Читать книгу Children's Classics in Dramatic Form, A Reader for the Fourth Grade - Augusta Stevenson - Страница 13

TIME: two hours later. PLACE: near the toll-gate on the road to the Fair.

THE GOODMAN.

FIRST PEASANT.

SECOND PEASANT.

THIRD PEASANT.

TOLL-KEEPER.

HOSTLER.

[The GOODMAN is seen riding his horse. Enter, from a country lane, a PEASANT, driving a cow.]

GOODMAN (stopping; calling). Halloo, there—you with the cow!

PEASANT (stopping). Yes, Goodman.

GOODMAN. Your cow gives good milk, I am certain.

PEASANT (nodding). None richer in this country!

GOODMAN. A horse is of more value than a cow, but I don't care for that. A cow will be more useful to me; so if you like, we'll exchange.

PEASANT. To be sure I will. Here is your cow.

GOODMAN. Here is your horse.

[The Peasant goes off riding the horse. A SECOND PEASANT, driving a sheep, enters from a field near by.]

GOODMAN (sees him and calls). Halloo, there—you with the sheep!

SECOND PEASANT (stopping). Yes, Goodman.

GOODMAN. I should like to have that sheep.

SECOND PEASANT. She is a good, fat sheep.

GOODMAN. There is plenty of grass for her by our fence at home, and in the winter we could keep her in the room with us.

SECOND PEASANT. Do you wish to buy her?

GOODMAN. Will you take my cow in exchange?

SECOND PEASANT. I am willing. Here is your sheep.

GOODMAN. Here is your cow.

[The second Peasant goes off driving the cow. Enter, from a farmyard near by, a THIRD PEASANT carrying a goose.]

GOODMAN. What a heavy creature you have there!

THIRD PEASANT (stopping). She has plenty of feathers and plenty of fat.

GOODMAN. She would look well paddling in the water at our place.

THIRD PEASANT (stopping). She would look well in any place!

GOODMAN. She would be very useful to my wife. She could make all sorts of profit out of her.

THIRD PEASANT. Indeed she could, Goodman!

GOODMAN. How often she has said—"If now we only had a goose!"

THIRD PEASANT. Well, this goose is for sale.

GOODMAN. I will give my sheep for your goose and thanks into the bargain.

THIRD PEASANT. I am willing; here is your goose.

GOODMAN. Here is your sheep.

[The Peasant goes off with the sheep. The Goodman discovers a hen in the TOLL-KEEPER'S potato field.]

GOODMAN (calling). That's the finest fowl I ever saw, Toll-keeper!

TOLL-KEEPER. You're right about that, Goodman.

GOODMAN. She's finer than our pastor's brood-hen! Upon my word she is! I should like to have that fowl!

TOLL-KEEPER. She is for sale.

GOODMAN. I think it would be a good exchange if I could get her for my goose.

TOLL-KEEPER. Well, it wouldn't be a bad thing.

GOODMAN. Then here is your goose.

TOLL-KEEPER. Here is your fowl.

[Enter a HOSTLER carrying a sack.]

GOODMAN (to Hostler). What have you in that sack, friend?

HOSTLER. Rotten apples—to feed the pigs with.

GOODMAN. Why, that will be a terrible waste. I should like to take them home to my wife.

HOSTLER (astonished). To your wife?

GOODMAN (nodding). You see, last year our old apple tree bore only one apple, which we kept in the cupboard till it was quite rotten. It was always property, my wife said.

HOSTLER. What will you give me for the sackful? Your wife would then have a great deal of property.

GOODMAN. Well, I will give you my fowl in exchange.

HOSTLER. Here is your sack of rotten apples.

GOODMAN. Here is your fowl.

[The Hostler goes with the fowl.]

TOLL-KEEPER. Toll, Goodman!

GOODMAN. I will not go to the Fair to-day. I have done a great deal of business, and I am tired. I will go back home.