Page:A history of Chinese literature - Giles.djvu/276

 CHINESE LITERATURE THE FLOWERY BALL.

��DRAMATIS PERSONS :

Su Tai-ch'in, .... a Suitor.

Hu Mao-yuan, ....... a Suitor.

P'ing Kuei, a Beggar*

P'u-sa,. . . . the Beggar's Guardian Angel.

Lady Wang,. . . daughter of a high Mandarin. Gatekeeper.

Suitors, Servants, &*c.

SCENE Outside the city ofCKang-an.

Su T'ai-ch'in. At CKang-an city I reside : My father is a Mandarin; Oh .' if I get the Flowery Ball, My cup of joy will overflow. My humble name is Su T'ai-ck'in. To-day the Lady Wang will throw A Flowery Ball to get a spouse; And if perchance this ball strikes me^ I am a lucky man indeed. But now I must go on my way.

[Walks on towards the city

Enter Hu Mao-yuan.

Hu Mao-yuan. My father is a nobleman,

And I'm a jolly roving blade; To-day the Lady Wang will throw A Flowery Ball to get a spouse. It all depends on destiny Whether or not this Ball strikes me. My humble name is Hu Mao-yuan ; But as the Ball is thrown to-day I must be moving on my way. Why, that looks very like friend Su ! Pll call: " Friend Su, don't go so fast. ." Su. IPs Hu Mao-yuan : now wfiere go you ? Hu. To the Governor's palace to get me a wife. Su. To the Flowery Ball ? Well, Pm going too. [Sings.] The Lady Wang the Flowery Ball will throw^

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