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BY'JULIA- ELLSWORTH •FORD-
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SNICKERTY NICK

DANCE OF SPRING

SNICkERTY NICK

JULIA ELLSWORTH FORD

Rhymes by
Witter Bynner

Illustrations by
Arthur Rackham

New York

MOFFAT, YARD & CO.
1919

,^A\

MOFFAT, YARD & CO.

The acting rights are reserved by the author.

ijbu 15 1319
':^CI.A5 59 0 53

FOR THE DELIGHTFUL CHILD SPIRIT
OF THE RHYMES OF

WITTER BYNNER

I AM DEEPLY GRATEFUL

AND THAT PART OF THE PLAY WHICH IS MINE

I DEDICATE TO HIM

WITH SINCERE APPRECIATION

BY THE SAME AUTHOR

PICTURES by GEORGE FREDERICK
WATTS. 23 ill jstrations. Introduction
by Author and Thomas W. Lamont. 4I0,
$3-50.

KING SOLOMON AND THE FAIR
SHUL.\MITE with 7 photogravure illus-
trations, izmo, $1.^0.

"A. E." A Note op Appreciation, with
portrait and facsimile. i2mo, $1.00.

SIMEON SOLOMON. An .Appreciation,
with 22 illustrations. 410, $1.50.

THE MIST. A Play IN One .\CT. Produced
in London at The Little Theatre November,
1913-

IM.AGIN.A. A Fanciful T.\le for Chil-
dren \ND Grown-ups. With colored illus-
trationj by .Arthur Rackham and draw-
inj'S by LAtrREN I'oRD. $2.00

MOFFAT. YARD & CO.

FOREWORD

The idea of the Selfish Giant in this play has been
taken from the story of Oscar Wilde's Selfish^ Giant.
Spring would not come to his garden because he would
not let the children play in it. It was always winter
there.

One morning he woke up hearing the music of
a linnet singing in his garden. He jumped out of
bed and saw a most wonderful sight, "flowers were
looking up through the green grass and laughing," and
in every tree was a little child; but one little boy was too
tiny to climb the tree and the Giant's heart melted and
he helped the little child into the tree. The little
child kissed him and forever after the children played
in the Giant's garden, because his heart had softened
through love of the little child.

The children never saw the child again. But one day
he came to the Giant, who saw on the palms of the
child's hands " the prints of two nails and the prints
of two nails were on the little feet."

vii

FOREWORD

The little child had come to take the Giant to play in
his garden, "which is Paradise."

My indebtedness to this story is the character of the
Selfish Giant. The little play of Snickerty Nick is not
a dramatization of The Selfish Giant. The character
of Snickerty Nick is an original character and the
play centers around him. The little boy is only a loving
and beloved child, and Spring and Winter are per-
sonified by faeries and gnomes.

To Arthur Rackham I tender my most sincere thanks
whose magic touch, as in Peter Pan, Grimtn's Faery
Tales and Undine, making real all faeries and gnomes,
endears all child life to grown-ups as well as to children.

Julia Ellsworth Ford.

viu

CHARACTERS
THE GIANT baron bill-arron

BOMBERRUM

THE DWARF snickerty nick

THE LITTLE BOY

THE CHILDREN

WINTER

SPRING

WINTER'S GNOMES— SNOW

HAIL
FROST

NORTHWIND
CHILBLAINS

SPRING'S FAERIES— COWSLIP

BUTTERCUP
SWEET WILLIAM
DANDEUON
BLUE BELL
BUMBLE BEE
RAGGED SAILOR

The children may choose their names from
Mother Goose or any they may fancy.

A little hoy came laughing and turned icicles
into flowers and won a kingdom ivith love.

SCENE I

SNICKERTY NICK

Scene I. — A flower garden covered with frost
and snow. Here and there bushes covered
with snow — large enough to hide children.
On the right a tower with window and door.
In the middle back a wall with a barred
gate, through which flowers are seen bloom-
ing outside. On the step of the tower is
seen the Dwarf. He has a kind quaint face.
He is painting an enormous sign.

TRESPASSERS

WILL BE

DWARF

A Giant owns this garden

Where the children want to play,

SNICKERTY NICK

But the Giant hates the children

And chases them away;
And there can't be any summer here,

The sun will never stay,
For where no children ever come,

It's winter every day.

Now I'm the Giant's servant

And I never have my way :
For I have to tell the children

That they mustn't come and play.
For I wouldn't want them eaten up

And so I have to say,
It's not my grass, you can't come in,

You've got to go away.

[Placifjg the paint brush in the paint can^

Pretty good work, Nicky. One more touch
and it will be finished.

