Bert: "Look at this mess! Ernie, don't you think it's time to put all these toys away?"

Ernie: (looks up from the fire engine) "Well yes, but I didn't get all the toys out."

Bert: "Yes, but you got most of the toys out."

Ernie: "Wellllll, how about I put most of the toys away?"

Bert: "Fine. You put most of the toys away, and I'll pick up the rest." (leaves)

Ernie: "Okay .... Let's see, how about I put away all the fire engines?

(picks up the engine and starts to leave, stops)

But there's still a lot of toys left. How about I put away all the big toys? Is this a big toy? This? This?

(He starts to examine all the other toys, which are all rather small, until--)

Here's a big toy! The fire engine! Okay!

(again starts to leave, stops)

But there's still a lot of toys left. Let's see, how about I put away all the red toys? How about that? Let's see, is this a red toy? How about this?

(picks up toy dog)

Kind of pinkish maybe, but ...

(keeps looking through toys, none of which are red, until--)

Here's a red toy! The fire engine!

(again starts to leave, but--)

But's there's still a lot of toys left. Hmm ... how about ... I know! How about all the toys with wheels? How about that? Let's see, wheels? This thing have wheels?

(picks up toy horse)

Horse have wheels?

(throws it down, continues until--)

The fire engine! See the wheels? Okay!

(same as before, stops)

But's there's still a lot of toys left. Hmm ... how about ladders? How about all the toys with ladders?

(again he searches through the pile of toys)

This have ladders? This? The fire engine! The fire engine has ladders! Okay! Yes I'm certainly putting away a lot of toys."

(picks up the engine, starts off. Bert comes in, sees the remaining toys)

Bert: "Ernie--ERNIE! I thought you told me you were going to put most of the toys away!"

Ernie: "I am, Bert. I'm putting away all the fire engines,--"

Bert: "Yeah?"

Ernie: "--all the big toys,--"

Bert: "Yeah?"

Ernie: "--all the red toys,--"

Bert: "Ye--" (he suddenly realizes)

Ernie: "--all the toys with wheels, and all the toys with ladders. Yessir, I'm really putting away the toys."

(Ernie marches off, leaving Bert groaning amidst the huge pile of toys still left.)