BEN, FARMER (in an angry voice): Nan! Fetch my gingerbread this moment! I would like to eat.

NAN, FARMER'S WIFE: I've put it at the window. Fetch yourself.

BEN, FARMER (looking anxiously about): There is nothing at the window!

SCENE II

SETTING: Outside the house.

ANN, FARMER'S COW: Good morning, sir!

JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN:

Good morning, good morning,

Good morning to you.

Good morning, dear cow,

I'm glad to see you.

ANN, FARMER'S COW: Let me introduce Sam. It's a friend of mine.

JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: Such a lovely day, isn't it?

SAM, FARMER'S DOG: Very. You smells tasty. Butter?

ANN, FARMER'S COW: Sure. Cream and butter. Two grapes and a lemon, and some sugar. I wish it were salt, not sugar… Mmm!

SAM, FARMER'S DOG: Sugar is not bad, either.

JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: How are you getting on with this family?

SAM, FARMER'S DOG: I don't think we live fairly. Ben never feeds me enough. I'm always hungry. (Looking at Gingerbread man with great curiosity).

JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: Can you sing and dance?

SAM, FARMER'S DOG: Did you say,’ Help yourself?'

JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: No, I didn't. Can you sing and dance?

SAM, FARMER'S DOG: An empty stomach is a bad singer and dancer.

JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: I'd love to have a fun. You can play the guitar or something like this. (To the cow): Are you dancing?

ANN, FARMER'S COW: Sure, my sweet. Come closer. We are close friends, aren't we?

JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: What are you doing?

ANN, FARMER'S COW: That's none of your business. Just come closer.

SAM, FARMER'S DOG (angrily): But it is his business. You can eat grass.

JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: Would you please tell me why nobody's dancing?

SAM, FARMER'S DOG (in a silky tone): It's my turn, honey. Come on.

ANN, FARMER'S COW: Look out now, JOHN!

SAM, FARMER'S DOG: Hold your tongue.

JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: What's the matter?

SAM, FARMER'S DOG: You are splendid for dancing with.

JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: Why did you open your mouth?

SAM, FARMER'S DOG: It's the best way of dancing.

A lot of CREATURES join them – cockerels and hens, ducks and turkeys. JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN seems to be a very important person among them. He is walking with an important air while the queer-looking party is dancing.)

SAM, FARMER'S DOG (to his partner): Are you ready, honey? It's high time you were in my stomach.

ANN, FARMER'S COW: It isn't simple, Sammy, but try.

(They stop while the others go on dancing).

ANN, FARMER'S COW: You look terrible! What's the matter?

SAM, FARMER'S DOG: I've eaten too much gingerbread this morning.

ANN, FARMER'S COW: How much gingerbread did you eat?

SAM, FARMER'S DOG: I ate no one and I'm never going to eat any gingerbread again.

SCENE III

SETTING: The yard near the farmer's house.

PAM, FOX is looking for something to steal. He meets JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN gets off.

PAM, FOX: Hello.

JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: Hello!

PAM, FOX: Hello. Haven't seen you for ages.

JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: So have I.

PAM, FOX: Glad to meet you. Let me introduce myself. Sir Fox.

JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: I remember from the history. Guy Fawkes, fireworks and so on. Nice to see. What will you say about this the family? I think they are not well today.

PAM, FOX: They are really mad.

JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: I've supposed something like this. They quarreled so much that I couldn’t hear myself!

PAM, FOX: Where are you from, gingerbread?

JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: Sorry, who? Me? Am I gingerbread?

PAM, FOX: You are gingerbread and I love it.

JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: I'm a gingerbread man. I was born in the oven.

PAM, FOX. Come here, Gingerbread man, I'll sing 'Happy Birthday' to you!

JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: Nobody sings this to me.

PAM, FOX. Listen to me! Come nearer and listen.

Happy birthday to you!

Happy birthday to you!

Happy birthday, dear Johnny,

Happy birthday to you!

JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: Is that all?

PAM, FOX. No. Come nearer and listen.

JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: I'd rather stand here. Can you sing louder?

PAM, FOX. I sing as loud as I can. If you don't hear mine.

How old are you now?

How old are you now?

Happy Birthday, happy birthday!

How old are you now?

JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: Your look is strange. Why does everybody looks at me as if one eats me?

PAM, FOX. They take you for gingerbread.

JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN (anxiously): Are you sure?

PAM, FOX. As sure as death is death. Come nearer!

JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: Yes. But close your eyes, guy, and wait a minute.

He disappears.

SAM, FARMER'S DOG: Where is John?

PAM, FOX. Turned round the corner and rolled away.

SAM, FARMER'S DOG: How do you know I'm mad?

PAM, FOX: He rolled away in that direction… but this is another tale, I guess.

JOHN, GINGERBREAD MAN: Good bye, Ann. Good bye Pam. Have a good evening! See you later.

The end

THE LITTLE RED HEN

CHARACTERS:

RED HEN

COCK

MOUSE

FOX

SCENE I.

SETTING: A pretty little house with a green door and two little windows with green shutters.

RED HEN. Good morning, good morning to everyone. Glad to see you. Get up, Cock. Get up, Mouse!

COCK. What are we having for breakfast?

RED HEN. Tea and toast, jam and butter if you don’t mind.

MOUSE. A lot of toast and a lot of butter, please. I’m hungry.

RED HEN. Who’ll get some sticks to light the fire with?

COCK. I shan’t.

MOUSE. I shan’t.

RED HEN. Then I’ll do it myself.

And off she ran to fill the kettle.

RED HEN. And who’ll get the breakfast ready?

COCK. I shan’t.

MOUSE. I shan’t.

RED HEN. Then I’ll do it myself.

And she began to lay the table and cook toast.

RED HEN. Who’ll clear away the breakfast?

COCK. I shan’t.

MOUSE. I shan’t.

RED HEN. Then I’ll do it myself.

And she cleared everything away, swept up the crumbs and brushed up the floor.

MOUSE. And now don’t make noise. We are tired and wish to have a rest.

RED HEN. Let it be. And I have a lot of work to do.

She comes out and the lazy Cock and Mouse each sat down in a comfortable chair, and soon fell fast asleep.

SCENE II.

SETTING: In the forest, near the fox’s cave.

FOX. Oh, I’m so hungry. I had nothing to eat yesterday. And scarcely anything the day before. And only half a grain the day before. Where will I get my breakfast. Oh! On the hill over there I see a house. And in that house there live a cock, a hen and a mouse. I’ll take my great suck and into that sack I’ll put the cock, the hen and the mouse.

He jumped for joy and went up the hill to the little house.

FOX. Rat tat tat, rat tat tat!

COCK. Who can that be?

FOX. Rat tat tat, rat tat tat!

MOUSE. Go and look for yourself if you want to know.

FOX. Rat tat tat, rat tat tat!

COCK. It’s the postman, perhaps. He may have a letter for me.