[fFhile Snickerty Nick is eyeing his work, a

small boy creeps through the hedge, tip-

He has a quaint kind face

SNICKERTY NICK

toes up behind Nicky and takes his paint
brush away. Nicky reaches for it, not find-
ing it, looks puzzled, hunts for it and dis-
covers the little boy.^

LITTLE BOY

{Holding up the paint brush, laughing"]

Hello, Nicky! What will you give me for
this?

DWARF

A spanking.

LITTLE BOY

O no, you couldn't!

DWARF

Couldn't I? Why couldn't I, I'd like to
know?

LITTLE BOY

{Smiling and giving the Dwarf the brush]
You don't look like a spanker, Nicky.

SNICKERTY NICK
DWARF

You're right. I'm more spanked against than
spanking. The Giant takes care of that. See
what he made me do for him.

[Pointing to the sign.^

LITTLE BOY

What does it say, Nicky?

DWARF

Trespassers will be et.

LITTLE BOY

What's trespassers?

DWARF

You're one.

And you'd better look spry! —

If the Giant comes by

And you're here yet —

Why, you'll be et.
i8

k^^

<4^^^Cfcl,»..ll

More spanked against than spanking

SNICKERTY NICK

It's a bit cannibalistic, I must say. But that
isn't my doings, you know.

LITTLE BOY

I'm not afraid of him.
\_He goes toward the Giant's door and is about
to knock.^

DWARF

[Alarmed]
Don't knock on that door!

LITTLE BOY

I want to ask the Giant why we can't play in
his garden. The gardens that we can't get into
are the ones we like the best, and we like this
garden better than any other garden.

DWARF

When the Giant goes away I'll let you in.
I'm afraid you'll be et up if you stay here.

SNICKERTY NICK

LITTLE BOY

Fm not afraid.

DWARF

Don't you see that sign? Out with you !
\_Dwarf chases the Boy out of the garden. He
stumbles over his easle and the sign falls
down with a loud noise. As Snickerty Nick
opens the gate the Giant sticks his head out
of the door. The Giant is a little deaf and
often holds his hand to his ear.^

GIANT

Hello, Snickerty Nick! What's all this
racket?

[He catches sight of the sign, comes out, grabs
the brush from the Dwarf's hand and adds
another T and roars,'\

E-T-T — E double T — ETT. Don't you

know how to spell ETT?

The Giant sticks his head out of the door

SNICKERTY NICK
DWARF

I do.

GIANT

You don't.

DWARF

[Making a bow^

I beg to differ with you, Baron Bill-Arron
Bomberrum, I have been the amanuensis of
the Marquise of Magog for ninety-nine years.

GIANT

What's an amanuensis?

DWARF

An amanuensis is a man who follows you
around and writes down everything you say.

GIANT

What's that to do with ett?

SNICKERTY NICK

DWARF
What has that to do with ett?
The most exquisite woman I ever met,
Etta by name, a love, a pet,
Here's what she had to do with ett —
She et her egg with etiquette.
But once her lovely sleeve got wet
And it dripped when she danced the minuet
And left a spot on the green carpet.
And I made a note of her great regret
In this little green- book which I carry yet.

GIANT

Stop your nonsense, talk sense.

DWARF

Who talks sense anyway?
[Counting his buttons^

Richman? Poorman? Beggarman? Thief?
Doctor? Lawyer? Merchant? Chief? None
of them talk sense.

SNICKERTY NICK
GIANT

You irritate me. I'm going to kick you.

DWARF

[Consulting the green book'\

You've already kicked me 9,995 times. When
you've kicked me 10,000 times, according
to your solemn promise as a giant, the kingdom
will be mine. Don't say I didn't warn you. Five
more!

GIANT

By Beelzebub, I must kick you.
[He kicks the Dwarf .^

DWARF

[Taking his score book out of his pocket^

Got it in my score book — got it in — 9,996

kicks.

[Dusts his pants, where the Giant has kicked

SNICKERTY NICK

him, with a whisk broom hanging on his
coat.'\

GIANT

Here's another.
[Giant kicks Dwarf again.^

DWARF

9,997 kicks ! Only three more !
[The Dwarf chuckling, again takes the whisk
broom and dusts his pants J\

GIANT

Hang the sign on the gate, you snickerty
snicker! What were you made for?

DWARF

Being, not doing, your Highness.

GIANT

Well, I was made for doing. I am faring away
early to-morrow morning before you'll be up.

SNICKERTY NICK

sleepy head, to see the great Cornish Ogre to
ask him why it's always winter in my garden.
It's spring now and I want flowers in my gar-
den and I don't understand why they won't grow.
They bloom everywhere except here. I am the
great giant, Baron Bill-Arron Bomberrum. And
I will have flowers. Look around and see if you
can find me even one bud.
[They both lookJ]

DWARF

I can't find one. I like my friend Mary's gar-
den better than yours, although I don't care for
cockle shells and silver bells. Personally, I pre-
fer the pretty maids all in a row.

