The Fairy Ring

Taranaki Daily News, 18 December 1929, Page 5 (Supplement)

The Fairy Ring

(Playlet In Three Acts)

(By Mrs. Malcolm Mason).' (Copyright)- . CHARACTERS. The children: There can be as many jts desired. Bridget and Peter: The Dutch boy and jfirl. .Tommy: The Red Indian. < The Three Clowns. The Chimney Sweep. The Two Dolls. Their Nurse (Mildred). , Jack and Jill. The Old Witch. Her Black Cat. The Big Policeman > The Fairies: There can be as many as desired. The Blue Fairy. : The Silver Fairy. ■ The Green Fairy. The Purple Fairy, etc. The- fairies must have petal head-dresses jvliich they can fold over their little faces. ACT I.

The. stage is arranged as an ordinary .jroom. At one end (or in the middle) is a jbig oak chest. The children are clustering round this, pulling out various fancy dresses and trying them qn. Some of them could be dtessed as the curtain goes up. Bridget: Oh, look, sabots! (She pulls qut a pair and tries them on). I’ll be a jDutch girl! Here’s the skirt and the little apron and the cap. (She flies to a lookingglass 1 and tries it on, turning this way and (that). It’s very becoming. Yes; I shall be a, Dutch girl. You, Peter! I know there’s .another pair of sabots, and I’m almost sure I saw a black Dutch hat and some long blue trousers. We could go as a Dutch jdouple. We should be simply topping. (Bridget proceeds to dress Peter up). . . Tommy (who has meanwhile extracted jji bundle of clothes and feathers and array-' $d himself as a fled Indian. He gives a terjfific warwhoop and proceeds to execute a war dance in the middle of the stage): Just a [touch of red ochre and boot blacking! Mine (will be the best outfit there! (All the children are pushing round the chest). . The children: Oh, give me something! Give me something! What can Igo as? What jdan Igo as? (Three little boys dressed as .clowns come dancing in and circle round the Red Indians). X The three clowns: We’re off to the fete, lyes; we’re off to the fete. We mustn't be late, (No; we mustn’t be late. Come, put on your presses and join in our song; when every(pne’s ready we’ll hurry along! We’re' off to the fete.” Yes; we’re off to the fete, and wo (mustn’t be late. No; we mustn’t be late. [(At no and yes they could suddenly stand Wtock still and roar out the two little words, flapping their hands at each). Enter two little girls dressed as dolls (walking with jerky movements and speaking (with jerky voices. — ; The dollies: We are little dollies all of you can see. Just two little dollies off (Upon the spree. (They strut up and down jjbhe stage with jerky movements). Mildred (hastily scrambling forward in K uniform she has found in the chest): Two little babes are not to be trusted, out all jßlone, as late as this; My, what a blessing [that Nannie has found them, Now, each of [you give me a spanking kiss. (Each of. the dollies kisses her loudly in j& very jerky manner, and she leads them |nto the ring one on each side of her). \ A chimney sweep runs to the front of the £tage making funny faces. The chimney sweep: Am I dirty? Am I black? I carry my soot in a great big sack! I'm a proper chimney sweep anyone can see, 180 if you want your chimneys swept just - .. (pend along for me. Enter Jack and Jill. Jack: I am Jack. ■ Jill: lam Jill. , ' Both:. Together we climbed up the hill. .. Jill: Jack fell down and broke his crown, land spilt the pail of water. • ■ Jack: And she fell down and broke her [Brown, and then came tumbling after. , The Red Indian: Oh, come along, Jack Sind Jill. We’re tired of that old story. Why, [we all heard it in the nursery. (Jack and Jill iare pulled into the ring and all together the .Children sing): We’re off to the fete. Yes; we’re off to the fete, and we mustn’t be late. (No; we ..mustn’t be late. .We’re off to the fete. Yes; we’re off to the fete, and we [mustn’t be late. No; we mustn’t be late. Curtain. ACT 11. At one end of the stage is a gate with jp.ll sorts of gay decorations and a huge no- - Jice, ' THIS- WAY TO CARNIVAL GROUNDS. Faintly defined on the. grass of the floor la a Fairy Ring. Only parts of it need be . peen. The Big Policeman guards the gate and ja's the curtain goes up he is shouting: This [ivay to the Carnival Grounds. No one admitted unless in fancy costume. This way! {This way, ladies and. gentlemen! Please! Pay [your money and s£ep inside! No one ad(nitted unless in fancy costume! Th® Old Witch comes out of her tent f-— —'iiiiiiiniiniiiiiiiiniiiiiiuiiiiHiniiiniiiiHinjfiitiiiiiiiiiiinHiiii

