Childrens Classics in Dramatic Form | Page 2

Pool._
THE SHEPHERD-BOY WHO CALLED WOLF _Suggested by ?sop's The Shepherd-Boy and the Wolf._
THE WISH-BIRD _Suggested by a German folk-story._
LAZY KATE _Suggested by the German folk-story, Lazy Lizette._
THE PROUD RING-FINGER _Suggested by the German folk-story, The Proud Ringfinger._
THE TWO MILLERS _Suggested by the German folk-story, The Two Millers._
THE VAIN JACKDAW _Suggested by ?sop's The Vain Jackdaw._
THE LITTLE JACKAL AND THE CAMEL _Suggested by the Oriental legend. The Jackal and the Camel._
THE ENDLESS TALE _Suggested by the folk-story, The Endless Tale._
THE HOLE IN THE DIKE _Suggested by the legend, The Hole in the Dike._
THE POT OF GOLD _Suggested by ?sop's The Farmer and his Sons._
THE HARE AND THE HEDGEHOG _Suggested by Grimm's The Hare and the Hedgehog._
FISHING ON DRY LAND _Suggested by Grimm's The Peasant's Clever Daughter._
THE WISE MEN OF GOTHAM _Suggested by the folk-story, The Wise Men of Gotham._
THE TWO QUESTIONS _Suggested by the folk-story, The Two Questions._
POCAHONTAS AND CAPTAIN SMITH
POCAHONTAS SAVES JAMESTOWN
KING ALFRED AND THE CAKES

ILLUSTRATIONS
THE ENDLESS TALE
THE CLEVER KID
"AS I LIVE, YOU SPEAK THE TRUTH!"
THE WISE CROW
THE WOLF AND THE LAMB
"WILL YOU GIVE ME A CAKE?"
THE BLIND MEN AND THE ELEPHANT
THE STAG AND THE FAWN
THE SHEPHERD BOY WHO CALLED WOLF
"I AM TIRED OF MY RABBITS"
"GOOD-MORNING, TEACHER. HERE IS LAZY KATE"
THE PROUD RING-FINGER
THE TWO MILLERS
THE VAIN JACKDAW
THE LITTLE JACKAL AND THE CAMEL
"THERE IS WATER ON THE SAND HERE"
THE POT OF GOLD
THE HARE AND THE HEDGEHOG
FISHING ON DRY LAND
"QUICK, NOW--BEFORE THE KING COMES"
THE TWO QUESTIONS
"I WILL NOT SHOOT AT DEER"
POCAHONTAS SAVES JAMESTOWN
"NOT ONE OF THEM FIT TO EAT!"

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.][Footnote: The explanations in brackets may be read aloud by the teacher.]
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.
[Illustration:]
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.

THE WOLF AND THE HORSE
TIME: _last summer._ PLACE: _a field of oats._
* * * * *
WOLF. HORSE. MASTER. MAID. BOY. 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.
[Illustration: "AS I LIVE, YOU SPEAK THE TRUTH!"]
HORSE (_calling_) Master! Master!
[Note: The words in parentheses are not intended to be read aloud; they will give the child the cue as to how the part should be rendered and thus stimulate better expression.]
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