I.-The Boy That Hated CoWs.
(Scene I.-The living-room of a small farm-house. Time: 5 o"clock in the afternoon. Teddy West is lying on the sofa, reading a picture book.)Mrs. West.-Come, Teddy; it"s time to bring in the cows.
Teddy.-Oh, mother, wait a bit. I want to see what the giant did.
[Five minutes go by. Then Mary West, Teddy"s sister, comes to the door.]
Mary.-Teddy, you ought to get the cows. It"s your turn to-day. You know that as well as I do. Get up, you lazy fellow.
Teddy.-Oh, bother the cows!
[Mary goes out. After a time, Teddy"s father appears.]
Mr. West (sternly).-Edward, the cows!
Teddy (laying down his book, and moving slowlytowards the door).-I hate cows. I wish we didn"t have any. Cows are no good; they"re only a worry to everybody. I hate cows and all belonging to them.
(Scene II.-The dining-room, an hour later. The members of the West family are seated. A round of beef is smoking on the table, but there is no meat on Teddy" s plate.)Teddy.-Father, may I have some meat?
Mr. West.-Teddy, this is beef, and you know you hate cows.
Teddy.-Well, I suppose I can have some bread and butter.
Mrs. West.-No butter, Teddy. We get our butter from the cow, and you hate cows.
Teddy.-Mary, there"s no milk in my tea.
Mary.-Of course there isn"t, Teddy. You wouldn"t have milk that a cow gave you. You hate cows.
Teddy.-Well, if I can"t have butter, I"ll have a bit of cheese.
Mr. West.-Oh, no, Teddy; that also comes from the cow, and you hate cows and all their works.
Mrs. West.-Mary, bring in the baked custard. We"ll all enjoy that, all but Teddy. There"s milk in the custard, and milk comes from the cow, and Teddy hates cows.
Teddy (humbly).-Father, please pass me the cream.
Mr. West.-No, Teddy, I shall not pass you the cream. That is a gift from your foe, the cow.
Teddy.-It"s not fair [rising up]. I won"t sit at the table with you-boo-hoo-oo!
Mr. West.-It"s all right, Teddy. You can come back, and eat what we eat. Only, let this be a lesson to you.
(Curtain)
ii.-TryinG TO please EVerybody.
(Scene.-A main road leading to a market town. A miller and his son are driving an ass before them. They are going to sell it. They meet two farmers.)First Farmer.-Look, neighbour; did you ever see such stupid people? They trudge in the dust when one of them might be riding.
Second Farmer.-You are right, friend. The ass is the only one of the three that seems to have any brains.
Son.-Did you hear what they said, father?
Miller.-Yes, my boy; perhaps they are right. Here, get up on the donkey.
[The son mounts, and the father walks by his side. Soon they meet an old man and an old woman.]
Old Man.-Do you see that young rascal riding while his old father walks?
Old Woman.-Shame on him ! I don"t know what the world"s coming to. Get down, boy, and let your poor father take your place.
Son.-Shall I get down, father?
Miller . - Yes , my boy . We must try to please everybody.
[The son gets down, and the miller rides the donkey. They meet a young woman.]
Young Woman.-For shame, old man! Fancy a big, strong fellow like you taking your ease while your son walks! I"m sure the poor boy is footsore and quite tired out.
Son.-I"m all right, father.
"For shame, old man! "
Miller.-No,no; we must try to please people. W e " ll both ride the donkey.
[The son gets up be- hind the miller. They meet two schoolboys.]
First Sc h oolb oy . - Here"s a nice thing. Weought to tell the police. See the load they"ve put on the donkey. It"s cruel; that"s what I think.
Second Schoolboy.-Of course it is. They look far more able to carry the ass than the ass does to carry them.
Miller.-Well, well, well! How hard it is to please everybody! But we haven"t far to go; so we"ll carry the donkey.
[They tie the animal"s feet, thrust a pole between his legs, and hoist him on their shoulders. Then they stagger along tillthey com e to the middle of a bridge leading to the town. A newsboy see s them.]
Newsboy. - H i , there, Harry, Jim, Charlie! Hurry up and see these two people carr ying a donkey! Hurry up!
[ A c r o w d gathers, and greets
th e stra ng e sig h t The Donkey Leaps into the Water.
with jeers and laughter and clapping of hands. The donkey, frightened by the noise, struggles free, leaps into the water, and is drowned.]
Miller.-Dear, dear! What a mistake I"ve made! I tried to please everybody; but I"ve pleased nobody, and have lost my donkey as well.
Son.-That will be a lesson to me, father. When I grow up, I"ll do what I think is right and just, in spite of what anybody says.
Miller.-You"re quite right, my son. I hope that I, also, am not too old to learn.
Adapted from ?SOP
About the Author.-The unknown authors have adapted two stories, of which the second is by the old-time Greek slave ?sop.
About the Plays.-Why did Teddy hate cows? Was he really lazy? How did his father try to cure him? Why can"t one please everybody? Whom should you try to please?