Category: Aesop’s fables

Posted in Aesop's fables, Books for children, Drama for children, Esl Drama, fables, Fairy Tales, Plays for Children

The Sun and the North Wind – A Play for Young Children

Posted on by Drama Start Books

 

Characters: Three storytellers, rain, fog, snow, mist, cloud, man.

Storyteller 1: One day all the different types of weather were up in the sky.

(All the weathers are moving and interacting with one another on the stage, then the wind enters.)

Storyteller 2: The wind started to boast to all the other types of weather that he was by far the most powerful of all weathers.

Wind: I’m the strongest weather here and everyone knows it.

Rain: Wind, you are always boasting how strong and powerful you are.

Snow: It is all we ever hear from you.

Fog: Why don’t you just prove it once and for all?

Mist: I know – let’s have a contest to see who the most powerful weather is.

Wind: I will take any of you on and blow any of you away.

Cloud: Do you see that man wearing a coat over there?

(Man walks on stage.)

All: Yes.

Cloud: Whoever can make him part with his coat is the most powerful. (All the weathers look unsure except for the wind).

Storyteller 3: All the weathers seemed unsure that they could beat the wind.

Storyteller 1: The wind was confident he had won even before the contest even started.

Storyteller 2: Then the sun said…

Sun: I will beat all of you in this contest. I will make the man part with his coat.

Wind: (shakes the sun’s hand) let’s settle this once and for all.

Storyteller 3: The wind took a long deep breath.

Storyteller 1: He blew and blew…

Storyteller 2: …and blew and blew.

Storyteller 3: But the more he blew, the more the man held on to his coat.

Man: Suddenly the wind has got very strong. I must hold on to my coat really tight.

Storyteller 1: No matter how hard the wind blew, he couldn’t make the man part with his coat.

Wind: I give up.

Sun: My turn. Everyone watch and learn.

Storyteller 2: The sun started to shine. The sun got hotter and hotter.

Man: What a lovely sunny day it has become. I will take off my coat and sit under that tree over there and get some shade. (He takes off his coat and sits on it under the tree and enjoys the sun.)

Storyteller 3: The sun continued to shine.

Sun: I’m the winner. I’m the most powerful weather.

All: Hooray!

(Wind walks off in a huff)

Sun: Gentle persuasion always works best!

 

For more plays for children click on the links below:

 
Posted in Aesop's fables, Animal Stories, Drama Activities for children, Drama for children, fables, the lion and the mouse

The Lion and the Mouse – A play for children

Posted on by Drama Start Books

A king lion and a mouse under the tree 

 

Characters: Three Storytellers, Lion, Mouse, Elephants, Giraffes, Snake/s, Owls. You can have as many elephants, giraffes, snakes and owls as you want.

(Stage Directions: all the animals are in a semi-circle on the stage; they are grouped according to their animal type. Storytellers can be placed on the right or the left of the stage.)

Storyteller 1: One hot day a lion was asleep in a cave. (Lion is sleeping in the centre of the stage.)

Storyteller 2: Suddenly a little mouse ran over his paw.  (Mouse comes scampering out quickly and touches the Lion’s paw.)

Storyteller 3: The lion woke up with a loud roar. He grabbed the mouse with his paw and said (Lion wakes up and grabs the mouse.)

Lion: I’m going to kill you and eat you up. (Lion roars loudly.)

Mouse: Squeak, Squeak! Please, Mr. Lion, Please don’t eat me. Someday I will help you.

Lion: Ha, Ha, Ha! You, help me! Don’t make me laugh, but I’m not that hungry so I will let you go. (Lion pushes the mouse away.)

Storyteller 1: The lion laughed and laughed and the mouse ran home.

Storyteller 2: A few days later the lion was out in the jungle.

Lion: I think I will scare my friends. I am very scary because I’m King of the Jungle. (He goes to each group of animals and roars at them. All the animals are scared and move away from him.)

Storyteller 3: Suddenly the lion got caught in a trap and said (He is in the centre of stage when he falls to his knees.)

Lion: Oh dear, how will I get out of here? (Lion looks around the stage desperately.)

Storyteller 1: After a while he heard some elephants.  (Elephants move from the semi-circle and they circle the lion. They must make sure the audience can see their faces.)

Lion: Elephants, elephants, please help me.

Elephants: Oh No! We will not help you. (Elephants trundle off back to the other animals.)

Storyteller 2: Then a few giraffes passed by. He cried (Giraffes leave the semi-circle and move behind the lion.)

Lion: Giraffes, Giraffes, please help me.  (Lion looks up at the giraffes.)

Giraffes: Oh no, we will not help you. (Giraffes go back to their place in the semi-circle.)

Storyteller 3: The lion grew cold and hungry (the lion shivers and rubs his stomach) and began to think he would never get home to his nice, warm cave. Then he heard the hissing of snakes.  (Snake(s) moves towards the centre of the stage near the lion.)

Lion: Snakes, snakes, please help me. (The lion looks up at the snakes.)

Snakes: Ssssssssss, oh no we will not help you, sssssssssssssssss. (Snakes go back to the semi-circle.)

Storyteller 1: As night came the lion began to cry.

Lion: Boo hoo, I am stuck in this trap and none of my friends will help me.

Storyteller 2: Then he heard some owls hooting in the trees. (Owls move centre stage, towards the lion.)

Lion: Owls, Owls, please help me. (Lion looks up at the owls.)

Owls: Tu Whit, Tu Whoo, owls, owls, we will not help youuuuuuuuuuu. (Owls go back to the semi-circle.)

Storyteller 3: The lion was very sad. (Lion starts crying.) He didn’t know what to do. Then he heard the squeaking of a mouse.

Mouse: Squeak, squeak! Why are you crying Mr. Lion? (Mouse comes from behind the other animals.)

Lion: I’m stuck in this trap and nobody will help me.

Mouse: I will help you.

Storyteller 1: The mouse began to bite through the rope and at last the lion was free.

Lion: I’m free, I’m free! I never thought you could help me because you are too small.

Storyteller 2: From then on the lion and the mouse were very good friends.

Storyteller 3: The lesson of the story is…

Storyteller 1: …bigger is not always better!

(Mouse hugs the Lion)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1916319580