and fondles her black cat: Oh, pussy cat so fond and true, there’s no one half so sweet as you! Puss: (Very loud and hideously) MIAOU. The Old Witch: Oh. Pussy cat you sing so well, your voice is like a fairy bell. Puss: MIAOU.

The Big Policeman: Well, if that’s one fairy bell, all I can say is, I’m glad there’s not a chime of them. This way to the carnival grounds. This way to the carnival grounds. Step inside, ladies and gentlemen, step inside. No one admitted unless wearing fancy dress. ' ■ '. ' Enter the Chimney Sweep: Hey ho, good mother! Why,*your cat’s as black as my.face! The Old’Witch: Such a : lucky face! Such a lucky face! Let me tell your fortune little, gentleman. Why! you’ll be a king instead of a chimney sweep, maybe, if you cross the old witch’s palm wijth a golden penny. The Chimney Sweep: Cross your palm with a golden penny! Why! I want all the money .I’ve got to spend at the carnival! Out of my way, I tell you. Out of my . way, or I’ll report you to the Big Policeman. (He tries to dodge her. She stealthily pursues "him. Finally, raising her . finger, she bewitches him and he-falls to the ground like a stone with his bag of soot beside'him). . ’ ? Enter Jack and Jill. - . , Jack: I am. Jack. Jill: I am Jill.,Together: Together we climbed up the hill. * Jill: Jack fell down and broke his crown and spilt the pail of water. Jack: And she fell down and broke her crown and then came tumbling after. (Thqy say all this to the 'Big Policeman. The witch comes up behind and signs them to enter her tent. They push her off, but she catches them' by the shoulder. They struggle, and suddenly she bewitches them and they drop

to the ground in a .sitting position. If mothers of the actors don’t object, it would be good fun to spill the pail of water between them; their. hands can be raised in a very scared and comic position). Enter the dolls and their --nurse.

Dollies: We are .little dollies, tell our fortunes, please. Watch us bend dur joints and go down on our knees. The Nurse (to the old witch as the dollies very stiffly go down on their knees): Now, Mother, tell the little darlings their fortunes quickly. One of them would like to marry a king and the other a bootblack. The Old Witch: Well, cross my palm, little ladies, .cross my palm. Ho, ho! I see you have lots of money in those funny little pockets! I’ll just help myself to all you’ve got and tell you the most beautiful fortunes. (She tries to get their money but the Nurse immediately stops her). The Nurse: Indeed you wont, you horrid old thief! (But hardly has she uttered the words . when the Witch* turns them all to stone, the dollies still kneeling and the Nurse bending over them.

Enter all the rest of the children in fancy dress, including the Clowns. The First Clown: Now then, old' lady! Mount your broomstick and fly off home!. We don’t want Witches and their cats a.t carnivals, do we, boys? The Other Two Clowns: No; indeed we don’t. Let’s call the Big Policeman and tell him to clear her off the grounds. (A whole tribe of children hurry on to the stage, and the Witch, with her cat in her arms, curses them).

