Costumes.
Teddy. Long nightgown reaching to just above the ankles, barefooted, and hair tousled.
Fun, the goblin. A boy of twelve or fourteen years, quite small for his age. Long beard, pointed shoes that turn up at the toes, long belted blouse and tight knee pants, stocking cap with tassel.
Red Ridinghood. Long red cloak and hood and a basket. A large dog may represent the wolf.
Old Woman. Pointed hat with brim. Old shoulder-shawl and dress to ankles, carrying a dilapidated broom.
Jack the Giant-Killer. Page’s costume and sword.
Giant. Very large man. Any fantastic costume.
Jack and Jill. Dressed as country children and carrying a pail, Jill with sunbonnet.
Tom, Tom, the Piper’s Son. Boy about sixteen, tall and slender; short waistcoat, trousers above shoe-tops, little old hat on back of head; a pig made of white Canton flannel under his arm. Or, if a small live pig could be procured, it would add to the merriment.
Jack-be-Nimble. Small boy in short waistcoat and trousers, with candle in candlestick.
Bo-Peep. Shepherdess costume. Long crook with ribbon tied on end.
Simple Simon. Trousers to shoe-tops; straight ragged garment extending almost to knees, and left open at neck; hair tousled. A tin pail and a rod about two feet in length with long string tied to it and piece of bent wire attached to the end of string.
Time. Just before dawn Christmas morning.
SCENE opens on the little bedroom. Teddy asleep on the cot. Keep the front of the stage as dark as possible during this scene, with woods curtain drawn aside, and throw a dim light on the bedroom from behind the scenes.
Teddy (waking, sitting up in bed, and rubbing his eyes). My, but it’s dark! I wonder if Santa Claus has been here yet. Guess I’ll see. (Strikes a match, and lights the candle, holds it above his head, and peers around. Suddenly seeing the stocking fairly bulging with gifts, he puts the candle on the chair, bounds out of bed, and makes a dive for the stocking. When about to take it down, he hesitates.) I know it ain’t time, but I just can’t wait. I’ll just take one thing out. (Reaches up carefully and takes down camera.) My! if it ain’t the camera I wrote to Santa Claus for. I wonder how it works. (Turning it over.) I’ll take Rover’s picture the very first one. (Dances back to bed, camera in hand, and, pulling the covers over him, begins examining it. Yawns several times, and talks in a sleepy voice.) Won’t ma and pa be (yawns) surprised—when—they—see—(yawns again)—it, though?—Wish—I—could—— (Falls asleep.)
(In runs little old goblin, frolics around the room a little, blows out the candle, and perches himself on the foot of the bed.)
Fun. Aha! been into your stocking already, have you? and sound asleep again. Well, well (then talking to himself), I will just wake him up in dreamland, and have a little fun with him. (Turning to Teddy.) Well, Master Teddy, how are you? Merry Christmas!
Teddy (very sleepy and still holding on to camera). How do you do?—but I—I don’t know you. What is your name? and where am I?
Fun. That’s so! Why, you are in dreamland; and you don’t know me?—ha! ha!—well, my name’s Fun. You think that a queer name? Well, I took that name because, you see, people are always wanting to do things “just for fun,” and so I thought I would be well taken care of!
Teddy. I wish I could take a picture with my new camera just for fun, but I don’t know how.
Fun. Is that so? Why, I can take fine pictures. Just come with me into the woods, and I will show you. (Jumps down and pulls Teddy, with camera, out of bed by the hand. Teddy hangs back as if frightened.) O, don’t be afraid. I will take good care of you, and bring you back again. Come on; we will take pictures of Mother Goose children in the woods.
Teddy. O—real sure ’nough live children?
Fun. Yes, I should say so. I know them all—Jack and Jill and Red Ridinghood and——
Teddy (excitedly). And Jack the Giant-Killer?
Fun. Yes—all of them.
Teddy. O, let’s hurry! (No longer holds back, but runs out, pulling Fun after him. As they leave, the foliage curtains should be quickly drawn together, leaving only the woods, and the light should now be turned on that scene. Enter Fun and Teddy, looking around. Teddy disappointed.) I don’t see anybody.
