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diff --git a/14785-0.txt b/14785-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2dbc2e3 --- /dev/null +++ b/14785-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,676 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 14785 *** + +Down The Chimney + +BY + +SHEPHERD KNAPP + +[Illustration] + + + +1921 + +THE HEIDELBERG PRESS + + + * * * * * + +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. + + * * * * * + + + + +Down the Chimney + + +The First Scene + + +_Now the curtain opens, and you see the Roof of a House, just as +Mother Goose promised. Keep your eyes open to see what will happen next, +for here comes_ JACK FROST, _who is dressed all in white. He walks +with a quick and nimble step, and this is what he says_: + +Would you believe from the look of things, that to-morrow is Christmas? +There is not a flake of snow anywhere. This roof is as clear as it is +in summer. These pine trees, whose boughs hang over the roof, are all +green. The chimney has not even an icicle on it. I hear people saying +that we have no old-fashioned winters any more. Even old Mother Cary +said to me the other day, "Jack Frost," said she, "when are you going +to give them a real snow-storm?" But I told her not to be impatient: +I would attend to it all in good time. And when I do begin, it doesn't +take me long to get up a fine old storm, I can tell you. _Now he walks +up to the Chimney, and knocks on the side of it_. Say, old fellow. +_He waits a moment; then knocks again_. Wake up there. _He waits +a moment; then knocks again_. Wake up, I say. + +_And now--would you believe it?--the Chimney opens, first, one of his +eyes, then the other; and then his mouth and nose appear together. Each +of his eyes is exactly the shape and size of one brick. So is his nose. +And his mouth is as long as two bricks side by side. They all turn a +very bright red, when they appear, as though light were shining through +them._ + +JACK FROST _goes on talking_: What do you mean, Mr. Chimney, by +going to sleep in winter, I'd like to know? Summer is the time for you +chimneys to go to sleep; but in winter when the people in the houses +have their fires burning, you ought to keep wide awake, so as to carry +off the smoke; don't you know that? Sleepy head! You ought to be ashamed +of yourself. + +THE CHIMNEY _answers_: Nothing of the sort. Have you forgotten what +night this is, Jack Frost? Don't you know that this is Christmas Eve, +when the fires are all put out, so that Santa Claus can climb down +without getting burned? That's why I was taking a little nap. See? _He +winks with one eye._ + +JACK FROST _says_: Oh, that's it, is it? Well, that's true enough. +I hadn't thought of old Santa Claus. He'll be here before long, +probably. + +Yes, too soon, _says_ THE CHIMNEY; for I haven't had my sleep half +out, and here you are, keeping me awake for nothing. With your kind +permission, I'll take another forty winks. + +_And now his eyes close, then his nose and mouth disappear, and in a +moment he is sound asleep again._ + +Lazy old fellow! _exclaims_ JACK FROST. Well, I must get to work if +we are to have a real old-fashioned storm before morning. And first for +some wind. Where are those Wind Fairies, I wonder? They ought to be here +by now. _He puts his hands beside his mouth, and calls in a high +voice:_ Hoo--oo! Hoo--oo! + +THE WIND FAIRIES _are heard from far, far away, calling in answer:_ +Hoo-oo! Hoo-oo! + +JACK FROST, _as soon as he hears them, says joyfully:_ There they +are. They'll be here in a second. + +_And now you can hear the Wind Fairies coming gradually nearer, making +the wind-noise as the come, like this:_ + + z--z--z z--z--z z--Z--Z--Z--z--z--z + z--z--z z--z--z z--Z--Z--Z--z--z--z + + +_This grows louder and louder, till suddenly in come the Wind Fairies, +running. They are all in gray; they have on gray peaked caps, gray capes +which comes down to their knees, and long gray stockings; and they have +gray masks over the upper parts of their faces. The Fairies stop short +before Jack Frost, and make him a low bow. Then they sing their song, +which is called_ + + +THE SONG OF THE WIND FAIRIES[1] + + Do you hear us blow, in our coats of gray? + Do you hear us blow, till the trees rock and sway? + Do you hear us blow--for from far, far away + We have come with a storm for your Christmas. + + REFRAIN + + Oh, the sound of the wind is strange for to hear; + And the breath of the wind, it is cold and clear; + You'll hear us blow, as we fly thro' the air, + And we've brought you a storm for your Christmas. + + You can hear us sigh at the window-pane; + And we moan and cry in the snow and the rain. + Then away we fly, for we may not remain, + But we leave you a storm for your Christmas. + + REFRAIN + + Oh, the sound of the wind is strange for to hear; + And the breath of the wind, it is cold and clear; + You'll hear us blow, as we fly thro' the air, + And we've brought you a storm for your Christmas. + + +[Footnote 1: To the tune "_D' ye ken John Peel?