Characters: Two storytellers, tortoise, eagle, snail, squirrel, rabbit, crow, dove, robin.
Storyteller 1: There once was a tortoise that lived in a wood.
Storyteller 2: He was never happy.
Tortoise: I’m so bored. All I do all day is plod along. If only I could fly like the birds up in the sky.
(Birds come on stage and fly around. The tortoise looks at them with envy.)
Snail: Tortoise, why are you never happy. You have lots of things to be grateful for.
Tortoise: Like what?
Snail: You have a big hard shell.
Squirrel: You have lots of friends in the woods.
Rabbit: None of us can fly and we are not bored.
Storyteller 1: The tortoise sighed and said…
Tortoise: I don’t like being stuck on the ground. I think, I will ask the birds to help me. Birds, birds, could one of you take me up into the sky so I can see the wonders of the world.
(The crow flies down to meet the tortoise.)
Tortoise: Crow, crow, please help me fly.
Crow: No, I will not help you fly. You are too heavy. (Crow flies off.)
(Dove flies down to meet the tortoise.)
Tortoise: Dove, dove, please help me fly.
Dove: No I will not help you fly. You have no feathers, you aren’t meant to fly. (Dove flies away.)
(Robin flies down to meet the tortoise.)
Tortoise: Robin, robin, please help me fly.
Robin: No, I will not help you fly. It is too dangerous. (Robin flies away.)
(Eagle flies down to meet the tortoise.)
Tortoise: Eagle, eagle, please help me fly.
Eagle: I will help you fly.
(The eagle picks up the tortoise with his talons and starts to fly.)
Storyteller 2: The tortoise was so frightened he closed his eyes really tightly.
Eagle: Tortoise, you must open your eyes if you want to see the wonders of the world.
Tortoise: I can’t open my eyes. I’m too scared. Eagle, please put me down.
(The eagle puts the tortoise down and flies off. The tortoise starts crying.)
Storytellers: The moral of the story is be careful what you wish for.
For more animal plays for children click here.
The Lion and the Mouse – five minute play
The Hare and the tortoise – A play for children
