_Interior of Santa Claus’ Home. Two months later. Discovered at the
door_ FLOSSIE FIXIT _and_ GOSSIP, _singing and dancing_.
SONG
_Air_: “_Glad Christmas Bells._”
Oh, wedding bells, oh wedding bells,
I hear across the lea,
For Santa Claus and the Fairy Queen
Are married, you shall see.
Oh, wedding bells, oh wedding bells,
Peel on, peel on, and ring!
For Santa Claus the Fairy Queen
To his home he soon will bring.
Oh! here they are! Oh! here they are!
They dance and sing, they dance and sing;
For Santa Claus to his fairy bride
Has given the marriage ring.
[_Exit._]
SANTA CLAUS _and the_ FAIRY QUEEN, _dancing and smiling, enter_.
QUEEN [_seeing toys everywhere, remarks playfully_]. Such
housekeeping! Just like an old bachelor!
SANTA CLAUS [_hurriedly clears the place up, then hands the_ QUEEN
_his spy glass and she looks through_]. See all the little children
looking for Santa Claus. And see, they have no Christmas trees,
holly, or turkeys. Won’t you make these things grow right away? The
candies, toys and other gifts are all ready.
QUEEN [_playfully_]. I’m kind of tired. I’ve only been married one
hour, and you want to put me to work.
SANTA CLAUS. But it’s the very day before Christmas, and nothing
ready.
QUEEN. I can see you are going to be a very _bossy_ husband. Did I
promise to obey?
SANTA CLAUS [_merrily_]. You did.
FAIRY QUEEN _raises her wand_. FLOSSIE FIXIT, BILLY BUNDY _and_
THOMAS PAGE _enter_.
QUEEN. Produce the Christmas trees, the holly and turkeys.
FLOSSIE, BILLY _and_ THOMAS _exit, curtseying and very happy at
receiving this order at last_.
MUSIC: “_The Happiest Christmas Day._”
QUEEN _keeps time to the music with her wand_.
SANTA CLAUS _busies himself gathering toys together and doing
up bundles. Finally points to the clock, as music ceases. It is
noon._
QUEEN _waves her wand_.
FLOSSIE, BILLY _and_ THOMAS _enter_.
_Sleigh and reindeer appear at door at the same time._
BILLY BUNDY. We have it all done.
SANTA CLAUS [_gathering up his bundles, hurries to the door and
speaks jovially_]. Come, Mrs. Santa, we must now distribute the
gifts.
QUEEN [_sweetly_]. I have done my part.
SANTA CLAUS [_stands dumbfounded a moment_]. The time is so
short now. I cannot distribute all the gifts in time without
your help.
[QUEEN _is resolute and will not go_.]
SANTA CLAUS [_starts regretfully for his sleigh. Coming back,
playfully_]. You are _not_ a very satisfactory wife for a Santa
Claus. [QUEEN _looks reproachfully at him_.]
SANTA CLAUS _gathers the little_ QUEEN _in his arms for a
moment, then exit. Enters sleigh and reindeer prances off,
bells ringing._
QUEEN [_throwing herself upon the couch, gracefully, but sadly_]. I
don’t believe Santa Claus loves me any more. Oh, why did the Prince
have to die? [_She weeps. Presently she falls asleep._]
FLOSSIE FIXIT [_to_ BILLY BUNDY _and_ THOMAS PAGE]. Step softly. The
Queen is asleep.
BILLY BUNDY. Sister Flossie, the Queen is very unhappy. You’ve got
her married to the wrong man. What can we do? What can we do?
FLOSSIE FIXIT. Why, it wasn’t I who did that. It was you.
[BILLY BUNDY _smiles in spite of himself_.]
THOMAS PAGE. Tell us the truth about the Prince.
FLOSSIE FIXIT. He has been asleep. But I’ll awaken him now. [_Picks
up_ QUEEN’S _wand and waves it slowly back and forth three times_.]
THOMAS PAGE. Why did you not awaken him before?
FLOSSIE FIXIT. I could not get hold of the Queen’s wand.
BILLY BUNDY [_apprehensively_]. It will only make matters worse now.
QUEEN _awakens_. FLOSSIE _drops wand hurriedly_.
QUEEN [_notices_ SANTA’S _spy glass, picks it up, and looks through
it_]. Oh, the Prince is coming! Am I dreaming? The Prince, the
Prince! Oh, my beautiful Prince! [_She drops the spy glass, and runs
out of the door to meet the_ PRINCE.]
MUSIC: “_The Owl._”
GOSSIP [_enters_]. Did you hear the news? The Prince has
returned, and the Queen has gone off with him. [FLOSSIE
_smiles_.]
BILLY BUNDY [_to_ FLOSSIE]. I suppose now there will be a
scandal and a divorce.
FLOSSIE FIXIT. Well, we have got the Christmas things all made,
and the little children all over the world will be happy.
THOMAS PAGE. But we must find a way to make the Fairy Queen
happy, too, or she will die, and the little children won’t have
any Christmas trees, holly or turkeys next year.
GOSSIP [_playfully_]. Why didn’t some of you goody, goody, wise
people frame up a scheme that would have helped the children
out without making the Queen suffer?
BILLY BUNDY. We would have done so in time.
FLOSSIE FIXIT. But there wasn’t any time to lose. You’ll see.
It will come out all right.
THOMAS PAGE. I’ll have to see what can be done to _make_ it
come out right. I shall see the Fairy Judge of the Supreme
Court.
BILLY BUNDY [_horrified_]. That means a divorce!
GOSSIP [_looking through spy glass_]. Look here, everybody.
_SANTA CLAUS in his travels, as seen through the glass, coming
down a certain chimney, finds an old lady dressed all in red.
She evidently intends to play_ MRS. SANTA CLAUS. _There is a
tree, and stockings by the fireplace, and_ SANTA CLAUS _reads
a sign_:
FOR MY LONG LOST SON.
_The old lady is crying._
BILLY _and_ FLOSSIE _clamor to have a look through the glass_.
CURTAIN _opens in the direction in which the spy glass is pointing,
showing scene described (Scene III)_.