English Wordplay ~ Listen and Enjoy
Drama for Learning English: A Production in Thailand,
at Loysai Anusorn School
The best way to learn English is to have fun, to play, by writing, producing and performing a stage or audio play.
At Loysai Anusorn School, Ram Inthra, Bangkok, Thailand, we produced a play called The Wise Little Girl.
To start with we were not at all sure that the children were up to it.
But they had such enthusiasm and perseverance that we were amazed and delighted by their progress;
by their team-work and confidence.
Teachers, Miss Chulapan and Miss Mimie Acuna, were very quick
at picking up the art and craft of directing.
They were both loving and authoritative with the students.
Play and having fun is the best way of teaching languages.
The Script of The Wise Little Girl
a famous Russian fairy tale, dramatised and directed by Shaun MacLoughlin
with Assistant Directors Miss Chulapan and Miss Mimie Acuna
CAST
Narrator 1
Narrator 2
Narrator 3
Narrator 4
Edward
Ivan
Old Lady
Woman
Little Girl
Emperor
Note: The Narrators can be played by girls or boys
| (SPOTLIGHT DOWNSTAGE CENTRE ON THE FIRST NARRATOR) | |
|---|---|
| NARRATOR 1: | Once upon a time in Russia, there was a little village where nearly all the inhabitants bred horses. It was the month of October, when a big livestock market was held yearly in the main town. |
| (THE NARRATOR MOVES DOWNSTAGE RIGHT AS TWO BROTHERS APPEAR FROM STAGE LEFT, LEADING TWO ACTORS DRESSED AS A STALLION AND AS A YOUNG MARE) | |
| EDWARD: | I am Edward. I am rich and I ride a stallion. |
| IVAN: | I am Ivan. I am poor and I ride a young mare. |
| (THEY TETHER THEIR HORSES) | |
| NARRATOR 1: | At dusk they stopped beside an empty hut and tethered their horses outside, |
| (THE LIGHTS DIM. THEY LIE DOWN AS DESCRIBED.) | |
| NARRATOR 1: | before going to sleep on two heaps of straw. |
| (THE BROTHERS SOON BEGIN TO SNORE.
MEANWHILE IN THE DARK A SMALL ACTOR PLAYING THE
FOAL LIES DOWN BESIDE THE YOUNG MARE.
THE LIGHTS COME UP. THE FOAL STRUGGLES TO ITS FEET, DRINKS ITS MOTHER'S MILK,
THEN TAKES ITS FIRST FALTERING STEPS ACROSS THE STAGE TO WHERE THE STALLION IS TETHERED. THE STALLION WHINNIES WITH DELIGHT. THE BROTHERS WAKE, STRETCH. AND CLAMBER TO THEIR FEET. THEY ARE VERY SURPRISED TO SEE THE FOAL.) | |
| NARRATOR 1: | Great was their surprise when the next morning they saw three horses outside.
Well to be exact the newcomer was not really a horse. It was a foal, to which the mare had given birth during the night.
Soon it had the strength to struggle to its feet and after a drink of it mother's milk.
Then the foal struggled its first few steps. The stallion greeted it, and when the two brothers set eyes on it for the first time the foal was standing beside the stallion. |
| EDWARD: | It belongs to me. It's my stallion's foal. |
| IVAN: | (LAUGHS) Whoever heard of a stallion giving birth to a foal? It was born to my mare! |
| EDWARD: | No, that's not true! It was standing close to the stallion, so it's the stallion's foal. And therefore it's mine. |
| (THE BROTHERS WALK AROUND THE STAGE, GESTICULATING AND MIMING QUARRELLING.) | |
| NARRATOR 1: | The brothers continued quarrelling. Then they decided to go to town and bring the matter before the judge. |
Shaun and teacher Miss Mimie watching the little girl rehearsing solving the riddles for her father, Ivan.
