Scene: Archibald’s Library / A Bit of Earth

[ARCHIBALD, spoken]
Yes, child, come in.

[MARY, spoken]
Thank you, sir.

[ARCHIBALD, spoken]
Are you well? Do they take good care of you?

[MARY, spoken]
Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.

[ARCHIBALD, spoken]
Is there anything you need? Would you like some toys, or books, or dolls, perhaps?

[MARY, spoken]
Might I...

[ARCHIBALD, spoken]
Speak up, child.

[MARY, spoken]
Might I have a bit of earth, sir?

[ARCHIBALD, spoken]
A bit of earth?

[MARY, spoken]
To plant seeds in, yes sir. A garden.

[ARCHIBALD, spoken]
Do you care about gardens so much, then?

[MARY, spoken]
I didn't know about them in India. I was always ill and tired and it was too hot.

[ARCHIBALD, spoken]
A bit of earth.

[MARY, spoken]
I sometimes played at making little flower beds, sticking things in the sand...

[ARCHIBALD]
She wants a little bit of earth
She'll plant some seeds
The seeds will grow
The flowers bloom
But is their bounty
What she needs?

How can she chance
To love a little bit of earth?
Does she not know?
The earth is old
And doesn't care if
One small girl wants things to grow

She needs a friend
She needs a father
Brother, sister
Mother's arms
She needs to laugh
She needs to dance
And learn to work
Her girlish charms

She needs a home
The only thing she really needs
I cannot give
Instead she asks
A bit of earth
To make it live

She should have a pony
Gallop 'cross the moor
She should have a doll's house
With a hundred rooms per floor
Why can't she ask for a treasure?
Something that money can buy
That won't die
When I'd give her the world
She asks instead
For some earth

A bit of earth
She wants a little bit of earth
She'll plant some seeds
The seeds will grow
The flowers bloom
Their beauty just the thing she needs
She'll grow to love the tender roses, lilies fair
The iris tall
And then in fall
Her bit of earth will freeze and kill them all

A bit of earth, a bit of earth
A bit of earth, a bit of earth