 | Harlequin And The House That Jack Built ; Or, Old Mother Hubbard, And Her Wonderful Dog |  |
SCENE IV.
—THE COMMON, AND DISTANT COUNTRY.Sunset.—On one side, the Cage, in which Jack is seen, imprisoned.
Jack.
Whilst with the revels now they're in the prime of it,
I'm all alone, and have a dreary time of it.
I'll try and sleep a dull half hour away.
What! build a house! Oh, likely—I dare say.
[Incredulously composes himself to sleep, after trying strength of bars, &c.
Enter Mother Hubbard, with Key.
Mother H.
Behold! in this parochial institution,
The victim of unmerited persecution.
How small he looks. I've not the slightest doubt,
He'll look much larger when I let him out.
[Growing sentimental.
If I take this strong tea, I see I shall
Be getting quite an old Bohea-mian gal.
MEDLEY SCENA, Mother Hubbard.—Air, ‘You'll remember me.
When other lips and other hearts,
Which you all know so well,
In language which soft soap imparts,
Some tales of me shall tell;
When children who have done their task,
Some fun would like to see,
In such a moment I but ask,
That you'll remember me.
Air, ‘Down Derry Down.’Which you all know so well,
In language which soft soap imparts,
Some tales of me shall tell;
When children who have done their task,
Some fun would like to see,
In such a moment I but ask,
That you'll remember me.
Why, my poor little Jack, I should like to know what
You have done, to be served in a way you should not?
Quite out of the common this roundhouse should be,
But, though, out of the common it isn't, we see.
Down, down, don't be cast down.
Recitative.
You have done, to be served in a way you should not?
Quite out of the common this roundhouse should be,
But, though, out of the common it isn't, we see.
Down, down, don't be cast down.
I'll free you from this cage as 'twere a wicker un';
But that air runs too slow, I'll try a quicker un'.
Air, ‘Drops of Brandy.’But that air runs too slow, I'll try a quicker un'.
I'm a witch, of a comical sort,
My dog, too, a wizard, I'm sure, is;
He's one who makes capital sport
In the pages of nursery stories.
He's ready for frolic and fun,
And he'll never for plenty of room stick;
When folks try and catch him, it's one,
Two, three, and off on my broomstick.
Rum you may think my timidity,
But I have eyes open wide, O!
None, though 'twas seized with rapidity,
Jumped when he hid it as I do,
Air, ‘The Triumph,’ Country Dance.My dog, too, a wizard, I'm sure, is;
He's one who makes capital sport
In the pages of nursery stories.
He's ready for frolic and fun,
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When folks try and catch him, it's one,
Two, three, and off on my broomstick.
Rum you may think my timidity,
But I have eyes open wide, O!
None, though 'twas seized with rapidity,
Jumped when he hid it as I do,
And now, as you might like to see a little hanky-panky,
I will show a trick or two before I go;
Here you have a pack of cards—take any of 'em—thank'ee;
Return it to the pack again, and shuffle them up, so.
Hixtum stixtum—see, I've mixed 'em;
Popalorum, cockalorum, jig o' me, ah ha!
Jack of hearts, sir—you may start, sir,
But that's your card, and that is what you are!
With my tiddy-iddy, chickabiddy, fol de rol de rido.
I will show a trick or two before I go;
Here you have a pack of cards—take any of 'em—thank'ee;
Return it to the pack again, and shuffle them up, so.
Hixtum stixtum—see, I've mixed 'em;
Popalorum, cockalorum, jig o' me, ah ha!
Jack of hearts, sir—you may start, sir,
But that's your card, and that is what you are!
With my tiddy-iddy, chickabiddy, fol de rol de rido.
Grand Pas de Broomstick.
Mother H.
What Mother Hubbard says, she sticks to, boy;
Let fancy form the dreams that you enjoy.
First Figure, a Mason, passes.
Here is the Mason figured forth, you see,
‘Free and accepted’ here he's sure to be.
Second Figure, of Drain Pipes, enters.
Great Pan, with all his pipes, with might and main,
Reveal the way the builders do a drain.
Third Figure, a Carpenter, enters.
The Carpenter, who works by rule—he's good in
Carp-entertainments, a la Toole and Wood-in.
Fourth Figure, the Hodman, enters.
Here's the Hodman, by way of a variety,
A member of the hod-fellows' society.
Fifth, a loose Brick enters.
And here you see a loose one, though a true brick.
He's no rude alteration of the ru brick.
These in your dreams are fancy's ideality,
Now you shall have your house built in reality.
[Figures disappear.
Your prison's locked, but free this key shall make it;
Now, when you see your house at day-break, take it.
Mother Hubbard strikes her staff on the stage, and the Cage, with Jack, is covered with a cloud, which, when withdrawn, shows a crowd of little Labourers, waiting to begin.—Scaffold-poles, barrows, ladders, &c., are brought on—the scaffold is speedily seen raised—a busy throng of pigmy Carpenters, Paper-Hangers, Whitewashers, &c., rush on—the House is rapidly built—when finished, the Union-Jack flies from the chimney, and the usual distribution of beer takes place, with great cheering—smoke from chimney—the Malt is seen stored in Granary on one side—Dairy on the other,—Day breaks.
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Come, Jack, and take your house—it's all your own;
Within a single night behold it grown.
Recitative.
This is the Malt that lay in the house that Jack built.
Rat appears.
This is the Rat that ate the Malt that lay in the house that Jack built.
Dame Trot's Cat appears, and puts an end to Rat.
This is the Cat that killed the Rat, &c.
Mother Hubbard's Dog appears.
This is the Dog that worried the Cat, &c.
The Cow appears at Dairy, and tosses Dog.
This is the Cow with the crumpled horn, that tossed, &c.
Rosetta appears, and pacifies Cow.
This is the Maiden, all forlorn, that milked the Cow, &c.
Jack kisses Rosetta.
This is the Man, once tattered and torn, that kissed, &c.
Priest appears, and marries them.
This is the Priest, all shaven and shorn, that married, &c.
The Cock appears.
This is the Cock that crowed in the morn, that waked, &c.
[Grand Tableau of Characters, on which the scene closes.
| Harlequin And The House That Jack Built ; Or, Old Mother Hubbard, And Her Wonderful Dog | |