BEN, FARMER (in an angry voice): Nan! Fetch my gingerbread this moment! I would like to eat.
NAN, FARMER'S WIFE: I've put it at the window. Fetch yourself.
BEN, FARMER (looking anxiously about): There is nothing at the window!
SCENE II
SETTING: Outside the house.
ANN, FARMER'S COW: Good morning, sir!
JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN:
Good morning, good morning,
Good morning to you.
Good morning, dear cow,
I'm glad to see you.
ANN, FARMER'S COW: Let me introduce Sam. It's a friend of mine.
JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: Such a lovely day, isn't it?
SAM, FARMER'S DOG: Very. You smells tasty. Butter?
ANN, FARMER'S COW: Sure. Cream and butter. Two grapes and a lemon, and some sugar. I wish it were salt, not sugar… Mmm!
SAM, FARMER'S DOG: Sugar is not bad, either.
JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: How are you getting on with this family?
SAM, FARMER'S DOG: I don't think we live fairly. Ben never feeds me enough. I'm always hungry. (Looking at Gingerbread man with great curiosity).
JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: Can you sing and dance?
SAM, FARMER'S DOG: Did you say,’ Help yourself?'
JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: No, I didn't. Can you sing and dance?
SAM, FARMER'S DOG: An empty stomach is a bad singer and dancer.
JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: I'd love to have a fun. You can play the guitar or something like this. (To the cow): Are you dancing?
ANN, FARMER'S COW: Sure, my sweet. Come closer. We are close friends, aren't we?
JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: What are you doing?
ANN, FARMER'S COW: That's none of your business. Just come closer.
SAM, FARMER'S DOG (angrily): But it is his business. You can eat grass.
JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: Would you please tell me why nobody's dancing?
SAM, FARMER'S DOG (in a silky tone): It's my turn, honey. Come on.
ANN, FARMER'S COW: Look out now, JOHN!
SAM, FARMER'S DOG: Hold your tongue.
JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: What's the matter?
SAM, FARMER'S DOG: You are splendid for dancing with.
JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: Why did you open your mouth?
SAM, FARMER'S DOG: It's the best way of dancing.
A lot of CREATURES join them – cockerels and hens, ducks and turkeys. JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN seems to be a very important person among them. He is walking with an important air while the queer-looking party is dancing.)
SAM, FARMER'S DOG (to his partner): Are you ready, honey? It's high time you were in my stomach.
ANN, FARMER'S COW: It isn't simple, Sammy, but try.
(They stop while the others go on dancing).
ANN, FARMER'S COW: You look terrible! What's the matter?
SAM, FARMER'S DOG: I've eaten too much gingerbread this morning.
ANN, FARMER'S COW: How much gingerbread did you eat?
SAM, FARMER'S DOG: I ate no one and I'm never going to eat any gingerbread again.
SCENE III
SETTING: The yard near the farmer's house.
PAM, FOX is looking for something to steal. He meets JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN gets off.
PAM, FOX: Hello.
JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: Hello!
PAM, FOX: Hello. Haven't seen you for ages.
JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: So have I.
PAM, FOX: Glad to meet you. Let me introduce myself. Sir Fox.
JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: I remember from the history. Guy Fawkes, fireworks and so on. Nice to see. What will you say about this the family? I think they are not well today.
PAM, FOX: They are really mad.
JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: I've supposed something like this. They quarreled so much that I couldn’t hear myself!
PAM, FOX: Where are you from, gingerbread?
JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: Sorry, who? Me? Am I gingerbread?
PAM, FOX: You are gingerbread and I love it.
JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: I'm a gingerbread man. I was born in the oven.
PAM, FOX. Come here, Gingerbread man, I'll sing 'Happy Birthday' to you!
JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: Nobody sings this to me.
PAM, FOX. Listen to me! Come nearer and listen.
Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday, dear Johnny,
Happy birthday to you!
JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: Is that all?
PAM, FOX. No. Come nearer and listen.
JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: I'd rather stand here. Can you sing louder?
PAM, FOX. I sing as loud as I can. If you don't hear mine.
How old are you now?
How old are you now?
Happy Birthday, happy birthday!
How old are you now?
JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: Your look is strange. Why does everybody looks at me as if one eats me?
PAM, FOX. They take you for gingerbread.
JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN (anxiously): Are you sure?
PAM, FOX. As sure as death is death. Come nearer!
JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: Yes. But close your eyes, guy, and wait a minute.
He disappears.
SAM, FARMER'S DOG: Where is John?
