SCENE.--_A playground, with_ CAROL, AVIS, ROY _seated on rocks and
stumps, talking. Music as curtain rises. Music stops._
AVIS. Did you say that she _never_ could grow any larger?
FRANK (_entering_). What’s that? _Who_ never could grow any larger?
CAROL. Why, don’t you know? It’s Dorothy Dot. Dear little Dorothy! It’s
all because she was enchanted when she was only seven years old, by that
dreadful enemy of all Sunshine people--Sir Dismal Dumps!
FRANK. O yes, I remember. He _is_ a rascal--that Dismal Dumps. He put
one of his magic spells on her--he and his Bugaboo Man together--so she
never could grow any larger unless ----
ROY. Yes, she never could grow any larger, unless ----
AVIS. Unless what? Do tell me all about it.
CAROL. I thought you knew, Avis. Unless the key is found, the key to
Dorothy’s magic treasure-box. The Sunshine Fairies are shut up in the
box, and until they are let out we children will all have lots of
trouble because of that horrid Dismal Dumps and his Bugaboo Man.
FRANK (_walking about, his hands in his pockets, looking as if thinking
very hard_). This _is_ a puzzle that gets me! The box that holds the
Sunshine Fairies is locked, and Dismal Dumps stole the key, and keeps
it hidden away. But say, wasn’t there something about the _box_ growing,
too?
ROY. Why, yes. You see, it’s a magic box, and was meant to grow larger
all the time, just as Dorothy was meant to grow larger herself. But,
when the key was stolen, it--the box, I mean--stopped growing, and _she_
stopped growing, and now ----
ALL (_coming forward and singing; tune, “The Red, White, and Blue”_).
O sad is the plight of our playmate,
While under the dark, cruel spell;
No peace can she have, night or morning,
For foes watch her footsteps too well.
When found is the key to her treasure,
How gladly our chorus we’ll sing!
When forth come the bright Sunshine Fairies,
The bells of Bonnydingle will ring.
O the bells, bonny bells, how they’ll ring!
O the bells, bonny bells, how they’ll ring!
When forth come the bright Sunshine Fairies,
The bells of Bonnydingle will ring.
(_Enter_ DOROTHY, _running_.)
DOROTHY. O Carol, Avis,--all of you! I’m _so_ afraid! When I started to
come over here, I was sure I heard Dismal Dumps and the Bugaboo Man
talking, just around the corner, and I ran as fast as I could, to get
away from them. I’m afraid they’ll be here, yet. (_Looking around
uneasily_). But (_brightening_) I must tell you the good news. I’ve
seen the Brownies!
(_All crowd around her._ FRANK _and_ ROY _give a surprised whistle_.)
AVIS. _Have_ you, Dorothy?
CAROL. And will they help us plan what to do?
DOROTHY. Yes, they said they would help. Here they come, now.
(_Enter Brownies, running, skipping, and capering in various ways,
which lively antics they must keep up at intervals all through the
play. Coming forward and facing the audience, they sing, each one in
turn; tune, “Yankee Doodle.”_)
REALLYWISH.
Kind friends, my name is Reallywish;
I serve the people gladly.
Whenever they are true to me
They cease to mourn so sadly;
For, don’t you see? they go to work
To make their wish come true, sir!
And when they smile instead of shirk
There’s little they can’t do, sir.
JUSTNOW.
And my name, if you’d know it well,
Would save you much debating;
For it’s Justnow, and when I’m called
I never keep folks waiting.
I hasten gladly on my way,
As fast as I can run, sir!
And when I work, and when I play,
’Tis very quickly done, sir.
I CAN.
They call me by the name I Can;
That name I’ll never alter.
I’m bound to do what any man
Should try, nor will I falter.
Brave thinking helps to bring success;
I’m every one’s good friend, sir!
Whate’er I try, I’ll carry through,
And push it to the end, sir.
I WILL.
And I, the last, am called I Will,
And never should you doubt me.
Some call me stubborn, but I’d like
To see them do without me!
For ships I sail and houses build,
And every lesson learn, sir!
Make haste and call me to your aid,
If you would comfort earn, sir.
AVIS (_clapping her hands_). O what dear Brownies! And so you will help
us to get rid of that hateful Dismal Dumps and the Bugaboo Man we’re so
afraid of! What shall we do first?