_"] + +_As soon as the song is over, off run the Wind Fairies, making the +wind-noise as they go, which grows fainter and fainter as they get +further and further away, like this_ + + Z--Z--Z--z--z--z z--z--z z--z--z + Z--Z--Z--z--z--z z--z--z z--z--z + + +_When the sound of the wind has quite died away_, THE CHIMNEY +_opens one eye, and speaking slowly and sleepily, says:_ Look here, +Jack, something's going on in my inside. _He opens the other eye, and +his nose and mouth appear. He speaks more briskly_: It feels as +though there were something hot in there. Do you suppose those stupid +people in the house down below have forgotten all about Santa Claus, and +are lighting the fire on the hearth? I believe they are. I wish you'd +just climb up on my shoulder, and shout down to them to stop. Do: +there's a good fellow. + +JACK FROST _climbs up, puts his head over the chimney, then draws back +coughing_. Fire? _cries he_. I should say there was, and smoke, +too; enough to choke a locomotive. _He cautiously peers down_. +Hello there, you people, put that fire out. Do you hear? Put it out. +Santa Claus is coming. Do you hear what I say? SANTA CLAUS IS COMING. +Put out that fire. + +_There is a pause; then a hissing sound, loud at first, then dying +away, like this_: + + S--S--S--s--s--s--s--s--s + + +There! _says_ JACK FROST, they've thrown a pitcherful of water on +it. _He climbs down from the chimney_. + +THE CHIMNEY, _who has now grown sleepy again, says to him, in a voice +that grows fainter and fainter_: Thank you, my dear fellow: +you--real--ly (_Here one eye closes_) are--ver--y--ki--_And he +never finishes the sentence, for the other eye closes, and the nose and +mouth "go out" at the same moment._ + +Asleep again, I declare, says JACK FROST, _with disgust_. Well, now +for the Snow Fairies. + +_He walks to the edge of the roof at one side, and blows a shrill +blast on a whistle. Almost at once snow begins to fall from the sky, +slowly at first, then more and more. Jack Frost looks up at it and nods +his head approvingly. When it is snowing very hard, in come on tip-toe, +very softly, the Snow Fairies, dressed in snowy white, with white hoods +and muffs. Some of them quietly spread snow on the boughs of the trees, +taking it out of their muffs; others hang flakes on the Chimney, in such +a way as to make eyebrows, mustache, and beard for the face. But this +doesn't show at first, because the Chimney is still asleep. Then the +Fairies, standing in front of the Chimney, so that they hide it, sing +their song, which is called_ + + +THE SONG OF THE SNOW FAIRIES[2] + + When children go to bed at night, + We fairies come with snow-flakes white; + Cover the earth, silent and still; + House-top, and tree-top, and field and hill. + + When children wake at morning light, + They find the world all snowy white. + Where, then, are we? Who of you know? + Cosily tucked in our beds of snow. + + +[Footnote 2: To the tune of Schumann's "_Kindernacht._"] + +THE CHIMNEY, _who is still hidden behind the Snow Fairies, wakes up +while they are singing the last line, and calls out_: What's this, +I'd like to know? Who's been decorating my face? + +_The Snow Fairies stand back on either side, so that his face can now +be seen, with its white eyebrows and mustache and beard, all made of +snow-flakes; and he goes on talking in a jolly voice_: Oh, you sly +ones, you are at your old tricks. Well, well, I'm really glad to see +you. It seems like old times to have snow at Christmas. Now don't mind +me; go on with your work; cover me up with your snowflakes as much as +you choose--eyes, nose, mouth, and all; I don't mind it a bit. + +_So the Snow Fairies, moving softly about, hang more snow-flakes on +the chimney, even over his eyes and nose and mouth, which show dimly +through the snow. His eyes blink now and then._ + +_And now, sleigh-bells are heard in the distance._ + +Hark! _cries_ JACK FROST. + +_They all listen: the bells are still heard, a little nearer._ + +_Then_ JACK FROST _continues_: There comes Santa Claus, sure +enough. Let's give the old fellow a surprise. Here! All hide behind the +Chimney. + +_Very quickly, but very quietly, too, they all hide. The sleigh-bells +come nearer and nearer, till they seem to be just outside: then they +stop, and a voice, which plainly belongs to_ SANTA CLAUS, +_says_: Whoa! Quiet, Prancer! Blitzen, stand still there! + +_And now Santa Claus himself appears, with his pack of toys. He walks +to the middle of the roof, and sets down the pack._ + +It certainly is getting cold, _says_ SANTA CLAUS _to himself. For +he does not see Jack Frost and the Snow Fairies, who are hidden behind +the Chimney. He goes on talking_: And what a lot of snow there is +about here. It is really like the Christmas eves we used to have fifty +years ago. My pack seems to be coming undone. _He stoops to fix +it._ I should hate to have it burst open, while I was