PERSONS IN THE PLAY—Mother, Little One-Eye, Little Two-Eyes, Little Three-Eyes, Little Old Woman, Tree, Prince, Goat

Scene I.—Dining Room at Little Two-Eyes' Home

Mother. Come to dinner, little One-Eye and little Three-Eyes. Here is some good soup and white bread for you. Little Two-Eyes, you can have what your sisters do not want.Little Three-Eyes. Here's a crust for you. That is enough for a girl with only two eyes.

Little One-Eye. What a shame to have a sister with two eyes! You look just like other people! Little Three-Eyes and I are very different.

Little Three-Eyes. Here little Two-Eyes, take this bowl. I don't want any more and you can have what is left.

Mother. Now, children, run away and play. Little Two-Eyes, take the goat and go out to the hillside. You must stay till it begins to get dark, and then you may come home. You must work, because you have two eyes like other people, but my little One-Eye and Three-Eyes may stay at home and play.

Scene II.—On the Hillside

Little Two-Eyes. Come, little goat, here is some green grass for you to eat. I wish that my sisters loved me and that my mother was not ashamed of me. Oh, why do I have two eyes just like all other people? I am so hungry, Oh, dear! Oh, dear! (Cries.)

Wood Fairy. My child, why do you cry?

Little Two-Eyes. Because I have only two eyes, and my mother and my sisters treat me badly. I don't have enough to eat and I am so hungry. My dress is old, and my sisters have nice dresses and pretty ribbons. But who are you?

Wood Fairy. I am the little Old Woman who lives on this hill. I have come to help you. Listen, little Two-Eyes! You need never be hungry again. Say to your little goat:

Then a table will rise before you with all the food you can eat. When you have finished eating, you must say:

and it will disappear before your eyes. Good-by, dear little Two-Eyes. I must go now, but remember what I have told you.

Little Two-Eyes. Why, where has that queer looking little woman gone? I am so hungry I'll try now if what she said can be true.

Goat. Bla-a! Bla-a! Bla-a!

Little Two-Eyes. Oh, look, little goat! what a pretty table! and how good the food looks. Now we shall have all we want to eat. Here is something for you, and here are oranges and meat and pudding for me! Dear little woman! How can I thank her? Now I can eat no more.

Goat. Bla-a! Bla-a! Bla-a!

Little Two-Eyes. There, it is gone. Aren't we happy, little goat? But see, it is time to go home. Come, little goat.

Scene III.—At Home

Mother. Here, little Two-Eyes, here are the crusts your sisters saved for you.

Two-Eyes. Thank you, mother, but I don't care for any crusts. I'm not hungry.

Mother. Not care for them? You are not hungry? You have always eaten them before now and asked for more! You didn't eat any supper last night, either. What does this mean? What did you have to eat to-day?

Two-Eyes. I cannot tell you, mother.

Mother. You cannot? Then, little One-Eye, you shall go to the hillside with little Two-Eyes and find out why she is no longer hungry.

Little One-Eye. I don't want to go! The walk is too long, and I shall get tired!Mother. Just this once, my dear! You will not have to go again. But we must learn the secret.

Little Two-Eyes. Come, sister. Come, little goat.

Scene IV.—The Hillside

Little Two-Eyes. Now we are almost there. Are you tired, little One-Eye?

Little One-Eye. Oh! I am so tired, and my feet hurt so I can hardly walk.

Little Two-Eyes. I have to walk this far every day.

Little One-Eye. Yes, but you have two eyes like other people and you must expect to work. I cannot go any farther. I'll lie down here and rest.

Little Two-Eyes. I'll sing you a pretty song:

Yes, you are asleep, little One-Eye, and now I can have my dinner.

Goat. Bla-a! Bla-a! Bla-a!

Little Two-Eyes. Here is the little table again! Oh, how thankful I am for the good food. Dear little old woman, you are very good to send me such nice things to eat. Here is some for you, little goat. Now I have had enough.

There, it is gone. Little One-Eye, wake up! It is time to go home.

Little One-Eye. Did I go to sleep?

Little Two-Eyes. Indeed, you did, and now we must hurry home. Come, little goat!

Scene V.—At Home

Mother. Well, little One-Eye, tell us what you have seen. Why doesn't little Two-Eyes eat the food we have for her?

