Childrens Classics in Dramatic Form | Page 5

see them come running.
(_He calls in a loud voice._)
Wolf! Wolf! Wolf! Wolf!
[The VILLAGERS _come with clubs._]
MASTER. Where is the wolf?
BOY. Ha, ha, ha! There is no wolf!
PASTOR. I do not like to leave my church!
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. Boy, boy, you must not joke about a wolf! Do you hear?

You must never joke about a wolf!
SCENE III
TIME: _a week later._ PLACE: _same as Scene II._
* * * * *
BOY.
* * * * *
[The BOY _watches the sheep. A wolf comes and begins to kill the
sheep._]
BOY. Wolf! Wolf! Wolf!
(_No one comes or answers._)
Master! Pastor! Merchant! Baker! Butcher! Come! Come! Wolf! Wolf!
Wolf! Wolf!
(_No one comes or answers._)
What shall I do? They think I am playing a joke again. What shall I do?
I cannot save my sheep! I must run to save myself!

THE WISH-BIRD
TIME: _a few years ago._ PLACE: _the palace gardens._
* * * * *
BIRD. PRINCE. NURSE.
* * * * *
[The PRINCE and his NURSE _walk in the palace gardens. The_

WISH-BIRD _is flying among the trees._]
PRINCE. I am tired of the gardens, Nurse.
NURSE. Look at your pretty flowers, dear Prince.
PRINCE. I am tired of the flowers.
NURSE. Look at your pretty doves, dear Prince.
PRINCE. I am tired of my doves.
NURSE. Then look at your white, white rabbits, Prince.
PRINCE. I am tired of my rabbits.
NURSE. Dear me! Dear me!
PRINCE. What shall I look at, Nurse?
[Illustration: 'I AM TIRED OF MY RABBITS']
NURSE. I do not know, dear Prince.
PRINCE. You must tell me what to look at.
NURSE. Dear me! Dear me!
PRINCE. I will send you to the king.
NURSE. Do not send me to the king, dear Prince!
PRINCE. Then tell me what to look at.
BIRD. Look at me, Prince! Look at me!
PRINCE. Where are you?
BIRD. I am in the cedar tree.

NURSE. It is the Wish-Bird, Prince!
BIRD. Make a wish, Prince. I will give you what you ask for. But do
not ask too much!
PRINCE. I wish these flowers were feathers!
BIRD. Flowers, flowers, to feathers change!
PRINCE. Look, Nurse, look! The flowers have changed to feathers! Let
me wish again, Wish-Bird!
BIRD. Make a wish. I will give you what you ask for. But do not ask
too much!
PRINCE. I wish my rabbits with wings could fly!
BIRD. Rabbits, rabbits, fly with wings!
PRINCE. Ha, ha! My rabbits now have wings! Let me wish again,
Wish-Bird!
BIRD. Make a wish. I will give you what you ask for. But do not ask
too much!
PRINCE. I wish to have the moon, I do!
BIRD. Do not ask too much, Prince!
PRINCE. I wish to have the moon, I say! Do you hear, Wish-Bird? I
wish to have the moon!
BIRD. You ask too much! Feathers, feathers, fly away!
NURSE. Prince, Prince, your feather flowers are flying away!
BIRD. Rabbits, rabbits, fly away!
NURSE. Prince, Prince, your pretty rabbits are flying away!

PRINCE. I want my pretty flowers, I do! I want my pretty rabbits, too!
BIRD. You asked too much, Prince! You asked too much!
PRINCE. What will the king say?
NURSE. Dear me! Dear me! The king loved the flowers and white,
white rabbits.
PRINCE. What shall I do, Wish-Bird?
BIRD. Go plant flower seeds and care for them until they grow to
flowers. Go feed your doves and care for them. Go work and work and
work and never ask too much. Then some day I will come to you and
you may wish again.
[_The Wish-Bird flies away._]

LAZY KATE
SCENE I
TIME: _early in the morning._ PLACE: _Kate's bedroom._
* * * * *
KATE. MOTHER. BED.
* * * * *
[KATE _is in bed. Her_ MOTHER _comes._]
MOTHER. Kate, Kate, get up!
KATE. By and by, mother.
MOTHER. It is time to go to school. Get up!

KATE. By and by, mother, by and by.
MOTHER. You will be late to school, I fear.
[_The Mother goes._]
BED. Dear me! Dear me! Kate will not get up. Well, she shall not be
late to school. I will see to that.
[_The Bed walks from the room into the street. Kate is frightened._]
KATE. Bed, Bed, where are you going?
BED. To school, you lazy child.
SCENE II
TIME: _five minutes later._ PLACE: _the schoolroom._
* * * * *
KATE. TEACHER. BED. BOYS AND GIRLS.
* * * * *
[The BED _enters the schoolroom. Kate tries