Childrens Classics in Dramatic Form | Page 6

to hide under the
covers._]
BED. Good-morning, teacher. Here is lazy Kate.
TEACHER. Ha, ha, ha!
BED. Good-morning, boys. Here is lazy Kate.
BOYS. Ha, ha, ha!
BED. Good-morning, girls. Here is lazy Kate.
GIRLS. Ha, ha, ha!

KATE. Take me home, Bed! Please take me home!
BED. Will you get up early?
KATE. O yes, yes, yes!
BED. Every morning?
KATE. Every morning, Bed! Every morning!
[Illustration: "GOOD-MORNING, TEACHER. HERE IS LAZY
KATE"]
BED. Then I will take you home. Good-by, teacher!
TEACHER. Ha, ha, ha!
BED. Good-by, children!
CHILDREN. Ha, ha, ha!
[_The Bed goes with Kate, who still tries to hide under the covers._]
SCENE III
TIME: _two minutes later._ PLACE: _Kate's bedroom._
* * * * *
KATE. MOTHER.
* * * * *
[KATE _is asleep. Her_ MOTHER _comes._]
MOTHER. Kate, Kate! You are asleep again! Get up and go to school!
KATE. I have been to school.
MOTHER. What is this?

KATE. I have been to school. The Bed took me.
MOTHER. You have been dreaming, child.
KATE. No, no! The Bed took me to school. The children laughed at
me.
MOTHER. It was a dream, my dear.
KATE. Well, I promised the Bed to get up early. I know that was not a
dream.
[_She jumps out of bed._]
MOTHER. Oh, that is fine!
KATE. I must not be late to school. I promised the Bed.

THE PROUD RING-FINGER
TIME: _this morning._ PLACE: _Mary's bedroom._
* * * * *
MARY. MOTHER. FATHER. BROTHER. SISTER.
POINTING-FINGER. MIDDLE-FINGER. RING-FINGER.
LITTLE-FINGER. THUMB.
* * * * *
[MARY _lies in bed asleep. Her_ FATHER, MOTHER, BROTHER,
and SISTER _enter softly. They carry birthday presents for Mary._]
MOTHER. Sh! We must not wake her!
FATHER. I will put the gold pen on the table.
BROTHER. I will lay the apple by the pen.

SISTER. I will place the rose by the apple.
FATHER. How pretty they look!
MOTHER. What shall I do with the ring?
FATHER. Why not put it on her finger?
MOTHER. I will do that. I will put it on her ring-finger. There! See
how pretty it looks!
SISTER. How pretty it makes her finger look!
MOTHER. Now come. We must not wake her. Sh! Sh!
[_They go._]
RING-FINGER. I have a gold ring. I am pretty. I am better than the
other fingers. I will not work with them.
THUMB. Do you hear that, fingers?
[Illustration:]
POINTING-FINGER. You are too proud, Ring-finger.
RING-FINGER. Have I not a ring?
MIDDLE-FINGER. That makes you no better, miss.
RING-FINGER. I will not work with any of you.
LITTLE-FINGER. Then I will not work with you.
POINTING-FINGER. Nor I!
THUMB. Nor I!
MIDDLE-FINGER. Nor I!

[_The Ring-finger sees the rose._]
RING-FINGER. I wish to hold the rose.
MIDDLE-FINGER. I will not help you.
RING-FINGER. I cannot get it alone.
MIDDLE-FINGER. I will not help you. Let the ring help you.
RING-FINGER. Dear me! Dear me! I cannot get the rose!
[_The Ring-finger sees the apple._]
RING-FINGER. I wish to hold the apple.
POINTING-FINGER. I will not help you.
RING-FINGER. I cannot get it alone.
POINTING-FINGER. I will not help you. Let the ring help you.
RING-FINGER. Dear me! Dear me! I cannot get the apple.
[_The Ring-finger sees the gold pen._]
RING-FINGER. I wish to write.
THUMB. I will not help you.
RING-FINGER. I cannot write alone.
THUMB. I will not help you. Let the ring help you.
RING-FINGER. The ring does not help me. I cannot work alone. I am
no better than you, my brothers. I will work Win you.
MIDDLE-FINGER. Ah, now I will help you to get the rose.
POINTING-FINGER. And I will help you to get the apple.

THUMB. And I will help you to write.

THE TWO MILLERS
SCENE I
TIME: _morning._ PLACE: _Peter's mill._
* * * * *
PETER, THE STUPID MILLER. PETER'S WIFE. THE FOX.
* * * * *
[The FOX _enters. He knocks at the mill door._ PETER _opens the
door and comes out. He is covered with meal._]
FOX. Good-morning, Peter.
PETER. What do you want, sir?
FOX. I am hungry. I want to eat Jacob's chickens.
PETER. Ah, that is fine! I do not like Jacob. Do you know that?
FOX. Oh, yes, I know! Now will you help me to get his chickens?
PETER. What can I do?
FOX. Put meal on me, till I am white. Then the chickens will think I
am a miller.
PETER. Ah, that is fine! I will get meal. Wait here.
[_Peter enters the mill._]
FOX. Ha, ha, ha, ha!

[PETER _comes with a pan of meal._]
[Illustration]
PETER. Now I will make you white. You shall look just like a miller.
(_He covers the Fox with meal._)
Ha, ha! Jacob's chickens will think you are Jacob. Now go! Go