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diff --git a/14508-0.txt b/14508-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..58d9caf --- /dev/null +++ b/14508-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1060 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 14508 *** + +THE CHRISTMAS DINNER + +by + +SHEPHERD KNAPP + +The Heidelberg Press +Publishers for Discriminators +Fifteenth and Race Streets, Philadelphia + +1921 + + + + + + + + TO THOSE + WHO FIRST ACTED IN THIS PLAY + TO THOSE WHO WITH SO MUCH SKILL AND PATIENCE + TRAINED THE PARTICIPANTS + AND TO THE FRIENDLY AUDIENCES OF BOYS AND GIRLS + WHO ENCOURAGE US BY THEIR APPLAUSE + IT IS DEDICATED + + + + +Preface + + +This play is intended, not only for acting, but also for reading. It +is so arranged that boys and girls can read it to themselves, just as +they would read any other story. Even the stage directions and the +descriptions of scenery are presented as a part of the narrative. At +the same time, by the use of different styles of type, the speeches of +the characters are clearly distinguished from the rest of the text, an +arrangement which will be found convenient when parts are being +memorized for acting. + +The play has been acted more than once, and by different groups of +people; sometimes on a stage equipped with footlights, curtain, and +scenery; sometimes with barely any of these aids. Practical +suggestions as to costumes, scenery, and some simple scenic effects +will be found at the end of the play. + +What sort of a Christmas play do the boys and girls like, and in what +sort do we like to see them take part? It should be a play, surely, in +which the dialogue is simple and natural, not stilted and artificial; +one that seems like a bit of real life, and yet has plenty of fancy +and imagination in it; one that suggests and helps to perpetuate some +of the happy and wholesome customs of Christmas; above all, one that +is pervaded by the Christmas spirit. I hope that this play does not +entirely fail to meet these requirements. + +Worcester, Mass. + +SHEPHERD KNAPP. + + + + +Introduction + + +Before the Play begins, MOTHER GOOSE comes out in front of the +curtain, and this is what she says: + +Well, well, well, well, well, here we all are again. And what's more +important, Christmas is here again, too. Aren't you glad? Now I want +to tell you children something. Do you know what I enjoy most at +Christmas time? It's to come in here and see all you children sitting +in rows and rows, all your faces looking up at me, and a smile on +every one of them. Why, even some of those great big men and women +back there are smiling, too. And I think I know why you are all +smiling. There are two reasons for it, I believe. One is that you +think old Mother Goose is a good friend of yours, and loves you all +very much. And you're quite right about that, for I declare, I love +every one of you as much as I love--plum pudding. And the second +reason why you are all smiling, I guess, is because you think I am +going to show you a Christmas Play. And you're right about that, too. +I have a play all ready for you, there behind the curtain, and the +name of it is "The Christmas Dinner." Doesn't the very name of it make +you hungry? Well, you just wait. Now when the curtain opens, you'll +see the warm cozy kitchen of a farm house, where six people live. Two +of them are quite young, because they are just a boy and a girl, and +their names are Walter and Gertrude. And two of them are older, and +yet not so very old either: they are the father and mother of the two +children. And the last two are the oldest of all, and they are +really old, for they are the children's grandfather and grandmother. +It is late in the afternoon of the day before Christmas, the hour when +it has begun to get dark. The father is out cutting some good big +sticks of wood for the Christmas fire, and the two children are +playing outside of the house. So you'll not see them at first. But you +will see the mother, who is just finishing the day's work, and the old +grandfather and grandmother, who are sitting by the fire. Are you +ready, all of you? Be quiet, then, for now it is going to begin. + + + + +The Christmas Dinner + +The First Scene + + +Now the Curtain opens, and you see a farmhouse kitchen, just as +Mother Goose promised. At the back, opposite to you, is a fire-place, +with a mantel shelf over it. A bright fire is burning. On the mantel +is a lamp, lighted, and an unlighted candle; also some other things +that you'll hear about later. There is a cupboard against the back +wall. At one side of the room is the door leading out of doors; beside +it is a large wood box, where the fire-wood is kept; and nearby are a +broom, leaning against the wall, and a dustpan. On the other side of +the room is another door, which leads to the rest of the house; beside +that is a big clothes basket, where the soiled clothes are kept. Close +to the fire, one on each side, the Grandfather and the Grandmother are +sitting in comfortable chairs. Near the front and a little at one side +are a table and a chair. On the table is a dishpan and a number of +dishes, which the Mother is washing when the curtain opens. + +The first one to speak is the GRANDMOTHER, and this is what she +says: Haven't you nearly finished, Mary? + +Yes, almost, answers MOTHER: only a few more things to be washed, +and then I can sit down and rest. + +GRANDMOTHER asks, Is everything ready for the Christmas dinner +tomorrow? + +Every single thing, MOTHER answers. The goose is ready to go on the +fire; the apple sauce is made; the bread and the pies are baked; and +the plum pudding--well, you saw the pudding yourself, so that I don't +need to tell you about that. It's a beauty, if I do say so. + +At this moment the outside door opens, and the two children, Walter +and Gertrude, run in. Their coats and mittens show that