Tom and Jim get into an argument over sharing an apple that Tom brought. Tom gives Jim half of the apple, but Jim claims that Tom's half is bigger. They argue back and forth, with neither boy willing to trade halves. An old woman comes and tries to settle the dispute by examining their halves. No matter which half she thinks is bigger, the boys continue arguing. To stop the fighting, the old woman ends up eating both halves of the apple entirely. She tells the boys that quarreling will never get them anything good.

1. I. Half an Apple
People in the Play
Tom, a small boy
Jim, a small boy
An old woman
TOM: Look, Jim! I have got an apple!
JIM: Oh, please give me half* of it. I will give you half of my pencil. *1/2
TOM: Yes. Give me half of your pencil.
JIM: Here it is. (He gives Tom half of his pencil.)
TOM: Now, I will give you half of my apple.
(He gives Jim half of the apple.)
JIM: Oh, Tom, your half is bigger.
TOM: No, the two bits are the same.
JIM: Let me see your half.
TOM: I will not let you see it!
JIM: You are a bad boy. You say that they are the same. If they are the same, take my
half and give me your half.
TOM: No, I will not.
JIM: You must. If you do not, I will hit you.
(An old woman comes in.)
OLD WOMAN: Boys! Why are you quarreling, you two boys?
JIM: I gave Tom half of my pencil. He gave me half of his apple. But his half is much
bigger than my half. He is a bad boy.
TOM: My half is not bigger. Look at it. (He gives his half to the Old Woman.)
OLD WOMAN: Now, boy, let me see your half. (Jim gives his half to the Old Woman.) I think the
two bits are the same.
JIM: No, this bit is bigger.
TOM: Jim, you are a bad boy. The Old Woman says that they are the same. (He speaks to
the Old Woman.) Give me my half.

2. OLD WOMAN: Tom, you say that your half is the same as Jim´s half. I will give his half to you and
you shall give your half to him.
TOM: No, no! Give me my half.
JIM: Yes, yes! Give me Tom´s half.
OLD WOMAN: Yes, I think Tom´s half is bigger. I will bite a bit from Tom´s half. Then they will be
the same.
JIM: Yes, then they will be the same. (The Old Woman bites a bit from Tom´s half.)
TOM: Oh, look. Jim´s half is bigger now. I want Jim´s half.
JIM: No. They are the same now. Give me my half.
OLD WOMAN: No, Jim´s half is bigger. I will bite a bit from Jim´s apple. (She bites a bit from Jim´s
apple.) Now they are the same.
JIM: Look! Tom´s half is bigger now. I want Tom´s half.
TOM: No, they are the same. Give me my half.
OLD WOMAN: I think that Tom´s half is a little bigger. I will bite Tom´s half. (She bites Tom´s half.)
TOM: Now Jim´s half is bigger.
OLD WOMAN: If Jim´s half is bigger, I will bite a bit from it. (She bites Jim´s apple and eats all of it).
JIM: Oh! Oh! now Tom´s half is bigger. Give it to me.
OLD WOMAN: If Tom´s half is bigger I must bite it too. (She bites Tom´s half and eats it all.) Do not
quarrel, my boys. Those who quarrel never get any good from it.