(_Brownies, puzzled, look up at the ceiling, down at the floor, and in
various corners, as if for an idea._)
REALLYWISH. I really wish, my friends, O yes, I really wish I knew----
JUSTNOW. Just now, exactly what is best for us to plan and do.
I CAN. But, if each one of us will only think and say, “I can----”
I WILL (_emphatically_). We’ll conquer Dismal Dumps and his Bugaboo Man!
CHILDREN AND BROWNIES (_all together_.) We’ll conquer Dismal Dumps and
his Bugaboo Man!
ROY. Here they come, now! (_Children huddle close together and look
frightened, yet resolute. A few strains of very doleful music, from
behind scenes. Enter_ SIR DISMAL DUMPS _and_ BUGABOO MAN, _right_.)
DISMAL DUMPS (_scowling fiercely_). Well, here’s a pretty howdy-do!
Don’t these children know they shouldn’t loiter around like this?
They’ll be too late to have any dinner when they get home! Besides,
there’s all their next week’s lessons not learned.
BUGABOO MAN. Well, the lessons are so hard they won’t be able to learn
them anyhow; so what difference does it make?
DISMAL DUMPS. Then they’ll all grow up without knowing anything. In
fact, no matter how hard they try, they’ll never amount to anything.
(_Children whisper together during this conversation. Brownies
gesticulate as if giving directions. All nod their heads in consent,
and approach_ DISMAL DUMPS.)
CHILDREN AND BROWNIES (_singing; tune, “Maryland, My Maryland”_).
Listen to the children’s plea,
Dismal Dumps, O Dismal Dumps!
If you’d go and leave us free,--
Dismal Dumps, O Dismal Dumps,--
We would be so very good,
Learn our lessons as we should,
We’d surprise you; yes, we would,
Dismal Dumps, O Dismal Dumps!
But before you leave the land,
Dismal Dumps, O Dismal Dumps,
If you’d kindly understand,
Dismal Dumps, O Dismal Dumps,
_Please give back the treasure-key_;
Set the Sunshine Fairies free!
We would, O so grateful be,
Dismal Dumps, O Dismal Dumps!
DISMAL DUMPS (_haughtily, folding his arms_). What impertinent nonsense
is this? Actually asking for the key to the Sunshine-Box! I’d laugh at
the very idea, if it weren’t against my principles ever to laugh at all,
or even smile. Bugaboo, what do you think of this ridiculous idea? They
want us to give up the key!
BUGABOO MAN (_laughing loudly_). Ha! ha! ha! ho! ho! ho! As if we would
give it up!
DISMAL DUMPS. There, you young rascals, you have your answer. But you
_never_ will have the key!
(DOROTHY _begins to cry, and goes slowly out, left_, AVIS _and_ CAROL
_with her, trying to console her_. DISMAL DUMPS _and_ BUGABOO
_converse confidentially, right_. BOYS _and Brownies consult, left_).
BROWNIES (_coming forward and then towards left, singing; tune, “Jingle
Bells.”_)
Come along, come along,
Children one and all!
Hasten to the Cosey Corner ere the shadows fall!
Dorothy, Dorothy,
Trouble yet will end.
In the Cosey Corner we shall find the children’s friend!
(_Repeat, as they go out, left, followed by boys._ DISMAL DUMPS _and_
BUGABOO MAN _come forward at centre_, DISMAL DUMPS _looking more than
usually glum_.)
BUGABOO MAN (_persuasively_). Cheer up, old fellow! You certainly got
the best of it, as you generally do when you have _me_ to help you!
DISMAL DUMPS (_shaking his head dolefully_). That’s all very well,
Bugaboo, but what we should do if those children should ever get ahead
of us and manage to open that box, I’m sure I don’t know. I can’t bear
the sound of bells, and those Sunshine Fairies would be too much for us
both.
BUGABOO MAN. That’s so; we never could live in the same country with
them. Of course not! But there’s no danger! Nobody can open the box but
that insignificant little Dorothy Dot, and _she_ can’t without the key.
Come on, now; let’s find some one else that we can make unhappy. I
heard a woman saying she was afraid it was going to rain. Let’s tell her
it certainly will. There’s a big black cloud coming up, now.
DISMAL DUMPS (_brightening a little_). And I heard a man complaining of
hard times. Let’s go and make them all the harder. We can do it.