they have been +playing in the snow. + +Oh, Mother, says WALTER, it's getting dark outside. May we come in +now? Is your work all done? + +Not quite yet, dears, his MOTHER answers. Run out, both of you, +for ten minutes more, and then I'll have everything cleared away. It +makes me nervous to have you about while things are in a mess. + +All right, mother, says GERTRUDE. Come on, Walter, I'll race you to +the gate. And both the children go out-of-doors again, running. +Gertrude was nearer the door, and gets out first. + +Such energy as those children have! exclaims MOTHER, with a sigh, +as she goes on with her work. Sometimes it makes me tired to watch +them. There, every last thing is washed, and now, when I've dried +them, I can sit down. She goes on talking while she dries. There's +one thing I haven't had time to do--those paper caps. I suppose the +children will be disappointed, but I simply couldn't find time to make +them. The colored paper and paste and scissors are all on the mantel +shelf and I suppose I ought to sit right down now and go to work on +them, but I declare, I'm too tired. Getting ready for Christmas seems +to take all the strength I have. I think I must be getting old. + +You getting old! exclaims GRANDMOTHER. Nonsense! Wait till you get +to be our age; then you might talk of getting old and feeling tired. +Isn't that so, John? John is Grandfather's first name. + +Yes, GRANDFATHER answers, when you get to be as old as we are, then +you'll know what it is to be tired, Christmas or another day. I tried +to help James shut the gate this morning, where the snow had drifted +against it, and it tired me so, I haven't stirred out of this chair +since. + +Now the outside door opens a second time, and the children come in +again, Gertrude first. + +Isn't it time now, mother? asks GERTRUDE. + +Yes, answers MOTHER, I've just finished. Take off your coats, and +try to quiet down. She puts the clean dishes away in the cupboard and +carries the dish pan away into the next room. + +The children take of their coats and caps. Walter goes over by his +Grandfather and leans against his chair. Gertrude sits down on a low +stool beside her Grandmother. + +What have you children been doing all the afternoon? asks +GRANDFATHER. + +Oh, we've had the greatest fun, cries GERTRUDE. First we went +skating down on the mill pond. + +And then we built a snow fort, WALTER chimes in, and the Indians +attacked it, and we drove them off with snow-balls. + +And then we played tag out by the barn, adds GERTRUDE. + +No, WALTER corrects her, that was afterwards; don't you remember, +Gertrude? Before that, we raced down to the crossroads to see if the +postman had brought any mail. + +Oh, yes, GERTRUDE agrees, and you tripped and fell down in the snow +drift, and oh, grandfather, you ought to have seen him when he got up; +he was a sight. But it all brushed off. + +And don't you feel tired after doing all that? GRANDMOTHER asks. + +No, says GERTRUDE, I'm not a bit tired; are you, Walter? + +Not a bit, says WALTER. + +Well, that's the beauty of being young, GRANDMOTHER says, in a tired +sort of voice. I suppose that when I was your age, I was just the +same as you children are now. + +How long is it since you were our age? WALTER asks. + +So many years, says GRANDMOTHER, that I haven't time to count them +up. But I can remember it all clearly enough, even if it was so long +ago. Everything about it was very different then from the way it is +now. + +How was it different, grandmother? asks GERTRUDE. + +Why, in all sorts of ways, GRANDMOTHER answers. For one thing, the +days seemed ever so much shorter when I was a little girl. + +And the nights, adds GRANDFATHER. Nowadays the nights are sometimes +quite long, but when I was a boy they were so short, that it almost +seemed as though there weren't any nights at all. + +And food used to taste quite different then, says GRANDMOTHER. I +used to care a lot more for breakfast and dinner and supper then than +I do now. + +Grandfather, asks WALTER, do you wish that you could have stayed on +being a little boy, always? + +Well, I don't know, Walter, GRANDFATHER replies thoughtfully; there +are two sides to that. I'll tell you what I would like, though. I'd +like to be a little boy now and then, just for a short time, to see +once more how it would feel to run and shout and play and eat and +laugh, the way I used to. But then I think I'd pretty soon want to be +myself again, old as I am, because there are some grand things about +old age that I think I'd miss if I had to be a little boy for good and +all. A good many wonderful things happen to you when you grow old, and +even if my old body does get pretty tired sometimes, and you children +think perhaps that grandfather looks very stupid, sitting so quiet by +the fire-side here, I'm often thinking, inside, of splendid things +that little boys and girls don't know anything about. + +But, grandfather, says GERTRUDE, tell us some more things that were +different when you were a boy. + +Well, let me see, GRANDFATHER says, and stops for a moment to think. +Then he goes on. There were the brownies. I haven't said anything +about them, have I? + +The brownies? exclaims WALTER, his eyes big with interest. What +about the brownies? + +Only that when I was a little boy, answers GRANDFATHER, I used to +see the brownies sometimes. But now I never see them. It's many a long +year since I caught sight of a single one. + +Where did you used to see them? asks WALTER, still excited. + +Right here in this room, answers GRANDFATHER. There used to be two +of them, when I was a boy; and often I would see them, though none of +the grown-up people could see them at all. During the daytime they +used often to hide in the wood-box over there: and then at night, +they used to come out and play. And sometimes they worked, too, for I +can remember my father saying sometimes in the