[BIRD GIRLS #1, 2, & 3] (singing)
THEN CAREFULLY,
TENDERLY,
GENTLY HE CREPT
UP THE TRUNK TO THE NEST
WHERE THE LITTLE EGG SLEPT.
THEN HORTON THE ELEPHANT SMILED.

[HORTON THE ELEPHANT]
NOW THAT'S THAT.

[BIRD GIRLS]
AND HE SAT AND HE SAT
AND HE SAT AND HE SAT.

HE SAT ALL THAT DAY
AND HE KEPT THE EG WARM...
AND HE SAT ALL THAT NIGHT
THROUGH A TERRIBLE STORM...

(The CAT enters and gleefully squirts HORTON with a water pistol.)

[BIRD GIRLS]
OOH...AHH!

[HORTON]
I'M COLD AND I'M WET
AND I'M CATCHING THE FLU.
OH, MAYZIE, PLEASE HURRY!
I'VE GOT TO SAVE WHO!
OH, MAYZIE, PLEASE HURRY!
I'VE GOT TO SAVE WHO!
(The season changes. The CAT dumps autumn leaves on HORTON. GERTRUDE McFUZZ enters. Her tail is now extremely long–in fact, some of it still remains offstage.)

[GERTRUDE McFUZZ] (spoken)
Horton, I brought you a scarf.

[HORTON]
Thank you, Gertrude. Have you heard from Mayzie?

[GERTRUDE]
She sent a card from Palm Beach.

[HORTON]
Palm Beach! Gertrude, what if she never comes back?

[GERTRUDE]
Don't worry, she will. Um, Horton, notice anything different?

[HORTON]
Yes, it's g-g-getting colder.

(GERTRUDE sighs and exits. HORTON still doesn't notice her tail, which crosses the stage long after she's gone.)

[BIRD GIRLS, & (OTHER WOMEN O.S.)] (singing)
OOH! OOH! OOH! OOH!... A-AAH!

[BIRD GIRLS]
AND THEN CAME THE WINTER...
THE SNOW AND THE SLEET
AND ICICLES HUNG
FROM HIS TRUNK AND HIS FEET.
OOH!...
(The CAT hurls buckets of snow at HORTON.)

[HORTON]
(resolute)
I CAN'T LEAVE THIS NEST.
NO, I MEANT WHAT I SAID.
THIS EGG MIGHT GET FROZEN
BUT THE WHOS MIGHT BE DEAD!
I COULDN'T SAY NO
WHEN I HEARD MAYZIE BEG!
NOW I'M CAUGHT BETWEEN A DUST SPECK
AND AN INCUBATING EGG!

(Suddenly, HUNTERS surround HORTON.)

[HORTON] (spoken)
Help! Someone help! Hunters! Help!!

(There is chaos in the Jungle. GERTRUDE tries to fly to HORTON's aid, but can't because of her heavy tail. She wrestles with it.)

[GERTRUDE]
Horton!...Horton!