PAM, FOX. Turned round the corner and rolled away.
SAM, FARMER'S DOG: How do you know I'm mad?
PAM, FOX: He rolled away in that direction… but this is another tale, I guess.
JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: Good bye, Ann. Good bye Pam. Have a good evening! See you later.
The end
THE LITTLE RED HEN
CHARACTERS:
RED HEN
COCK
MOUSE
FOX
SCENE I.
SETTING: A pretty little house with a green door and two little windows with green shutters.
RED HEN. Good morning, good morning to everyone. Glad to see you. Get up, Cock. Get up, Mouse!
COCK. What are we having for breakfast?
RED HEN. Tea and toast, jam and butter if you don’t mind.
MOUSE. A lot of toast and a lot of butter, please. I’m hungry.
RED HEN. Who’ll get some sticks to light the fire with?
COCK. I shan’t.
MOUSE. I shan’t.
RED HEN. Then I’ll do it myself.
And off she ran to fill the kettle.
RED HEN. And who’ll get the breakfast ready?
COCK. I shan’t.
MOUSE. I shan’t.
RED HEN. Then I’ll do it myself.
And she began to lay the table and cook toast.
RED HEN. Who’ll clear away the breakfast?
COCK. I shan’t.
MOUSE. I shan’t.
RED HEN. Then I’ll do it myself.
And she cleared everything away, swept up the crumbs and brushed up the floor.
MOUSE. And now don’t make noise. We are tired and wish to have a rest.
RED HEN. Let it be. And I have a lot of work to do.
She comes out and the lazy Cock and Mouse each sat down in a comfortable chair, and soon fell fast asleep.
SCENE II.
SETTING: In the forest, near the fox’s cave.
FOX. Oh, I’m so hungry. I had nothing to eat yesterday. And scarcely anything the day before. And only half a grain the day before. Where will I get my breakfast. Oh! On the hill over there I see a house. And in that house there live a cock, a hen and a mouse. I’ll take my great suck and into that sack I’ll put the cock, the hen and the mouse.
He jumped for joy and went up the hill to the little house.
FOX. Rat tat tat, rat tat tat!
COCK. Who can that be?
FOX. Rat tat tat, rat tat tat!
MOUSE. Go and look for yourself if you want to know.
FOX. Rat tat tat, rat tat tat!
COCK. It’s the postman, perhaps. He may have a letter for me.
FOX. Rat tat tat, rat tat tat!
So, without waiting to see who it was, he lifted the latch and opened the door. In jumped the big fox with a cruel smile upon his face.
MOUSE. Oh! Oh! Help me! Save me!
COCK. Doodle doodle do! Thief! Killer!
But the fox only laughed, and he took the cock and popped him into the sack, and seized the mouse and popped her in too.
SCENE III
SETTING: in the forest, near the stream.
FOX. The sun is very hot, and I feel this sack is heavy. I will lie down under a tree and go to sleep for a little while.
And he lay down under a tree and soon fell fast asleep.
RED HEN. I’ve done a lot of work and can rest. Where shall I go? To the stream to have a swim.
And she saw a fox lying under the tree and a big sack over here.
VOICE OF COCK. I wish I hadn’t been so cross.
VOICE OF MOUSE. I wish I hadn’t been so lazy.
RED HEN. Don’t be too sad. I have my little workbag, and in it there is a pair of scissors. Very soon you will see what I am going to do.
And she took out her scissors and began to snip a hole in the sack.
RED HEN. Quick, Mouse! Quick, Cock!
MOUSE. Shall we run as fast as we can?
RED HEN. No, we shan’t. when the Cock sing his song we’ll throw the fox into the water.
COCK. Doodle doodle do! Get up!
MOUSE. Pull him! Push him!
RED HEN. Never trouble us again!
And they pushed the fox into the river.
FOX. Oh, I beg your pardon. I must hurry home!
And off he ran.
RED HEN. How tired am I!
COCK. Have a holiday today, dear. I’ll make dinner for you.
MOUSE. And I’ll help him while you’ll be resting in the armchair.
And the Red hen had a holiday and sat resting in the big chair while her friend did all the work.
The end
CHICKEN-LIKEN
CHARACTERS:
CHICKEN LIKEN
WORM
HENNY PENNY
COCKY LOCKY
DUCKY LUCKY
DRACKEY LACKEY
GOOSY LOOSY
TURKEY LURKEY
FOXY LOXY
SCENE I
SETTING: Foxy’s cave and a tree nearby.
Foxy is lying down and watching. Worm climbs the tree.