GIANT

Listen! I shall be gone seven years. Seven
is a lucky number. I shall stay only seven years
because my conversation is limited.

SNICKERTY NICK
DWARF

{^Scratching his forehead^
It's the limit!

GIANT

{With his hand to his ear^
What?

DWARF

I say seven years is the limit.
{The clock in the tower strikes one.]

GIANT

What's that?

DWARF

Oh, that's Dickery Dock. He is a perfect

nuisance. I wish he would let that old clock

alone. Personally I dislike him.

{Just as the Giant starts to go out of the gate, the

Dwarf puts his hat on the ground in front

of the Giant.'l

SNICKERTY NICK
DWARF

Kick it quick !
[To the audience, behind his hand]
There's a brick in it!

[The Giant starts to kick the Dwarf again.]

DWARF

[Standing- still]
Go on, kick me — 999

[The Giant stops his foot in time, shakes his stick
at him.]

GIANT

Not this time!

DWARF

Nick of time, for all time belongs to Snickerty
Nick. No time like the present.

[Takes of} his hat and bows, then runs swiftly

around in a circle.]

SNICKERTY NICK
GIANT
What are you doing?

DWARF

Killing time. I learned to do that when I was
the amanuensis of the Marquise of Magog,

GIANT

Hang up the sign and lock the gate. Don't
let anyone in. Don't let the children play in my
garden. My own garden is my own garden and
I will allow nobody to play in it but myself. Do
you hear?

DWARF

Yes, your Stoutness, I hear. Hearing may be

better than seeing — sometimes — it depends on

what you look at. Personally I prefer seeing,

even when

SNICKERTY NICK
GIANT

Here, Snickerty Nick, pull off my boots. 1
am going to bed.

[Dwarf pulls off one boot.'\

DWARF

[^Looking at it quizzically^

It has always been a puzzle to me, how that
old woman lived in the shoe with so many chil-
dren. Very insanitary.

\^As he pulls off the other boot, the Giant kicks
him. He rolls over, then gets up and makes
the entry in his score book.^
9,999! One more kick and the kingdom's
mine. Hurrah!

GIANT

I am going to bed now. See that there is no
noise around here.

[Giant puts on his night-cap and goes in.}

SNICKERTY NICK
DWARF

My brain may be little,
My brain may be thick,
But why should people
With kingdoms — kick?

My brain may be mighty.
My brain may be deep.
But dreams are a kingdom —
I'm going to sleep.

l^He curls up on the steps and goes to sleep. The

stage darkens. It is night.^
\_W inter, wrapped in silver, steals in through the

gate, treads softly around the flower beds,

in and out among the bushes and stands in

the middle.^

WINTER

[Calling softly]
Northwind ! Northwind I

Liy-Sl^^

DANCE OF WINTER AND GNOMES

SNICKERTY NICK

[Northwind dashes in clothed in purple, purple
wings floating behind her.^

WINTER

Blow your horn! Call our friends! This is
a delightful spot. We must invite Snow, Hail,
Frost, and Chilblains and live here all the year
round.

NORTHWIND

Oo-00-OO-ooh!
[Snow enters all in white carrying a basket filled
with snowballs, and with snow to sprinkle
on the bushes. Hail, in grey, hops over one
of the bushes and as he does so hailstones
are heard. Frost, in silver, waves a silver
scarf over the flowers. Chilblains, in blue,
comically carries an enormous bottle of
camphor.^

WINTER

Let's dance.

SNICKERTY NICK
WINTER AND GNOMES

[As they dance^

We'll make you say, Ooh! and we'll make you
say, Ow !
But it's cold, cold, cold!
We've a wonderful game for those that know
how —
You don't, for you've never been told.
We plant little icicles neatly in rows,
So small you can't see them, then each of us goes
And picks one and tickles the end of your nose.
Another one prickles the tips of your toes
And you run saying, Ooh ! and you run saying,
Ow!
But it's cold, cold, cold !

WINTER

Northwind, lock the selfish Giant in.

\_N ortJnvind locks the Giant's door.'\

SNICKERTY NICK

DWARF
[PFaking upl

Dear me! What has happened! I'm a bit
chilly on the projecting points,
[Dwarf rubs his ears and toes.^

GIANT

[Poking his head out of the window with his
night-cap on aud roaring^

Get out of my garden. Unlock my door, you
winter villains. You and your friends have
killed all my flowers and the blossoms on my
apple trees and there will be no golden fruit in
the autumn. If I catch you I will kill you and
gobble you all up.

