Children's Classics in Dramatic Form Part 19

FIs.h.i.+NG ON DRY LAND

TIME: _long ago._ PLACE: _before the King's palace._

KING.

PRINCE.

QUEEN.

LADIES.

FARMER NIX.

FARMER KNAVE.

MANY OTHER FARMERS.

[FARMER NIX, FARMER KNAVE, _and the other_ FARMERS _have come with their wagons, for it is market day. Some of the wagons are drawn by horses and some by oxen._]

NIX. Have you seen my colt, sir?

A FARMER. I saw a colt run by not long ago.

SECOND FARMER. There is a colt with Farmer Knave's oxen.

NIX. I do not see him.

THIRD FARMER. He is lying down between them.

NIX. Ah, I see him now.

(_He goes to Farmer Knave._)

I have come for my colt, Farmer Knave.

KNAVE. Your colt?

NIX. Yes. There he is between your oxen.

KNAVE. He is my colt, sir.

NIX. How can he be your colt when he is mine?

KNAVE. I ask the same question, sir.

NIX. What do you mean?

KNAVE. How can the colt be yours when he is mine?

NIX. I'll have you before the judge, sir!

KNAVE. The judge shall speak to you, sir!

[_The_ PRINCE _comes from the castle._]

PRINCE. What is all this noise, sirs? What is all this noise, I say? The king sent me to ask.

NIX. Farmer Knave does claim my colt, Prince.

PRINCE. How is this, Farmer Knave?

KNAVE. I claim the colt because the colt is mine, Prince.

PRINCE. Now how is this, Farmer Nix?

NIX. The colt is mine, Prince.

KNAVE. The colt is mine I say!

NIX. I say the colt is mine!

PRINCE. Hush, Farmer Nix! Hush, Farmer Knave! I'll tell the king what both of you do claim. He will decide to whom the colt belongs.

[_The Prince goes._]

KNAVE. See how the colt lies between my oxen! Is not that proof that he is mine?

NIX. But who can tell what a colt will do?

[_The_ PRINCE _comes._]

PRINCE. Farmers, the king has decided. He says the colt belongs where it is now lying.

KNAVE. And he lies between my oxen.

PRINCE. That is proof enough, The colt belongs to you, Farmer Knave.

NIX. But, Prince--

PRINCE. Not another word! Go, now, with your wagons and horses and oxen!

The queen comes out to walk. Go, all of you!

[_The Prince enters the castle. The farmers go, Nix last. The_ QUEEN _and her_ LADIES _come from the castle._]

QUEEN. Go bring Farmer Nix to me.

[_A Lady runs to Nix._]