Little One-Eye. I don't know, mother. The way was so long and I was so tired; I fell asleep; and when I woke up it was time to come home.

Mother. It was a hard walk for you, my dear; but we must find out who is giving little Two-Eyes something to eat. To-morrow you must go, little Three-Eyes.

Little Three-Eyes. I'll find out, mother. If anyone dares to give food to little Two-Eyes, I'll tell you all about it.

Mother. Yes, my dear, I know you won't go to sleep. I can trust you to find out everything.

Scene VI.—On the Hillside

Little Two-Eyes. Come, sister, we must go on, for it is a long way to the top of the hill.

Little Three-Eyes. I'm not going any farther, I'm too tired! I'll rest a little here.

Little Two-Eyes. All right, little Three-Eyes. I'll sing you a song.

Yes, you are asleep, and now I'll have my dinner.

Goat. Bla-a! Bla-a! Bla-a!

Little Two-Eyes. Here is our dinner again, little goat. See this fresh lettuce and cabbage and good bread and butter. Here is some honey, too, and cake. Isn't this a good dinner?

Goat. Bla-a, bla-a, bla-a!

Little Two-Eyes. Now it is gone. Three-Eyes, wake up! It is time home.

Little Three-Eyes. How long I have slept! What will my mother say? But I think I have a surprise for you, little Two-Eyes!

Scene VII.—At Home

Mother. Well, little Three-Eyes, did you go to sleep, too?

Little Three-Eyes.—Yes, mother, but only with two eyes. Little Two-Eyes sang to me,

and so two of my eyes went to sleep, but one stayed awake and watched.

Mother. What did you see? Tell me quickly, dear little Three-Eyes.

Little Three-Eyes. First she said,

and the goat said, "Bla-a, bla-a, bla-a!" Then a table came up out of the ground. Oh! it was such a pretty little table with a white cloth over it and all kinds of good things on it. No wonder little Two-Eyes doesn't eat any of our common food. It isn't good enough for her! She has food fit for a queen,—nuts and cake, and candy, too!

Mother. So that is why little Two-Eyes doesn't eat the crusts we save for her! Well, I'll see if she is going to have better food, than we have. Bring me the long sharp knife.

[Goes out and soon returns.]

There, now the goat is dead. Little Two-Eyes, perhaps you'll eat the food we give you now!

Little Two-Eyes. Oh, my poor little goat! What shall I do without it!

Mother. Go to bed, and to-morrow morning you shall go to the hillside alone. And you must stay there all day, too.

Scene VIII.—On the Hillside

Little Two-Eyes. Oh, dear! Oh, dear! my poor goat is dead! Now I shall be hungry and lonely too! Where shall I go, and what can I do?Little Wood Fairy. Little Two-Eyes, why are you weeping?

Little Two-Eyes. Because my mother has killed my poor goat, and she has sent me here to stay all alone, and I am so hungry and thirsty again.

Little Wood Fairy. Little Two-Eyes, let me tell you what to do. Ask your sisters to give you the heart of your goat. Bury it in the ground before the house door. Watch, and to-morrow a wonderful tree will come up out of the ground.

Little Two-Eyes. Thank you, dear little woman! I'll go home and do as you have told me.

Scene IX.—At Home

Little Two-Eyes. Little One-Eye and little Three-Eyes, please let me have the heart of my goat!

One-Eye. Certainly, if that is all you want.

Three-Eyes. Here it is, but I don't see what you want it for!Little Two-Eyes (goes to door). Now I'll plant it as the little woman told me. I wonder what kind of a tree will appear to-morrow? Poor little goat, I'm so sorry you have gone! Now I must go into the house and try to sleep.

Scene X.—In the Garden

Little One-Eye. Mamma, mamma, look here! Come quickly! Isn't this a wonderful tree!

Mother. Why, how strange! This tree was not here yesterday. I wonder how it came! I never saw such a beautiful tree before!

Little One-Eye. Do you see the golden apples on it? O mamma! may we have some? Please, mother!

Mother. Yes, dear little One-Eye. You are the oldest, climb up into the tree and pick some golden apples for us.

One-Eye. That will be fun. Here I go!Mother. Why don't you get the apples, little One-Eye?

Little One-Eye. They all get away from me. When I try to pick one it springs back!