HEDGEHOG. All is done. Your apron is ready. You can put it on. Hold this basket and come out. We should give out these things to their owners.

SCENE III

SETTING. A green meadow in the forest.

The birds sing.

HEDGEHOG. Robin must be over here. Take back your cap, sir!

ROBIN. A lot of thanks, lady. I’m going to the concert tonight. You are invited.

HEDGEHOG. I have a lot of work to do, sir. I’m not sure to be free.

LUCY. I’ve never been to a birds’ concert. May I come?

ROBIN. Certainly. Glad to have met you, ladies. (Flies away).

SQUIRREL. Oh, my gloves are like new. You’re a true magician, my dear.

HEDGEHOG. I tried my best. These gloves will serve you if you take care of them.

SQUIRREL. But I have to cut nuts and that spoils a lot of gloves. Thank you very much. How I can do without you! (Runs away).

BUNNY. Hello, lady! Hello, Lucy! What about my waistcoat? I need pockets.

HEDGEHOG. Why do you wear a lot of things in your pockets, I wonder?

BUNNY. Have you heard the philosopher said, ’All my own I wear with myself’?

LUCY. But he didn’t mean penknives and glass balls.

BUNNY. It doesn’t matter. A lot of thanks. Bye!

LUCY. This is my home. Come in. My mother will be glad to meet you.

MOTHER’S VOICE. Is that you, Lucy? Who are you speaking to?

LUCY. It’s me, Mummy. Let me introduce Little Mistress to you. (Looking around). Where are you? She’s come away. What a pity! Mummy! I have brought my apron and my socks as well as my handkerchiefs. They are clean. I’ll always wash my things myself!

The end

PETER, THE RABBIT

(after Beatrix Potter)

CHARACTERS:

PETER

MOTHER

MOPSY, HIS SISTER

TOPSY, HIS BROTHER

MR.MCGREGOR

CAT

SCENE I

SETTING. A little tidy house where the rabbits’ family lives.

MOTHER. And now, my little children I should go out. I have a lot of work to do: to see a dentist, to meet your aunt Betty, to go to the fair and – last but not least – to do shopping. Would you like to have tasty buns for tea?

PETER. May I go for a walk?

MOTHER. Sure. You can either pick up flowers or play leapfrog with your brother and sister. I don’t mind.

TOPSY. Can I have two buns, Mummy if you have an extra bun?

MOTHER. You’re too fat, my dear. The fewer buns you’ll eat, the better! But why should I have an extra bun I wonder?

MOPSY. Peter won’t follow your advice. He is going to McGregor’s garden to pick up cabbages and carrots.

PETER. You are fools! I’ve told about lettuce! Nobody will take his cabbages because they are small and insipid. Only fools can eat the carrots in May.

MOTHER. You ought not to attend Mr. McGregor’s garden. It’s an unhappy place for our family. My poor husband who was a father of yours – went to the garden to pick up onions and didn’t come back. He ended his life in the cake baked by Mrs. McGregor!

MOPSY (crying). My poor father will never return! We shall never see him again!

PETER. He didn’t bring onions!

MOTHER. I suppose picking up blackberries will be safer. (Comes out).

MOPSY. Have you heard, Peter, what mother has told you? Will you go to eat blackberries with us?

PETER. Only fools eat blackberries hen they can help themselves with lettuce!

TOPSY. Can I join you, Peter?

PETER. You’re too fat for the hole in the fence. See you later!

SCENE II.

SCENERY: Mr. McGregor’s garden. A scarecrow and a small hut for garden tools.

PETER. Let me have a look. It is a lettuce bed, isn’t it? Carrots are over there. They are too small but I can try them. They are insipid! But where are the onions I wonder? (He picks up some lettuce and a few carrots).

CAT. What are you doing, sir?

PETER. It doesn’t matter. As far as I know this is neither Mr. McGregor nor his dog.