  PERSONS IN THE PLAY—Mother Goose, Jack Goose, Mother Hubbard, Dog, A-Dillar-a-Dollar, Mary (and Her Lamb), Old Mrs. Shoeman, Her Sons (Tommy Tucker, Jacky Horner), Miss Muffet, Boy Blue, Bo-Peep, Nancy Etticoat, Little Boy Who Lives in the Lane, Old King Cole, Man in the Moon, Tom the Piper's Son, Mistress Mary Scene I.—Home of Mother GooseMother Goose. I really think I must give a party. All my friends have been so good to me and I have been entertained in so many homes! Wherever I go I am sure to see one of my Mother Goose books, and the children all seem to love it so much. Let me see! whom shall I invite? I think I'll ask Old Mother Hubbard to take tea with me and we'll talk about the party together. Jack, Jack! Jack (enters). Yes, mother dear, what is it? Mother Goose. Jack Goose, I wish you Jack. Yes, mother dear. See me jump over the candlestick! Isn't that fine jumping? Mother Goose. Very fine indeed, Jack. Now do your errand, and hurry home. Jack. Yes, mother, I will. Good-by. Mother Goose. Good-by. Scene II.—House of Mother HubbardJack (knocking). I wonder if Old Mother Hubbard is at home. Hark! I hear her dog barking. Yes, and I hear her step. Here she is! Mother Hubbard (opening the door). Who is this knocking so loud? Oh, it's you, little nimble Jack! Will you come in? Jack. No, thank you, Mrs. Hubbard. My mother wishes you to come over to our house for tea this afternoon. Will you come? Jack. O Mother Hubbard! please let me play with your dog. He's such a dear old doggie! Do you remember how he danced a jig the other day? Mother Hubbard. Yes, Jack, I do; and I think you danced with him. You are both nimble young things and both like to dance. Well, good-by, now. Have a good time together and I'll bring you something little boys like. Jack. Thank you! Good-by, good-by! Now, doggie, let's dance. Old Mother Hubbard, she went to the cupboard, To get the poor doggie a bone; But when she got there, the cupboard was bare, And so the poor doggie had none. Dog (sadly). Bow-wow, bow-wow, bow-wow! Jack. Oh! you don't like that song! Never mind, old fellow! Mother Hubbard has gone to the butcher's and she'll get you a bone, I'm sure. Wait till she comes back. Dog (gayly). Bow-wow, bow-wow, bow-wow! Jack. I thought you would like that. Here she comes now. We've had a lovely dance, Mother Hubbard, and now I must hurry home. Mother Hubbard. Thank you for staying and taking good care of my dog. Here are some fresh Banbury buns for you. Jack. Oh, thank you, Mother Hubbard. I'm very fond of Banbury buns. Good-by! Mother Hubbard. Good-by, Jack. Tell your mother I'll be over soon. Jack. Bring your dog with you, and we'll have another dance. Good-by. Dog. Bow-wow! bow-wow! bow-wow! Scene III.—Mother Goose and Mother Hubbard at the Tea TableMother Goose. I am pleased to see you, Mother Hubbard. I hear that your cupboard is no longer bare and empty, and I am very glad you are able to give your poor dog all the bones a good dog should have. Now for our tea. Shall I put two or three lumps in your cup? Mother Hubbard. Three, please. I like my tea very sweet. And now tell me, Mother Goose, what is the reason you sent for me to-day? Mother Goose. Well, I am going to give a party and I wish to ask your advice. Mother Hubbard. Indeed! Whom do you think of inviting? Mother Goose. First, the dear Old Woman who lives in the shoe— Mother Hubbard. What! and all her children? Mother Goose. No, only the two eldest. Mother Hubbard. I hope you won't invite Tom the Piper's Son, or My Son John as his mother calls him,—or Humpty-Dumpty. They are not good boys for your son Jack to play with! Mother Goose. I suppose not; but I like them all, and I dislike to leave out anyone. I don't wish to hurt their feelings. Mother Hubbard. There are little Bo-Peep and Boy Blue, who are good children, although rather silly; and there are little Miss Muffet and Nancy Etticoat, both very pretty little girls; and there are Jacky Horner and Tommy Tucker and the Man-in-the-Moon and Taffey and Daffey-Down-Dilly and— Mother Goose. I'll have to give a garden party if I invite all those! I can't leave Mother Hubbard. That will be fine! I only hope it will be a pleasant day. When will you give it? Mother Goose. Two weeks from to-day, the first of May. Mother Hubbard. That's May Day and a very good day for a party out-of-doors. Well I must go home now. Good-by! If I can help you, please call upon me. Mother Goose. Thank you, Mother Hubbard! Good-by, and thank you again for coming over. Scene IV.—At the PartyMother Hubbard. What a lovely day you have for your party, Mother Goose! The sun shines so bright and warm, and the flowers are lovely. Is there anything I can do? Mother Goose. No, thank you. I'm glad you came early. Have you seen the tables? Mother Goose. From Mistress Mary, quite contrary. You know she has a garden With cockle shells, and silver bells, And pretty maids all in a row. Mother Hubbard. I see some one coming. Mother Goose. Why, how do you do, A-Dillar-a-Dollar! Are you always in such good time? A-Dillar-a-Dollar. I'm afraid not, Mrs. Goose. They call me A ten o'clock scholar, Why did you come so soon? You used to come at ten o'clock, And now you come at noon! Mother Goose. And here comes Mary with her little lamb. Do you like the lamb better than a Teddy Bear, Mary? It followed me to school one day, Which was against the rule; It made the children laugh and play, To see the lamb at school. Mother Goose. Here