The Witch: Cease from walking! Cease from talking! I, the Witch, have cast my spell. Every sound of joy and laughter I, the Witch, do hereby quell. (Everyone on the stage is bewitched. Last of all the Big Policeman who stands by the gate, his eyes popping out of his head and his mouth open). Curtain. Act 111. The curtain goes up,, on the same scene as at the end of Act 11., only it is night, and

there is a little crescent moon in the sky. All the children are in the same positions. The Witch is inside her tent and the cat from time to time miaous hideously. Grouped on tho • actual fairy ring, with their petals folded over • their faces, the little fairies sleep. As soft dainty music is played, very, very slowly they wake up.' ' ' *-\ ' • ' . The Blue Fairy rubbing her eyes comes slowly forwards Fairy sisters, the moon .is high. .The stars shine out in the midnight sky. Wake, little - sisters, wake. Open your eyes and spread your wings, for the night is full of beautiful, things. Wake, little sisters, wake. , ~ " '"(Soft music continues. She dances over the Fairy Ring, and one by .one with her fairy wand, she wakes the other fairies. Meanwhile the Old Witch and her cat are peering out at her from behind the flap of (the tent). . • The' Cat (very softly): Miaou. The Green Fairy: What dreadful noise is '• this, I hear? It fills my little heart with •fear.'- ~ ".•••• The Blue Fairy: No need to fear anything, little sister, ’tis only the Witch’s cat. Why, even the wicked. .Witch herself has no power here, for we are all within the magic Fairy Ring. - The . Witch: No power here indeed! You don’t know what you are talking about, my fine lady. No power here indeed!, Look at this! And this! And this! (She points derisively to the bewitched children lying around). No power here indeed! That’s good, isn’t it, pussy? What do you say to that, my pretty one? The Cat (hideously): Miaou. The Blue Fairy (to Jack and Jill): Wake up little ones. Open your eyes. The baby moon is up in the skies. The VVitcK’s spell to naught we bring, for her power is lost in the Fairy Ring. (They slowly wake).

The Silver. Fairy to the dollies: Wake up, little 'ones. Dance and sing, you and your nurse in the Fairy Ring. There isn’t the slightest thing to fear, for the wicked old Witch has no power here. (Last of all th® Fairies wake the little Chimney Sweep. Ho springs up and points an accusing finger at the Witch).

The Chimney Sweep: She’s the culprit! She’s the culprit! What shall we do with her, children? (To the Fairies): She bewitched us all on our way to the carnival. (He notices the Big Policeman still standing as though turned to stone with his big mouth wide open). Why! she even bewitched the Big Policeman. You can see for yourselves, he isn’t awake yet. The Purple Fairy: Big Policeman, open your eyes! The baby moon shines up in the skies. Open the gate and we’ll give you our money. (Aside) Oh, but he really-does look funnv.

The Big Policeman (waking up with a jerk and going on just where he left off); This way to the Carnival. This way to the Carnival. No one admitted unless in fancy costume! (Goes on and on and on).

The Chimney Sweep: Come along, children, let’s chase her out of the Fairy Ring! The Cat: Miaou, miaou!

The Chimney Sweep: And you, too, Pussy! No good arching your back at me. (He throws his bag of soot at her. All tha children shout and start running round tha stage after the Witch. They throw everything after her, including her tent! Then, very out of breath, they return. The Big Policeman is still shouting. Round and round in a ring they dance, singing: We’re off to the fete! Yes; we’re off to the fete! And we mustn’t be late! No; we mustn’t be late! Come along everyone, join in the song, and hurry and hurry and hurry along. (The ring breaks, and one by one they go along to tho Big Policeman to pay their entrance money. They are still singing, and as the last ono disappears their voices can be heard in tho distance, very faintly): We’re off to the fete! Yes; we’re off to the fete, and we mustn’t bo late! No; we mustn’t be late. (The Big Policeman packs up his bag and, jingling all the money inside, he hops comically round the stage singing: No; I mustn’t be late! No; I mustn’t be late! I’m off to the fete! I’m off to the fete! Curtain. The little Fairies are left on the stage prettily grouped.