BUGABOO MAN. Of course we can; we always do. Come on. (_Links his arm in
that of_ DISMAL DUMPS, _and hurries him along till in the latter’s
effort to keep up he stumbles over a rock and drops the key. Neither of
them sees it._) Be careful; you might break your bones sometime over
these stones. Hurry, or we’ll be too late. (_Exit both, right._)
(_Enter_ OLD WOMAN, _left, with basket. Sees key. Stops, and picks it
up._)
OLD WOMAN. Well, I never! What careless person has dropped a key, I
wonder? I’ll just put it in my basket for safe keeping while I look.
(_Exit right._)
(_Enter_ AVIS, CAROL, DOROTHY, FRANK, ROY, _and Brownies, left, on
their way to the Cosey Corner. The Brownies are carrying the Sunshine
Treasure-Box. They place it at the rear of the stage, with the
labelled side forward; then all approach the Cosey Corner, singing;
tune, “John Brown.”_)
Queen of the Cosey Corner, let us in, we plead,
We’ve come to ask your counsel, for we’ve dire distress, indeed!
We know you help the troubled, and we’ve come to tell our need,
O Fairy, hear our call.
’Tis the Brownies and the children,
’Tis the Brownies and the children,
’Tis the Brownies and the children,
O Fairy, heed our call.
(_Curtains slowly part at the corner of the stage, right, displaying a
“cosey corner” where the Queen is seated in state. She rises and comes
forward._)
QUEEN. You poor children! I know your trouble before you tell it. You
wish to get rid of Dismal Dumps and the Bugaboo Man; you want the key to
this dear little girl’s treasure-box, so you can let the Sunshine
Fairies out. Is that it?
CHILDREN. Yes, and so Dorothy Dot can grow.
QUEEN. That is right. Be seated, all. Now, for a few moments keep
perfectly still. (_Children seat themselves on stumps, etc._) I cannot
give you the key at once, but I will call my chief counsellor, Fairy
Bright-Thought, and then I shall be able to advise you. Keep very quiet,
now, or she cannot come. Brownies, see if you can keep still for two
whole minutes. It will be good practice for you. (_The_ QUEEN _resumes
her seat. The Brownies give a final excited caper; then seat themselves
on the treasure-box. All are silent. Soft music for three or four
minutes; then_ FAIRY BRIGHT-THOUGHT _emerges from behind the draperies
of Cosey Corner, and whispers in the ear of the_ QUEEN. _The children
start up, but seat themselves again. After a moment_, FAIRY
BRIGHT-THOUGHT _disappears again behind the draperies. Music stops._)
Listen, children and Brownies! I have a secret for you. The spell is
already partly broken, for--just think!--_Dismal Dumps and the Bugaboo
Man have lost the key!_ Now Dorothy Dot can grow! (_The children begin
dancing and the Brownies capering with delight._) But wait! (_All
stop._) It is true, Dorothy Dot can grow, and so can her treasure-box;
but until she has the key the Sunshine Fairies must still be prisoners,
and you are not yet rid of Dismal Dumps and his Bugaboo Man. Now, this
is what you must all do. Search for the key everywhere. As for Dorothy,
she can go away for a while with the kind West Wind, to a beautiful home
on the prairies, where she will not be troubled by Dismal Dumps and the
Bugaboo Man. Then she can grow all the faster, and meanwhile you can all
be looking for the key. But, mind you, the key will be found at some
moment when you are doing a kind act; and, when you want Dorothy, you
must call her. Now away with you! Good-by! (_Retires into Cosey Corner,
with curtains drawn together._)
CHILDREN. Good-by! Thank you! Good-by!
(_Enter_ WEST WIND, _who approaches_ DOROTHY _slowly, singing; tune,
“Wind of the Western Sea.”_)
Breathe and grow, breathe and grow,
Child of the Sunshine Land!
Grow, grow, breathe and grow;
Life is for thee most grand!
Over the prairies wide and free,
List to the West Wind’s call to thee,
Child of the Sunshine Land!
Come, my little one; come, my pretty one, come!
(_Wraps_ DOROTHY _gently in her mantle, and leads her slowly away_,
DOROTHY _waving her hand in farewell. The children and Brownies
respond by waving caps and handkerchiefs. Exit_ DOROTHY _and_ WEST
WIND. _Music, same tune, continued instrumentally, as curtain falls._)