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!
"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. | POINTING-FINGER. | |
| MOTHER. | MIDDLE-FINGER. | |
| FATHER. | RING-FINGER. | |
| BROTHER. | LITTLE-FINGER. | |
| SISTER. | 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?
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.]
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.
[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 I not have feathers like your own?
SECOND PEACOCK. Ha, ha! I dropped them on the ground this morning.
THIBAUD PEACOCK. Let's take them from him!
VAIN JACKDAW. No, no! I beg you—
FIRST PEACOCK. Come, let's pull them out!
[They pull the peacock feathers from the jackdaw.]
THIRD PEACOCK. You cannot stay with us!
SECOND PEACOCK. Go back to the jackdaws!
FIRST PEACOCK. Away with you! Away!
[The jackdaw runs. The peacocks go, laughing. The other JACKDAWS enter, followed by the VAIN JACKDAW.]
VAIN JACKDAW. Ah, here you are! I have been looking for you.
OLD JACKDAW. Why do you look for us?
VAIN JACKDAW. I am a jackdaw. I want to be with jackdaws.
OLD JACKDAW. We will have nothing more to do with you! Away!
VAIN JACKDAW. But, brothers, my dear, dear brothers, please let me stay with you!
OLD JACKDAW. You would not walk with jackdaws! Away!
YOUNG JACKDAW. You would not talk with jackdaws! Away!
ANOTHER JACKDAW. You thought yourself too fine for jackdaws! Away!
ALL JACKDAWS. Away! Away!
[They drive the Vain Jackdaw from the park.]
THE LITTLE JACKAL AND THE CAMEL
SCENE I
TIME: one morning.
PLACE: the east bank of the river.
THE JACKAL.
THE CAMEL.
[The JACKAL stands on the river bank. He looks longingly toward the west shore.]
JACKAL. Ah, if I could only get at those crabs over there! It makes me hungry just to see them! Now if I could only swim! Or if I could walk on water! Or if I had a little canoe!
[Enter the CAMEL. The Jackal whispers to himself.]
Aha! Now I know the way to get across.
(To the Camel.)
Such news as I have for you, dear friend!
CAMEL. Must I guess?
JACKAL. No, I'll tell you this time. Listen: I know a spot where the sugar-cane grows thick.
CAMEL. Tell me! I cannot wait! Tell me!
JACKAL. I cannot. I'll have to show you. It is on the other side of the river.
CAMEL. Why, then, I'll swim across and take you on my back.
JACKAL. Just the very thing!
CAMEL. Come, then! It makes me hungry just to hear of sugar-cane.
[He kneels for the Jackal to get upon his back.]
SCENE II
TIME: a little later.
PLACE: the sugar-cane field.
THE JACKAL.
THE CAMEL.
FARMER.
BOYS.
[The CAMEL eats the sugar-cane. The JACKAL comes running into the field.]
CAMEL. What! Have you finished your crabs?
JACKAL. I cannot eat another one! Are you not ready to go?
CAMEL. Ready! Why, I have just begun.
JACKAL. I'll wait for you outside the field, then.
[The Camel nods and disappears among the cane.]
Now I do not wish to wait for him. I am in a hurry to get home, I am. So I'll sing a little song I know. The farmer then will come and drive the camel out.
[He goes. Soon he is heard singing in the distance. Enter the FARMER and the BOYS with clubs.]
FARMER. I see no jackal here!
A BOY. I am sure I heard him singing!
ANOTHER BOY. I heard him, too!
FARMER. We must look for him and drive him out.
[The CAMEL enters, eating cane.]
FIRST BOY. Look, look! A camel!
SECOND BOY. Look, father! A camel!
FARMER (to Camel). So it was you who was singing, was it? Drive him out, boys! Quick! Beat him with your clubs!
[They rush upon the Camel and beat him as he runs from the field.]
SCENE III
TIME: a little later.
PLACE: the west bank of the river.
THE JACKAL.
THE CAMEL.
[The CAMEL lies on the bank half dead from his beating. Enter the JACKAL.]
JACKAL. Are you ready to go now, friend?
CAMEL. Don't say "friend" to me!
JACKAL. Why do you speak so strangely?
CAMEL. Why did you sing so strangely?
JACKAL. Oh, I don't know why! I always sing after dinner.
CAMEL. Ah! Well, let us go.
[He kneels. The Jackal gets on his back. The Camel rises and enters the river. He swims to the middle of the river and stops.]
JACKAL. Why do you stop?