morning, "The floor +looks so clean that I think the brownies must have swept it last +night." + +But, Grandfather, says WALTER, for there is one thing about this +that puzzles him, I'm a little boy, and I've never seen the brownies. + +No, not yet, GRANDFATHER admits, but I think you're likely to any +time now. You see, they don't show themselves to very little boys, for +fear of frightening them. + +GERTRUDE, who has been listening carefully to all of this, has a +question to ask. Grandmother, she says, did you see the brownies, +too, when you were a little girl? + +No, indeed, answers GRANDMOTHER. The brownies never wanted any girls +to see them. But I used to see the house-fairies often, and they +always hid away from the boys, so that only we girls ever saw +them. + +How many house-fairies were there, Grandmother, asks GERTRUDE +eagerly, and where did you see them, and what did they do? + +My, what a lot of questions! GRANDMOTHER says, smiling at Gertrude's +excitement. There were two of them at our house, and they lived in +the kitchen just as the brownies did here. They used to hide in a big +clothes basket very much like that one over there. At night, like the +brownies, they used to do some of the house-work to help mother; and +how pleased she used to be, when she found in the morning that some of +the work had been done for her while she was asleep. + +Do you suppose, says WALTER, that if I woke up some night, and came +and looked in here, I'd see the brownies working or playing? + +Very likely, answers GRANDFATHER. + +Oh, I'd like to try it, cries WALTER. Can I do it tonight? + +But GRANDMOTHER says: No, indeed, Walter. What is your Grandfather +thinking of to put such a notion into your head. And as for +tonight--well, of all nights in the year!--the very night when we +expect Santa Claus to come and fill the stockings. And you know how +displeased he would be to find the children awake and watching him. +Why, he very likely would go away without leaving a single present. + +To be sure, says GRANDFATHER. No, it wouldn't do at all. And, +besides, think how tired you'd be for tomorrow. And then you'd be +sorry with all the goings-on. By dinner time, you'd probably be +falling asleep, and we'd have to eat all the goose and the pudding +without you. + +We wouldn't want to miss that, says GERTRUDE, shaking her head +decisively. I saw the pudding out in the store closet, and I tell +you, it smelt good. + +I bet you tasted it, exclaims WALTER. + +Indeed I did not, answers GERTRUDE in a hurt tone; not even the +eentiest teentiest bit of it. + +What time will the dinner begin, grandfather? asks WALTER. + +About twelve o'clock noon, I expect, GRANDFATHER answers. + +And I suppose, says WALTER in a sorrowful voice, that the pudding +will be the last thing of all. + +Yes, I suppose so, GRANDFATHER admits. + +It will be an awfully long time to wait, says WALTER. And then when +mother begins to help it, Gertrude and I will have to wait and wait +while all the rest of you are helped. It's pretty tiresome waiting +sometimes. + +But have you forgotten, Walter? GRANDMOTHER says, reminding him, You +won't have to wait as long as that tomorrow. For tomorrow is +Christmas, and don't you remember, that one of the ways in which +Christmas is different from all the other days in the year, is the way +in which the food is helped out at the Christmas dinner? On other days +the oldest people are helped first, and the youngest ones have to +wait: but at Christmas dinner, the first one to be helped to each +thing is the very youngest one of all, and then comes the next +youngest, and so on all the way round, and the oldest one has to wait +till the very last. + +Oh, I remember, exclaims GERTRUDE. That was the way we did last +year. Don't you remember, Walter? Walter nods. And last year, +GERTRUDE goes on, I was the youngest and I was helped first to every +single thing. Grandmother, who is the youngest this year? + +Why, you are the youngest, answers GRANDMOTHER, just as you were +last Christmas. + +But I'm a whole year older than I was then, says GERTRUDE, looking +puzzled. + +And so is everybody else, GRANDMOTHER explains. + +Really? says GERTRUDE, not quite convinced. So I'm the youngest +still? Will I be helped first to the goose and the apple sauce? + +Yes, answers GRANDMOTHER. + +And will she be helped first to the pudding, too? asks WALTER +anxiously. + +Yes, answers GRANDMOTHER. + +Oh, I'm so glad, cries GERTRUDE. Isn't it nice to be the youngest? + +Am I the next youngest? asks WALTER. + +Yes, GRANDMOTHER answers, and the second helping of everything will +go to you. + +Oh, well, that's all right, says WALTER, a good deal relieved. +There's sure to be plenty left. Gertrude couldn't eat it all. + +Now there is the sound of someone outside the door, stamping to shake +the snow from his boots. + +There's Father, cries GERTRUDE. She and Walter go to the door and +open it. Their father comes in, carrying several good-sized pieces +fire-wood. + +How late you are, James, says GRANDFATHER, and how tired you look. + +I am tired, answers FATHER. He lifts the lid of the wood-box, and +throws in the wood with a great clatter. Then, while he takes off his +cap and gloves and muffler, he says: The snow is so deep that it's +hard to walk in it, especially carrying a load as heavy as that wood +was. He sits down. + +Children, says GRANDMOTHER, go, tell your mother that father is +here. She'll want to give us supper at once and hurry you both off to +bed. + +But when are we to hang up our stockings? asks WALTER. + +We'll do that right after supper, answers FATHER. Run along now, +and tell mother that I'm here. The children go, and FATHER +continues speaking. Is everything all ready for tomorrow? he asks. + +Yes, answers GRANDMOTHER, Mary finished everything quite a while +ago. Or almost everything. She didn't get the paper caps made for the +children, but