 | The Bee and the Orange Tree ; or, The Four Wishes |  |
49
Scene First.
—Palace of King Block.King seated on his Throne—Ambassador from the King of the Happy Islands—Courtiers, Guards, &c., discovered.
Air and Chorus—Ambassador and Suite—“Old King Cole.”
Old King Cole was a merry old soul,
And a merry old soul was he;
'Till he lost his only daughter,
Who was taken on the water,
And drowned in her infancy.
Ever since then,
The saddest of men
Has our Sovereign been to see;
And trickle, trickle, trickle,
Fall the tears salt as pickle,
When he thinks on his pickaninny.
And a merry old soul was he;
'Till he lost his only daughter,
Who was taken on the water,
And drowned in her infancy.
Ever since then,
The saddest of men
Has our Sovereign been to see;
And trickle, trickle, trickle,
Fall the tears salt as pickle,
When he thinks on his pickaninny.
Old King Cole, he scratched his bald poll,
And he said to himself, says he,
“There's my brother King Block,
Has of boys a fine stock,
And my heir one of them shall be.”
So he called for his sceptre,
And he called for his crown,
And he called for his counsellors three,
And they settled that the choice
Should depend upon the voice
Of your Gracious Majesty.
And he said to himself, says he,
“There's my brother King Block,
Has of boys a fine stock,
And my heir one of them shall be.”
So he called for his sceptre,
And he called for his crown,
And he called for his counsellors three,
And they settled that the choice
Should depend upon the voice
Of your Gracious Majesty.
Old King Cole was a merry, &c.
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My lord Ambassador, since left to me
My choice is quickly made, Sons I have three.
The eldest born, of course, is heir to my lands;
The next shall rule over your Happy Islands;
The third is still a child, so, usher, run,
Call forth Prince Amiable, our second son.
(Exit Usher)
Amb.
Most mighty King, by what rule have you reckon'd?
Why call you fourth the son who is your second?
King.
I call him forth because he is to go forth
As Crown Prince of the Happy Isles, and so forth!
Enter Prince Amiable—King comes down.
Come hither, son; your uncle has no heir.
Prince.
Then let us send him, sir, a wig to wear.
King.
Ingenuous youth! he doesn't want a wig,
But from our royal tree he craves a twig,
To graft upon his own more ancient stock.
Prince.
That is, he wants a chip of the old block.
King.
Precocious boy—he does—his infant daughter
Was drown'd, you may remember.
Amb.
In the water.
Prince.
I guessed as much—on land it scarce could be.
King.
Her wet nurse took the poor babe out to sea
In a small sailing-boat—a squall upset her—
Prince.
The child's squall?
Amb.
No, sir! the wet nurse—
Prince.
Proved wetter
Than she had bargained for.
King.
The issue sad—
Prince.
The King lost all the issue that he had.
King.
His heir presumptive left to my election,
I have named you.
Prince.
I've not the least objection.
Amb. and Suite.
Long live Prince Amiable!
Prince.
(bowing)
And you to see it!
King.
You must embark immediately.
Prince.
So be it.
To sail upon the instant, sir, I'm ready.
And so your blessing.
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Take it, boy. Be steady,
I've nothing more to give you—but my prayers,
Unless you fancy a few railway shares.
Prince.
Sir, to your blessing would you add a curse?
King.
Nay, some may yet put money in one's purse,
Here are 500, “Fairy-land direct,”
They'll soon be at a premium, I expect,
For every manager, who'd cut a shine,
Has turned a speculator in this line.
Prince.
To rob you of them I should think a crime—
One Railway King's enough, sir, at a time.
(To Ambassador)
Is that your barge I in the offing see?
Amb.
It is!
Prince.
Her name?
Amb.
The “Bee and Orange Tree.”
Built by the Countess D'Aulnoy—an old ship,
But newly rigged, expressly for this trip.
Prince.
Then farewell, father—to yourself and Court,
And fortune send us all safe into port.
Air and Chorus—“The College Hornpipe.”
Come, pipe all hands, then aboard the ship,
Her sails are bent and her anchor a-trip;
We'll serve every man with a double share of flip,
And be off before you well can say “Jack Robinson.”
Prince.
Don't you let my cousin's fate occur to me,
I've not the slightest wish to be drowned at sea!
So here's success to the “Bee and Orange Tree,”
And send us safe ashore, like Jack Robinson.
Chorus.
Come, pipe all hands.
(Exeunt opposite sides King, Guards and Court and Prince, with Ambassador and Suite)
| The Bee and the Orange Tree ; or, The Four Wishes | |