Children Will Listen / Finale
Original Broadway Cast of Into the Woods
[JACK'S MOTHER]
The slotted spoon CAN catch the potato…

[MYSTERIOUS MAN]
Every knot was once straight rope..

[PRINCES]
The harder to wake, the better to have…

[SNOW WHITE, SLEEPING BEAUTY]
(Yawn) Excuse me

[STEWARD]
The greater the good, the harder the blow…

[STEPMOTHER]
When going to hide, know how to get there

[CINDERELLA'S FATHER]
And how to get back…
[FLORINDA, LUCINDA]
And eat first…

[GRANDMOTHER]
The knife that is sharp today may be dull by tomorrow…

[RAPUNZEL]
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah…

[BAKER]
Maybe I just wasn't meant to have children--

[WIFE]
Don't say that!  Of course you were meant to have children…

[BAKER]
But how can I go about being a father
With no one to mother my child?

[WIFE]
Just calm the child

[BAKER]
Yes, calm the child

[WIFE]
Look, tell him the story of how it all happened
Be father and mother, you'll know what to do
[BAKER]
Alone…

[WIFE]
Sometimes people leave you
Halfway through the wood
Do not let it grieve you
No one leaves for good
You are not alone
No one is alone
Hold him to the light now
Let him see the glow
Things will be all right now
Tell him what you know…

[BAKER]
Shhh.  Once upon a time…in a far-off kingdom…lived a young maiden…a sad young lad…and a childless baker…with his wife

[WITCH (simultaneously with Baker)]
Careful the things you say
Children will listen
Careful the things you do
Children will see
And learn
Children may not obey
But children will listen
Children will look to you
For which way to turn
To learn what to be
Careful before you say
"Listen to me."
Children will listen
[COMPANY]
Careful the wish you make
Wishes are children
Careful the path they take
Wishes come true
Not free
Careful the spell you cast
Not just on children
Sometimes the spell may last
Past what you can see
And turn against you…

[WITCH]
Careful the tale you tell
That is the spell
Children will listen…

[COMPANY(in three groups: round)]
Though it's fearful
Though it's deep, though it's dark
And though you may lose the path
Though you may encounter wolves
You can't just act
You have to listen
You can't just act
You have to think
Though it's dark
There are always wolves
There are always spells
There are always beans
Or a giant dwells there
[unison]
So into the woods you go again
You have to every now and then
Into the woods, no telling when
Be ready for the journey
Into the woods, but not too fast
Or what you wish, you lose at last

[COMPANY MEN]
Into the woods, but mind the past

[COMPANY WOMEN]
Into the woods, but mind the future

[COMPANY MEN]
Into the woods, but not to stray

[COMPANY]
Or tempt the wolf, or steal from the giant--
The way is dark
The light is dim
But now there's you, me, her, and him

[COMPANY MEN]
The chances look small

[COMPANY WOMEN]
The choices look grim

[COMPANY]
But everything you learn there
Will help when you return there

[BAKER, CINDERELLA, LRRH, JACK]
The light is getting dimmer-

[BAKER]
I think I see a glimmer--

Into the woods--you have to grope
But that's the way you learn to cope
Into the woods to find there's hope
Of getting through the journey
Into the woods, each time you go
There's more to learn of what you know
Into the woods, but not too slow--
Into the woods, it's nearing midnight--
Into the woods to mind the wolf
To heed the witch, to honor the giant

To mind
To heed
To find
To think
To teach
To join
To go to the Festival!
Into the woods
Into the woods
Into the woods
Then out of the woods--
And happy ever after!

[CINDERELLA]
I wish…
Write the lyrics for a pop song made in 1987, titled "Children Will Listen / Finale", by artist "Original Broadway Cast of Into the Woods".