going down the +Chimney. + +_Now the Snow Fairies have come out from behind the Chimney, and are +stealing up behind him on tip-toe. When they are quite close, they throw +great handfuls of snow at him. He starts up, surprised, but bursts into +a great laugh_: + +Ho! ho! ho! This is a fine way to treat an old man! _says_ SANTA +CLAUS. Ho! ho! ho! ho! This is fine fun indeed! Hello, Jack Frost, is +that you? And how are you, my little roley-poley snow-balls? White and +light as ever, I see. And you've made me all white too, but not very +light, I fear. Well, well, be off with you, for I must go down the +Chimney. + +_He bows to the Chimney, whose eyes blink through the snow._ + +Good evening, my old friend, _says_ SANTA CLAUS. YOU are enjoying +good health, I hope. May I climb down inside of you as usual? + +THE CHIMNEY _answers, in a muffled voice, because he is so covered up +with snow_: Go ahead, Santa, I'm used to it. + +_So Santa Claus climbs to the top of the Chimney, steps over, and +after throwing a kiss to the Snow Fairies, who return it, he goes down +out of sight._ + +_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_: + +Well, my dears, I hope you are enjoying my little Play. And what do you +suppose comes next? Wouldn't you like to see who lives down inside that +house, where the chimney was; and what they were doing while Jack Frost +and the others were up on the roof, and whether they heard the Wind +Fairies; and whether they knew that the Snow Fairies had come; and how +they came to make that mistake, lighting a fire in the fireplace where +Santa Claus had come down? Well, that is just what the next scene is to +be about. Last time we were up on the roof; this time we shall be down +in the Room, in front of the fire-place. So be still and listen +carefully, for now it is going to begin. + + * * * * * + + + + +The Second Scene + + +_When the curtain opens this time, you can see into the Room of the +House, just as Mother Goose promised. Notice that on one side of the +fire-place is a window with curtains drawn, on the other, a washstand +with howl and pitcher. In front, on right and left, are two large beds. +In the middle of the room, with her hack to the fire-place, the +Grandmother is seated on a low chair, and about her in a half-circle on +stools, sit the eight grandchildren, four girls and four boys, all in +their night-clothes and wrappers._ + +ISABEL _begins by asking_: Grandmother, how old are you? + +GRANDMOTHER _replies_: How old do you think, my dear? + +ISABEL _guesses_: A hundred? + +Almost, _says_ GRANDMOTHER: Why, I can remember when all your +mothers and fathers were little boys and girls like you. Your mother, +Margaret and Sally, and your father, Jack and Tom and Helen, and your +father, Isabel, and your mother, Ned and Frank, were my little boys and +girls, you know; and on Christmas Eve I used to sit with them in the +nursery, just as I am sitting with you now. That is why I told them +to go downstairs and leave me alone with you for a little while +tonight--for the sake of old times. Yes, they used to sit around me +just like this, and then I used to tell them a story. + +A story! A story! _cry_ ALL THE CHILDREN. + +_And_ GRANDMOTHER _says_: Shall I tell you one? _The +children all nod_. Let me think, _says she_. + +_The Wind Fairies are heard outside, making the wind-noise, like +this_: + + + z--z--z z--z--z z--Z--Z--Z--z--z--z + z--z--z z--z--z z--Z--Z--Z--z--z--z + + +GRANDMOTHER _listens to them, then begins her story_: Well, once +there was a wicked king, who didn't like cold weather; so he sent his +soldiers, and told them to catch all the cold Wind Fairies and-- + +TOM _interrupts her to ask_: Are there really Wind Fairies, Grandmother? + +GRANDMOTHER _answers_: Of course there are. I think I heard them a +moment ago. Listen! + +_They all listen. The Wind Fairies are heard outside, like this_: + + z--z--z z--z--z z--Z--Z--Z--z--z--z + + +Do you hear them? _asks_ GRANDMOTHER. _The children all nod_. +Yes, _she continues, going on with the story_, the king told his +soldiers to catch all the Wind Fairies, and all the Snow Fairies, and +Jack Frost himself, and to lock them all up in prison. + +And did the soldiers do it? _asks_ HELEN. + +Yes, _answers_ GRANDMOTHER. They locked up all of them except one +little Wind Fairy, and he was so small and so quick, that they couldn't +catch him; and what do you suppose he did? He rattled the windows so +hard that the king couldn't sleep, and he blew so hard down the chimney +and through the cracks around the doors, that he blew out all the lights +in the king's house, and gave the king such a bad cold in his head, +that-- + +_Here Grandmother herself sneezes. And the Wind Fairies are heard +outside, like this_: + + z--z--z z--z--z z--Z--Z--Z--z--z--z + + +How the wind does blow tonight, _says_ GRANDMOTHER. Children, it +seems to me very cold in this room. _She looks around to see what +makes it so chilly._ Why, bless me, _she says_, they