THE BABES IN THE WOOD

(An Impromptu Musical Tragedy)

By Laura E. Richards

[Air, “The Bold Young Lumberman.” The music may be continuous throughout, the action keeping time with it.]

Characters

Wicked Uncle.Remorseless Fiends.Babes.Robin.

Wicked Uncle.

Remorseless Fiends.

Babes.

Robin.

[EnterUncle.]Uncle.Oh, I am a bold, bad man,And I have a bold, bad plan.Now mind what you're about,Just watch and see how I carry it out!For I am a bold, bad man,And I have a bold, bad plan.

[EnterUncle.]

Uncle.Oh, I am a bold, bad man,And I have a bold, bad plan.Now mind what you're about,Just watch and see how I carry it out!For I am a bold, bad man,And I have a bold, bad plan.

Uncle.Oh, I am a bold, bad man,

And I have a bold, bad plan.

Now mind what you're about,

Just watch and see how I carry it out!

For I am a bold, bad man,

And I have a bold, bad plan.

[He beckons, and from either side, in cloaks and masks, and armed with daggers, enterRemorseless Fiends.]

Fiends.Two remorseless fiends are we,As anybody can see.When a deed of blood's to do,Just send for us and we'll carry it through;For remorseless fiends are we,As anybody can see.

Fiends.Two remorseless fiends are we,

As anybody can see.

When a deed of blood's to do,

Just send for us and we'll carry it through;

For remorseless fiends are we,

As anybody can see.

[Unclegives them gold, in bags, and indicates stabbing. They express comprehension. Dance. Curtain.]

[EnterFiends,draggingBabes.They threaten to kill them, but are disarmed by their pleading; they weep, and sing.]

Fiends.Two remorseless fiends are we,As anybody can see.But even for a villainThere may come a time when Barkisain'twillin',Though remorseless fiends are we,As anybody can see.[Dance and exeunt.]

Fiends.Two remorseless fiends are we,As anybody can see.But even for a villainThere may come a time when Barkisain'twillin',Though remorseless fiends are we,As anybody can see.

Fiends.Two remorseless fiends are we,

As anybody can see.

But even for a villain

There may come a time when Barkisain'twillin',

Though remorseless fiends are we,

As anybody can see.

[Dance and exeunt.]

Babes.We are poor little babes in the wood,And we've tried all the week to be good.But they've gone and left us here,And we really think it's a little bit queer,For we're poor little babes in the wood,And we've tried all the week to be good.[They lie down and die.][EnterRobin,hopping.]Robin.I'm a tender-hearted robin,And this sad scene sets me sobbin'.So, to give my heart relief,I will cover them up with a little green leaf,Like a tender-hearted robin,Whom this sad scene sets a-sobbin'.[CoversBabeswith leaves, and exit.][Curtain][Curtain rises again on all the performers, who sing]We are campers [or “comrades”] bold and true,And we've made this play for you.And if you like it not,Let us see you make a better one on the spot,For we're campers [or “comrades”] bold and true,And we've made this play for you.[Dance andCurtain.]

Babes.We are poor little babes in the wood,

And we've tried all the week to be good.

But they've gone and left us here,

And we really think it's a little bit queer,

For we're poor little babes in the wood,

And we've tried all the week to be good.

[They lie down and die.]

[EnterRobin,hopping.]

Robin.I'm a tender-hearted robin,And this sad scene sets me sobbin'.So, to give my heart relief,I will cover them up with a little green leaf,Like a tender-hearted robin,Whom this sad scene sets a-sobbin'.

Robin.I'm a tender-hearted robin,

And this sad scene sets me sobbin'.

So, to give my heart relief,

I will cover them up with a little green leaf,

Like a tender-hearted robin,

Whom this sad scene sets a-sobbin'.

[CoversBabeswith leaves, and exit.]

[Curtain]

[Curtain rises again on all the performers, who sing]

We are campers [or “comrades”] bold and true,And we've made this play for you.And if you like it not,Let us see you make a better one on the spot,For we're campers [or “comrades”] bold and true,And we've made this play for you.

We are campers [or “comrades”] bold and true,

And we've made this play for you.

And if you like it not,

Let us see you make a better one on the spot,

For we're campers [or “comrades”] bold and true,

And we've made this play for you.

[Dance andCurtain.]

[Listen]

Footnotes:[1]May be left out of cast without interfering with action.[2]May be left out of cast without interfering with action.[3]May be left out of cast without interfering with action.[4]Mountains, plains, and valleys in the Moon.[5]Mountains, plains, and valleys in the Moon.[6]Mountains, plains, and valleys in the Moon.[7]These speeches can be divided and assigned to different fairies.

Footnotes:

[1]May be left out of cast without interfering with action.

[2]May be left out of cast without interfering with action.

[3]May be left out of cast without interfering with action.

[4]Mountains, plains, and valleys in the Moon.

[5]Mountains, plains, and valleys in the Moon.

[6]Mountains, plains, and valleys in the Moon.

[7]These speeches can be divided and assigned to different fairies.

Transcriber’s Notes:The illustrations have been moved so that they do not break up paragraphs and so that they are next to the text they illustrate.Typographical and punctuation errors have been silently corrected.

Transcriber’s Notes:

The illustrations have been moved so that they do not break up paragraphs and so that they are next to the text they illustrate.

Typographical and punctuation errors have been silently corrected.

Back to Index Next