<h2>THE OLD MAN AND HIS GRANDSON</h2>
<p>TIME: <i>now</i>.<br/>
PLACE: <i>a certain</i> MAN'S <i>house</i>.</p>
<hr>
<table width="30%" align="center">
<tr>
<td>THE MAN.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HIS WIFE.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>THEIR SON—LITTLE HANS.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>THE GRANDFATHER.</td>
</tr>
</table>
<hr>
<p>[<i>The</i> MAN, <i>his</i> WIFE, <i>little</i> HANS, <i>and
the</i> GRANDFATHER <i>sit at the table eating the noon
meal.</i>]</p>
<p>MAN. Be careful, father! You are spilling the soup on your
coat.</p>
<p>GRANDFATHER (<i>trying to steady his trembling hand</i>). Yes,
yes, I'll be careful.</p>
<p>[<i>Short pause.</i>]</p>
<p>WIFE (<i>sharply</i>). Grandfather! You have spilled the soup on
my clean tablecloth!</p>
<p>GRANDFATHER (<i>embarrassed</i>). Dear me! Dear me!</p>
<p>[<i>Short pause.</i>]</p>
<p>MAN. Here, father, is your plate of meat.</p>
<p>[<i>The old man takes the plate, but lets it fall.</i>]</p>
<p>WIFE (<i>angrily</i>). There now! Just see what you have
done!</p>
<p>GRANDFATHER. My hand shook so—I'm sorry—so
sorry!</p>
<p>WIFE. That won't mend the plate!</p>
<p>MAN. Nor buy a new one!</p>
<p>WIFE (<i>to her husband</i>). He should eat from wooden
dishes.</p>
<p>MAN (<i>nodding, pointing to a wooden dish</i>). Let him have
that one for his meat.</p>
<p>[<i>The Grandfather sighs sadly. The Wife gets a wooden dish and
fills it with meat. Little Hans leaves the table and plays with his
blocks on the floor.</i>]</p>
<p>WIFE (<i>handing the wooden dish to the Grandfather</i>). Here's
one you can't break. Go now and sit in the corner behind the oven.
You shall eat there hereafter. I cannot have my tablecloths
soiled—that I cannot!</p>
<p>[<i>The Grandfather takes his wooden plate and goes to the seat
in the corner behind the oven. His eyes are filled with
tears.</i>]</p>
<p>MAN. Come, little Hans, and finish your dinner.</p>
<p>WIFE (<i>turning to Hans</i>). Bless me! What are you making,
child?</p>
<p>HANS. A wooden trough for you and father to eat out of when I
grow big.</p>
<p>[<i>The Man and his Wife look at each other; there is a
pause.</i>]</p>
<p>MAN (<i>showing shame</i>). He will treat us as we have treated
father!</p>
<p>WIFE (<i>weeping</i>). 'T will serve us right!</p>
<p>MAN (<i>kindly</i>). Father, throw that wooden dish out of the
window. I am ashamed of what I have done; forgive me!</p>
<p>WIFE (<i>kindly</i>). Father, come back to the table. I too am
ashamed. Forgive me, dear father.</p>
<SPAN name="2h3"><!-- h2 anchor --></SPAN>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />
1 of 2
2 of 2
Previous
Next
Update Required
To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.