have forgotten +to light the fire. _She rises, the children also, and they all go +toward the fire-place._ Frank, _says_ GRANDMOTHER, hand me the matches. +_He brings them. She stoops at the hearth, the children standing +around, and soon a bright glow appears and is seen to dance about._ +There, that will soon make a fine blaze, _says she._ Hold up your +hands, children, and warm them. + +_But suddenly from up the chimney comes the voice of_ JACK FROST: +Hello there, you people, put that fire out. _Grandmother and the +children are startled._ Do you hear? _shouts_ JACK FROST. Put it +out. Santa Claus is coming. Do you hear what I say? SANTA CLAUS IS +COMING. Put out that fire. + +Why, children, _cries_ GRANDMOTHER, I had forgotten all about that. +Quick! We must indeed put the fire out at once. Ned, bring me that +pitcher of water. + +_He brings it; she throws the water on the fire. The glow disappears +and a great hissing sound is heard, loud at first, then dying away, like +this_: + + S--S--S--s--s--s--s--s--s--s--s--s--s--s + + +There! _says_ GRANDMOTHER. It is quite out, you see. And now, you +must hang up your stockings, quickly, and hurry into bed. _A shrill +whistle is heard outside_. What was that? GRANDMOTHER _asks_. + +It sounded like a whistle out of doors, _answers_ MARGARET; _and +she goes to the window and looks out._ Why, Grandmother, _says +she_, it's beginning to snow. + +Good! _says_ GRANDMOTHER. That will make it easier for Santa Claus +to get here in his sleigh. So make haste with your stockings, and then, +before you get into bed, we will read from the Good Book about what +happened on the first Christmas night so many, many years ago. + +_They bring their stockings and hang them in a row over the +fire-place. Meantime Grandmother has taken the big Bible, and seated +herself in the low chair in the middle of the room. The children, when +the stockings are hung, group themselves beside her, standing, looking +over her shoulders, her arms around some of them. Then_ GRANDMOTHER +_reads_: + +And there were shepherds in the same country abiding in the field, and +keeping watch by night over their flock. And an angel of the Lord stood +by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were +sore afraid. + +And the angel said unto them, "Be not afraid; for, behold, I bring you +good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all the people. For there +is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ +the Lord. And this shall be the sign unto you: Ye shall find a babe +wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger?" + +And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host +praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth +peace, good will toward men." + +And it came to pass, when the angels went away from them into heaven, +the shepherds said one to another, "Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, +and see this thing that is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known +to us." + +And they came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying +in the manger. + +_Then_ GRANDMOTHER _closes the Book_. And now your prayers, +_says she_. + +_They all kneel down for a few moments, the boys by the bed on the +right, the girls by the bed on the left. Then they rise and climb into +the beds._ + +_But_ SALLY _has a question to ask_: May we sing one song, +Grandmother, before we go to sleep? + +_And_ GRANDMOTHER _answers_, Well, just one. + +_Then sitting up in the bed, they sing the dear old song, that is +called_ + + +THE CAROL OF CHRISTMAS NIGHT + + Holy night! peaceful night! + All is dark save the light + Yonder where they sweet vigil keep + O'er the Babe, who in silent sleep + Rests in heavenly peace. + + Silent night! holiest night! + Darkness flies; all is light! + Shepherds hear the angels sing, + "Hallelujah! Hail the King! + Christ, the Saviour, is here, + Jesus, the Saviour, is here." + + +_When the song is finished, they all lie down. Grandmother tucks the +bed-clothes about their shoulders, and goes out. Soon they are all +asleep._ + +_Then a faint sound of sleigh-bells is heard on the roof._ + +_Then all is quiet for a moment._ + +_And THEN Santa Claus comes down the chimney, and steps out +into the room. Silently he looks at both beds, full of sleeping +children, turning his pocket flash light on them, so as to see them +better. He counts the children in each bed. Then he counts the stockings +hanging by the fire-place to be sure they are all there. Next he fills +each of the stockings, taking the toys out of his pack. Then he takes +his empty bag, and, after looking once more at the children, he +disappears up the Chimney._ + +_And this is the end of the Play_. + + * * * * * + + + + +Characters And Costumes + + +MOTHER GOOSE--The conventional costume; full skirt, peaked hat, cane, +spectacles, mits. It is effective for her to draw her lips tight over +her teeth so that her speech is that of a toothless old woman. + +JACK