ALL
[Mocking him]

Fee, fi, fo, fum!
Baron Bill-Arron Bomberrum!
33

SNICKERTY NICK
CHILBLAINS

Baron Bill-Arron Bomberrum, It'll be nip
and tuck between us two. Try to tuck me away
and I'll nip your nose.

GIANT

I will turn you into frogs and snakes.

WINTER

\^Calling'\

Snow, Hail, Frost, Northwind, Chilblains,
come!

[^Snow throws snowballs at the Giant. Hail
throws stones and Northwind blows on his
horn.^

GIANT

Go away or I will kill you and eat you up, and
a poor cold porridge you'll make.

Snow throws snowballs at the Giant

SNICKERTY NICK

ALL

\_Mocking and clapping their hands with the
rhyme^

Pease porridge hot,
Pease porridge cold,
Pease porridge in the pot,
The Giant's growing old!

CHILBLAINS

Give him the cold shoulder.

[_JV inter and gnomes turn left shoulder toward
him.]

Ha ! Ha ! Look at your nose now !

DWARF

You are disturbing my rest with that beastly
noise. Go away, I want to sleep.

GIANT

Get out of my garden. Go to the North Pole,
there's where you belong. I wish you would go

SNICKERTY NICK

there and never come back again. I want
flowers in my garden.

WINTER

This is nearer and more convenient. Besides
we don't like the Esquimos, they are too fat.

DWARF

You ought to know my friend Jack Sprat. He

eats no fat, but his wife

[Rolls his eyesJ\

Personally I dislike fat women.

GIANT

Snickerty Nick, unlock the door.

ALL

[Restraining the Dwarf with nips^

Ha, ha, Baron Bill-Arron Bomberrum.
Come out if you can. Just walk out, your High-
ness.

SNICKERTY NICK
DWARF

Walking is such good exercise. Much better
than taking a bath. Bathing is such lonely work,
you know.

GIANT

Snickerty Nick, if you will unlock the door,
I'll give you the last kick. Then the kingdom
will be yours.

CHILBLAINS

[Unlocking- the door]

I've unlocked the door. Come out, come out,
kick me, and give me the kingdom.

GIANT

[Tramping out furious and holding his stick
high]
This is what I'll give you !
[ They run. Giant chases them. They disappear
behind the bushes. Chilblains steals up be-
hind and touches the Dwarf.]

SNICKERTY NICK

DWARF
[Howls.^

My ! My ! What has happened to my toes?
[Sits on the ground and rubs them.^

Something has happened to my feet, one more
thing to add to my woes. If I can't walk and
have to use crutches, and the Giant kicks me
any more, I'll fall down and break my head, and
lose my crown. Personally I prefer walking.
[Chilblains touches the Giant's nose.'\

GIANT

[His nose is quite white.]

My ! My ! What has happened to my nose?
[Giant steps back and stumbles over the Dwarf
and starts to kick him but stops.~\
No, Nicky, I won't kick you any more for the
present; I know just when to stop.
[Teeth chattering']

I have had enough of this old garden. I won't

The great Cornish Ogre

THE LITTLE BOY

SNICKERTY NICK

Stay here any longer. I am getting old and
lonely. I am going away to see the Cornish
Ogre, to see if he has flowers in his garden.

DWARF

Good-bye! Be good! Good for nothing!

GIANT

What?

DWARF

Nothing.

GIANT

Don't forget to
[Exit Giant.
Little Gnomes
bushes.]

hang up the
pop their

; sign.
heads

above

the

GNOMES

Snickerty Nick, what will you give us when
you get the kingdom?

SNICKERTY NICK
DWARF

I'll give you a whistle and then you can
whistle for it.

NORTHWIND

I am your sister; what will you do for me?

DWARF

I'll call you Una and give you a dandelion to
roar at you.

FROST

I am your brother; what will you give me?

DWARF

I will give you the mint of my kingdom — a
peppermint.

SNOW

I am your sweetheart; what will you give me?

DWARF

A trip to the moon.

SNICKERTY NICK

SNOW
Ever been to the Moon, Nicky?

DWARF

I once thought of going to the moon but I
was prevented by circumstances over which I
had no control.

HAIL

I am your great-uncle ; what will you give me?

DWARF

I'll give you a horse and then you'll have a
hobby.

CHILBLAINS

I am your granny; what will you give me?

DWARF

A horn and then you'll have plenty.
I am very busy. Go away. I am going to
sleep for seven years. Ah! Early to bed and

SNICKERTY NICK

early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and
wise. Personally I prefer to sleep.
[Hangs the sign upside down, locks the gate
and gets into the wheel-barrow.^
Hurrah for a rest! I will snooze and snooze
for seven years.
[Goes to sleep.li

NORTHWIND

Sandman, Sandman!
[The Sandman appears.]

