Twelve Months
На полянку выходит Падчерица с вязанкой хвороста.
Stepdaughter. Look! The hares were playing and singing here so funny!
Soldier. Really?
Stepdaughter. Yeah! They were singing like our children in the street!
Soldier. Did they?
Stepdaughter. Yes!
Soldier. You are kidding!
Stepdaughter. You don’t believe me!
Soldier. I do believe you! Now is the end of the old year. It's a miracle time.
Stepdaughter. So what?
Soldier. Well, my grandfather told me that once on the New Year’s Eve he met all the twelve months.
Stepdaughter. Really?
Soldier. Absolutely.
Stepdaughter. How is it possible that winter, spring, summer and autumn met together?
Soldier. I don’t know. But why are you here alone? How did your mother let you go?
Stepdaughter. My mother died many years ago, I have a stepmother.
Soldier. Oh… Let me help you.
Stepdaughter. And why did you come to the forest?
Soldier. I need to cut down a beautiful Christmas tree for the Queen. She’s an orphan like you.
Stepdaughter. Sorry for her. Let’s go and I will show you the most beautiful Christmas tree.
Дворец. Классная комната Королевы.
Queen. I hate writing. All the fingers are in ink!
Professor. You're absolutely right, Your Majesty. This is a very unpleasant occupation. However, I would ask your Majesty to write four lines more.
Queen. Okay, dictate.
Professor
The grass is green,
The sun is shining
The spring has come
The swallow is flying!
Queen. I will write only "Grass is green". Grass - is...
Входит Канцлер.
Chancellor (низко кланяясь) Good morning, Your Majesty. I dare ask you to sign this.
Queen. Writing again! All right. But then I will not write "green ". Give me your papers!
Chancellor. Thank you, Your Majesty. And now let me ask you to write...
Queen. Write again!
Chancellor. Only your highest resolution on this application.
Queen (нетерпеливо) What should I write?
Chancellor. One of the two, your majesty: Either "execute " or " pardon."
Queen (про себя).. " E-x-e-c-u-t-e "... " P-a-r-d-o-n." It is better to write "execute " - it is shorter.
Канцлер берет бумаги, кланяется и уходит.
Professor (нетерпеливо). How can you say “shorter”!
Queen. What do you mean?
Professor. Ah, Your Majesty, what have you written!
Queen. You noticed a mistake again.
Professor. No, you spelled the word correctly, and yet you’ve made a great mistake.
Queen. What is it?
Professor. You decide the destiny of a man, without thinking!
Queen. Well! I cannot write and think at the same time.
Professor. First you have to think, and then write, your Majesty!
Queen. If I listened to you, I would just think, think and think. I can go mad.
Professor. May I ask your majesty: how much will be two plus two?
Queen. Five... Six? Well, good-bye, our lesson is over. Today is the New Year’s Eve, I have a lot of things to do.
Professor. As you please, your Majesty! (Грустно и покорно собирает книги.)
Queen. I like it when people agree with me!
Professor. Your Majesty, I will not argue with you!
Queen. Really? Well, well, well. Then let's continue our lesson. Ask me anything you want.
Professor. How much will be six plus six, Your Majesty?
Queen (смотрит на него, наклонив голову набок)Eleven.
Professor (грустно)That's right, Your Majesty. Eight plus eight?
Queen. Three.
Professor. That's right, Your Majesty. And how much will...
Queen. I don’t like it, tell me something interesting.
Professor. Tell something interesting, your majesty? About what?
Queen. I don’t know. Something about New Year...
Professor. A year, your majesty, consists of twelve months!
Queen. Really?
Professor. Absolutely, Your Majesty. Months are called: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December.
Queen. Unbelievable!
Professor. Months go one by one. One month ends, another month begins. And February never comes before January and September before August.
Queen. And if I wanted April now?
Professor. This is impossible, your majesty.
Queen. You - again?
Professor (умоляюще). It is the law of nature!
Queen. Really? And if I will issue a law?
Professor (беспомощно разводит руками).. I am afraid that this will not help.
Queen. So I want April now. I love snowdrops.
Professor. But there are three months before April.
Queen. Three months! I cannot wait for three days. Tomorrow is New Year so I want to have snowdrops on the table.
Professor. Your Majesty, but the laws of nature!
Queen (перебивая его). I 'll publish a new law of nature! (Хлопает в ладоши.) Hey, who's there? Send me the Chancellor.(Профессору.) And you sit down at my desk and write. Now I will dictate to you. (Задумывается) Well! Write- that person who will bring a basket of snowdrops to the palace will get a basket of gold and a fur coat! Ready?
(Быстро ставит закорючку и машет листком, чтобы чернила скорее высохли.)
Занавес.
Выходит Глашатай с трубой и свитком в руках. Торжественные звуки фанфар.