FROST--All in white, decorated with tinsel, tall peaked cap, white +gloves. + +THE CHIMNEY--No costume; for he sits inside the chimney throughout. + +THE WIND FAIRIES--Four little boys, all in gray, capes, caps, +half-masks, long stockings. + +THE SNOW FAIRIES--Four little girls, all in white, capes or coats, +hoods, muffs. The muffs full of loose cotton, which they use as snow, +to hang on trees and chimney, and to throw at Santa Claus. + +SANTA CLAUS--The conventional costume; white hair and beard; pack, with +few toys protruding from the top. + +THE GRANDMOTHER--Gray hair, lace cap, gray or black dress. + +THE GRANDCHILDREN--Four boys in pajamas, with wrappers over them; four +girls in night dresses with kimonos over them. + + + + +Scenery And Scenic Effects + +SCENE I. + + +The Chimney, which must be large enough to hold two people, one of them +Santa Claus with his pack of toys, may consist of a light frame covered +with turkey red cambric and backed with cardboard or heavy paper. +The cambric should be marked off into bricks. The face is produced by +cutting away the cardboard or paper backing behind two bricks for the +eyes, one for the nose and two together for the mouth. Boxes must cover +these openings on the inside, one for each eye and a larger one for +mouth and nose together. In these three boxes are three electric lights +which can be turned on and off independently by the boy inside the +chimney. Dry batteries have been used when an electric current was not +available. The light shining through the cambric makes the face. Turning +off, and on again, the light behind one of the eyes makes the chimney +wink, etc. Small hooks or nails, sticking out above the eyes, under the +nose, and under the mouth, should be provided to hold the snow which the +fairies hang on to represent eyebrows, mustache and beard. + +The background and flies for this scene should be made of black cambric, +dull side out, and a dim light should be used, blue or green preferable, +so distributed as not to throw shadows on the "sky." + +The trees may be real spruces or pines, or may be painted, or may be +made of green cambric touched up with paint or charcoal. + +The wind noise is made by some one behind the scenes, preferably not the +Wind Fairies themselves. It should be plainly heard. The same applies to +the sound of water thrown on the fire. + +If accompaniment is desired for the songs, a violin gives a better +effect than a piano. + +The effect of falling snow is produced by a simple machine, consisting +of a connected series of perforated cardboard boxes suspended from a +cord or wire, and filled with finely cut paper. At one end they are +attached to a wire spring, and by a cord at the other end they are +shaken, so as to make the paper snow shower down. Such a machine may be +bought for a small sum from firms dealing in Sunday School supplies. +Two of them used together are more adequate than one. + + +SCENE II. + + +It is not necessary to use real beds. Boards on low horses or boxes +will make excellent substitutes, and a strip of cloth will conceal their +structure. An advantage of this plan is that they need not be as long +as regulation beds. Four children to a bed means packing them like +sardines, but it can be done, and it always amuses the audience. + +The effect of a fire on the hearth can be made by quick motions +with an ever-ready flashlight operated from behind. The children and +Grandmother, standing in front, allow but an imperfect view of the +fire-place, so that the illusion is easy to produce. The fireplace, +however, may be a real one, if that is more convenient. In that case the +flashlight must be operated by one of the children, kneeling in front of +the fire-place; and when Santa Claus enters the room must be absolutely +dark, so that he will first be seen when he turns on his flashlight, as +he crouches before the fire-place, having apparently just come down the +chimney. + +If candies or gifts are to be distributed to children in the audience, +as when this play is used as the Christmas entertainment of a Sunday +School, Mother Goose may come out again, as soon as the curtain closes +after the second scene, and speak as follows: + +Well, my dear children, my little Play for you is finished, and I hope +you liked it. There is just one thing left to be said. Those little boys +and girls whom you saw asleep in their beds found that Santa Claus had +not only put into their stockings presents for THEM, but also left +something for YOU; and what do you suppose it was? A box of candy for +each one of you, and if you will sit still a moment longer, the curtain +will open again, and the candy will be handed to you. And so, my dears, +as I say Good-night, I wish you all (or I hope you have all had) a Merry +Christmas and (wish you) a Happy New Year. + + + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Down the Chimney, by Shepherd Knapp + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 14785 *** |