Childrens Classics in Dramatic Form | Page 4

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THE DRIVER. THE SIX BLIND MEN.
* * * * *
[The SIX BLIND MEN _stand by the roadside, begging. The_
DRIVER _comes with his elephant._]
BLIND MEN. A penny, sir! A penny!
DRIVER (_throwing pennies_). There, and there, and there! Now out
of the way with you! I must take my elephant by.
FIRST BLIND MAN. I have never seen an elephant, sir.
OTHER BLIND MEN. Nor I! Nor I!
DRIVER. Do you know what he is like?
BLIND MEN. No, sir! No, sir!
DRIVER. Would you like to touch him?
BLIND MEN. Yes! Yes!
DRIVER. Come, then, and stand by him.
FIRST BLIND MAN (_placing hand on elephant's side_). Well, well!
Now I know all about him! He is exactly like a wall!
SECOND BLIND MAN (_feeling the tusk_). He is not like a wall! He

is round and smooth and sharp. He is like a spear.
THIRD BLIND MAN (_feeling the trunk_). Both of you are wrong. He
is like a snake.
FOURTH BLIND MAN (_feeling a leg_). Oh, how blind you are! He
is round and tall like a tree!
FIFTH BLIND MAN (_feeling an ear_). Why, he is exactly like a great
fan!
SIXTH BLIND MAN (_feeling the tail_). This elephant is not like a
wall, or a spear, or a snake, or a tree, or a fan. He is exactly like a rope.
DRIVER. Ha, ha, ha!
[_He goes, driving elephant and laughing._]
FIRST BLIND MAN. Ha, ha, ha! Hear how he laughs at you!
SECOND BLIND MAN. He laughs at you and the others.
THIRD BLIND MAN. He does not laugh at me!
FOURTH BLIND MAN. I say he laughs at you and the others.
[Illustration: THE BLIND MEN AND THE ELEPHANT]
FIFTH BLIND MAN. You cannot say he laughs at me!
SIXTH BLIND MAN. He laughs at all of you! He knows I spoke the
truth.
[_He goes._]
OTHER BLIND MEN. Hear him! Hear him!
[_They go their different ways, shaking their fingers angrily at each
other._]

THE STAG AND THE FAWN
SCENE I
TIME: _last autumn._ PLACE: _the forest._
* * * * *
THE STAG. THE FAWN.
* * * * *
[The STAG and FAWN _enter the forest._]
FAWN. Here is a pool!
STAG. We will stop and drink.
FAWN. I see your horns in the water, father.
STAG. Ah, yes!
FAWN. They look like a strong tree down there.
STAG. They are strong! And are they not beautiful, child?
FAWN. They make you very grand, dear father!
STAG. No king with his crown looks grander!
FAWN. I see your feet in the water, father.
STAG. Do not speak of my feet, child!
FAWN. Why not? They are small and slender.
[Illustration]

STAG. But they look so weak. I do not like my feet at all. I wish they
were different.
(_A Hunter's horn is heard._)
Come, child, come!
SCENE II
TIME: _an hour later._ PLACE: _another part of the forest._
* * * * *
THE STAG. THE FAWN. THE HUNTER.
* * * * *
[The STAG _is caught in a thicket by his horns. The_ FAWN _looks at
him pityingly._]
FAWN. A man is near! I hear him running!
STAG. I cannot free myself!
FAWN. Ah, if you only had no horns!
STAG. Or if they were only not so strong and not so grand!
FAWN. Your feet could save you then, dear father.
STAG. Go, child, and let your feet save you.
FAWN. I cannot bear to leave you, father!
STAG. Go save yourself! Go, go!
[_The faun goes. The_ HUNTER _enters._]
HUNTER. Aha! I have you now!

THE SHEPHERD BOY WHO CALLED WOLF
SCENE I
TIME: _middle of the afternoon._ PLACE: _a hillside near the
village._
* * * * *
SHEPHERD BOY. MASTER. PASTOR. MERCHANT. BAKER.
BUTCHER.
* * * * *
[The SHEPHERD BOY _watches a flock of sheep._]
BOY. I am tired of watching sheep! I will play a joke on some one! I
will play a joke on every one!
(_He calls in a loud voice._)
Wolf! Wolf! Wolf! Wolf!
[Enter the VILLAGERS _with clubs._]
MASTER. Where is the Wolf?
BOY. Ha, ha, ha! There is no wolf!
PASTOR. I do not like to leave my church!
[Illustration]
MERCHANT. I do not like to leave my store!
BAKER. I do not like to leave my dough!
BUTCHER. I do not like to leave my ox!

BOY. Ha, ha, ha! There is no wolf! Ha, ha, ha!
MASTER. You must not play that joke again! Do you hear? You must
never play that joke again!
SCENE II
TIME: _a week later._ PLACE: _same as in Scene I._
* * * * *
BOY. VILLAGERS.
* * * * *
[The BOY _watches his sheep._]
BOY. I will play that joke again. I like to