[The faun goes. The HUNTER enters.]
HUNTER. Aha! I have you now!
THE SHEPHERD BOY WHO CALLED WOLF
SCENE I
TIME: middle of the afternoon.
PLACE: a hillside near the village.
* * * * *
SHEPHERD BOY.
MASTER.
PASTOR.
MERCHANT.
BAKER.
BUTCHER.
* * * * *
[The SHEPHERD BOY watches a flock of sheep.]
BOY. I am tired of watching sheep! I will play a joke on some one! I will play a joke on every one!
(He calls in a loud voice.)
Wolf! Wolf! Wolf! Wolf!
[Enter the VILLAGERS with clubs.]
MASTER. Where is the Wolf?
BOY. Ha, ha, ha! There is no wolf!
PASTOR. I do not like to leave my church!
[Illustration]
MERCHANT. I do not like to leave my store!
BAKER. I do not like to leave my dough!
BUTCHER. I do not like to leave my ox!
BOY. Ha, ha, ha! There is no wolf! Ha, ha, ha!
MASTER. You must not play that joke again! Do you hear? You must never play that joke again!
SCENE II
TIME: a week later.
PLACE: same as in Scene I.
* * * * *
BOY.
VILLAGERS.
* * * * *
[The BOY watches his sheep.]
BOY. I will play that joke again. I like to see them come running.
(He calls in a loud voice.)
Wolf! Wolf! Wolf! Wolf!
[The VILLAGERS come with clubs.]
MASTER. Where is the wolf?
BOY. Ha, ha, ha! There is no wolf!
PASTOR. I do not like to leave my church!
MERCHANT. I do not like to leave my store!
BAKER. I do not like to leave my dough!
BUTCHER. I do not like to leave my ox!
BOY. Ha, ha, ha! There is no wolf! Ha, ha, ha!
MASTER. Boy, boy, you must not joke about a wolf! Do you hear? You must never joke about a wolf!
SCENE III
TIME: a week later.
PLACE: same as Scene II.
* * * * *
BOY.
* * * * *
[The BOY watches the sheep. A wolf comes and begins to kill the sheep.]
BOY. Wolf! Wolf! Wolf!
(No one comes or answers.)
Master! Pastor! Merchant! Baker!
Butcher! Come! Come! Wolf! Wolf!
Wolf!
Wolf!
(No one comes or answers.)
What shall I do? They think I am playing a joke
again. What shall I do?
I cannot save my sheep! I must run to save myself!