she was just too tired to do it after all the other +work. + +I don't wonder, says FATHER. When there is so much to be done, some +things simply have to be left. Perhaps there will be time tomorrow +morning. I'm leaving some things for tomorrow myself. For instance, I +promised Mary I'd sweep out the kitchen here, after I'd brought in the +wood; and it needs it, sure enough, for I see I've tracked in a lot of +dirt. But I'm going to beg off for tonight. I'll do it first thing in +the morning. I only hope that Santa Claus won't notice it, and think +we're an untidy household. But we leave such a dim light in the +kitchen at night, that I don't believe he'll be able to tell whether +the room is broom-clean or not. And any way, I guess he must get tired +himself sometimes. So he'll know how it is, and won't lay it up +against us. + + And that is the end of the First Scene. + + + + +The Interlude + + +Again before the Second Scene begins, MOTHER GOOSE comes out in +front of the Curtain, and this is what she says: + +Children, do you want to know what has happened in that Kitchen since +the curtain closed? Well, I've come to tell you all about it. The +first thing was that they all had supper; not a very hearty supper, +because they all wanted to save up their appetites for the Christmas +dinner the next day. But they had as much as they needed. And then the +two children went and got their stockings, one for each member of the +family, and then they all hung up their own stockings. Gertrude hung +up her stocking, and Walter hung up his stocking, and Mother hung up +her stocking, and Father hung up his stocking, and Grandmother hung up +her stocking, and--and--and--now, I declare, I've left somebody out. +Who can it be, I wonder? Why, to be sure--Grandfather. Yes, +Grandfather hung up his stocking; and there they were, all six +stockings hanging in a row. You look for them there, when the curtain +opens. I think you'll see them. Well, then of course the children went +to bed, and by this time I think they are both asleep. And now the +rest of the family are beginning to feel sleepy, and in just a moment, +I think one of them is going to say, "It's time we all went to bed." +What happens after that you can see for yourselves, for now it's going +to begin. + + + + +The Second Scene + + +When the Curtain opens, you see the Kitchen again just as before, +except that now the six stockings are hanging from the mantel shelf +over the fire-place. Father is sitting beside the table reading the +newspaper. The two Grandparents are still sitting close to the fire, +one on each side. Grandfather has fallen asleep, and Grandmother is +drowsy, so that her head nods. Then she wakes up, and tries to stay +awake; but in a minute her head goes nodding again. Father yawns, puts +down his newspaper; yawns once more and stretches; then goes on +reading. + +MOTHER comes in and says, The children are sound asleep. + +It's time we all went to bed, says FATHER, putting down the +newspaper. I know I'm ready for it. He yawns. + +Besides, adds MOTHER, the fire is almost out; and indeed it ought +soon to be put out entirely, so as to cool the chimney for old Santa +Claus, when he comes. + +That's right, too, FATHER agrees. He gets up and goes to Grandfather, +laying his hand on his shoulder. Father, he says, speaking loud so +as to waken him. It's time to go to bed. + +What? says GRANDFATHER, waking up with a start; and then he says, +Why, I must have been dozing. Where are the children? + +They went to bed long ago, says MOTHER. Don't you remember? And now +it's bed time for all of us. Are you ready, mother? + +Yes, I'm more than ready, answers GRANDMOTHER. She rises and +Grandfather, also, and with feeble steps, they go toward the door. +Good-night, GRANDMOTHER says. + +Good-night, FATHER and MOTHER answer her, and FATHER continues, +Good-night, father. Pleasant dreams. + +Good-night, answers GRANDFATHER, and he and Grandmother go out. + +I'll be off too, James, says MOTHER, if you'll look after the fire +and the light. + +Yes, I'll attend to all that, answers FATHER. + +Then Mother goes out, and Father deadens the fire, using the tongs +and shovel. He takes the chair, in which he has been sitting, and sets +it against the wall beside the clothes basket. Then he lights the +candle on the mantel shelf, blows out the lamp, leaving the room in a +dim light, and goes out. + +For a little while everything is quiet. Then there is a noise from +the direction of the wood box. The cover rises, and the head of a +brownie appears, inside the box. He climbs out, followed by another. +They caper about the room, looking at everything, listening at the +doors, looking up the chimney. Then they go to the clothes basket and +raise the lid. Up come four arms, and then two house-fairies stand up +in the basket, and get out with the help of the chair. They, also, +flit about the room, looking at things. Meanwhile the brownies have +taken the broom and dust pan, and begun to sweep, especially over by +the outside door and by the wood box. The fairies take a chair, and +climb up by the mantel shelf. They take down the colored paper, paste +and scissors, and, carrying them to the table, set to work, making +paper caps. In a few moments they hold up two, complete. They leave +them on the table. + +Now sleigh bells are heard approaching. The brownies and fairies +leave their work, and clapping their hands, run to the fire-place, and +stand in a group, facing it, looking in. Now the sleigh bells have +come very near: and now they are still. And NOW Santa Claus is heard +scrambling down the chimney. As he comes out from the fire-place, the +brownies and fairies separate to let him through. He sets down his +pack. Then the brownies, on one side, and the fairies, on the other, +take hold of his hands and draw him toward the front of the stage. + +SANTA CLAUS smiles down at them, and, shaking