comes the Old Woman who lives in a shoe, and her two oldest boys. Dear Mrs. Shoe-woman, I am very glad to see you! How did you leave all of your children? Mrs. Shoe-woman. Oh, dear, Mother Goose! I have so many children I don't know what to do: when they are naughty I give them some broth without any bread, and whip them all soundly and put them to bed. Mother Goose. Here are all the children coming to the party! Come, children, let us have a dance. All stand around the Maypole as I call your names: Little Miss Muffet and Boy Blue; Nancy Etticoat and Jack-be-nimble; Mary and the little Boy who lives in the Lane. All take ribbons and stand around the Maypole. Are you all ready? Children. Yes, Mother Goose, we are all ready when the music begins. Mother Goose. Old King Cole, will you have your three fiddlers play for the dance? King Cole. With pleasure, dear Mother Goose—and I'll sing: Hey diddle, diddle! the cat and the fiddle; The cow jumped over the moon; The little dog laughed to see such craft, And the dish ran away with the spoon. Children (sing). Old King Cole was a merry old soul; And a merry old soul was he; He called for his pipe and he called for his bowl, And he called for his fiddlers three. Mother Goose's Party Mother Goose's Party Mother Goose. These are very good songs, but they will not do for a Maypole dance. Here, Little Tommy Tucker, sing for your supper. Tommy Tucker. All right, Mother Goose. Handy Spandy, Jack-a-dandy, Loved plum cake and sugar candy; He bought some at a grocer's shop, And out he came, hop, hop, hop. Children. Little Tommy Tucker, sings for his supper; What shall he eat? White bread and butter; How shall he eat it without any knife? How shall he marry without any wife? [Dance about the Maypole.] Mother Goose. Why, who can that man be? He is tumbling down in a very queer way! Who are you? Man. I'm the Man in the Moon, Come down too soon I went by the south, And burnt my mouth, Eating cold pease-porridge. Are Jack and Jill here? Jack. Here I am, Mr. Moon-Man. Jill. Oh, dear Mr. Moon-Man, where is your dog and your bundle of sticks? Jack. Tell us what the children play in your country, the Moon! Children. Please do, Mr. Moon-Man! Moon-Man. Well, children, I can tell you how they learn to count. They all say— One, two; buckle my shoe; Three, four; shut the door; Five, six; pick up sticks; and then they all pick up sticks and put them on the fire. Tom. I don't think that is much fun! Children. Of course you don't. You don't like sticks. Tom, Tom, the Piper's Son, Stole a pig and away he run! The pig was eat, And Tom was beat, And Tom ran roaring down the street! Mistress Mary. Now, children, let us sit in a circle and play games and sing songs. Little Bo-Peep, you may sing your little song first. Little Bo-Peep. Little Bo-Peep, she lost her sheep, And doesn't know where to find them; Children. Leave them alone and they will come home Bringing their tails behind them. Mistress Mary. Now Jack and Jill— Jack and Jill. Shall we go up the hill to get a pail of water? Children. Jack and Jill went up the hill To get a pail of water. And Jill came tumbling after. Boys. Up Jack got and home did trot As fast as he could caper; He went to bed to mend his head, With vinegar and brown paper. Girls. Jill came in and she did grin, To see his paper plaster; Her mother, vexed, did spank her next For laughing at Jack's disaster. Mistress Mary. Now, I'll sing a song and then help Mother Goose with the supper. [Sings.] Sing a song a sixpence, Pocket full of rye; Four-and-twenty blackbirds Baked in a pie. When the pie was opened The birds began to sing, To set before the king? Mother Goose. Now I must have some children to help me. Jack Goose. I'll take the bean porridge hot and bean porridge cold, mother, and Tommy Tucker can go with me and pass the white bread and butter. Mother Goose. That's my good Jack. Now Tom the Piper's Son may take the roast pig and Mary may pass the Banbury cross buns. Miss Muffet. Dear Mother Goose, may I pass the curds and whey? Mother Goose. Yes, my dear child, but be careful not to spill any. Then for the last course Jack Horner will pass the Christmas pie and give every child a big fat plum. Children (sing). Little Jacky Horner Sitting in a corner He put in his thumb And pulled out a plum And said—What a great boy am I? Old King Cole. Mother Goose, you have given us a beautiful party and we have had a lovely time. We hope you will live to give many more to your friends and the children. Children. Yes, Mother Goose, your party was just lovely! Mother Goose. Thank you, dear children. King Cole. Now, little folks, let us sing a good-by song to Mother Goose. The girls (bowing to King Cole). The king was in the counting room, Counting out his money. The boys (bowing to Mother Goose). The queen was in the parlor, Eating bread and honey. All. The maid was in the garden (To Mistress Mary) Hanging out the clothes, Along came a blackbird And nipped off her nose! Mother Goose. And that story means that night is coming and putting the day to sleep. King Cole. So it does, and you see the sun is fast going down behind the western hills. Say good-by, children, for it is time to go home. Children. Good night, Mother Goose. Mother Goose. Good night, dear children, and don't forget your old Mother Goose. Children. Forget dear Mother Goose? Never! Good-by, good-by! Mother Goose. Good-by. |
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