1 Spring comes early in the Italian hills. Peasant hearts are light - and the voice of the travelling circus is heard in the land - 2 "Some poor family with too many babes abandoned her - for the Saints to take care of." 3 "You mean for us to care for! Give her to the orphanage - women bring bad luck!" 4 "No, Simon, what the Saints have sent, sinners can't refuse. I'm going to keep her!" 5 "Cock-a-doodle-do!" 6 "Simon, haven't you a kiss for .... Simonetta?" 7 "Simonetta? You've named her after me?" 8 So Simonetta became a child of the road .... wandering light-hearted through youth's sunny years. 9 "She is a feather for grace, Tito - that little one!" 10 "But she looks too young! Fix her hair - make her a woman!" 11 "Simon, did you hear him? Simonetta is to join our act!" 12 "A rose! That's what you need - a rose in your hair!" 13 Near the circus grounds were the gardens of Count Luigi Ravelli .... where roses grew. 14 "That barbed wire was not intended for your pretty little legs." 15 "I wanted a rose .... for my hair." 16 "There, Lucretia, you have a rival!" 17 "My friends, here is a new rose I found in my garden -" 18 "What a lovely child of Nature you are!" 19 "What an alluring woman you could be!" 20 "Luigi!" 21 "Send that peasant away!" 22 "If Simonetta's coming in our act ... I'm leaving it! Women bring bad luck!" 23 "I've made you what you are, Tito! Try and get along without me!" 24 "Why, Simonetta! You're not a child any more!" 25 "You're .... a woman!" 26 "Call him back, Simonetta .... Call Simon back! I need him!" 27 In the pattern of human life there are many strange threads. Three years later .... in the office of a famous neurologist in Rome. 28 "Count Ravelli, your spells of uncontrollable laughter are due to a life of self-indulgence." 29 "Your emotions have ruled you so long you have lost control. You've lived too well - perhaps loved too many." 30 "Signor Beppi is here for his appointment, Doctor." 31 "If you ever fall in love sincerely - with a woman of the right kind - - I think your trouble will disappear." 32 "Don't do that, Doctor! I'm ticklish!" 33 "Signor Beppi, as I said before, it's very difficult for me to help you if you won't tell me more about yourself." 34 "I believe you're suffering from some sort of suppression .... perhaps a hopeless love." 35 "When your hopelessness is gone - - you will be well." 36 "Lose no time in winning the lady, my friend." 37 "You don't understand, Doctor - I can't tell her! It wouldn't be right!" 38 "When these crying spells come on .... I'm afraid of losing my mind." 39 "My friend, you must have diversion. You've got to find something to make you laugh." 40 "There's the fellow who will make you laugh!" 41 "He's making all Rome laugh! He's a tonic for a tired world!" 42 "He'll make you laugh, too." 43 "Flik can never make me laugh!" 44 "Because I am .... Flik!" 45 "I wasn't laughing at you when you came in - - laughter is my affliction." 46 "You mean - you can't help laughing any more than I can help - - crying?" 47 "Don't worry .... we can do a great deal for him .... at least you can." 48 "Make him go out more - walk with him, talk with him, laugh with him!" 49 "You know - I think you'd be good for me." 50 "And I've been thinking - you'd be good for me." 51 "Shall we try - - curing each other?" 52 "I've found a new friend, Simonetta .... and a lucky one. He's always laughing." 53 So the two men helped each other .... without realizing how much Simonetta helped them both. 54 "I envy you your gentle manners, Count Ravelli." 55* "It didn't take me long, Tito, to find out how much I needed you." 56* "I need you, too, Simon. I want you back with me." 57* "We'll call ourselves - Flik - and - and - Flok!! That's it! Flik and Flok!" 58* It was a season of triumph for Flik and Flok, and on the eve of their last performance .... 59 "Don't be foolish, little one - - he's very rich -" 60 "You were born to wear them -" 61 "Would you sacrifice these .... for a clown?" 62 "I could never leave Tito! Never!" 63 "Come, come, now! No tears!" 64 "Cock-a-doodle-do!" 65 "Nothing will ever part us, Tito .... will it?" 66 "I'm a mouse!" 67 "I'm a swallow!" 