the hands that hold +his, says, How are you all? Merry as crickets? They nod, and dance +up and down, still holding his hands. And what have you been doing +with yourselves? he asks them. Playing? They all nod. And working? +he asks. They nod again. Then the brownies draw him over to the their +side, and show him how clean the floor is. Good! says SANTA CLAUS. +Then the brownies let go his hand, and the fairies draw him over to +their side, and show him the caps they have made. Fine! says SANTA +CLAUS. Then the fairies let go his other hand, and he goes on +talking. How are Gertrude and Walter? Have they been good? They all +nod. As for the older people, he says, I don't need to ask you +about them. Do you want to know why? They nod. It's because I've +heard all about them already, SANTA CLAUS continues. There's a +little bird that lives up in the eaves of the house and often he flies +down and listens at the window, and then he tells me all he hears. +Tonight he flew way up to the pine woods on the hill, to meet me, and +he told me some things about all the older people in this house which +made me feel quite upset. Shall I tell you what it was? They nod. He +says that they all of them seem to think that they are growing old, +not only the grandfather and grandmother, but the father and mother, +too. They are all the time talking about feeling tired, and saying how +different it all was when they were children, and how long ago that +seems. Now isn't that a shame? I don't blame them altogether, because +I know myself how that sort of thing sometimes happens. Two or three +years ago I was sick for awhile, and I declare that even I began to +feel old and tired. But all the same I don't believe in letting that +sort of thing go on too long; and do you want to know what I am going +to do about it? They nod eagerly. It's the best scheme you ever +heard of, and I want you to help me with it. Well, I'm going to use +some magic to make them all little boys and girls again for half an +hour. And the way I'm going to do it is this. I've got here a bag of +magic hazel nuts. He takes the bag out of his pocket. I always keep +them in my pocket, because you never know when a thing of that sort +will come in handy. Now, I want you to take these nuts and stick them +into the plum pudding, which they are all going to eat tomorrow for +their Christmas dinner. You must stick them in all around in different +places, so that each of the older people will be sure to get one; and +it won't do the children a bit of harm if they get some, too. In fact +they are so young that this kind of magic won't have any effect on +them at all. But with all the older folks, as soon as the nuts have +been eaten, the magic will begin to work; and what do you suppose will +be the first thing they will all want to do? Do you want to know? +They all nod. They will all want to get down on their hands and +knees, Grandfather and Grandmother and all, and crawl under the table. +Won't that be funny? They all clap their hands and dance up and +down. That's what the magic hazel nuts will make them do, says +SANTA CLAUS. And when they have crawled under the table--you see, +it's a table that has a Christmas dinner on it, and that makes a +difference, of course--well, when they have crawled under the table, +then--. No. I believe I won't tell you about what will happen then. +I'll keep it for a surprise and it's something worth seeing you may be +sure. So that's the plan. Will you help me? They all nod most +emphatically. Here are the nuts, then, he says. Run and stick them +into the pudding, while I fill the stockings. + +They take the bag and all run out through the door. Santa Claus goes +to the fire-place, and from his pack fills all six stockings. Then, as +he finishes and takes up his pack, the brownies and fairies return, +and gather round him as he stands in front of the fire-place. SANTA +CLAUS says to them, Did you stick them in? They nod. All around? +They nod again. That's right. Well, I'm off. And, tomorrow, if I can +manage it, I'm going to come back here at about the time when the nuts +begin to work, for I'd like to see the fun myself. Good-bye. + +They all shake him by the hand. Then he disappears into the +fire-place. They stand in front of it for a moment, and one of the +brownies kneels down and looks up the chimney after him. Then sleigh +bells are heard on the roof, as the sleigh starts. The brownies and +fairies turn around then, and come away from the fire-place. The +brownies run to the wood box, climb in, and pull the lid down over +them. At the same time the fairies carry the chair over to the clothes +basket, climb onto the chair, step over into the basket, and pull the +lid down over them. Then everything is quiet again. + + And that is the end of the Second Scene. + + + + +The Interlude + + +Again before the Third Scene begins, MOTHER GOOSE comes out in +front of the Curtain, and this is what she says: + +Children, I've got a lot to tell you about what has happened to Walter +and Gertrude since the curtain closed. For quite a while they went on +sleeping, because it was still night, you know. And then morning came, +and it didn't take them long to wake up after that, I can tell you. As +soon as it was really light, they put on their wrappers, and woke +their father and mother, and then they went for the stockings. They +took them into their grandparents' room, and Grandmother and +Grandfather sat up in bed with shawls over their shoulders, and the +rest sat on the edge of the bed. Then they all opened their stockings, +and I couldn't begin to tell you what fine presents they found in +them, nor how happy they all were. After breakfast they all sat down +by the kitchen fire, and father got the big family Bible, and laid it +on Grandfather's lap, and Grandfather polished up his spectacles till +they shone, and put them on his nose, and then