BEGGAR.  I thank you, good woman.

[The woman takes the cake from the oven.]

WOMAN.  This cake is too large to give away.  I will make another cake for you.

[She makes a very, very small cake and puts it in the oven.]

BEGGAR.  I thank you, good woman.

[The woman takes the cake from the oven.]

WOMAN.  This cake is too large to give away.  I will give you a slice of bread.

[She cuts a slice from a loaf of bread.]

BEGGAR.  I thank you—­

WOMAN.  A slice is too much to give away.  Here is a crust for you.

[The beggar shakes her head.]

BEGGAR.  May you never taste cake again!  May the very cake in your mouth seem to be crust!  If you will not give, you shall not have!

WOMAN.  Go, go!

[The beggar throws off her cloak; a FAIRY is seen.]

WOMAN.  A Fairy!  You are a Fairy?

FAIRY.  I am the Fairy of Good Deeds.  You would not give—­you shall not have!

[The Fairy goes.]

WOMAN.  As if cake could ever taste like bread!  ’Tis
impossible—­impossible!

(She eats a cake.)

What is this?  I seem to be eating crust, dry crust.  I’ll try another cake.

[Illustration:  “WILL YOU GIVE ME A CAKE?”]

(She eats another cake.)

Why, this too changes to crust!  Ah me!  The Fairy’s words were true.  I would not give, I cannot have.  Ah me!  Ah me!

THE BLIND MEN AND THE ELEPHANT

TIME:  a year ago.
PLACE:  India.

* * * * *

THE DRIVER. 
THE SIX BLIND MEN.

* * * * *

[The SIX BLIND MEN stand by the roadside, begging.  The DRIVER comes with his elephant.]

BLIND MEN.  A penny, sir!  A penny!

DRIVER (throwing pennies).  There, and there, and there!  Now out of the way with you!  I must take my elephant by.

FIRST BLIND MAN.  I have never seen an elephant, sir.

OTHER BLIND MEN.  Nor I!  Nor I!

DRIVER.  Do you know what he is like?

BLIND MEN.  No, sir!  No, sir!

DRIVER.  Would you like to touch him?

BLIND MEN.  Yes!  Yes!

DRIVER.  Come, then, and stand by him.

FIRST BLIND MAN (placing hand on elephant’s side).  Well, well!  Now I know all about him!  He is exactly like a wall!

SECOND BLIND MAN (feeling the tusk).  He is not like a wall!  He is round and smooth and sharp.  He is like a spear.

THIRD BLIND MAN (feeling the trunk).  Both of you are wrong.  He is like a snake.

FOURTH BLIND MAN (feeling a leg).  Oh, how blind you are!  He is round and tall like a tree!