GNOMES

[Quickly picking up the sand from under the

snow'\

Sandman, Sandman,

Take it in your hand, man !

See the Dwarf has closed his eyes,

Come and give him a surprise.

Look, his mouth is open wide —

Pour your handful right inside,
42

The Sandman watches smiling

SNICKERTY NICK

Fill it up with sand, man!
Listen, listen — hear it slide.
Hear it bumping down inside,
Thank you, Mr. Sandman.

\_The Sandman watches smiling while the
Gnomes have a revel of mirth over the
Dwarf's snoring. They conclude with a
Snore Dance, circling hand in hand around
the Dwarf and at regular intervals squatting
as they snore with the beat of the music.
Presently they run behind the trees. The
snores die away with the snore music. The
stage darkens.^

SCENE II

Scene II. — Nearly seven years have passed.
Spring has taken possession of the garden
and flowers are blooming everywhere.
Spring, dressed in yellow, appears suddenly
out of the bush; then several little figures
dressed in yellow — or other colours — ap-
pear. They dance in front of the flower
beds and scatter flowers.

SPRING
{^Dances and sings^

I am little mischief Spring
Getting into everything I

Toorily, oorily, oo.
And when I lift my finger ring

Made of drops of dew,
All the little robins sing,
And the babies go, Goo, Goo.
47

SNICKERTY NICK

Cowslip, wake the Dwarf. He has slept
nearly seven years.

[Cowslip runs to wake the Dwarf, slips and
falls.]

SPRING

Sweet William, pick her up. She is always
slipping! Always slipping!
[Cowslip slips and falls many times. Sweet
William always picks her up.]

SPRING

Buttercup, see if you can wake the Dwarf.

BUTTERCUP

[Picking a buttercup from her dress, tickles
the Dwarf's nose. The Dwarf makes faces.
Buttercup holds the buttercup under the
Dwarf's chin.]

Do you like butter-butter-butter?

SNICKERTY NICK

DWARF
\_In a sleepy voiced

Butter? Butter is no good without bread.
[He opens his eyes for a moment, then shuts
them again.']

BUTTERCUP

[Shaking him]
He doesn't like butter ! I can't wake him.

SPRING

Ragged Sailor, try what you can do.
[Ragged Sailor with his shirt sticking out tugs
at the Dwarf.]

RAGGED SAILOR

Ahoy, Nicky! Time you pulled up anchor.
Here, shift to Port.
[Rolling him over on his side.]

DWARF

[Sitting up]

SNICKERTY NICK

Hello, Dicky Dicky Doubt, with your shirt-
tail out!

\_They all laiigh.'\
\^Nicky rubs his eyes and falls asleep again.^

RAGGED SAILOR

There's no moving him. He's aground, he is.
[Sailor fashion he dances a few stepsi\

SPRING

Sweet William, you try.
\Sweet William takes the paints that the Dwarf
has used for the sign and paints a dot of red
on his forehead, his cheeks and then the end
of his nose until he is a droll sight.^

SWEET WILLIAM

See what a funny face he has. He won't know

himself when he wakes up.

[Shaking hint]

Wake up ! Wake up ! I can't wake him.

SNICKERTY NICK
BLUE BELL

Let me try. I will tickle him.
Tickely, tickely, on the knee,
If you laugh, you don't love me.
[She tickles him on the nose and on the knee.
He sits up suddenly for a moment, rubs his
nose and makes funny faces. Finally he
falls back asleep.]
It's no use, he doesn't love me and he won't
wake up.

[The Dwarf snickers in his sleep.]

BUMBLE BEE

[In a low buzzing voice.]

I can wake him. I'll stick my itchy needle
in, in, in.

[The Dwarf scratches first in one place, then in
another, gives a kick and curls up asleep
again.]

SNICKERTY NICK
DANDELION

I'll play a trick on him, I'll put his hair in curl
papers.
[To the audience^

Do you like curly hair, boys?
[Putting his front locks in curl papers]

Look at Sleeping Beauty.

SPRING

I can wake him. If he has slept seven years
he must be hungry. Nicky, Nicky, here's an
apple. Take a bite.

[A sweet smile hovers over the face of the
Dwarf. He reaches out his hand in his
sleep.]

DWARF

Did anyone say apples? Apples? One a
penny, two a penny, hot — no — [hesitates]. Per-
sonally I prefer them cold. Apples!

[Falls asleep again.]

5-2

SNICKERTY NICK
SPRING

I have an idea.

Trundle him in the wheelbarrow
And dump him on the ground

The way you dumped old Winter
When you didn't want him round.