he read about the story +of the first Christmas long ago in Bethlehem. And it was all so quiet +while he was reading that you could almost hear the snow flakes +falling outside, for it had begun to snow. Then, when Grandfather had +finished reading, and closed the Bible, they all sang a Christmas +carol, which they always sings together every Christmas in that house; +and they sang it out so clear and strong, that a traveler in a sleigh, +way down at the cross-roads, heard it, and it sounded so good that he +stopped his horse in spite of the storm, and listened till it was +over. Well, I can't tell you everything else they did that morning +except that Father found the floor all swept, and knew it must have +been done by the brownies; and then Mother found the paper caps that +the house-fairies had made. She was ever so glad; and so were the +children when they opened them up and put them on. You'll see how they +look on the children's heads when the curtain opens. Then about the +dinner. Father had brought in the big table, and set it up in the +kitchen in front of the fire-place, and Mother put on the plates and +the forks and the knives and the spoons and all the rest. Then the +goose was roasted, and, oh, how good it smelt when it was cooking. At +last everything was ready and twelve o'clock came, and they all sat +down at the table. And do you know, I believe they are still sitting +there behind the curtain. But they have finished the goose and the +apple sauce and all the good things that went with them, and now they +are just going to begin on the pudding. They don't know a thing about +the magic nuts, because the brownies and the fairies stuck them in so +neatly, that not one of them shows. Mother is just starting to put the +pudding on the saucers. I wonder if she will remember about giving it +to the youngest first. That's Gertrude, you know. Do you want to see +for yourselves whether she remembers? Well, be very quiet then, for +now it is going to begin. + + + + +The Third Scene + + +When the Curtain opens, you again see the kitchen, but it looks a +good deal different, because the chairs that Grandmother and +Grandfather used to sit in have been moved out; so has the small table +on which Mother washed the dishes in the First Scene; and now in front +of the fire-place is the great big table that Mother Goose told you +about. The table cloth on it is so big that it hangs all the way down +to the floor. At one end of the table sits Father; then next to him, +back of the table facing you, is Grandfather, then Gertrude, then +Walter, then Grandmother and at the other end of the table, next to +Grandmother, Mother is seated. The children have on those +bright-colored paper caps that the house-fairies made. MOTHER, who +is helping the pudding, is the first to speak and this is what she +says: + +There's the first plateful of our Christmas pudding, and that goes to +Gertrude, of course. She hands it to Grandmother, who passes it on to +Walter. + +Um! says WALTER, holding it for a moment under his nose. That +smells good! He passes it to Gertrude. + +GERTRUDE asks, Shall I wait till everybody else is served, before I +begin? + +No, not today, says FATHER. Begin at once. We all want to know how +it tastes. + +Gertrude tastes it. Oh, it is good, she says. + +Mother meanwhile has helped another plateful, and passed it to +GRANDMOTHER, who says, Walter, here is yours. And she hands it to +him. He tastes it. + +Is it good, Walter? asks GRANDFATHER. + +WALTER with his mouth very full can only say, Um! + +Pass this down to Father, says MOTHER, and she starts to hand +another plateful of pudding to Grandmother. + +Oh, Mother, exclaims GERTRUDE, aren't you younger than Father? + +Yes, just by two months, answers MOTHER, keeping the plateful of +pudding in her hand. You think I ought to be helped next? All right; +we'll keep strictly to the rules, and I'll set this aside for myself, +while I help the others. She helps another plateful. This is for you +James, she says to Father, and passes it along. And Grandmother, +she says, this is for you. She hands a plateful of pudding to +Grandmother. + +Grandfather, here is yours last of all, because you are the oldest of +us, MOTHER says, and starts the last plateful of pudding on its way +to Grandfather. + +Suddenly FATHER, who has been eating some of his pudding, +exclaims, Here's something new. You never put nuts in the plum +pudding before, Mary. + +Nuts? says MOTHER, very much surprised, There aren't any nuts in +the pudding. + +But, indeed there are, FATHER insists, I've just eaten one. + +And so have I, adds GRANDMOTHER. + +And here is another one, declares GRANDFATHER, and he holds it up +in his spoon. It's a hazel nut, he says, and puts it into his +mouth. + +Why, I don't understand it all, exclaims MOTHER. I didn't put any +hazel nuts in the plum pudding. Who ever heard of such a thing! +Children, have you found any in yours? + +Yes, says GERTRUDE. + +I've had two, says WALTER. + +Mother has been looking carefully at the pudding on her plate. I +declare, you're right, she says. Here's one in mine. She eats it. +They are very good nuts, too; but how they ever got into the pudding +is a mystery. + +During this last speech the lid of the wood box has been pushed up, +showing the two brownies, sitting up in the box, and also the top of +the clothes basket, showing the fairies, looking out from the basket. + +Walter happens to catch sight of the brownies in the wood box. He +starts up from his chair, and, pointing toward the wood box, cries, +There they are! + +What? asks FATHER, looking in the direction to which Walter +points. + +The brownies, cries WALTER. See! In the wood box. + +I don't see anything, says FATHER, except that someone has left the +lid of the wood box open. + +Oh, and the fairies, cries GERTRUDE, pointing toward the clothes +basket. There they are. I see them. + +MOTHER