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Queen: Yea, verily. Now, my dear, why aren't you in bed?
Help her up. Well, at least one person in this castle is going to get a good night' sleep.
(the queen exits)
Winnifred: Aah! What a beautiful bed! Twenty soft mattresses!
Oh! I'm going to sleep like a baby!
(She reaches the top again, folds herself gracefully into a languid
position and closes her eyes. And pops them open. She screams)
Winnifred: Quiet!!
(The bird quiets. Winnifred tries but she can't get comfortable
and has to change her position countless times, to no avail.
Finally she gives up and sits on the foot of the bed)
Winnifred: All right sheep. I'm ready whenever you are! 1… 2… 3… 4… 5… 6… 7… 8…
(Morning comes and the Queen announces to Dauntless with great regret that
Winnifred's test has taken place and that any real princess would have been
unable to sleep with a pea under 20 mattresses. Dauntless, thinking Fred has failed,
is shattered)
Queen: Good morning, everyone.
All: Good morning, Your Majesty.
Queen: Well, where is our little slugabed? She should be getting an early…
(Winnifred staggers in, counting with her eyes closed)
Winnifred: 37,428
Queen: 37,428 what?
Winnifred: Sheep. What do you stuff your mattresses with? Jousting equipment!?
Queen: You didn't sleep?
Winnifred: I never shut my eyes!
Dauntless: You passed the test!
Mama put a pea under twenty mattresses and you felt it and now we can be married!
(The Queen complains that there must be some mistake, but he will hear none of it and,
for the very first time, he yells at her to shut up. This sudden change in him is the
power that lifts his father's long-rendered curse; the Queen becomes mute and
Sextimus gets his voice back. "And," Sextimus bellows, "I have a lot to say!")
All: Hooray! Yaaay!! Etc.
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