"Grass is green, the sun is shining. That person who will bring a basket of snowdrops to the palace will get a basket of gold and a fur coat!”
Маленький домик. За окнами метель. Сумерки. Старуха раскатывает тесто. Дочка сидит перед огнем. Возле нее на полу несколько корзинок. Она перебирает корзинки. Сначала берет в руки маленькую, потом побольше, потом самую большую.
Daughter (держа в руках маленькую корзинку) Mum, will there be a lot of gold in this basket?
Old Woman. Yes, a lot.
Daughter. But I think this one is better! I’ll take this basket! The Queen will give us a lot of money!
“Money, money”
Daughter. I’ll take this basket for sure! The Queen will give us a lot of money! The problem is – where to find snowdrops. Maybe under the snow? Well, I'll put on my coat and try to look.
Old Woman. What?! I will not let you go to the forest. Look out of the window - it’s nighttime!
Daughter. I will go! I want a basket of gold.
Old Woman. You will freeze in the woods. (Плачет.) Eat the pie…
Daughter (сквозь слезы) I don’t want your pies, I want snowdrops!.. Well, if you do not want me to go, let the sister do it. Here she is!
Old woman. That’s it! Входит Падчерица. Снимает платок и греет руки.
Daughter. You have to go somewhere to the woods!
Stepdaughter. To the woods? What for?
Daughter. For the snowdrops!
Stepdaughter. Are you kidding?
Daughter. No, I'm not. Have you heard about the decree?
Stepdaughter. No.
Daughter. The Queen will give a basket of gold to the person who will bring a basket of snowdrops to the palace.
Stepdaughter. Yes, but it’s winter now...
Daughter. Here's basket! Go!
Stepdaughter (смотрит в окно) It's getting dark. I will not go!
Daughter. How is it - you will not go? Ok, I’ll go myself
Old woman (хватает ее за полу). Where are you going? Come back, silly girl! (Падчерице) And you go out and do not come back without snowdrops!
Лес. Идёт снег. Густые сумерки.
January. (бросая в огонь охапку хвороста)
Burn, burn brighter -
Summer will be hotter
Winter will be warmer
And spring will be sweeter.
Падчерица, набравшись смелости, медленно выходит из-за деревьев. Двенадцать братьев, замолчав, поворачиваются к ней.
Stepdaughter. (Поклонившись). Good evening.
January. Good evening to you too.
Stepdaughter. May I warm myself by the fire?
December. Well, come nearer, beauty.
Stepdaughter. Thank you. (Подходит к огню и греет руки.) Thank you.
January. And what do you have in your hand, girl? A basket?
December. (Усмехаясь). Is it for mushrooms?
Stepdaughter. No… Step-mother sent me for snowdrops.
January. (смеясь). What does she need snowdrops for?
Stepdaughter. The Queen will give a basket of gold to anyone who will bring a basket of snowdrops to the palace.
January. Poor girl! Now is not the time for snowdrops - April must come.
Stepdaughter. I know. Well, thank you. I must go. (Берет свою корзинку)
April. Wait, girl! (Кланяется Январю) Brother January, give me the place for an hour.
January. Okay. I think we all want to help the girl.
Месяцы выступают по кругу
January brings the snow;
Makes our feet and fingers glow.
February brings freezing cold and winds;
But the sun is bright and the snow is white.
March brings the wind so cold and chill;
Drives the cattle from the hill.
April brings us sun and showers,
And the pretty wildwood flowers.
May brings grass and leafy trees,
Waving in each gentle breeze.
June brings roses, fresh and fair,
And the cherries ripe and rare.
July brings the greatest heat,
Cloudless skies and dusty street.
August brings the golden grain;
Harvest time is here again.
Mild September brings us more
Fruit and grain, for winter store.
Brown October brings the last
Of ripening gifts, from summer past.
Dull November brings the blast:
Down from the trees the leaves fall fast.
Cold December ends the rhyme
With blazing fires and Christmas time.
Stepdaughter (кланяется месяцам.) Thank you.
April. And here's a ring from me. Look at it to remember me. If you are in trouble, throw it on the ground, and say,
Roll, roll my ring,
to the new year's fire!
Stepdaughter. (Повторяет.)
April. Well, good-bye, don’t lose my ring.
Stepdaughter. I won’t!
Дом старухи. На скамейке стоит корзина с подснежниками.
Daughter. I told you: give her a big basket!
Old woman. And who knew that she would come back alive with
snowdrops?
Daughter. She is sleeping! Now I’ll go and wake her up! (Дочка уходит за занавеску и почти сразу выбегает оттуда с кольцом)
Daughter. Look, mummy!
Old woman. A ring! I think someone helped her!
В это время из-за занавески выходит падчерица. Дочка прячет кольцо в карман. Падчерица ищет кольцо.
