Mr. Bumble, the parish beadle, enters. (The dictionary defines a
beadle as an inferior parish officer in England having a variety of
duties, as the preservation of order in church service, the
chastisement of petty offenders, etc.) He is accompanied by the Widow
Corney, the Workhouse Mistress. Mr. Bumble hands out the day's meagre
food to the boys. When he signals the boys they can start eating,
they wolf down the food to the tune of OLIVER. When they finish,
Oliver requests a second helping.
MR. BUMBLE: For what you are about to receive
May the Lord make you truly thankful.
BOYS: Amen.
OLIVER: Please, Sir, I want some more.
MR. BUMBLE: What?
OLIVER: Please, Sir, I want some more.
MR. BUMBLE: More!
WIDOW CORNEY: Catch him!
MR. BUMBLE: Snatch him!
WIDOW CORNEY: Hold him!
MR. BUMBLE: Scold him!
WIDOW CORNEY: Pounce him!
Trounce him!
Pick him up and bounce him!
MR. BUMBLE: Wait!
Before we put the boy to task
May I be so curious as to ask
His name?
BOYS: O-li-ver
WIDOW CORNEY AND MR. BUMBLE: Oliver! Oliver!
MR. BUMBLE: Never before has a boy wanted more!
MR. BUMBLE AND WIDOW CORNEY: Oliver! Oliver!
MR. BUMBLE: Won't ask for more when he knows what's in store.
There a dark, thin, winding
Stairway without any bannister
Which we'll throw him down, and
Feed him on cockroaches
Served in a canister
ALL: Oliver! Oliver!
MR. BUMBLE: What will he do
When he's turned black and blue?
He will curse the day
Somebody named him
ALL: O-li-ver!
MR. BUMBLE AND WIDOW CORNEY: Oliver! Oliver!
MR. BUMBLE: Never before has a boy wanted more!
MR. BUMBLE AND WIDOW CORNEY: Oliver! Oliver!
WIDOW CORNEY: He won't ask for more
When he knows what's in store.
MR. BUMBLE: There's a sooty chimney
Long overdue for a sweeping out
Which we'll push him up,
And one day next year
With the rats he'll be creeping out!
ALL: Oliver! Oliver!
MR. BUMBLE: What will her do
In this terrible stew?
He will rue the day
Somebody named him...
ALL: O-li-ver! |
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