turns around to look, and then says to Gertrude. There's +nothing there, my dear. + +Oh, but there is, GERTRUDE declares. They are in the basket. + +Everybody stands up. Gertrude and Walter come around from behind the +table, and look at the fairies and brownies, but they don't go very +close to them, because they are just a little bit scared. At the same +time, Father begins to act rather queerly, looking down at the floor, +and keeping himself up by holding onto the table. Now he goes down on +his hands and knees near the end of the table. + +Why, James, exclaims MOTHER, what are you doing? How queerly you are +acting. + +FATHER gets up again, as though by a great effort. I don't know what +is the matter, he says: But I have the funniest sort of feeling. It +seems as though I should just have to get down on the floor and crawl +under the table. + +Well, that's queer, says MOTHER. Do you know, I begin to feel the +same way myself. + +So do I, says GRANDMOTHER. + +So do I, says GRANDFATHER. + +It's perfectly absurd the way I seem to want to crawl under the table, +FATHER says, and his knees keep bending under him. + +But you're surely not going to do it, cries MOTHER. + +Oh, no FATHER answers, I'm not going to do it. But all the same +he goes down on his knees again. + +But you are doing it, cries MOTHER. + +Well, I can't help it, shouts FATHER. Here goes. Watch me come out +at the other end. + +If he goes, I've got to follow, says MOTHER, and she gets down on +her hands and knees behind him. + +So have I, says GRANDFATHER, and he kneels down behind Mother. + +And I, says GRANDMOTHER, and she kneels behind Grandfather. + +Then, close behind one another, they go under the table, and when +they come out at the other end, Father and Grandfather have turned +into little boys, and Mother and Grandmother have turned into little +girls. While this is happening the brownies and fairies come out of +the box and basket. + +Oh, Jolly! cries WALTER. Is this you, grandfather? He takes hold of +hands with the little boy that Grandfather has turned into, and swings +him around in a circle. + +Oh, mother, cries GERTRUDE to one of the little girls, hugging +her, how darling you are. Isn't this fun? + +Let's all play some game together, proposes WALTER. + +"London Bridge," shall we play that? GERTRUDE suggests. The others +all clap their hands; so she goes on. She says, Walter, you and I +will be the bridge. What shall we choose? They whisper together. + +Then the game is played in the usual way. Each captive is offered a +choice between "plum pudding" (that is Gertrude's side) and "ice +cream" (that is Walter's side). At the very moment when the tug-of-war +is about to begin, the outside door opens, and in comes Santa Claus. +At once, they all leave their games, and gather around him. + +Oh, Santa Claus, cries WALTER, have you come to play with us? + +How can I play with you? answers SANTA CLAUS. I'm far too big, and +far, far too old. One of the fairies has gone to the table, and +gotten a plate of plum pudding, which she now offers to Santa Claus. +What's this? he asks. Plum pudding? Well, I never could resist that. +He begins to eat it. This surely is a first-class pudding. He takes +another spoonful. Why, what's this? A nut in the pudding? A +hazel-nut! He stops short, and holds the plate away from him. A +hazel nut! he exclaims again. I declare, I'd clean forgotten all +about that. And now I've gone and eaten one. Goodness! Is it going to +work, I wonder. He puts the plate down on the table. Yes, I feel it +coming. Yes, it's come. I've just got to crawl under that table. Get +out of the way there. I've got to do it. It's no use trying not to. + +The children, the brownies, and the fairies are all delighted, and +laugh, and dance up and down, and clap their hands. + +WALTER cries out, Go on, Santa. You'll make a jolly boy. + +Down goes Santa Claus on his hands and knees, and crawls under the +table. When he comes out on the other end, he is a little roley poley +boy, smaller and fatter than any of the others, and dressed in white +with red trimmings. All the others join hands with him in a circle, +and they swing around gleefully. + +Now for a game of "Follow my leader," shouts WALTER. I'll be leader; +come after me. + +Off Walter starts around the room, the others following, first +Gertrude, then the brownies and the fairies, then the others, with +Santa Claus bringing up the rear. They go over the wood box, onto a +chair and down again, and at last Walter dives under the table, in the +opposite direction to that in which the magic change was made. The +children, the brownies, and the fairies go through without any change, +of course, but the other five all come out in their original form. +They stand up straightening their clothes, Mother and Grandmother +setting their hair to rights. Meantime, while the children are +occupied watching the transformations of their parents and +grandparents, the brownies and fairies go back into the box and +basket, and pull the lids down after them. + +I'm all out of breath, exclaims FATHER, panting. + +So am I, says GRANDMOTHER; but what fun it was. + +I wouldn't have missed it for a thousand dollars, MOTHER declares. + +Nor I, echoes GRANDFATHER. Even now, although I've got my old body +back again, I declare I feel as young as a boy inside. + +Oh, Santa Claus, cries GERTRUDE, you were the dearest, funniest +little boy I ever saw. It just made me laugh to look at you. + +Hush! says SANTA CLAUS, looking cautiously over his shoulder, I +hope you won't let any one know how foolish I looked and acted. What +would people say, if they heard that a man hundreds of years old like +me, has been romping around that way? + +Why, Santa Claus, says WALTER, everybody would think it was fine. + +Do you think so? asks SANTA CLAUS, looking around from one to the +other. + +Of course, they would, answers FATHER. The