Old woman. What are you looking for?
Stepdaughter. I lost a ring.
Old woman. A ring? Where did you take it?
Stepdaughter. In the woods.
Old woman. No, we didn’t see anything! And now it's time to go to the palace (уходят).
Зал королевского дворца. Посреди зала - пышно разукрашенная елка. В зале много разряженных гостей. Музыканты играют туш. Из дверей выходят придворные, потом королева в сопровождении фрейлин. За шлейфом скромно семенит профессор.
Все в зале. Happy new year, your majesty!
Queen. Well, why are you so happy? The new year has not come yet. Общее удивление.
Chancellor. Sorry, your majesty, today is the first of January.
Queen. You are wrong! How many days are there in December?
Professor. Exactly thirty-one, Your Majesty!
Queen. So, today is the thirty-second of December.
Lady-in-waiting. This is a Сhristmas joke of her majesty! (Все смеются)
Queen. No, I'm not kidding. (Все перестают смеяться) Tomorrow will be the thirty-third of December, the day after tomorrow – the thirty- fourth of December.
Professor (растерянно) This is impossible, Your Majesty!
Queen. You - again?
Professor. Yes, your majesty, again and again! You can cut off my head, but the thirty- second of December will never happen!
Queen. Now, December will not end till I get a full basket of snowdrops!
Professor. As you wish, Your Majesty, but you will get it only in April!
Queen. We'll see! Общее замешательство.
Двери широко открываются. Входит целая процессия садовников с корзинами, вазами, букетами самых разнообразных цветов. Главный садовник подносит королеве огромную корзину роз.
Queen. And where are the snowdrops? This is not a snowdrop at all! I want snowdrops! If there are no snowdrops, I'll have you executed!
Входит офицер королевской стражи.
Officer royal guard. Your majesty, two women have brought snowdrops to the palace!
Queen. Call them!
Входят старуха и дочка с корзиной в руках.
Queen. These are the real flowers! Happy New Year! Light the Christmas tree! I want to
dance!
Old woman. Your Majesty, happy New Year!
Queen. Are you still here?
Old woman. Yes. Our basket is still empty.
Queen. Ah, yes, fill this basket with gold. (Слуга берет корзину и уходит)
Queen (старухе и дочке). Tell me where you found the flowers. Why are you silent?
Old woman (дочери). You say.
Daughter. Say yourself.
Old woman (выступая вперед, откашливается и кланяется) Well, there is such a wonderful place in the forest.
Queen. Full of snowdrops?
Old woman. All sorts of flowers, Your Majesty.
Ladies-in-waiting. Oh, it must be lovely there! Flowers, berries, mushrooms!
Queen (хлопая в ладоши). That's wonderful! Now go there and bring me strawberries and mushrooms!
Old woman. We cannot, Your Majesty!
Queen. What is it? You don’t want to go?
Old woman. It’s too cold there, Your Majesty!
Queen. Cold? It's nothing. I'll give you a warm coat. Bring them two coats.
Old woman (дочке, тихо) What shall we do?
Daughter (тихо). We will send her.
Queen. What are you whispering? So, take the coats!
Old woman. Thank you for the coats, Your Majesty. Farewell, Your Majesty.
Queen. Stop! (хлопает в ладоши) Give me a coat! Everyone, put on your coats! Get ready the horses.
Lady 1. Where are you going to go, Your Majesty?
Queen. We are going to the forest to gather strawberries and mushrooms. Let's go!
Lady 2. What a lovely idea!
Все собираются в путь, идут к дверям.
Daughter. What shall we do?
Old woman (тихо). Shut up!.. Your Majesty!
Queen. What do you want?
Old woman. You cannot go there, Your Majesty!
Queen. Why?
Старуха и дочка падают на колени.
Old woman (плача) We do not know the way, Your Majesty!
Daughter. We know nothing!
Queen. How can it be? And who knows?!
Old woman. My stepdaughter, Your Majesty!
Queen. Bring her here!
Лес.
Queen. At last!
Old woman. Your majesty, this is my stepdaughter. Please don’t be angry.
Professor. Your majesty, this girl needs warm clothes.
Queen. Bring warm clothes to this girl!
Stepdaughter. Thank you.
Queen. Wait! I'll give you another basket of gold, twelve velvet dresses, silver shoes, a bracelet on each hand and a diamond ring on every finger!
Stepdaughter. Thank you. But I do not need anything.
Queen. What do you want?
Stepdaughter. I need one ring. Not yours but mine!
Queen. Is it better than mine?
Stepdaughter. For me it is better.
Old woman. Don’t listen to her, your majesty!
Daughter. She doesn’t know what she’s saying!
Stepdaughter. I had a ring, but you got it and don’t give it back. I know it was you.
Queen (старухе и дочке). Come on, give me a ring!