CAMEL. I have such a strange, strange feeling.
JACKAL. Well, swim on. You need not stop!
CAMEL. I feel as if I must roll over.
JACKAL. Roll over! If you do, I shall be drowned!
CAMEL. Exactly. But still I have that feeling.
JACKAL. Now that is nonsense! Why should you roll over?
CAMEL. Oh, I don't know why! I always roll over after dinner.
[He rolls over.]
THE ENDLESS TALE
TIME: a long time ago.
PLACE: the King's palace.
KING.
PRINCESS.
FIRST STORY-TELLER.
SECOND STORY-TELLER.
LORDS AND LADIES.
GUARDS.
[The KING sits on a cushion in the great hall. The PRINCESS sits on a cushion by him. In front of them sits the FIRST STORY-TELLER. The LORDS and LADIES sit near by.]
STORY-TELLER. "Then the prince married the princess and they were happy forever and ever."
[There is a pause.]
KING. Go on!
(The Story-Teller hangs his head.)
Go on, I say!
STORY-TELLER. That is all, your Majesty.
KING. All!
STORY-TELLER. The prince married the princess. There is nothing more to tell.
KING. I cannot bear so short a story!
PRINCESS. Why, father; for three months we have listened to it!
KING. 'Tis short, I say! I bid you make it longer, sir!
STORY-TELLER. I cannot, Sire. The prince married the princess. There is nothing—
KING. Throw him out of the palace, guards! Cut off his head!
[Guards seize the Story-Teller.]
PRINCESS. Father!
LORDS. Your Majesty!
LADIES. Sire!
PRINCESS. Spare his life!
STORY-TELLER. Let me keep my head, Sire!
KING. Why should you keep it? You do not use it.
STORY-TELLER. For three months I have used it, Sire!
KING. Your story is too short, I say! Away with him, guards! Away!
(Guards take out the First Story-Teller.)
Bid another Story-Teller come!
(A guard admits the SECOND STORY-TELLER, who bows before the King and Princess.)
Sir, hear me. You must tell a story that will last forever.
SECOND STORY-TELLER. I hear, O King!
KING. If you can do this, you shall marry my daughter and be king after me.
SECOND STORY-TELLER. I hear, O King!
KING. If you fail, you shall lose your head. Begin! And remember, the story must go on forever. Now again I say, begin!
SECOND STORY-TELLER. "Once upon a time a certain king seized upon all the corn in his country. He had it stored in a strong granary. Then came a swarm of locusts over the land. Soon they found a crack in the south side of the granary. Now the crack was just large enough for one locust to pass through at a time. So one locust went in and carried away a grain of corn. Then another locust went in and carried away a grain of corn. Then another locust went in and carried away a grain of corn. Then—"
KING (interrupting). Yes, yes! Now go on with the story.
SECOND STORY-TELLER. The story shall go on, O King! "Then another locust went in and carried away another grain of corn. Then another locust—"
KING (interrupting). I tell you to go on with the story!
SECOND STORY-TELLER. I obey, great King. "Then another locust went in and carried away another grain of corn. Then another—"
KING. The story! The story, I tell you!
SECOND STORY-TELLER. This is the story, O King! "Then another locust went in and carried away another grain of corn. Then—"
KING. I cannot stand it! How long will it take the locusts to carry away all the grain?
SECOND STORY-TELLER. One thousand years, O King! "Then another locust went in and—"
KING. Stop! Stop! Take my daughter! Be king after me! Be king now! Anything to stop the locusts!
THE HOLE IN THE DIKE
SCENE I
TIME: late afternoon in autumn.
PLACE: Holland.
PETER.
JACOB.
GRETCHEN.
FRIEDA.
[The CHILDREN enter. They carry buckets full of nuts.]
GRETCHEN. How cold it is!
FRIEDA. Let us run. Then we shall not be cold.
PETER. How can we run? We shall spill our nuts.
FRIEDA. We are so far from home!
JACOB. We went so far to find the nuts.
GRETCHEN. It will soon be dark.
FRIEDA. We must walk as fast as we can.
GRETCHEN. Why do you stop, Peter?
PETER. There is water on the sand here.
JACOB. Come, Peter, come!
PETER. Where has this water come from?
"there is water on the sand here"
FRIEDA. Come, come, Peter!
PETER. There was no rain yesterday. There was no rain to-day.
GRETCHEN. Come, Peter!
PETER. What if the water comes through the dike!
JACOB. Oh, that could not be! How could water get through that thick wall?
