Boxen: Childhood Chronicles Before Narnia. Walter Hooper

      THE KING’S RING

      (A Comedy)

      Interesting carictars. Famous ones. For instance, Sir Big, a world-famed gentleman. A very good choreus and nice scenry. (Slight comic tints in and out threw it.¹)

      PREFACE

      The play was ment to take place in the year 1327 the reign of King Bunny Ist. Before his reign the country was called Bublish and was under the rule of King Bublish. It was in their to reigns that Mr Icthus-oress made his fortune by playing the harp; he got his name from fighting an Icthus-oress; his father a butcher died 1307.

      Dramatis Personae

      SIR PETER MOUSE Kinight in waiting on King

      BUNNY King of Animal-land

      ICTHUS-ORESS Son to dead butcher, singer

      MR GOLD FISH General to King

      SIR BIG A frog fieldmarshel

      GOLLYWOG His servant

      SIR GOOSE Rich baron, spy

      DORIMIE A page

      HIT A thief

      BROWNIE BAND

      MR BLUE Conducter

      MR YELLOW Drummer

      MR J. MAUVE Trumpeter

      MR B. MAUVE Bugleur

      MR READ Clappers

      Judges, Harbour-Masters, Sailors etc.

      PLACES

      PIP CASTLE is King Bunny’s palace

      MURRY, a town in Mouse-Land

      MOURN HILLS, hills at back of Murry

      MOUSE LANE, road between Pip Castle and Murry

      THE GOOSE INN, an inn in Murry

      JEMIMA, a river on which Murry is built

      TOPSY, a port at mouth of Jemima

      CANNON-TOWN, a city in Rabbit-Land

      ACT I

      Scene I: The Goose Inn.

       (KING BUNNY and PETER MOUSE discouvered drinking. BAR-MAN behind counter.)

      KING BUNNY: This wine is good.

      BAR-MAN: I shall drink a stiff goblet to the health of King Bunny.

      KING BUNNY: For this good toast much thanks. SIR PETER: Draws near the dinner hour so pleas your Magasty.

      KING BUNNY: Run go bid the kooks to wait.

       (Exit SIR PETER.)

      BAR-MAN: How now your Magasty. The clock strikes one.

      KING BUNNY: I wager you my shoe that I shall put you home. Is that what you mean?

      BAR-MAN: Yes I do mean it.

       (Curtain.)

      Scene II: A room in Pip Castle.

      (SIR BIG, GOLLYWOG, etc., KING BUNNY,

       SIR PETER etc. eating dinner.)

      SIR PETER: (to KING BUNNY) Know you the bar-man’s name?

      KING BUNNY: His name is Hit.

      GOLD FISH: T’is an odd one in sooth, how came you know it your Magasty?

      KING BUNNY: I heard folk call him Hit. (Enter a SERVANT.)

      SERVANT: A Mouse stands at the gate and he would speak with your Magasty.

      SIR BIG }

      KING BUNNY } Let him come.

      SIR PETER }

       (Exit SERVANT.)

      SIR PETER: Who might it be? What might he want?

       (Re-enter SERVANT with HIT.)

      SERVANT: This is the Mouse.

      KING BUNNY: How-now good Hit.

      HIT: I am well. I hope I find the same. How tight thy ring is.

      (KING BUNNY tacks it of. Goes to window to look at mark on finger.)

      HIT: (aside) I am a lucky Mouse.

       (Tacks ring. Exit.)

      KING BUNNY: (turns) O where is my ring and where is Hit?

       (Curtain.)

      Scene III: Mr Icthus-oress’s House.

      (MR ICTHUS-ORESS, BOB, TOM and GOLLIWOG.)

      MR ICTHUS-ORESS: Wilt have a game of cards?

      BOB: The law of mine order allows me not such idle pleasures.

      MR ICTHUS-ORESS: Thou needst not play, then.

       (Enter SIR PETER MOUSE.)

      SIR PETER: Hast sceene the King’s ring? T’is lost.

      MR ICTHUS-ORESS: Lost!! None of us saw it.

      SIR PETER: It must be found.

       (Exit.)

      MR ICTHUS-ORESS: T’is bad.

      BOB: May wee be saved from the theft that stole King Bunny’s ring.

      TOM: Thy bald and brainless pate shall do no good.

      MR ICTHUS-ORESS: Hush I hear footsteps.

       (Enter HIT bearing BUNNY’S ring made to look like a common ring.)

      HIT: I’ll sell you ring for one Ducat. MR ICTHUS-ORESS: (gives ducat) I shall buy it.

       (Curtain.)

      ACT II

      Scene I: Murry. SIR BIG’S house.

      (Enter SIR BIG, SIR PETER, GOLLYWOG, etc.)

      SIR BIG: Gollywog.

      GOLLYWOG: My lord.

      SIR BIG: Get me mine aurmer. I and the good Sir Peter mean to find the king’s ring.

       (Exit GOLLYWOG.)

      SIR PETER: Wee set our selves to a hard task.

      SIR BIG: Indeed wee do sir.

       (Enter MR BLUE.)

      MR BLUE: I too shall help to find the king’s ring. (Exit all. Enter MR ICTHUS-ORESS, TOM, BOB, GOLLYWOG.)

      MR ICTHUS-ORESS: The ring which I have bought is good.

      TOM: