Childrens Classics in Dramatic Form | Page 5

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 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