THE STORY OF THE PLAY
Santa Claus neglects his Christmas duties, for he has fallen in love with a beautiful girl, the Queen of the Fairies. The Queen also, being completely occupied with her consideration of Santa’s suit, neglects her duty of seeing that the Christmas trees, holly and turkeys are made to grow for Christmas.
The President of the United States sends a Messenger to find out what is the matter, but he cannot gain audience with the Queen nor Santa. He appeals to the Queen’s fairy attendants to help him out. So they transform him into a Fairy Prince, and he seeks the Queen’s hand in marriage. The Queen and the Prince are soon so much in love that the Prince forgets to remind the Queen of her Christmas duties.
The little fairies are now much puzzled, but the Queen’s maids, Flossie Fixit and the Elf Gossip, and the Fairy Messenger, Thomas Page, undertake to solve the problem. They must not only arouse the Queen to her responsibilities, but Santa as well.
They first bring Santa to see the Queen’s response to the Prince’s love making, but when he is unhappy over it, they tell him to forget his troubles by making other people happy. So he goes home and sets to work properly, making toys and other gifts for Christmas.
Then the little folks wonder how they can get the Queen to do her part. She has told her attendants not to interrupt her when a guest is present except in a matter of life and death.
Flossie Fixit and Thomas Page get up a telegramwhich Thomas Page hands to the Prince. It states that his home is on fire and that his mother will be burned up unless he makes haste to rescue her. The Prince flies to his mother.
Flossie Fixit puts the Prince into a deep sleep. Gossip spreads the report that the Prince has been burned up in the fire.
The Queen is so grief-stricken that they are afraid she will die, and Billy Bundy brings Santa Claus to console her. Then her old love for Santa returns, and she takes refuge in his comforting old arms. Finally she says:
“I love you, Santa. I will marry you.”
So Santa Claus and the Fairy Queen are married. Santa Claus takes his bride home and, as it is the very day before Christmas, he immediately puts her to work making the Christmas trees, holly and turkeys grow. By noon all is finished and Santa Claus starts off on his tour, distributing gifts to all the little children in the world, flying first of course to the side of the world which is dark. He tries to get the Queen to go with him to help distribute the gifts, but she refuses, saying she has done her part of the work. Santa tells her she is not a very satisfactory wife for a Santa Claus. She smiles at him reproachfully, but will not go. Santa wraps the little Queen in his arms for a moment and then goes alone.
The Fairy Queen grieves, thinking Santa doesn’t love her any more, and she says: “Oh, why did the Prince have to die?”
She throws herself on the couch and finally cries herself to sleep.
Billy Bundy, the Fairy Minister, says to Flossie Fixit: “Sister Flossie, the Queen is very unhappy. Whatcanwe do? Whatcanwe do? You’ve got her married to the wrong man.”
“Where is the Prince?” asks Thomas Page.
“The Prince is asleep,” says Flossie, “but I will now awaken him.” To this end she picks up the Queen’s wand and waves it back and forth three times.
The Queen, awakening, looks through Santa’s spy glass and sees the Prince coming back. She flies out of the door to meet him.
The Elf Gossip enters, announcing that the Prince has arrived and the Queen has gone off with him. Thomas Page goes out to see what can be done about it.
The Elf Gossip picks up the spy glass. Suddenly she calls Billy and Flossie to look through the spy glass at Santa Claus on his travels.
He comes to an old lady all dressed in red, evidently intending to play Santa Claus. There are a tree and stockings by the chimney which Santa Claus comes down, and a sign: “For my long lost son.” She is alone and weeping. Santa comforts her and then invites her to go on his trip to act as Mrs. Santa Claus, as he needs help. She goes, and both she and Santa think this great fun. Elf Gossip declares Santa Claus has kissed the old lady.
Meanwhile the Queen and Prince enter Santa’s home. The Queen says:
“I would get a divorce, but I just can’t think of breaking dear old Santa’s heart. He is such a darling.”
Santa, who (with the old lady) has returned for more toys, enters the door at this point, looking playfully severe; there is a twinkle in his eye.
The Prince falls on his knees:
“Ah, forgive me for being here,” he says, “I have done the little Queen no harm.”
Thomas Page enters, blowing a horn. He announces: “The Supreme Court has ordered me to pronounce the Queen’s marriage null and void, because any marriage is illegal which takes place between a human being and a fairy. In the Court’s judgment, Santa Claus is human.”
Billy Bundy steps forward and the Prince says to the Queen: “Here is the minister ready to marry us.”
The Queen says she feels she ought to transform Santa into a fairy and marry him over again. The Prince is disconsolate.
Santa says: “Cheer up, Prince. I don’t want to be transformed into a fairy. I would rather be human. I am going to give you to each other as my Christmas gift to you.”
The Fairy Queen and the Prince rejoice.
Santa then brings in the old lady, who is immediately clasped in the arms of the Prince. He says:
“Oh, Mother, it seemssogood to see you.”
The old lady murmurs: “My long lost son!”
Santa Claus announces: “The Prince’s mother is going to be Mrs. Santa Claus.”
Billy Bundy approaches, and the two couples place themselves before him, one on each side, while he says: “I pronounce you husband and wife.”
Curtain opens, revealing a handsome Christmas tree, with an enormous stocking marked, “For Santa Claus,” and from it a book on which Santa reads: “How Young Husbands Can Make Their Wives Happy.”
Santa is jubilant over his stocking and the book. He examines the other gifts and distributes them.
Billy Bundy says: “We should not keep Santa here to distribute our gifts. Half the little children in the world are waiting for him.”
The reindeer drive up to the door. Santa and Mrs. Santa drive off, Mrs. Santa calling back: “We will bring some of the little children back with us.”
All dance around the Christmas tree singing: “The Christmas Tree.” Santa and Mrs. Santa return, with a troop of little folks from the audience, to whom they distribute gifts. They are jovial and cordial in their greetings, while the Fairy Queen and the Prince are gracious and delightful. All the little fairies help, distributing the gifts among the audience, crying: “MerryChristmas!”