| (THEY MEET A LAME, BENT OLD LADY, LEANING ON A STICK. THEY GESTICULATE AND MIME TO HER, EACH PRETENDING TO SHUT UP THE OTHER.) | |
| NARRATOR 1: | On the way they met an old lady and told her what was going on. |
| OLD LADY: | If it is a foal, it must be the stallion's. |
| IVAN: | That's not a good reason. I don't believe you. A stallion had a foal!!? Come on! |
| (THE BROTHERS CONTINUE TO WALK AROUND THE STAGE, STILL GESTICULATING AND MIMING QUARRELLING.) | |
| NARRATOR 1: | Still arguing, the two brothers headed for the big square where the courtroom stood. But they didn't know it was a special day, the day when, once a year, the Emperor himself administered the law. |
| (SERVANTS BRING THE EMPEROR'S THRONE WITH EMPEROR SEATED ON IT ONTO THE STAGE - OR A BACKDROP CAN BE REMOVED TO REVEAL HIM. THE BROTHERS GASP AND THROW THEMSELVES ONTO THEIR KNEES AND TOUCH THE GROUND WITH THEIR FOREHEADS BEFORE THE EMPEROR.) | |
| NARRATOR 1: | The brothers went to the courtroom and told him all about the dispute. |
| (THEY MIME TO THE EMPEROR, AS THEY DID TO THE OLD LADY, BUT WITH GREATER REVERENCE. WHILE THIS IS HAPPENING NARRATOR 1 HANDS OVER TO NARRATOR 2.) | |
| NARRATOR 2: | The Emperor listened to both sides of the story. |
|
Hmm. It's difficult, indeed impossible, to say who exactly is the foal's rightful owner.
I can't judge which of you should have the foal,
so it will be awarded to whichever of you solves the following four riddles: One, what is the fastest thing in the world? Two, what is the fattest? Three, what's the softest? And four, what is the most precious? I command you to return to the palace in a week's time with your answers. |
|
| (THE EMPEROR STILL SEATED IS CARRIED OFF STAGE - OR THE BACKDROP DESCENDS TO CONCEAL HIM. THE BROTHERS GET UP. IVAN LEAVES THE STAGE AND EDWARD REMAINS) | |
| NARRATOR 2: | Edward started to puzzle over the answers as soon as he left the courtroom. When he reached home, he realized he had no-one to help him. |
| EDWARD: | Well. I'll just have to seek help. If I can't solve these problems, I'll lose the foal. |
| NARRATOR 2: | Then he remembered a woman, one of his neighbours, to whom he had once lent a gold coin. |
| (HE GOES TO A DOOR AND KNOCKS ON IT. WITH HIS BACK TO THE AUDIENCE, HE MIMES, TELLING HER THE EMPEROR'S RIDDLES) | |
| NARRATOR 2: | He told her about the Emperor's riddles. |
| (SHE MOVES DOWNSTAGE WITH HIM) | |
| WOMAN: |
The fastest thing in the world is my husband's bay horse.
Nothing can beat it! The fattest is our pig! Such a huge beast has never been seen! The softest is the quilt I made for the bed, using my own goose's feathers. It's the envy of all my friends. The most precious thing in the world is my three-month old nephew. There isn't a more handsome child. I wouldn't exchange him for all the gold on earth, and that makes him the most precious thing on earth! |
| (SHE SHOUTS THE LAST WORDS BACK TO HIM, AS SHE DISAPPEARS BACK INTO HER HOUSE) | |
| NARRATOR 2: | Edward was rather doubtful about the woman's answers being correct. On the other hand, he had to take some kind of solution back to the Emperor. And he guessed, quite rightly, that if he didn't, he would be punished. |
| (HE LEAVES THE STAGE AND IVAN APPEARS FROM THE OPPOSITE SIDE AND MEETS THE LITTLE GIRL) | |
| NARRATOR 2: | In the meantime, Ivan, who was a widower, had gone back to his hut, where he lived with his small daughter. Only seven years old, the little girl was often left alone. But she was thoughtful and very clever for her age. Ivan asked her advice. |
| LITTLE GIRL: |
Tell the Emperor that the fastest thing in the world is the cold north wind in winter. The fattest is the soil in our fields, whose crops give life to men and animals alike. The softest is a child's caress and the most precious is honesty. |
| (THE LITTLE GIRL DEPARTS. THE EMPEROR IS CARRIED ONTO THE STAGE AS BEFORE AND IVAN AND EDWARD CROSS TO HIM, AND GO DOWN ON THEIR KNEES. WHILE THIS IS HAPPENING NARRATOR 2 HANDS OVER TO NARRATOR 3.) | |
| NARRATOR 3: | The day came when the two brothers were to return before the Emperor. They were led into his presence. The Emperor was curious to hear what they had to say |
| EDWARD: |
(STUTTERING) The fastest thing is.. The fastest thing in the world is my friend's horse.
