakes her head._]
BEGGAR. May you never taste cake again! May the very cake in your
mouth seem to be crust! If you will not give, you shall not have!
WOMAN. Go, go!
[_The beggar throws off her cloak; a_ FAIRY _is seen._]
WOMAN. A Fairy! You are a Fairy?
FAIRY. I am the Fairy of Good Deeds. You would not give--you shall
not have!
[_The Fairy goes._]
WOMAN. As if cake could ever taste like bread! 'Tis
impossible--impossible!
(_She eats a cake._)
What is this? I seem to be eating crust, dry crust. I'll try another cake.
[Illustration: "WILL YOU GIVE ME A CAKE?"]
(_She eats another cake._)
Why, this too changes to crust! Ah me! The Fairy's words were true. I

would not give, I cannot have. Ah me! Ah me!

THE BLIND MEN AND THE ELEPHANT
TIME: _a year ago._ PLACE: _India._
* * *