PETER. There might be a hole in it. I will see.
GRETCHEN. Peter, Peter! Your mother waits for you.
PETER. I must find where the water comes from.
GRETCHEN. Well, I will not wait.
JACOB. Nor I!
FRIEDA. Nor I! It is too cold.
[They go. Peter runs to the dike and looks at it carefully.]
PETER. Ah, I thought so! Here is a little hole! The water comes through it from the sea. Soon the hole will be larger. I must find stones and fill it.
(He looks about for stones.)
Dear me! Dear me! I cannot find a single stone! What shall I do? The hole will grow larger and larger. The sea will come in and cover all the land. What shall I do? I cannot go and tell the people. That would take too long. What shall I do? What shall I do?
(He thinks for a moment.)
I know! I know how to stop it!
(He thrusts his arm through the hole. He shivers.)
How cold it is!
SCENE II
TIME: the next morning.
PLACE: the street near Peter's home.
| PETER. | SOLDIERS. | |
| PETER'S MOTHER. | PEOPLE. | |
| PRINCE. |
[The MOTHER stands in the door of her home looking up and down the street.]
MOTHER. He does not come! Well, I will go to Jacob's after him. I must teach him that he cannot stay away all night. I will punish him for what he has done.
[Enter the PRINCE, SOLDIERS, and PEOPLE. Four soldiers carry PETER on their shoulders.]
A SOLDIER. Hurrah for Peter!
A MAN. Hurrah for Peter!
SOLDIERS. Hurrah! Hurrah!
PEOPLE. Hurrah! Hurrah!
MOTHER. What is this? Why do you carry Peter?
PRINCE. Peter has saved us!
MOTHER. What do you mean?
PRINCE. He put his arm in a hole in the dike. All night long he stood there! All night long he kept out the sea! We found him there this morning. Poor little boy, he was so cold!
MOTHER. Ah, my Peter! My dear Peter!
PRINCE. He is a brave boy. The king wants to see him and to thank him. Come, soldiers, to the king with Peter! Come, to the king! To the king!
[They go with Peter on their shoulders.]
SOLDIERS. Hurrah for Peter!
PEOPLE. Hurrah for Peter!
THE POT OF GOLD
SCENE I
TIME: one spring day.
PLACE: the farmer's vineyard.
THE FARMER.
HIS THREE SONS.
[The THREE SONS dig lazily among the vines.]
FIRST SON. Oh, I am tired of digging! Come, brothers, let us sit and talk!
[He throws down his spade and sits.]
SECOND SON. Father said we should dig at every vine. But I must say I am tired of it.
[He throws down his spade and sits.]
THIRD SON. I was tired when we began.
[He throws down his spade and sits. The FARMER enters. His sons do not see him.]
FIRST SON. Now I should like to go to war and ride a great white horse.
SECOND SON. I should like to be a prince. I would do nothing all day long but wear my golden crown.
THIRD SON. I want to find a purse of gold. I would never work again, I tell you!
[The farmer shakes his head sadly.]
FARMER. My sons, these vines have not been dug about. Come, do this work as I have told you.
(The sons take up their spades, but unwillingly.)
Now listen: a pot of gold is hidden in this vineyard. It is buried deep beneath these vines.
SONS. A pot of gold!
FARMER. It is all I have to leave you. I think it best to-tell you now, for I cannot live much longer.
FIRST SON. Why do you hide the gold, my father?
FARMER. That you may dig for it.
SECOND SON. Why do you hide it in the ground?
FARMER. That you may dig for it.
THIRD SON. Why don't you tell us where it is?
FARMER. That you may dig for it.
[He goes.]
SONS. A pot of gold!
FIRST SON. Now I shall go to war and ride a great white horse!
SECOND SON. Now I shall marry a princess and wear her golden crown!
THIRD SON. Now I shall find my purse of gold, and never work again!
SCENE II
TIME: one month later.
PLACE: the vineyard.
THE THREE SONS.
[The ground is completely dug up. The FIRST SON is seen digging. He throws down his spade showing disappointment.]
FIRST SON. I cannot find it!
(Enter SECOND SON with his spade.)
Did you find it?
SECOND SON. No, and I have dug up every inch of our western vineyard.
[Enter THIRD SON with his spade.]
FIRST AND SECOND SONS. Did you find it?
THIRD SON. No, and I have dug up every inch of the eastern vineyard.
FIRST SON. Well, you see what I have done here.
SECOND SON. Not a vine that has not been dug about!