Nothing can beat it! The fattest is a friend's pig! Such a huge beast I never seen! The softest is the quilt my friend made for the bed, using her goose's feathers. The most precious thing in the world is her three-month old nephew. There isn't a more handsome child. |
| EMPEROR: | (ROARS WITH LAUGHTER) |
| NARRATOR 3: | The Emperor roared with laughter at Edward's foolish answers. However when Ivan spoke a frown spread over his face. |
| IVAN |
The fastest thing in the world is the cold north wind in winter. The fattest is the soil in our fields, whose crops give life to men and animals alike. The softest is a child's caress and the most precious is honesty. |
| NARRATOR 3: | The poor brother's wise replies made him squirm, especially the last one, about honesty, the most precious thing of all. The Emperor knew perfectly well that he had been dishonest in his dealings with the poor brother, for he had denied him justice, but he could not bear to admit it in front of his counsellors. |
| EMPEROR: | Who gave you these answers? |
| IVAN: | My small daughter. |
| EMPEROR: | You shall be rewarded for having such a wise and clever daughter. You shall be awarded the foal and a hundred gold coins. But.. but .. |
| NARRATOR 3: | He winked at his counsellors. |
| EMPEROR: | You will come before me in seven days time, bringing your daughter. And since she's so clever, she must appear before me neither naked nor dressed, neither on foot nor on horseback, neither bearing gifts nor empty handed. And if she does this, you will have your reward. If not, you'll have your head chopped off for your impudence! |
| (DURING THE ABOVE NARRATOR 3 HANDS OVER TO NARRATOR 4. THE ONLOOKERS LAUGH) | |
| NARRATOR 4: | The onlookers laughed, knowing Ivan would never be able to fulfil the Emperor's conditions. |
| (THE EMPEROR IS CARRIED OFF. IVAN LEAVES AND CROSSES TO HIS DAUGHTER. HE MIMES TELLING HER THE EMPEROR'S CONDITIONS.) | |
| LITTLE GIRL: | Tomorrow go and catch a hare and a partridge. Both must be alive. You'll have the foal and the hundred gold coins! Leave it to me! |
| (IVAN AND HIS DAUGHTER LEAVE THE STAGE) | |
| NARRATOR 4: | Ivan did as his daughter said. He had no idea what the two creatures were for, but he trusted his daughter's wisdom. |
| (THE EMPEROR IS CARRIED ON AGAIN, THIS TIME WITH A LARGE CROWD OF ONLOOKERS. IVAN AND HIS DAUGHTER (AS DESCRIBED BELOW) APPEAR, APPROACH AND GO DOWN ON THEIR KNEES, FOREHEADS TO THE GROUND, AS IS THE CUSTOM) | |
| NARRATOR 4: |
On the day of the audience with the Emperor, the palace was thronged with bystanders, waiting for Ivan
and his small daughter to arrive. At last, the little girl appeared, draped in a fishing net, riding the hare and holding the partridge in her hand. She was neither naked nor dressed, on foot or on horseback. The Emperor scowled. |
| EMPEROR: | I said neither bearing gifts nor empty-handed. |
| NARRATOR 4: | At these words the little girl held out the partridge. |
| (AN INVISIBLE THREAD FROM OFFSTAGE JERKS THE PARTRIDGE AWAY) | |
| NARRATOR 4: | The Emperor stretched out his hand to grasp it, but the bird flew into the air. The third condition had been fulfilled. In spite of himself the Emperor could not help admiring the little girl, who had so cleverly passed such a test. |
| EMPEROR: | (IN A GENTLER VOICE) Is your father terribly poor, and does he desperately need the foal? |
| LITTLE GIRL: | Oh, yes! We live on the hares he catches in the rivers and the fishes he picks from the trees. |
| EMPEROR: | (TRIUMPHANTLY) Aha! So you're not as clever as you seem to be! Whoever heard of hares in the river and fishes in the trees! |
| LITTLE GIRL: | (REPLYING IMMEDIATELY) And whoever heard of a stallion having a foal? |
| (EVERYBODY LAUGHS) | |
| NARRATOR 4: | Both the Emperor and the court burst into laughter. Ivan was immediately given the foal and a hundred gold coins. |
| (WE SEE THIS HAPPEN. THEN THE EMPEROR RISES, TAKES THE LITTLE GIRL BY THE HAND AND LEADS HER TO THE FRONT OF THE STAGE.) | |
| EMPEROR: |
You are so clever, little girl.
Only in my kingdom could such a wise little girl be born! |
| END OF PLAY. THE ACTORS BOW TO THE AUDIENCE. |
After rehearsal Mrs. Jiraporn, the School Director, kindly presents Shaun with a token of her thanks