Old woman. Your majesty, we do not have it with us!
Daughter. And never had, your majesty.
Queen. Give me the ring, otherwise...
Дочка, взглянув на королеву, вынимает из кармана кольцо.
Stepdaughter. Oh, that’s my ring!
Old woman. Oh, why are you hiding the ring?
Daughter. Yes, you said it yourself to put it into my pocket Все смеются
Queen. Beautiful… Where did you get it?
Stepdaughter. I will not say.
Queen. What? Say, where are the snowdrops. One... Two... Three! Well, take the fur coat off her!
С падчерицы снимают шубку. Королева в гневе ходит взад и вперед. Придворные провожают ее глазами. Когда королева отворачивается, старый солдат набрасывает на плечи падчерицы свой плащ.
Queen. What does it mean?! Well …(замечает старого солдата без плаща) Ah, I see! Hey, you, come here! Where's your coat?
Old soldier. As you can see, your majesty.
Queen. But how dare you?
Old soldier. I’m hot, your majesty.
Queen. You are so stubborn! I’m asking you for the last time: will you show the way to snowdrops?
Stepdaughter. No!
Queen. Take her away! (С размаху бросает колечко)
Stepdaughter (рванувшись вперед) Roll, roll my ring, to the new year's fire!
Queen. What does she say? (Поднимается ветер, метель) What’s going on here?
Old woman. Daughter! Where are you?
Daughter. I don’t know!
Все, приникнув к земле, замирают. В шуме бури все чаще слышны Мартовские бубенчики, а потом апрельская свирель. Метель утихает. Становится светло, солнечно. Чирикают птицы. Все поднимают головы и с удивлением смотрят вокруг.
Queen. Spring has come!
Professor. It can’t be!
Queen. But the trees are green! Snowdrops!
Lady 1. But I can’t see them anymore...
Lady 2. Where are they?
Queen. Gone! It's hot!.. (Распахивает шубу) Is it summer?
Professor. It cannot be! However, it is true. This is July...
Все сбрасывают шубы, обмахиваются платками, в изнеможении садятся на землю.
Lady 2. I think I have a sunstroke. Water, water!
Удар грома. Ливень. Летят листья. Наступает осень.
Professor. It’s raining!
Old soldier (подавая фляжку с водой). Here is water for you, Lady!
Lady 2. No water! I’m wet!
Queen. Give me an umbrella!
Ladies: We don’t have umbrellas, your majesty...
Становится темно.
Old woman. Oh my God!
Daughter. Mummy!
Queen. Now to the palace! Horses!.. Let's go! Все убегают.
На сцене только королева, профессор, старуха с дочкой и Старый солдат. Ливень прекращается. Начинается снег.
Queen. Look - the snow!.. Winter again...
Professor. Because now it is January.
Queen (ежась). Give me a fur coat. It's cold!
Old woman. I told you, your majesty, you do not need to go into the woods!
Daughter. She wanted snowdrops!
Queen. And you wanted the gold! (Помолчав.) How dare you with me like that?
I'm cold! Oh, my ears, my nose! Why did I have this stupid order signed!
Daughter. It’s stupid!
Queen. And why did you all obey stupid words? You know well that I'm still a little girl! (Прыгает то на одной ноге, то на другой.) We have no horses…
Professor (дует на руки). Well, someone has to pull the sled.
Queen. Who?
Professor. The horse, for example, or some dogs.
Soldier. But where can you find the dogs?
Выходит Январь, по-хозяйски оглядывает лес. Он замечает незваных гостей и подходит к ним.
January. Why did you come here?
Queen (жалобно). For snowdrops...
January. Now is not the time for snowdrops.
Professor. Absolutely right!
Queen. I can see that it is not the time. Tell us how to get out of here.
January. So, what do you wish?
Queen. I have one wish – to get to the palace!
January. So, you will get there. (Профессору) Well, what do you want?
Professor. I want to go home.
Daughter. And we want two fur coats!
January. Here you are!
Old woman. You are stupid! Why did you ask for a coat?
Daughter. You are stupid yourself!
Old woman. You are a dog!
Daughter. You are a dog yourself! Barking like a dog!
Old woman. You're a dog!
Их голоса постепенно превращаются в лай, они обе превращаются в собак.
Поляна в лесу. Вокруг костра сидят все месяцы. Среди них - падчерица.
Stepdaughter. Thank you. Sorry, April, I lost your gift.
April. Lost? Come on, here it is in my hand! Take your ring. It is yours! Wait for me to visit!
Like it or not, in January it won’t be hot.
Everything is good in its season.
There are no snowdrops for this reason.
Aha! Most fairy-tales are tending
To have a happy ending
Christmas and new year are drawing near.
We wish you happiness and no tears!
Hold festivals and have much fun!
Merry holidays to everyone!