THE DREAM-TOY SHOP

(A Christmas Playlet for Little Girls and Boys)

By Jessie M. Baker

Little Maiden’s Room on Christmas Eve

[In the bed at center theMaidenlies asleep in her little frilled night cap and gown. Her stocking is hung on the bedpost. At the left on a small table a tiny candle burns.At the right is a large arm-chair with a picture-book and doll lying upon it.Enter the ChristmasFairyat right. She wears a loose, white frock with crêpe paper wings and a wreath of holly, and carries a little silver, star-tipped wand.]

[In the bed at center theMaidenlies asleep in her little frilled night cap and gown. Her stocking is hung on the bedpost. At the left on a small table a tiny candle burns.

At the right is a large arm-chair with a picture-book and doll lying upon it.

Enter the ChristmasFairyat right. She wears a loose, white frock with crêpe paper wings and a wreath of holly, and carries a little silver, star-tipped wand.]

Fairy.Oh, I am Santa Claus’ Fairy!I’m the Dreams-of-Christmas Fairy!Where a little child lies sleeping[Tiptoes to bedside.]I come softly, softly creepingAnd I weave my magic, so![Waves wand gently above littleMaiden.]Dream-dust, dream-dust on her eyesMake this maiden sweet to rise,—Through the gates of Dreamland go!With my fairy spell to wake you[Maidenrises dreamily and is led slowlytoward the exit at left by theFairy.]To the Dream-toy Shop I’ll take you,Where the Dream-toys dance and playOn the eve of Christmas day![Curtain]

Fairy.Oh, I am Santa Claus’ Fairy!I’m the Dreams-of-Christmas Fairy!Where a little child lies sleeping

Fairy.

Oh, I am Santa Claus’ Fairy!

I’m the Dreams-of-Christmas Fairy!

Where a little child lies sleeping

[Tiptoes to bedside.]

I come softly, softly creepingAnd I weave my magic, so!

I come softly, softly creeping

And I weave my magic, so!

[Waves wand gently above littleMaiden.]

Dream-dust, dream-dust on her eyesMake this maiden sweet to rise,—Through the gates of Dreamland go!With my fairy spell to wake you

Dream-dust, dream-dust on her eyes

Make this maiden sweet to rise,—

Through the gates of Dreamland go!

With my fairy spell to wake you

[Maidenrises dreamily and is led slowlytoward the exit at left by theFairy.]

[Maidenrises dreamily and is led slowly

toward the exit at left by theFairy.]

To the Dream-toy Shop I’ll take you,Where the Dream-toys dance and playOn the eve of Christmas day!

To the Dream-toy Shop I’ll take you,

Where the Dream-toys dance and play

On the eve of Christmas day!

[Curtain]

The Dream-toy Shop

[On the counter at background are a number of large toys, among them two little girls—one fair-haired, one dark—dressed asDolls.At the left of the counter stand twoSoldier-boyswith drums, paper caps, and epaulets.At the right is a large, square, red box.On the floor in front of the counter sits the blackKitty.He wears black tights, a little black jacket from beneath which his long tail curls, and a little black cap with pointed ears.At right foreground sits theBunny.He is dressed in a white sleeping garment which covers hands and feet, and a little flannelette cap with long, upstanding ears which are wired and colored pink on the inside.At left foreground on a little stool sits theTeddy-bearin furry coat and cap with little ears of cotton wool.

[On the counter at background are a number of large toys, among them two little girls—one fair-haired, one dark—dressed asDolls.

At the left of the counter stand twoSoldier-boyswith drums, paper caps, and epaulets.

At the right is a large, square, red box.

On the floor in front of the counter sits the blackKitty.He wears black tights, a little black jacket from beneath which his long tail curls, and a little black cap with pointed ears.

At right foreground sits theBunny.He is dressed in a white sleeping garment which covers hands and feet, and a little flannelette cap with long, upstanding ears which are wired and colored pink on the inside.

At left foreground on a little stool sits theTeddy-bearin furry coat and cap with little ears of cotton wool.

FairyandMaidenpause at right entrance.]Fairy.Here within the Dreamland gate,All the lovely Dream-toys wait.Choose, and they shall come aliveUntil the Dream-toy clock strikes five.[Leads littleMaideninto shop.]Maiden.Oh, what lovely, lovely toys!I shall choose—the Soldier-boys!Fairy.[Softly touching them with wand.]Forward march, then, Soldier-boys,Butpleasedon’t make too much noise.

FairyandMaidenpause at right entrance.]

Fairy.Here within the Dreamland gate,All the lovely Dream-toys wait.Choose, and they shall come aliveUntil the Dream-toy clock strikes five.

Fairy.

Here within the Dreamland gate,

All the lovely Dream-toys wait.

Choose, and they shall come alive

Until the Dream-toy clock strikes five.

[Leads littleMaideninto shop.]

Maiden.Oh, what lovely, lovely toys!I shall choose—the Soldier-boys!

Maiden.

Oh, what lovely, lovely toys!

I shall choose—the Soldier-boys!

Fairy.[Softly touching them with wand.]Forward march, then, Soldier-boys,Butpleasedon’t make too much noise.

Fairy.[Softly touching them with wand.]

Forward march, then, Soldier-boys,

Butpleasedon’t make too much noise.

