Children's Classics in Dramatic Form Part 2

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.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

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.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

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.