THE PROUD RING-FINGER
TIME: this morning.
PLACE: Mary's bedroom.
| MARY. | POINTING-FINGER. | |
| MOTHER. | MIDDLE-FINGER. | |
| FATHER. | RING-FINGER. | |
| BROTHER. | LITTLE-FINGER. | |
| SISTER. | THUMB. |
[MARY lies in bed asleep. Her FATHER, MOTHER, BROTHER, and SISTER enter softly. They carry birthday presents for Mary.]
MOTHER. Sh! We must not wake her!
FATHER. I will put the gold pen on the table.
BROTHER. I will lay the apple by the pen.
SISTER. I will place the rose by the apple.
FATHER. How pretty they look!
MOTHER. What shall I do with the ring?
FATHER. Why not put it on her finger?
MOTHER. I will do that. I will put it on her ring-finger. There! See how pretty it looks!
SISTER. How pretty it makes her finger look!
MOTHER. Now come. We must not wake her. Sh! Sh!
[They go.]
RING-FINGER. I have a gold ring. I am pretty. I am better than the other fingers. I will not work with them.
THUMB. Do you hear that, fingers?
POINTING-FINGER. You are too proud, Ring-finger.
RING-FINGER. Have I not a ring?
MIDDLE-FINGER. That makes you no better, miss.
RING-FINGER. I will not work with any of you.
LITTLE-FINGER. Then I will not work with you.
POINTING-FINGER. Nor I!
THUMB. Nor I!
MIDDLE-FINGER. Nor I!
[The Ring-finger sees the rose.]
RING-FINGER. I wish to hold the rose.
MIDDLE-FINGER. I will not help you.
RING-FINGER. I cannot get it alone.
MIDDLE-FINGER. I will not help you. Let the ring help you.
RING-FINGER. Dear me! Dear me! I cannot get the rose!
[The Ring-finger sees the apple.]
RING-FINGER. I wish to hold the apple.
POINTING-FINGER. I will not help you.
RING-FINGER. I cannot get it alone.
POINTING-FINGER. I will not help you. Let the ring help you.
RING-FINGER. Dear me! Dear me! I cannot get the apple.
[The Ring-finger sees the gold pen.]
RING-FINGER. I wish to write.
THUMB. I will not help you.
RING-FINGER. I cannot write alone.
THUMB. I will not help you. Let the ring help you.
RING-FINGER. The ring does not help me. I cannot work alone. I am no better than you, my brothers. I will work Win you.
MIDDLE-FINGER. Ah, now I will help you to get the rose.
POINTING-FINGER. And I will help you to get the apple.
THUMB. And I will help you to write.