Children's Classics in Dramatic Form Part 11

[_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 peac.o.c.k 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_ PEAc.o.c.kS _enter._]

VAIN JACKDAW. Good-morning, brothers.

PEAc.o.c.kS. Ha, ha, ha!

VAIN JACKDAW. Why do you laugh so, brothers?

PEAc.o.c.kS. Ha, ha, ha!

VAIN JACKDAW. You must not laugh, dear brothers. I am a peac.o.c.k like yourselves.

FIRST PEAc.o.c.k. You silly jackdaw!

VAIN JACKDAW. I am no jackdaw. Do I not have feathers like your own?

SECOND PEAc.o.c.k. Ha, ha! I dropped them on the ground this morning.

THIBAUD PEAc.o.c.k. Let's take them from him!

[Ill.u.s.tration]

VAIN JACKDAW. No, no! I beg you--

FIRST PEAc.o.c.k. Come, let's pull them out!

[_They pull the peac.o.c.k feathers from the jackdaw._]

THIRD PEAc.o.c.k. You cannot stay with us!

SECOND PEAc.o.c.k. Go back to the jackdaws!

FIRST PEAc.o.c.k. Away with you! Away!

[_The jackdaw runs. The peac.o.c.ks 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.