CHORUS

Trundle him in the wheelbarrow

And dump him in the brook !
We dumped a fat man in last week-
Mercy, how he shook !
His face was like a cranky stove

When the fire all goes out,
And you ought to see the fat man now,

He isn't half so stout.
For we dumped him in the water

And he rolled and rolled and rolled,
He was harder than a snowball,
He was frozen icy cold ;
53

SNICKERTY NICK

His double stomach broke off first

And then his double chin —
If the Dwarf can find them floating away,

Perhaps he'll bring them in,
Or else he'll hang them on himself

And not be half so thin!

SPRING
[With a dandelion in her mouthy

Trundle him in the wheelbarrow
And dump him on the ground,
The way you dumped me yesterday —

And see what I found,
A little picture of the sun
With sunbeams all around.

I'll stick it in his buttonhole!
[She puts the dandelion in his buttonhole.^
Now you are a little dandy dude.

CHORUS

And we'll dump him on the ground !

SNICKERTY NICK

ALL
[Rushing forward^

Let me do it.
[They wheel him round. The wheelbarrow up-
sets and the Dwarf rolls out, jumps up and
rubs his eyes. Spring and the faeries dis-
appear.']

DWARF

Is it time to get up? I think I must have had
a nap. I had a dream just now. What was it?
Have I slept seven years?
[Proudly]

I must see if I am still as beautiful as I was.

The Marquise of Magog loved me for my

strange beauty. Beauty is a joy forever.

[He takes a mirror from his coat and looks at

himself. Glances over his shoulder to see

if anyone could be looking into the mirror.]

Extraordinary! This must be some mistake.

Is this a face? Well, well, well! Personally I

SNICKERTY NICK

think beauty is only skin deep, fit for women
and peacocks. But what is this? A dandehon?
I must have been picking flowers in my sleep.

I love to sleep-walk in a dell,
To gather flowers and whistle —

But O, I woke up with a yell
The night I picked a thistle.

I dreamed I kissed a little girl

As pretty as .my sister —
But O, she had long finger-nails

And scratched me when I kissed her.

Some people are like thistle-tops;

They beckon and divert you.
And look at you with friendly looks

And smile at you — and hurt you.

[The garden being now full of floivers, little

children peep through the gate and call,

pelting the Dwarf with blossoms.

•^ 25 "^-^^

Little children peep through the gate

SNICKERTY NICK
CHILDREN

Nicky, Nicky, will the Giant come back soon?
May we come in?

DWARF

[Delighted]

Come in, come in! But the Giant will be
home soon and he will eat you up if he catches
you.

[Points to the sign.]

FIRST CHILD

Will the Giant come to-day?

DWARF

The Giant said he would be away seven years.
[Looking at his large dangling watch]

It's seven years to-day. He has gone to see the

Cornish Ogre. After the seven years are over

he will have said all that he has to say, for his

conversation is limited.

SNICKERTY NICK
SECOND CHILD

He is a selfish old Giant and he doesn't like us.
There aren't any flowers when he's here.

THIRD CHILD
[Who is timid]

He won't let anyone play in his garden. I'm
scared. I want to go home.

FIRST CHILD

We like it here and we can run when we hear
him coming.

FOURTH CHILD

It is better than playing on the hard road. The
road is full of cobble-stones.

DWARF

Quite true, quite true. Cobble-stones gather
no moss.

SECOND CHILD

It's such a nice garden.

SNICKERTY NICK

DWARF
Yes, geometrically it is very fine. Geometry
is very interesting— to those who love it. Some
people prefer the encyclopedia. Too many
facts, however, stunt the imagination. Person-
ally I prefer poetry.

THIRD CHILD

\_Timidly^
If he comes back to-day, will he eat us up?

DWARF

He may not come until to-morrow. But if he
does come to-day he will gobble you up.
Fee, fi, fo,fum,

He'll smell the blood of little Tom Thumb,
And yours and yours, and up he'll come
And stuff you all in his great big tum!
Fee, fi, fo, fum !
[Third child looks frightened and hides behind
one of the others.']

SNICKERTY NICK
FOURTH CHILD

Aren't you afraid he will eat you up?

DWARF

No, I am very old and tough. He won't eat
me.

THIRD CHILD

Let's go away.

FIRST CHILD

No, I want to stay and pick some flowers.

THIRD CHILD

You'd better not, the Giant won't like it.

FIRST CHILD

Well, let's have a dance, then.

DWARF

All right. Dancing is quite the vogue now.

I am thinking of taking it up myself.

SNICKERTY NICK

[Js he takes a few steps, his whisk broom falls
on floor.']
Dear me, it came off.
Button, button, who's got the button?
You got the botton? You got the button?
[To a child in the audience.']
I see a little girl and she has a little nose

Right in the middle of her face;
But the nose is gone where a good nose goes—

My button's in its place.
O, I've lost my button, alas, alack I
Little girl, little girl, please give it back!
Button, button, she's got the button

And will not give it back!
Button, button, she's got the button-
Somebody give me a tack !
[He tacks the whisk broom in place.]
Whackity, whackity, whack!

