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Freddy's Cousin Weedly was a timid soul! When Jinx decided to take charge of him, so as to help him get over his shyness, he did not know that exciting events were about to take place at the Bean Farm! Did Weedly change? What happened when Mr. and Mrs. Snedeker came to visit? Did they get what they came for? In the story of the amazing adventures of the animals on the Bean Farm, Walter R. Brooks has written the most amusing of his many animal stories. There is a chuckle in every line! The quiet humor, delightful nonsense and unusual mystery of this story will appeal to both young and old. In the illustrations, Kurt Wiese has succeeded in capturing the rollicking humor and dramatic spirit of the text, which add greatly to the interest of this nonsense story. |
Queen Elizabeth and Sir Walter Raliegh
Freddy writes a play which the animals perform:
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Promptly at eight o'clock, Freddy stepped out between the horse blankets. "Ladies and Gentlemen," he said, "owing to the amount of work which it has taken to produce this play, it has been impossible to print programs. I will therefore announce that the scene of the play is the court of Queen Elizabeth. The time is somewhere between 1620 and 1940. The part of Queen Elizabeth will be taken by Mrs. Wiggins. The other actors will announce their own characters as they enter. Lights!" |
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WEEDLY Sir Walter Raleigh is my name And I have come my bride to claim: The fair and beauteous Lady Alice, Who works here in you Majesty's palace. THE QUEEN O have you, sir, indeed? And may I ask just how you get that way? If you were secretly engaged- WEEDLY We were, ma'am, please don't be enraged. THE QUEEN Then you must take the consequences Of this most serious of offenses: A secret with the Queen unshared. I wonder, sir, that you have dared To come with such a bold request. -Unless perhaps yo speak in jest? WEEDLY (firmly) The Lady Alice I shall wed. THE QUEEN (angrily) Guards, take him out! Chop off his head! ALICE O pause, Your Majesty, I pray Before you have him led away And do not judge him too severely Because, you see, I love him dearly. And if you must chop someone's head, Don't chop off his: chop mine instead. THE QUEEN I'm not particularly keen On chopping anybody's bean. What makes me mad is never knowing, In my own palace, how things are going, Who's coming in, who's going out, What's going on. I'm told about Nothing at all. I think it's mean Nobody ever tells the Queen. Then Mrs. Wiggins sang the following: Nobody ever tells me; Nobody lets me know. Wars are fought and groceries bought And people come and go, But what is the use of being a Queen To sit in a marble hall If nobody tells you anything, anything Any-thing at all? I want to know all the gossip That all the courtiers know, Who had a fight and stayed out all night And who has a brand new beau. But you sit on a throne and you're all alone And if anyone comes to call They simply won't tell you anything, any- thing, Any-thing at all. There was a good deal of applause, but the Queen said: Thank you my friends, you're very kind, But it hasn't made me change my mind. Alice and Weedly got the Queen in better humor and she agreed not to chop off Sir Walter's head just yet. Sir Walter thanked her so nicely that she said: Sir Walter, your politeness and your high- flown elocution, Though not half so entertaining as a public execution, Do at least deserve some sort of a reward. What shall I grant you? SIR WALTER Your Majesty can let me marry Lady Alice, can't you? O Your Majesty pray don't be angry, I am just suggesting That the court would find a wedding just about as interesting As an execution. THE QUEEN Why that's true, Sir Walter. A beheading Is half as entertaining as a really bang- up wedding. Very well then. It is settled. Get out the invitations. Let all the guests provide themselves with suitable donations. For the wedding shall take place tomor- row afternoon at three. I suppose I'll have to give you something, too. Now let me see. Get out the royal jewels. We will make a quick selection. Something neat, I think, in rubies, to match the bride's complexion. There are 20 more pages to the play, so you'll have to read the book! |
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