THIRD SON. I cannot understand it!
FIRST SON. The day our father died he spoke again of the pot of gold.
SECOND SON. And told us again to dig for it.
THIRD SON. I cannot understand it.
[They go, shaking their heads sadly.]
SCENE III
TIME: six months later.
PLACE: the vineyard.
THE THREE SONS.
THE FRUIT MERCHANT.
[The MERCHANT enters the vineyard with the THREE SONS.]
MERCHANT. You say your grapes are ripe?
FIRST SON. They are ripe and ready to sell, sir.
SECOND SON. Come, now, and look at them.
[They cross to the vines.]
MERCHANT. Why, I have never seen such grapes as these!
THIRD SON. We have never had such grapes before, sir.
MERCHANT. How fine and large they are!
FIRST SON. And sweet, too! Just taste one, sir!
MERCHANT (eating a grape). Are they all like these?
SECOND SON. Every vine bears just such grapes.
MERCHANT. I must have your grapes. I will give a pot of gold for them.
SONS. A pot of gold!
MERCHANT. Come, will you sell?
SONS. Aye, sir!
MERCHANT. Then to-morrow I will bring the pot of gold and take away the grapes.
[He goes.]
SONS. A pot of gold!
FIRST SON. I wonder if that was father's pot of gold.
SECOND SON. I almost think it was.
THIRD SON. I wonder now, I wonder—
FIRST SON. No war horse for me! I will stay and dig again for gold!
SECOND SON. No prince's crown for me! I will stay and dig here too!
THIRD SON. I have found my purse of gold! I will stay and find another!
THE HARE AND THE HEDGEHOG
TIME: one fine morning.
PLACE: the farmer's cabbage field.
THE HARE.
THE HEDGEHOG.
THE HEDGEHOG'S WIFE.
[The HEDGEHOG and his WIFE are walking in the field.]
HEDGEHOG. These cabbages are growing well.
WIFE. They are very fine indeed.
HEDGEHOG. We can feed on them all summer.
WIFE. Yes, if the hares will let us.
HEDGEHOG. Oh, there is enough for all of us, hares, hedgehogs, and farmer.
WIFE. Yes, if the hares will think that, too.
HEDGEHOG. Well, we will let them alone as we have always done.
WIFE. But they will not let us alone. Yesterday they called at me while I was eating here.
HEDGEHOG. What did they say to you?
WIFE. Oh, such things as "Short-legs," and "Duck-legs."
HEDGEHOG. Here comes one of them now!
WIFE. He is one who called at me. I'll hide till he goes by.
[She hides among the cabbages. The HARE enters.]
HEDGEHOG. Good-morning, sir.
HARE. Why do you speak to me?
HEDGEHOG. I always speak to neighbors, sir.
HARE. Speak to your own kind, then. I think myself too good for hedgehogs.
HEDGEHOG. Now that is strange.
HARE. There is nothing strange about it. Look at your silly little legs!
HEDGEHOG. They are quite as good as yours, sir.
HARE. As good as mine! Hear him! You can only walk with those legs, sir.
HEDGEHOG. I'll run a race with you this day.
HARE. Hear him! Hear him! Ha, ha!
HEDGEHOG. You may run in that furrow. I will run in this. We will see who gets to the field fence first.
HARE. Are you crazy?
HEDGEHOG. Come, come, let's begin the race!
HARE. Ha, ha! Well, I'll run with you. You ought to know just how silly your little duck-legs are.
HEDGEHOG. Let us go to this end of the furrow to begin.
HAKE. I will run to the brook and back while you are getting there.
HEDGEHOG. As you please.
(The Hare runs off.)
Wife, wife, did you hear?
WIFE. I heard. Are you crazy?
HEDGEHOG. Go to the other end of this furrow, wife.
WIFE. And why should I do that?
HEDGEHOG. The hare will run in the other furrow. When he comes to your end, put up your head and say, "I am already here."
WIFE. Ha, ha! He will think that I am you.
HEDGEHOG. Exactly.
WIFE. Ha, ha, ha! I go, Mr. Hedgehog! I go! You may be short on legs, my dear, but you are long on brains.
[She runs to other end of furrow. Mr. Hedgehog goes to his end.]
[The HARE enters.]
HARE. Well, are you ready?
HEDGEHOG. I am ready.
HARE. One, two, three, go!
[The Hare runs swiftly. The Hedgehog sits. The Hare reaches the other end of his furrow. The Wife puts up her head.]