CHILDREN

Whackity— whackity— whack !

SNICKERTY NICK
FIRST CHILD

Let's play house.

SECOND CHILD

No, we played house yesterday, and Tommy
played the mother. But it wasn't any fun, for
Tommy hasn't any imagination. He doesn't
know how to be a mother.

FOURTH CHILD

Let's play Puss in the Corner. Who'll be
puss? Nicky, will you?

CHILDREN

Puss, puss, puss

DWARF

No, I am too busy.

"Let's play"

SNICKERTY NICK

[ The Little Boy runs in laughing. The children
gather around him and draw him into the
center.^

LITTLE BOY

Isn't the Giant's garden a lovely garden to
play in?

FIRST CHILD

Will you be puss?

LITTLE BOY

Yes, I'll be puss.
\^The giant is heard in the distance.~\

CHILDREN

The Giant ! The Giant ! The Giant is com-
ing; he'll gobble us up.

GIANT

Who is in my garden? My own garden is
my own garden. I will allow nobody to play in
it but myself.

SNICKERTY NICK
CHILDREN

Nicky,- Nicky, where shall we hide? If the
Giant comes in the front gate he'll catch us.

DWARF

The Giant always comes in the back gate.
Run, run.

{^Tlic c/iildrefi run toivard the big front gate but
they cannot open //.]

CHILDREN

The gate won't open, Nicky. He'll catch us,
he'll catch us.

GIANT

[Heard coining nearer and nearer.^

Who is in my garden? I am the Baron Bill-

Arron Bomberrum. My own garden is my own

garden, and I will allow nobody to play in it but

myself.

SNICKERTY NICK

[ The children tug frantically at the gate but they
cannot open it. They hide behind the
bushes. The Giant appears with a huge
stick. The Dwarf steals quickly toward the
gate and opens it. The children finding the
gate open rush toward it. The Giant chases
them with his stick. The little boy is left,
whom the Giant does not see.^

GIANT

[Looking around astonished]

What has happened. Flowers in my garden?
The Cornish Ogre said the flowers never
bloomed in his garden and they never would in
mine.

[Discovers the little boy lying under the trees,
where he has been knocked down by the
children in their flight.]

LITTLE BOY

[Holding up his hands]

SNICKERTY NICK

O, Mr. Giant, help me up. I have hurt my-
self.

[77/e Giant looks at the child and puts the stick
down, then lifts him up; and the little boy
throws his arfns around the Giant's neck
and kisses him.^

LITTLE BOY

Thank you, Mr. Giant.

GIANT

[Reflectively^

No one ever kissed me before. It feels queer.
[Giant puts him down.^

LITTLE BOY

I'm all right now.

[Takes the Giant's hand and looks up into his
face.]
I think I will run and play with the children

now. Good-bye, Mr. Giant.

SNICKERTY NICK

GIANT
Don't you want a flower? You may have one.
I'll pick one for you. Here it is.

LITTLE BOY

Thank you, good Mr. Giant.

GIANT

[Gradually relenting^

Here is another, you may have this. [Aside']
No one ever called me "Good Mr. Giant" before.
[Looks at the little boy ivith a smile.']

LITTLE BOY

Lean down and I will put one in your button-
hole and one in mine.

GIANT

Aren't you a little chap?

LITTLE BOY

Aren't you a big chap? Little chaps like me

like big chaps like you.

SNICKERTY NICK

GIANT

How would you like to have me give you all
my flowers?

LITTLE BOY

O, I don't want all your flowers. Just some
of them.

GIANT

How would you like to have me give you my
kingdom and come and live here?

DWARF

[fFho has been watching closely^

Now see here, Baron Bill-Arron Bomberrum,
throwing bouquets is all very well — but king-
doms

LITTLE BOY

I couldn't stay here without the other children.

GIANT

No, I don't want the other children. But I

SNICKERTY NICK

will let you come here and play in my garden
whenever you want to. You can always come.

LITTLE BOY

No, I couldn't do that. I must go now and
play with them. Thank you for the flowers.
[Kisses the Giant.'\

GL\NT

No one ever kissed me before, little chap.

DWARF

Aren't you going to kiss Nicky, too?
[Little Boy kisses Dwarf .^

LITTLE BOY

Good-bye, Nicky. Good-bye, Giant.

[The little boy runs out of the gate waving his
h/jnd to the Giant.'\

DWARF

A boy named Jack, so I've heard tell,

Killed a giant dead.
69

SNICKERTY NICK

Mightn't he have done as well
By loving him instead?

