Androcles
Did you see? A Lion...
Mageara
Oh, the gods have sent him to punish us because you're a Christian. Take me away, Andy. Save me!
Androcles
Don't you come near my wife! Do you hear? Oh. He's lame. Poor old chap. He's got a thorn in his paw. A frightfully big thorn.
Oh poor old man
Did um get an awful thorn
In um's tootsums wootsums?
Lion
Yes
Androcles
Has it made him much too sick to eat
A nice little Christian man?
Lion
Maybe
Androcles
I'm so frightened. Yet I'm a Christian.
I must help the poor beast.
Oh - A nice little Christian man
Will make your paw feel better
Then you can eat the Christian and his wife
Lion
Oh, a nice little Christian man
Could be this cat's salvation
The gods have sent this man to spare my life
Androcles
Does the paw hurt?
Lion
Yes
Androcles
Poor old man
You are not to bite and not to scratch
Lion
I will not bite I will not scratch
Androcles
Though it may hurt a very little
Now makeums Velvet Paws
Lion
Velvet Paws?
Androcles
Pull your claws – That’s right
Ancrocles & Lion
Velvet Paws - Velvet Paws - Velvet Paws
Lion
eowwww...I mean RRROOOAAARRRR
Androcles
I never meant to hurt you sir
So Sorry
Did the nasty cruel little Christian man hurt the sore paw?
Lion
Yes
Androcles
Oh Sir Lion - I beg of you, have faith!
Lion
Rrrrr...?
Androcles
For one little pull and this could all be over
Lion
One little pull and I could be so happy
I promise Velvet Paws
Androcles
Friendly jaws?
Lion
Look! No claws!
Androcles & Lion
Velvet Paws - Velvet Paws - Velvet Paws
Androcles
Ready? Steady?
Lion
eeeoooOOWWW It's still there!
Androcles
Oh, you mustn't frighten ums good kind doctor
No no - that didn't hurt at all
Not a bit
Oh
I've heard lions are the bravest of the brave
Lion
Bravest of the brave!
Androcles
Braver than the average Christian tailor
Lion
It's true
Lions have a reputation to uphold
Androcles
Hold your head up high
Lion
A lion must be bold or be a failure
Androcles
And Sir Lion
Now that I have seen you in distress
Lion
It really hurts
Androcles
It's like a test
Lion
Don't hurt my paw!
Androcles
It's time to pull this lousy thorn!
Lion
eeoowwwWWW
Androcles
It's out
That's it
Lion
My paw...
Androcles
Now lickums paw to take away the hurt -see?
Clever little liony-piony
Understands ums dear friend Andy-Wandy
Yes - kissums Andy-Wandy
Lion
Shall we dance?
Androcles
Velvet Paws
Androcles & Lion
Velvet Paws Velvet Paws Velvet Paws
Velvet Paws Velvet Paws Velvet Paw
Megaera
Ohhhh you Coward! You haven’t danced with me for years, and now you go off dancing with a great brute beast that you haven’t known for ten minutes, and that wants to eat your own wife!
Coward! Coward! Coward!!!
Velvet Paws
Write a “two characters – one hook” song, derived from George Bernard Shaw’s “Androcles and the Lion”.
OK.
Androcles and the Lion opens with our hero Androcles encountering a Lion with a thorn in his paw. Of course, Androcles relieves the Lion of the thorn, and ultimately the story moves on to Rome and the Colosseum.
I guess there are any number of places in Shaw’s play where I might have found a "two characters - one hook" song to write, but I never really got past that first scene with the Lion. Maybe it was too obvious, but that’s where I went.
I’d love to hear this piece produced someday. In particular, the 3/4 section towards the end where Androcles dances with the Lion calls out for colorful instrumentation and orchestration. Also, if this scene were ever produced as part of the overall play, this music would be great for the last scene in the Colosseum where Androcles and the Lion again dance together.
Fun tune.