Snickerty Nick and the Giant/Scene 2

by Julia Ellsworth Ford and Harold Witter Bynner

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—appear. They dance in front of the flower beds and scatter flowers.

SPRING

[Dances and sings]

I am little mischief Spring
Getting into everything!
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.

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?

DWARF

[In a sleepy voice]

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]

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

[They all laugh.]

[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 steps.]

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 him]

Wake up! Wake up! I can’t wake him.

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.]

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? ApplesP One a penny, two a penny, hot—no—[hesitates]. Personally I prefer them cold. Apples!

[Falls asleep again.]

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 lase 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;

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 mouth]

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!

ALL

[Rushing forward]

Let me do it.

[They wheel him round. The wheelbarrow upsets and the Dwarf rolls out, jumps up and rubs his eyes. Spring and the faeries disappear.]

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 think beauty is only skin deep, fit for women and peacocks. But what is this? A dandelion? 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 flowers, little children peep through the gate and call, pelting the Dwarf with blossoms.]

Little children peep through the gate

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.

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.

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. Personally 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.]

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.

[As 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 button? 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!
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!

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”

[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 coming; 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.

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.

[The children run toward the big front gate but they cannot open it.]

CHILDREN

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

GIANT

[Heard coming 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.

[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 ts 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]

O, Mr. Giant, help me up. IT have hurt myself.

[The Giant looks at the child and puts the stick down, then lifts him up; and the little boy throws his arms 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. [Grant puts him down.]

LITTLE BOY

I’m all right now.

[Takes the Giant’s hand and looks up into hisface.]

I think I will run and play with the children now. Good-bye, Mr. Giant.

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 with 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.

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

[Who has been watching closely]

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

LITTLE BOY

I couldn’t stay here without the other children.

GIANT

No, I don’t want the other children. But I 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.]

GIANT

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 hand to the Giant.]

DWARF

A boy named Jack, so I’ve heard tell,
Killed a giant dead.

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?

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,

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

Go ’way now, all of you,
Leave me alone
On the peacefullest 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 little boy and bring him back to me.

“What part do I get after all those kicks?”

DWARF

Can’t be done.

GIANT

Not if [ 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 wonder?

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 sign.]

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.]

How do you like that? “Trespassers will be petted.”

[Views his work with his head first on one side and then on the other.]

GIANT

Here, take these keys of my kingdom and unlock every gate—so that we can all have the kingdom. 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.]

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!

[They join hands and dance round the Giant.]

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

DWARF

[Running in with the jingling keys and skipping 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 curtains and smiles. Then he comes through and holds up a bunch of golden keys.]

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 children in the audience.]

THE END

“Dipsey, ipsey, tiddley ipsey”