fact is they'd love you +all the more for it, if that's possible. + +Dear Santa Claus, you don't mind my laughing at you, do you? says +GERTRUDE; because you were funny, you know. + +Well--no--I guess I don't mind much, SANTA CLAUS answers. In fact, +the more I think of it, the more I think myself that it was funny. Ho! +Ho! Ho! Only so high (he measures the height with his hand) and as +fat as butter. Ho! Ho! Ho! He goes off into a roar of laughter, and +everybody else begins laughing, and they laugh more and more, until +they have to lean up against the wall and the table, and wipe their +eyes. + +When the laughing has stopped, SANTA CLAUS says, There's only one +person I don't believe I can quite forgive, and that's the sly puss of +a fairy, who gave me the plum pudding. She knew what would happen well +enough. Where is she? He looks around for her. Why, she's gone. + +So she has, says GERTRUDE, looking around. They've both gone. + +And the brownies, too, says WALTER. + +And I must be going this very minute, exclaims SANTA CLAUS. Goodness +knows how late it is. He goes toward the door. Good-bye, everybody. +Good-bye till next Christmas. Just at the door he turns, and says, +By the way, I've got some more of those hazel nuts at home. What do +you think I'd better do with them? + +Santa Claus, says GRANDMOTHER, bring them with you next Christmas, +and let's do it all over again. + +Shall I? asks SANTA CLAUS, looking around at them all. + +Yes, yes, they ALL cry. + +It's a bargain, says SANTA CLAUS. Don't forget. Next Christmas. +Good-bye. He opens the door to go out. + +Good-bye till next Christmas, they ALL call after him, and they +wave their hands to him as the Curtain closes. + + And this is the end of the Play. + + + + +Characters And Costumes + + +SPEAKING PARTS + +MOTHER GOOSE--The conventional costume; full skirt, peaked hat, cane, +spectacles, mitts. It is effective for her to draw her lips tight over +her teeth so that her speech is that of a toothless old woman. + +GRANDFATHER--} simple indoor clothes +GRANDMOTHER--} suitable for farmer folk. + +FATHER--At first in working clothes; afterwards a bit spruced up; cap +and gloves for first entrance. + +MOTHER--At first in working clothes and apron; better clothes for the +third scene. + +WALTER--A boy; at first outdoor clothes; indoor clothes underneath. + +GERTRUDE--A girl, a little younger than Walter; at first outdoor +clothes; indoor clothes underneath, different in the third scene. + + +SILENT PARTS + +BROWNIES--Two little boys; dressed all in brown. + +HOUSE FAIRIES--Two little girls; conventional fairy costumes, with +gauze wings. + +TRANSFORMED GROWN-UPS--Three boys and two girls: the smallest and +fattest boy, representing Santa Claus, should be dressed in white with +red bow necktie and red stockings, the others in ordinary children's +clothes. + + + + +Scenery And Scenic Effects + + +The same scene continues throughout the play, with slight changes in +the furnishings. + +The fire-place must be an imitation one as the transformation in the +last scene requires this means of exit and entrance, from under the +table. A very effective fire for the first scene can be produced by +means of an electric fan pointed upward and strips of bright red and +yellow paper fastened to the back of a log set on the andirons: and it +can, of course, be made to die down at will. In the second scene an +electric light behind red paper will give the glow of a dying fire. + +There should be two doors, one on each side of the stage. + +The wood box and the clothes basket stand close against the wall, one +on each side of the stage near the front. The back of each is open, +and the sections of scenery back of them have corresponding holes, so +that the brownies and fairies freely make their entrance and exits +from behind. In the basket should be a stool to aid the fairies in +getting in and out. + +For safety, the lamp should be lighted by electricity, and the candle +likewise would better be an electric one, run by a dry battery. + +In the last scene the table should be set well back near the +fire-place, and when the people rise from the table one of them, +without attracting attention, should fasten a piece of dark cloth +(already fast at one end) between the table and the top of the +entrance to the fire-place. There will then be no danger that in +passing in and out by that route any of the actors will show their +heads above the table and betray the secret of the change. When the +old folks go under the table they turn and pass out through the +fire-place, their young substitutes entering there and appearing at +the other end of the table. With a little practice, it can be made to +seem as though the progress had been directly from one end of the +table to the other. + +If gifts or candies are to be distributed Mother Goose may make a +final appearance immediately after the final Curtain, and speak +substantially as follows: + +Well, children, did you like it? Do you know, I rather wished I could +try one of those magic nuts myself. I think I'd made a real cunning +little girl, don't you? But there is no use wishing for what you can't +have, and besides, there's something more important to be attended to. +I notice that Santa Claus is a great one to give everybody presents, +and sure enough he's done it again this time just as usual. He's +brought boxes of candy for all you boys and girls. He left them +outside on the door step, and I was almost afraid the snow might have +spoiled them. But it was such dry snow, it didn't do them any harm at +all, and in a minute, when the curtains open, they'll be brought +indoors and handed out to you. Well, I guess that's all for this year, +except for old Mother Goose to wish you (or, to hope that you've all +had) a very Merry Christmas, and (to wish you all) a Happy New Year. + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 14508 *** |