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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