Children's Classics in Dramatic Form Part 17

MERCHANT. How fine and large they are!

FIRST SON. And sweet, too! Just taste one, sir!

MERCHANT (_eating a grape_). Are they all like these?

SECOND SON. Every vine bears just such grapes.

MERCHANT. I must have your grapes. I will give a pot of gold for them.

SONS. A pot of gold!

MERCHANT. Come, will you sell?

SONS. Aye, sir!

MERCHANT. Then to-morrow I will bring the pot of gold and take away the grapes.

[_He goes._]

SONS. A pot of gold!

FIRST SON. I wonder if that was father's pot of gold.

SECOND SON. I almost think it was.

THIRD SON. I wonder now, I wonder--

FIRST SON. No war horse for me! I will stay and dig again for gold!

SECOND SON. No prince's crown for me! I will stay and dig here too!

THIRD SON. I have found my purse of gold! I will stay and find another!

THE HARE AND THE HEDGEHOG

TIME: _one fine morning._ PLACE: _the farmer's cabbage field._

THE HARE.

THE HEDGEHOG.

THE HEDGEHOG'S WIFE.

[_The_ HEDGEHOG _and his_ WIFE _are walking in the field._]

HEDGEHOG. These cabbages are growing well.

WIFE. They are very fine indeed.

HEDGEHOG. We can feed on them all summer.

WIFE. Yes, if the hares will let us.

HEDGEHOG. Oh, there is enough for all of us, hares, hedgehogs, and farmer.

WIFE. Yes, if the hares will think that, too.

HEDGEHOG. Well, we will let them alone as we have always done.

WIFE. But they will not let us alone. Yesterday they called at me while I was eating here.

HEDGEHOG. What did they say to you?

WIFE. Oh, such things as "Short-legs," and "Duck-legs."

HEDGEHOG. Here comes one of them now!

WIFE. He is one who called at me. I'll hide till he goes by.

[_She hides among the cabbages. The_ HARE _enters._]

HEDGEHOG. Good-morning, sir.

HARE. Why do you speak to me?

HEDGEHOG. I always speak to neighbors, sir.

HARE. Speak to your own kind, then. I think myself too good for hedgehogs.

HEDGEHOG. Now that is strange.

HARE. There is nothing strange about it. Look at your silly little legs!

HEDGEHOG. They are quite as good as yours, sir.

HARE. As good as mine! Hear him! You can only walk with those legs, sir.

HEDGEHOG. I'll run a race with you this day.

HARE. Hear him! Hear him! Ha, ha!

HEDGEHOG. You may run in that furrow. I will run in this. We will see who gets to the field fence first.