68 "I'm a monkey!" 69 "I'm a giant!" 70 "You're - a - lover!" 71 "You're in love with Simonetta - I always knew it!" 72 "They're real!" 73 "Why do you think Luigi gave such a present to Simonetta?" 74 "Tito, it's time someone awakened you to the truth." 75 "He stopped laughing - and you stopped crying - for the same woman!" 76 "You don't suppose he's giving her real pearls for nothing!" 77 "Swells like him don't marry tight-rope walkers." 78 "Mother of Mercy! What is this man trying to make me believe?" 79 "Get hold of yourself, Tito! We must go on again!" 80 "You're cured, aren't you? You've stopped laughing?" 81 "But you're grinning at the way you fooled me with friendship, aren't you?" 82 "You can fish in the gutter with your pearls ... but not for Simonetta!" 83 "You can buy nothing here!" 84 "You're the type that stops at nothing in pursuit of women!" 85 "It crops out after all, you low clown! You've a clown's brain! All you see is dirt!" 86 "You see - - I love Simonetta, too." 87 "If she loves you, Tito - I'll not stand in your way." 88 "You must ask her first, Luigi. If she loves you - she'll never know of my love." 89 "Count Ravelli, I can't accept these!" 90 "Won't you try to forgive me, Simonetta?" 91 "Simonetta, I love you .... heart and soul. I love you!" 92 "Ladies and gentlemen! The great Flik will now do his DEATH-DEFYING SLIDE!" 93 "You belong to them! They must have their fun!" 94 "Laugh, clown, laugh .... even though your heart is breaking!" 95 So Luigi and Simonetta were betrothed - and went to spend the weeks before the wedding with Luigi's family. 96 "Are you very happy, dearest?" 97 "Oh, Luigi, I could be so happy, if only Tito were not - alone." 98 "Luigi, can't we have him near us? He's so helpless -" 99 "Of course, dear! We need him, too. He seems almost part of us." 100 "Tito, I've got a wonderful new idea for our act!" 101 "I'm afraid I can't go on with the act, Simon. My heart's not in it." 102 "That's no way to talk, old clown. The world needs you - - needs laughter!" 103 "We'll rehearse tonight?" 104 "We're going to have the greatest season of our lives." 105 "Cock-a-doodle-do!" 106 "I couldn't stay away from you any longer, Tito!" 107 "Everything to remind you of me!" 108 "The last time I wore this .... I caught your tears in it." 109 "Tito - you love me." 110 "I didn't know you cared - like that." 111 "You love me! That's what you were always trying to say .... and couldn't!" 112 "Tell me you forgive me! Say you want me to be your wife!" 113 "I love you, Tito! I love you!" 114 "Mother of Mercy, I swear to you .... I love Tito! I love him!" 115 "Now do you believe me?" 116 "If all my dreams were like this - - I would sleep forever." 117 "It isn't a dream, Tito - it's real! I'm going to tell Luigi - now!" 118 "And then Lake Como - you and I!" 119 "Blessed Mother - forgive her! She lied!" 120 "She kissed me - when all the time her soul was crying Luigi - Luigi!" 121 "My hat and cloak!" 122 "He's Flik! I'll bet you he's Flik!" 123 "What are you made up for? It's only a rehearsal!" 124 "I - I - forgot - I - I - was thinking about something else." 125 "Why don't you laugh? Why don't you be Flik?" 126 "Look at that long face! That's not Flik!" 127 "We've got to find the old Flik again .... the funniest fellow in the world." 128 "Laugh, clown .... laugh! Why don't you laugh?" 129 "Yes! Why don't you laugh? Simonetta's going to marry you!" 130 "Simonetta loves you?" 131 "Then you should be the happiest man in the world!" 132 "Foot lights! Clear the stage! Ring up the curtain! Let the comedy begin!" 133 "Music! Why don't you start?" 134 "Announce me, Flok! Announce me!" 135 "What's the matter? Why don't you announce me?" 136 "The great Flik will now do his DEATH -" 137 "- his DEATH-DEFYING SLIDE!" 138 "Get a doctor! Get a doctor quick!" 139 "Why should I .... spoil her youth .... with my tears?" 140 "I'm .... an .... old man -" 141 "Isn't it funny .... I missed that trick .... after all these years." 142 "Tell Luigi .... to be good .... to her." 143 "The comedy .... is .... ended!" 144 "That's Flik on the floor." 145 "He's playing that he's dead." The End * = reconstructed titleHome