Childrens Classics in Dramatic Form | Page 6

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 and eat Jacob's chickens.
(_The Fox goes._)
Ah, this is fine! I do not like Jacob. I do not like Jacob's chickens. I am glad the fox will eat them. Ha, ha, ha!
[_Peter enters the mill. Soon his_ WIFE _comes running._]
WIFE. Peter! Peter! Come out! Come out! Peter!
[PETER _comes running from the mill._]
PETER. What is it? What is it?
WIFE. The fox has killed your chickens!
PETER. Oh, no! He has killed Jacob's chickens, dear wife. Ha, ha, ha!
WIFE. No, no! He has killed your chickens! They lie there on the grass. Look and you will see them.
[_Peter runs to the fence and looks over._]
PETER. What is this? What is this? Ah, my pretty chickens! My pretty chickens!
[_He weeps bitterly._]
SCENE II
TIME: _the next day._ PLACE: _Jacob's mill._
* * * * *
JACOB, THE WISE MILLER. THE FOX.
* * * * *
[The FOX _enters. He knocks at the mill door._ JACOB _opens the door and comes out. He is covered with meal._]
FOX. Good-morning, Jacob.
JACOB. What do you want, sir?
FOX. I am hungry. I want to eat Peter's chickens.
JACOB. Why do you come to me?
FOX. You do not like Peter.
JACOB. Oh, you know that, do you?
FOX. Oh, yes, I know! Now will you help me to get his chickens?
JACOB. What can I do?
Fox. Put meal on me, till I am white. Then the chickens will think I am a miller.
JACOB. Ah, that is fine! Wait here.
[_He enters the mill._]
FOX. He has gone for meal! Ha, ha, ha, ha!
[JACOB _comes out with a club._]
JACOB. Now go! Go, sir!
FOX. Why, what is this? I said I would eat Peter's chickens.
JACOB. Yes, but you mean to eat mine. Now go! Go, or I will beat you!
[_The Fox runs quickly away._]

THE VAIN JACKDAW
TIME: _last summer._ PLACE: _a public park._
* * * * *
VAIN JACKDAW. OLD JACKDAW. YOUNG JACKDAW. OTHER JACKDAWS. PEACOCKS.
* * * * *
[The JACKDAWS _are seen in the park._]
OLD JACKDAW. Come, jackdaws! We must have our breakfast. Come!
[_The Vain Jackdaw stops to look at something on the ground._]
(_To Vain Jackdaw._)
Come, no one should stop to look at anything! Come!
YOUNG JACKDAW. Just look at him. He takes up feathers!
VAIN JACKDAW (_to himself_). How fine I would look in these peacock feathers!
ANOTHER JACKDAW. See how he sticks the feathers in among his own!
YOUNG JACKDAW. See how he struts about in them!
OLD JACKDAW. My son, take off those feathers!
VAIN JACKDAW. It pleases me to wear them.
OLD JACKDAW. Take them off, I say!
VAIN JACKDAW. I will not take them off!
OLD JACKDAW. Then you cannot stay with us.
VAIN JACKDAW. I do not wish to stay with jackdaws. I will not walk with jackdaws. I will not talk with jackdaws. I think myself too fine for jackdaws.
OLD JACKDAW. Then, jackdaws, we will think no more about him. Come, now, to find our breakfast! Come!
[_They go. The_ PEACOCKS _enter._]
VAIN JACKDAW. Good-morning, brothers.
PEACOCKS. Ha, ha, ha!
VAIN JACKDAW. Why do you laugh so, brothers?
PEACOCKS. Ha, ha, ha!
VAIN JACKDAW. You must not laugh, dear brothers. I am a peacock like yourselves.
FIRST PEACOCK. You silly jackdaw!
VAIN JACKDAW. I am no jackdaw. Do