FOXY LOXY. You’re welcome! Wait a moment and I’ll tell the king about your arrival.

He returns in a minute and takes Chicken Liken and others.

Soon Foxy Loxy comes back alone. He looks unhappy.

WORM. Have you eaten them all?

FOXY LOXY. No, I can’t. I have a terrible stomachache. You were a bad doctor. (Runs off).

CHICKEN LIKEN (coming out of the cave). Such a fat worm, Mummy. I’m hungry. Daddy! Uncle! Aunt! Cousins! Come here!

WORM. I have troubles. I wonder if he can fly.

The end

NOW I KNOW THE ABC

CHARACTERS:

MARY

LETTER M

LETTER D, DICK

LETTER C, CINDERELLA

LETTER A, ALICE

LETTER B, BARBIE

OTHER LETTERS

SCENE I

SETTING: A children room in the flat.

Mary is lying in bed. She is ill. Then she is getting up.

MARY. I like to play but I can’t play because I am not well today. I like to study but I can’t study because I don’t go to school.

MOTHER’S VOICE. You can open your textbook and read a little, can’t you?

MARY. All boys and girls are at school now. They are learning English ABC and as for me (crying)… How can I read a textbook if I don’t know even a letter…Mmm…

LETTER M. Good morning, Mary. Did you mention me?

MARY. I wonder who you are. Where are you from?

LETTER M. Let me introduce myself. I am Letter M and come from the ABC. The first letter of your name.

MARY. Glad to meet you, M. How I’ll be happy to get to your country. But I don’t know English words.

LETTER M. Let’s learn some of them. Repeat after me: morning, mother, milk.

MARY. Morning, mother, milk.

SCENE II.

SETTING: The ABC country.

The boy is hiding among the bushes.

DICK. How do you do?

LETTER M. How do you do? And where are other letters? Why is the mess?

DICK. They disappear because they are afraid of dragon. Dreadful dragon does a lot of bad things. He is going to gobble up all letters from the ABC from the very beginning.

MARY. If he gobbles them up I’ll never learn them!

DICK. They are hiding over here but nobody can find them.

LETTER M. I guess where they are. Can you spell your name?

DICK. D-I-C-K.

LETTER M. C is hiding right here. Say three words beginning with “C”.

MARY. Certainly, I try, but I can’t catch a word.

CINDERELLA. Did you call me? I’d come if you called me.

DICK. No doubts, darling. We can’t do without “C” if we learn the ABC. Where are your friend A and B? Where do they disappear?

CINDERELLA. It is clear that letter “A” is hiding in my name. It’s a charming place. Can you cheer her up?

MARY. I am not able to find her. I see only the air. Can you show her with your arm?

ALICE. Excuse me, but I’m so anxious. Are you still alive, Cinderella? I’m afraid of that awful dragon. And what about beautiful Barbie? Did anybody see her? She went to buy biscuits and didn’t come back. Let’s go to the shop!

SCENE III.

SETTING: A shop at the ABC country.

Barbie is talking to the shop assistant.

BARBIE. Can I have best bananas and bacon? Don’t forget about box of biscuit and bar of bubbled chocolate.

SHOP ASSISTANT. Here you are. What else?

ALICE. Are you buying apricots? Adore apricots! As well as autumn apples!

CINDERELLA. Don’t forger cakes and cornflakes. Can you give me cocoa and candy!

LETTER “M”. And marmalade, please. Milk and macaroni. And what about you, Dick?

DICK. That will do! Dance, dolls, dance! You don’t think about the danger. Don’t you see! I’m Dreadful Dragon.

BARBIE. I’ll beat you with the ball (throws the ball).

DICK. Now it’s a bell (throws it back).

CINDERELLA. I’ll beat you with my cup! (Throws it).

DICK. Look! It turns into a cap! (Returns it).

ALICE. I’ll beat you with my anchor! (Throws it).

DICK. It turns into an acorn! (Returns it).

LETTER M. Letters, come here! Move on!

LETTER F. How funny and fantastic! I am fond of fighting.

LETTER E. I’m an eastern eagle. The eagle enters the battle.

LETTER K. I’m a king. Where are my knights? Our knives are sharp.

LETTER P. I’m a pirate with a pistol. Push him and pull.

Dragon falls down and the battle is over.

SCENE IV.

SETTING: A bedroom.

Mary is still in bed.

MOTHER’S VOICE. Did you awake, dear? How are you today?

MARY. I’m quite all right. I’m absolutely fine.

Letters appear and dance around her.

LETTER M. I’m major. Make me your major maid because I love you most of all.

LETTER K. Kiss me, kid!

LETTER P. Put your pink palm into my pocket and take out a pretty plum!

MOTHER’S VOICE. Are you going to school now?

MARY. Yes, of course. I guess I know the ABC.

The end

LITTLE MISTRESS

(after Beatrix Potter)

CHARACTERS:

LUCY

LITTLE MISTRESS

ROBIN

BUNNY

SQUIRREL

SCENE I

SETTING: A garden near Lucy’s house.

MOTHER’S VOICE. What’s happened, Lucy?

LUCY. Nothing terrible, but I’ve lost some of my clothes: my pretty white apron, my socks and my handkerchiefs. Can I go out to look for them?

MOTHER’S VOICE. You are too old to care of yourself. You may look for them but don’t walk a long way far from home.

LUCY. I’ll travel up the hill to look what it is there. I’ve never been there.

Robin appears.

ROBIN. How do you do, Lucy?

LUCY. How do you do, Robin? Glad to meet you. Have you seen where my white socks are? It seems to me somebody has taken them away.

ROBIN. You are too old to care of yourself. I’m busy. Goodbye.

Squirrel appears.

LUCY. Hello, dear Squirrel! You look great in this new fur coat!

SQUIRREL. Hi, Lucy. Have you seen my new white gloves? Yesterday they were hanging on this branch all day long.

LUCY. You gloves are so small that nobody can wear them. I can’t put them on my little finger. Why did you hang your winter gloves in summer?

SQUIRREL. My gloves are of the right size and they suit me well. But they were very dirty and I would like to do washing. Squirrels should put their things in order and what about people?

LUCY. I’m afraid I didn’t care of my clothes. My white apron was dirty and my socks had holes in them. And now they are lost.

SQUIRREL. It’s a pity. Bye!

Bunny appears.

LUCY. Hi, Bunny! Are you quite all right?

BUNNY. Are you joking, young lady? I’ve lost me waistcoat, which is the best in the world?

LUCY. Why is your waistcoat the best in the world?