Children's Classics in Dramatic Form Book Two

Excerpt

THE CLEVER KID

TIME: this morning.
PLACE: a pasture.

GRAY WOLF.
WHITE WOLF.
KID.

[The GRAY WOLF and the WHITE WOLF are standing at the foot of a hill; at the top of the hill is a KID.]

GRAY WOLF. Look, brother, there is a kid!

WHITE WOLF. Where? Where?

GRAY WOLF. On that hill to the south.

WHITE WOLF. I do not see her.

GRAY WOLF. She is on the very top.

WHITE WOLF. Ah, now I see her!

GRAY WOLF. I wish we could get at her.

WHITE WOLF. She would make a fine dinner.

GRAY WOLF. She would, my brother.

WHITE WOLF. She is so young!

GRAY WOLF. She is so tender!

WHITE WOLF. Well, we cannot get her. The hill is too steep.

GRAY WOLF. We must make her come to us.

WHITE WOLF. Yes, yes! That will be fine!

GRAY WOLF. O little Kid! Dear little Kid!

WHITE WOLF. O little Kid! Sweet little Kid!

KID. What is it, sirs?

GRAY WOLF. The grass down here is sweeter!

WHITE WOLF. And greener!

GRAY WOLF. And fresher!

WHITE WOLF. And younger!

GRAY WOLF. Come down and eat your dinner here!

KID. Do you speak of my dinner, sirs?

WOLVES. O yes, yes, yes!

KID. You speak of my dinner, but you think of your own. I will stay where I am, sirs.

TIME: last summer.
PLACE: a field of oats.

WOLF.MAID.HORSE.BOY.MASTER.NEIGHBORS.

[The WOLF enters from the forest.]

WOLF. Ah, if I could only eat oats! What a dinner I should have! I would tell no one! No one would know, and the whole field would be mine.

(Enter the HORSE from the forest.)

Ah, good friend, such news as I can tell you!

HORSE. I will not promise to believe you.

WOLF. Well, then, believe your own eyes. There lies a field of ripe oats!

HORSE. As I live, you speak the truth!

WOLF. I have not tasted one! I have kept them all for you.

"as i live, you speak the truth!"

HORSE (calling) Master! Master!

WOLF. Your master knows the oats are there. You do not need to tell him.

HORSE. Maid! Maid!

WOLF. The maid knows the oats are there. You do not need to call her.

HORSE. Boy! Boy!

WOLF. Stop your calling! You will have them all at me with clubs.

HORSE. Neighbors! Neighbors!

[Enter the MASTER, MAID, BOY, and NEIGHBORS with clubs. They surround the Wolf.]

MASTER. Aha! I have caught you at last!

WOLF (to horse). This is the thanks I get for showing you—

HORSE. Something you did not want yourself. I owe you nothing, sir.

THE WISE CROW

TIME: last summer.
PLACE: a meadow.

THE CROW.
THE SPARROW.

[The CROW and the SPARROW meet at a spring.]

SPARROW. Ah me, the spring is dry!

CROW. All the springs are dry!

SPARROW. There may be water in the brook.

CROW. No, the brook is dry.

SPARROW. What shall we do?

CROW. There may be water in this pitcher. I will see. Aha! Here is water! Come and drink.

SPARROW. I cannot reach it. It is too low.

CROW. Stretch your neck!

SPARROW. I stretch and stretch—I cannot reach it.

CROW. Why, neither can I! Stretch as I will, I cannot 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....