Now here's a boy who saves the day,
With swords? — no, no, with kisses.

And really there's no other way
One half so good as this is.

For killing merely makes you blue

And very cross and snappy,
While loving makes not only you

But everybody happy.

And kissing giants is such fun.
They think you're going to bite,

But as soon as you give 'em another one,
Everything's all right.

GIANT

Snickerty Nick, how did the children come

here? Did you take down the sign?

SNICKERTY NICK
DWARF

Yes, I had to. You see the flowers didn't like
the notice. The only people who liked it were
Winter and his Gnomes. They thought I was
asleep, but I heard Winter tell Northwind why
Spring had forgotten this garden.

GIANT
[Stands thinking. '\
Nicky, go and tell that little boy if he will come
back I will give him my kingdom.

DWARF

What part do I get after all those kicks?
Well, well, "uneasy lies the head that wears a
crown." Personally I enjoy the simple life, like
the colored man. Don't you know his song?

GIANT

No, I haven't heard it.

DWARF

I'm a-buildin' my house
On a mountain so high,
71

SNICKERTY NICK

A good place to wait
For my love to come by.

Go 'way now, all of you,

Leave me alone
On the peacefiillest mountain-top

Ever was known.

Go on a-scrimmagin'

All over town
For a stove-pipe hat

And a purple silk gown.

But leave me my cabin

High up as the moon,
Here where my true love

Will come to me soon.

GIANT

Stop your noise, Nicky. Go and find the Httle
boy and bring him back to me.

'What part do I get after all those kicks?"

SNICKERTY NICK

DWARF
Can't be done.

GIANT

Not if I give him all my kingdom?

DWARF

No, he doesn't want your kingdom.

GIANT

What makes you think that?

DWARF

I don't think, I just know some things like
women. Besides, you heard what he said. He
wouldn't come without the other children.

GIANT

Is that why Spring wouldn't come here, I won-
der?

SNICKERTY NICK
DWARF

It's awfully funny and yet it's true

When the children came the flowers came too.

GIANT

Go and find him and tell him all the children
can come back and play with him.

DWARF

With me, too. Don't forget, Nicky.

■ GIANT
[ Taking up the signJ\
Nicky, I'm going to burn this sign up.

DWARF

[Pulling it away from Giant.'\
No, no. Give it to me. I can fix it so that
when they see it, they'll come back.
[Dwarf takes the brush and paints letters around
the ETT on the sign making it read PETTED J\

SNICKERTY NICK

How do you like that? "Trespassers will be
petted."

[Fiews his work ivith his head first on one side
and then on the other.']

GIANT

Here, take these keys of my kingdom and un-
lock every gate— so that we can all have the king-
dom. But first go and find the little boy.

DWARF

Hurrah!

Children, come back and be petted

And bring all the others,

Your sisters and brothers.

No trespassers now will be etted.

\_Exit Dwarf by the gate.]

[The Little Boy appears, climbing over the
wall.]

SNICKERTY NICK
LITTLE BOY

Oh, I am glad you have changed that old sign.

GIANT
[Lifting the Little Boy into the garden.^
And I'm glad you have come back, little chap.

[Little children are seen peeping through the
gate.]

LITTLE BOY

Show 'em the new sign. Show 'em the new
sign, good Mr. Giant.

[The Giant holds the new sign up.]

LITTLE BOY

Come in ! Come in ! He says you may.

CHILDREN

Hurray! Hurray!
Come in and play,

For the Giant is back and he says you may !

"Dipsey, ipsey, tiddley ipsey"

SNICKERTY NICK

[They join hands and dance round the Giant.]

Dipsey-wipsey,
Tiddledy ipsey,
Snickerty says we may!

DWARF

[Running in with the jingling keys and skip-
ping round the outside of the circle and
joining in the chorus which they repeat.]

Hurray! Hurray!
Hurray! Hurray!
Dipsey-wipsey,
Tiddledy ipsey,
Snickerty says we may.

CURTAIN

[The Dwarf puts his head out between the cur-
tains and smiles. Then he comes through
and holds up a bunch of golden keys.]

SNICKERTY NICK
DWARF

Now ladies and gentlemen, here are the keys,
I beg you to do me this courtesy, please : —
Unlock every door, every gate with these, keys,
Every gate, every door in the kingdom !
And then I shall ask one more favour of you !
Please hand the keys on just as soon as you're

through
To whoever you see in a kingdom !
To unlock every garden and make them all free
One garden for children and giants — and me —
Oh, open your hearts, make them ample and

free —
For that is the key to the kingdom !

\_The Dwarf throws the golden keys to the chil-
dren in the audience.^

THE END

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