Читать книгу Representative Plays by American Dramatists: 1856-1911: Rip van - Burke Charles - Страница 4
RIP VAN WINKLE
ОглавлениеACT I
SCENE I
A Village.—House, with a sign of “George III.”—Two or three tables.—Villagers discovered, smoking. Vedder, Knickerbocker, Rory, Clausen at table. Chorus at rise of curtain.
CHORUS
In our native land, where flows the Rhine,
In infancy we culled the vine:
Although we toiled with patient care,
But poor and scanty was our fare.
SOLO
Till tempting waves, with anxious toil,
We landed on Columbia's soil;
Now plenty, all our cares repay,
So laugh and dance the hours away.
CHORUS
Now plenty, all our cares repay,
So laugh and dance the hours away;
Ha, ha, ha! Ha, ha, ha!
So laugh, ha, ha! and dance the hours away.
Vedder.
Neighbour Clausen, on your way hither, saw you anything of our friend, Rip Van Winkle? Where there's a cup of good liquor to be shared, he's sure to be on hand—a thirsty soul.
Knickerbocker.
Truly, the man that turns up his nose at good liquor is a fool, as we Dutchmen have it; but cut no jokes on Rip; remember, I'm soon to be a member of his family: and any insult offered to him, I shall resent in the singular number, and satisfaction must follow, as the Frenchmen have it.