[Soldiers begin to march and drum stiffly at first and softly, but soon faster and noisily.]

Maiden.[Putting fingers in ears.]Soldiers do make lots of noise!Girls are quieter than boys.Let the Dollies come alive.[Fairytouches them with wand. They getstiffly off counter.]Maiden.Oh, I don’t know which to choose!This one has such pretty shoes!This one has such curly hair—This one is so sweet and fair!

Maiden.[Putting fingers in ears.]Soldiers do make lots of noise!Girls are quieter than boys.Let the Dollies come alive.

Maiden.[Putting fingers in ears.]

Soldiers do make lots of noise!

Girls are quieter than boys.

Let the Dollies come alive.

[Fairytouches them with wand. They getstiffly off counter.]

[Fairytouches them with wand. They get

stiffly off counter.]

Maiden.Oh, I don’t know which to choose!This one has such pretty shoes!This one has such curly hair—This one is so sweet and fair!

Maiden.

Oh, I don’t know which to choose!

This one has such pretty shoes!

This one has such curly hair—

This one is so sweet and fair!

[TheDollsdance a minuet, the littleMaidenclapping delightedly, theSoldiersapplauding with drums. LittleMaidenspies theBunny,runs over to him, and pats him gently. TheFairytouches him with her wand and he hops back and forth—whileSoldiers,DollsandMaidenapplaud.]

Maiden.Oh, you darling, darling Bunny!And aren’t your pinky, long ears funny?But the Kitty, sleek and black,Is even funnier than that!

Maiden.

Oh, you darling, darling Bunny!

And aren’t your pinky, long ears funny?

But the Kitty, sleek and black,

Is even funnier than that!

[TheFairytouches him with her wand. He begins to turn about, displays his curly tail, and spits at the littleMaidenwhen she slyly pulls it. LittleMaidenstrokes his back, and he sings a meow solo to the tune of “Auld Lang Syne.” All applaud.]

Maiden.[Turning toTeddy-bear.]Why, here’s a little Teddy-bear!I hardly saw you hiding there.

Maiden.[Turning toTeddy-bear.]

Why, here’s a little Teddy-bear!

I hardly saw you hiding there.

[Fairytouches him with wand. He stands up, stretches himself, then sits on his little stool and sings:]

Oh, I’m the Baby Teddy-bear,Oh, I’m the Baby Teddy-bear,Oh, I’m the Baby Teddy-bear,The littlest Bear in the Family!

Oh, I’m the Baby Teddy-bear,

The littlest Bear in the Family!

[All theToysgather about as he sings. The littleMaidentakes him on her lap and begins to croon in a motherly fashion. Suddenly a noise comes from the direction of the red box.Maiden,rising and takingTeddy-bearby the hand, begins to look excitedly about.]

Maiden.But aren’t there any other toys?I thought I heard a funny noise!

Maiden.

But aren’t there any other toys?

I thought I heard a funny noise!

[Again the noise is heard.Maidenruns over and touches lid of box. It pops open, showing a funnyJack-in-the-boxholding a bag of candy under his arm.]

[Jack-in-the-boxsings.]Oh, my name is Jack of the Candy-box.In a Candy-box I live.Just touch the cover and up it popsAnd a kiss to you I’ll give!To each little boy and each little girl,Each child who passes by,A candy kiss or a candy curl—Candy-box Jack am I.

[Jack-in-the-boxsings.]

Oh, my name is Jack of the Candy-box.

In a Candy-box I live.

Just touch the cover and up it pops

And a kiss to you I’ll give!

To each little boy and each little girl,

Each child who passes by,

A candy kiss or a candy curl—

Candy-box Jack am I.

[As he sings, all the toys form in a line behind the littleMaiden,and as they passCandy-box Jack,he gives them each some candy from his bag.Toysreturn to places and littleMaidenstands at center.]

Maiden.[Stretching arms towardCandy-box Jack.]All the Toys are as fine as can be,But Jack-in-the-Candy-box for me!

Maiden.

[Stretching arms towardCandy-box Jack.]

All the Toys are as fine as can be,

But Jack-in-the-Candy-box for me!

[Jackjumps out of the Candy-box and places his hands on the shoulders of the littleMaiden.][All dance the Norwegian Folkdance “Up to the Moon in a Rainbow,” using these words.][All sing.]

[Jackjumps out of the Candy-box and places his hands on the shoulders of the littleMaiden.]

[All dance the Norwegian Folkdance “Up to the Moon in a Rainbow,” using these words.]

[All sing.]

Guess, guess, where I would like to be,Like to be, like to be.Up on the top of the Christmas tree,Up on the Christmas tree!Yes, yes, that would beGreat, great fun for me.Yes, that would be great fun for me,To be up on the Christmas tree!

Guess, guess, where I would like to be,

Like to be, like to be.

Up on the top of the Christmas tree,

Up on the Christmas tree!

Yes, yes, that would be

Great, great fun for me.

Yes, that would be great fun for me,

To be up on the Christmas tree!

[As they finish there is the sound of a clock striking five.Candy-box Jackand all theToysgo back to their former places and remain motionless.Fairysoftly leadsMaidenout.Jackpops his head out and throws a candy kiss after her. She runs back to get it and waves good-by.][Curtain]

[Curtain]

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