Childrens Classics in Dramatic Form | Page 3

reach it.
SPARROW. What shall we do?
CROW. We will break the pitcher. Come, now!
SPARROW. I strike and strike.
CROW. I strike and strike.
SPARROW. We cannot break it.
CROW. No, we cannot break it.
SPARROW. What shall we do?
CROW. Let us try to overturn it. Come, now!
SPARROW. I push and push.
CROW. I push and push.
SPARROW. We cannot overturn it.
CROW. No, we cannot overturn it.
SPARROW. We must have water! What shall we do?
CROW. Ah, I know the way to get the water!
(_He drops pebbles in the pitcher._)
SPARROW. Why do you drop pebbles in the pitcher?
(_He drops in more pebbles; the water rises._)
Please tell me why you do that.
[Illustration]
CROW. Now come and drink, Miss Sparrow!
SPARROW. Why, I can reach the water How queer! How very queer!

THE WOLF AND THE LAMB
TIME: _last spring._ PLACE: _a pasture._
* * * * *
THE LAMB. THE WOLF.
* * * * *
[The LAMB _is drinking from the brook. The_ WOLF _enters._]
WOLF. Aha! There is my dinner. Now I'll make it seem that I ought to eat her. Lamb, Lamb, how dare you? How dare you?
LAMB. What do you mean, sir?
WOLF. How dare you muddle the water?
LAMB. The water is clear where you stand, sir.
WOLF. The water is muddled where I stand, miss.
LAMB. How can that be, sir?
WOLF. I say the water here is muddled.
LAMB. But, sir, the water runs from you to me.
WOLF. Oh, well, we will say no more about the water. Now just one year ago you called me names.
[Illustration]
LAMB. How could that be, sir?
WOLF. I say you called me names, miss.
LAMB. But, sir, one year ago I was not born.
WOLF. Well, then, it was your father. It is all the same to me. I mean to eat you anyway.

THE SELFISH WOMAN
TIME: _yesterday._ PLACE: _the village._
* * * * *
WOMAN. BEGGAR.
* * * * *
[The SELFISH WOMAN _is taking cakes from her oven. There is a knock at the door._]
WOMAN. Enter!
[The BEGGAR _enters. She wears a long cloak._]
BEGGAR. I am hungry, good woman. Will you give me a cake?
WOMAN. The cakes are too large to give away. I will make a cake for you.
[_She makes a very small cake and puts it in the oven._]
BEGGAR. I thank you, good woman.
[_The woman takes the cake from the oven._]
WOMAN. This cake is too large to give away. I will make another cake for you.
[_She makes a very, very small cake and puts it in the oven._]
BEGGAR. I thank you, good woman.
[_The woman takes the cake from the oven._]
WOMAN. This cake is too large to give away. I will give you a slice of bread.
[_She cuts a slice from a loaf of bread._]
BEGGAR. I thank you--
WOMAN. A slice is too much to give away. Here is a crust for you.
[_The beggar shakes her head._]
BEGGAR. May you never taste cake again! May the very cake in your mouth seem to be crust! If you will not give, you shall not have!
WOMAN. Go, go!
[_The beggar throws off her cloak; a_ FAIRY _is seen._]
WOMAN. A Fairy! You are a Fairy?
FAIRY. I am the Fairy of Good Deeds. You would not give--you shall not have!
[_The Fairy goes._]
WOMAN. As if cake could ever taste like bread! 'Tis impossible--impossible!
(_She eats a cake._)
What is this? I seem to be eating crust, dry crust. I'll try another cake.
[Illustration: "WILL YOU GIVE ME A CAKE?"]
(_She eats another cake._)
Why, this too changes to crust! Ah me! The Fairy's words were true. I would not give, I cannot have. Ah me! Ah me!

THE BLIND MEN AND THE ELEPHANT
TIME: _a year ago._ PLACE: _India._
* * * * *
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