WORM. What’s the weather like today?
FOXY LOXY. It’s windy I guess. Such nice weather, isn’t it? Do acorns begin falling down?
WORM. They’ve just begun. I’ve seen one. It’s lying under the tree. Do you really like to eat them, Foxy?
FOXY LOXY. Mmm…you are joking. It will be funny if foxes eat acorns. No, I don’t eat them. I just like them falling down.
WORM. Why?
FOXY LOXY. Are all worms so curious? Creep gown and in a moment you’ll watch a funny thing. Just wait for this moment. (Comes away).
SCENE II.
SETTING: The same tree.
Chicken Liken is looking for something. He sees Worm and catches it. They begin struggling. Suddenly an acorn falls down and hits Chicken Liken.
CHICKEN LIKEN. Oh, Lord! The sky’s fallen down on my poor head. I should go to the king to tell about this accident.
WORM. What’s wrong with you? This is an acorn. Never mind. It’s fallen down and hit you. Nothing serious.
HENNY PENNY. What’s happened to you, kid? Have you cried?
CHICKEN LIKEN. Oh, mummy. The sky’s fallen down and hit me.
HENNY PENNY. You should tell the king about this. By the way… do you see a fat worm? You can peck it yourself, but it’s too big and we can share the dinner.
WORM. That was an acorn, lady. The acorn fell down on him and hit his head. It’s not dangerous. You may ask Cocky Locky.
COCKY LOCKY. I’m busy now. It’s time to work but I haven’t got a watch. Who knows the exact time?
WORM. It’s seven o’clock sharp. Time to have dinner.
COCKY LOCKY. The work is the first, isn’t it? (Screams): Doodle doodle do! All right. The second is to eat you, Worm. You seem to be rather fat.
CHICKEN LIKEN. Oh, Daddy. The sky has fallen down and hit me!
HENNY PENNY. We should go to tell the king about this!
COCKY LOCKY. It’s our duty. The duty is above all! Follow me! I know the way!
WORM. They are fools. What is Foxy going to do? I’ll try to help them if I’m able to do anything.
SCENE III
SETTING. At the poultry.
Turkey Lurky is waving his tail. He is walking up and down to show how gracious he is! Ducky Lucky and Drackey Lackey are watching the show and clapping their hands.
GOOSE LOOSE (running in). Have you known the news? Such an awful story about Chicken Liken! He got into an accident and was seriously injured. And that’s not all.
WORM. Hello, guys! The busy day, isn’t it?
TURKEY LURKEY. Our show is over and guests are welcome to have dinner.
WORM. What do you have for dinner?
TURKEY LURKEY. It’s you. This worm is rather big and fat, so we can divide it into pieces.
WORM. I’m against. Since this morning I have had a terrible stomachache.
DUCKY LUCKY. You must have eaten too much grass that grows around the lake. It is sad. But we are ready to risk.
Chicken Liken, Henny Penny and Cocky Locky appear and Worm crawls away.
CHICKEN LIKEN. The sky has fallen down and hit my head.
HENNY PENNY. We are going to tell the king about it.
COCKY LOCKY. It’s our duty. The duty is above all! Follow me, everybody! I know the way!
DRACKEY LACKEY. It’s not the right road. I’m the only to lead you because my uncle lived at the royal court.
GOOSE LOOSE. Was he a courtesan?
DUCKY LUCKY. For a short time. Then he got onto a dish.
DRACKEY LACKEY. Come on, come on! Be quick!
SCENE IY
SETTING: At Foxy’s cave.
Foxy is walking up and down, he is looking at his watch. He is anxious.
FOXY LOXY. The cock hasn’t screamed jet and the ducks haven’t come out. What’s wrong?
WORM. Just an acorn has fallen down and hit Chicken Liken. They are travelling right here, towards your cave.
FOXY LOXY. Good news! How many of them?
WORM. Chicken Liken, Henny Penny, Cocky Locky, Ducky Lucky, Drackey Lackey, Goosy Loosy and Turkey Lurkey. That’s all.
FOXY LOXY. My dinner will be great, but I don’t have enough appetite to eat them all.
WORM. Would you like to have a medicine for appetite? This grass is growing around the lake. Just what you want.
FOXY LOXY. Thank you very much. It’s kind of you to be my doctor.
Chicken Liken and his campaigners appear.
CHICKEN LIKEN. The sky has fallen down and hit my head.
HENNY PENNY. We are going to tell the king about it.
COCKY LOCKY. It’s our duty. The duty is above all!