Fun. Just wait. Now you stand behind the tree and watch. Keep quiet. (Enter Red Ridinghood talking to the wolf, the dog. While she is talking, Fun takes the camera, and turns it in her direction. A stout rubber band can be attached to the camera so that no one can see it, and he snaps it very loud as he takes the picture. Fun turns to Teddy and grins.) I got that one; now we must get ready for the next. (Winds screw. At the same instant some one behind the scenes winds an old clock or something that makes an equally loud sound. This should be done each time a picture is taken. Just as he is ready for the next, Tom, Tom, the Piper’s Son, runs across the stage with pig, and Fun jumps quickly to snap the camera. Fun turns to Teddy and winks.) Nearly lost that one. (Winds again. After that the rest of the characters come in, in quick succession, so that all of them are in almost at the same time, each of course in his or her own way. Simple Simon should set his mother’s pail down at one side and begin fishing in it, always looking as silly as possible. Jack-be-Nimble places his lighted candle on the floor, and frequently jumps lightly back and forth over it. In the meantime the giant has lain down asleep, and Jack the Giant-Killer has taken his position with one foot on giant’s chest and sword in hand; Bo-Peep has fallen asleep, and so on. Fun skips in and out among them, snapping one picture after another, always winding after each. Finally he stops.) I wonder if I have them all.
Teddy (in loud whisper). You didn’t get the giant. (Is so interested that he forgets to keep back, and finds himself in the centre of the stage.)
Fun. Why, I forgot Little Bo-Peep! and the dear child is fast asleep. (Snaps camera again. At the same time, seeing Teddy, the children all begin to laugh and dance around him, having lots of fun. Teddy becomes frightened, and, burying his face in his hands, cries aloud. Fun runs to him, and when the children see the goblin they all scamper off the stage, Bo-Peep and the giant disappearing with the rest.) What is the matter, my little friend?
Teddy. I’m so (sobs) scared!
Fun. Scared at what?
Teddy. Because they’re all around me.
Fun. Who?
Teddy (looking up wonderingly). Why!—why, where are they?
Fun. You crazy child, who are you talking about?
Teddy. Red Ridinghood and Jack the Giant-Killer and—and all the rest!
Fun. Ha! ha! (Laughing heartily.) You don’t understand them. Now you see them and now you don’t.
Teddy. Wish I could see them again, but I don’t want them to see me.
Fun. Well, the pictures are all ready now, and they are fine ones, too. One hundred times larger than your camera. Think of it! Would you like to see them now?
Teddy. Well, I should say so!
Fun. All right; here goes. First we will have Little Red Ridinghood. (During the performance in the woods the cot, chair, etc., should be removed and the large frame with platform back of it put directly behind the foliage curtain. Back of the frame opening and platform should be a woods background if possible. When Fun announces the subject of each picture, some one behind the scenes, near the front, should read slowly and clearly the story or verse describing that picture. Meanwhile, those characters are taking their positions in the frame, and when ready must not move. As each story or verse is finished, the curtains are drawn aside for a minute, showing the picture, and then drawn together again. Then the next story and its picture, and so on until all are shown. As each one is presented, Teddy and Fun dance around and clap their hands, making such exclamations as “O my!” “Isn’t that great?” etc. Curtain falls on the last picture. Fun and Teddy are again alone in the woods.) Here they all come back again, I declare! Too bad they could not have seen their own pictures. O, well; it doesn’t matter. Why! where are you going, Teddy?
Teddy. I’m going home! (Runs off the stage.)
Fun. Wait a minute. (Talking to himself.) No use. Guess I had better see if he gets home all right. (Follows Teddy. Enter all the children singing Mother Goose rhymes. While they are dancing and singing, the large frame is removed, and the cot, etc., are replaced the same as in the first scene. As the music is finished, they dance off stage. Curtain opens on bedroom scene. Teddy asleep with camera, and the goblin perched on bed again.) Well, the little fellow has had quite a treat, and it is nearly time for him to wake up; so I must leave him for this time. (Jumps down, and as he steals lightly out, kisses his hand to Teddy.) Good-by, little chap. I hope you will have a fine Christmas day. Good-by.
(A bright light is now thrown on the cot, and Teddy wakes up.)
Teddy. My! it’s broad daylight, and I’ll bet the folks are all up. (Sits up on one side of the bed; suddenly thinks of the camera, and takes it up.) Wasn’t Santa Claus good, though? (Meditatively.) If I only knew how to use it! (Brightening.) Why, I do! Now who was it showed me how? O, yes! it was the goblin, I do believe; and I’ve been to dreamland. Yes, it all comes to me now, and I’ve resolved that —— (Standing and reciting.)
When there’s something to be bought and you haven’t got the money,
You just write out that little thought,—now that sounds rather funny,—
Just write it nice to Santa Claus, and seal it up right tight,
And when you go to bed you know he’ll bring it sure that night.
Because, you know, ’tis Christmas eve, when Santa always comes,
And brings you lots of things you want—nice cameras and drums;
And when you’re puzzled as to how to work the things you get,
Just go off into dreamland, and you’ll find out, you bet!
’Cause Fun, the little goblin, is always sure to know,
And you can take a trip with him if you are not too slow.
Then you will find out how to do most anything under the sun,
And when you wake up bright again, you’ll know just how ’tis done.
CURTAIN.