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THE MAGIC BELL

CHARACTERS:

MOTHER

JOHN

HENRY

MARTIN

SQUIRREL

KING

GUARD

RABBITS

SCRIPT:

SCENE I – AT HOME

(John, Henry, Martin and their mother are in the kitchen table)

MOTHER: What’s wrong John?.  You look worried.

JOHN: I am mother, we work too hard, and we can hardly survive.  I’m tired of this life. I can’t take it anymore!.

MOTHER: (crying) Oh, please John, I feel terrible.

MARTIN: (stands up and hugs his Mother) Don’t cry, please, don’t cry.

JOHN: (stands up) I am a strong man.  I’ll leave this village and I know that fortune is somewhere waiting for me.

MOTHER: You’re a grown up man, and I can’t stop you.  Take this piece of bread, it’s all I have, and may God bless you.

JOHN: Good-bye mother.

(Mother kisses John and he leaves)

SCENE II – IN THE FOREST

(John walks in the forest.  He heads to the Royal Palace)

JOHN: I’m tired and hungry,  and I need to rest.

(He sits on the ground and begins to eat a piece of bread.  A Squirrel approaches him)

SQUIRREL: Please, give me some bread.  I’m hungry.

JOHN:(takes a stone from the ground and throws it at the Squirrel) Go away, you nasty animal!.

(The Squirrel leaves. John stands up and keeps walking.  A few minutes later he arrives to the gates of the palace)

GUARD: You’re not from around here.  What do you want?.

JOHN: I need to see the King.

GUARD: Ha, ha, ha, That is not possible!.  You better go!.

JOHN: I have some news from King Alexander, very important news that I must personally deliver to the king.

GUARD: Mmm… King Alexander… very well, come in.

(The Guard opens the gate.  John enters the palace)

SCENE III – INSIDE THE PALACE

(The King is in his throne.  John stands in front of him)

KING: What’s the message you came here to tell me?.

JOHN:  I’m very poor and I need money.  King Alexander told me that you would give me a job, any job .

KING: Really?.  So King Alexander told you that?.

JOHN: Yes, your majesty, he did.

KING: Why are you lying?.

JOHN: I’m not lying.  I went to see him, and he told me that you were a kind man and …

KING: King Alexander is dead!.  What do you pretend?.

JOHN: Oh, it’s just that I didn’t know what to say.  I needed to see you. I’m desperate and I need to work!.

KING: It takes courage to do what you did, and for this reason I’ll give you a job.  In fact, it’s a very special job.

JOHN: I’ll do whatever you want me to do.

KING: Are you sure?.

JOHN: Yes, just tell me what, and I’ll do it!.

KING: Listen very well to what I’m going to tell you.  I have a hundred rabbits.  I want you to take them to the field so they can eat, and at night you should bring them back.  Do you understand?.

JOHN: Yes, I do.

KING: You have to be very careful, because you must bring each one of them.

JOHN:  What if one is missing?.

KING: There should be no mistakes.  If only one is missing, then you will go to jail and stay there for a year.

JOHN: For a year!.  All because of one missing rabbit?.

KING: Yes, just because of one missing rabbit!.  Or would you prefer to go to jail for the rest of your life for lying to your king?.

JOHN: No, of course not.  For how long should I take the rabbits to the field?.

KING: Just for a week, then you will get a thousand gold coins.

JOHN: Oh, a thousand gold coins.  I will be rich!.  I will have my own house, my own barn, even my own field!.

(The King rings a bell and the Guard enters the room)

KING: Take this man to the field. You know what to do.

GUARD: Yes, your majesty. (he bows)

(The Guard and John leave)

SCENE IV – IN THE FIELD

(On the ground there is a cage with the Rabbits inside.  John stares at the cage, he opens it and the Rabbits get out.They start eating food that’s on the ground.  A few minutes later, John tries to catch them)

JOHN: Come here, come back, and get inside the cage!.

(All the Rabbits run away and get lost)

JOHN: Oh no!.  I better go home right now before the king finds out.  I prefer to go home and be poor again, than being in jail because of some nasty ugly rabbits. Ugh!.

(John leaves)

SCENE V – AT HOME

(John, Henry, Martin and their mother are in the kitchen table)

MOTHER: At least you came home safe.

JOHN: I was a fool, mother.  I don’t know what happened to me.

HENRY: Why did you let the rabbits get away?.

JOHN: You were not there, you didn’t see them how they ran away.

HENRY: I can almost feel those thousand gold coins in my hand.  I can even smell the money!.

JOHN: Then go, maybe you can have better luck than I did.  But I’m sure of something…

MOTHER: What is it?.

JOHN: I know that those rabbits were under a spell!.

HENRY: Ha, ha, ha, there is no magic in here!.  Come on!.  You are only giving excuses for your lousy job!.  I’ll go there, and I’ll be back as a very rich man.

MOTHER: Henry, don’t go, please.

HENRY: I have to mother.  I have to show my brother that I can do the job he couldn’t do!.

MOTHER: Take this piece of bread. It’s the only thing I have to give you for your journey.

(Henry takes the piece of bread and puts it in a bag)

HENRY: Don’t worry about me, I’ll be back in a week.

(Henry leaves)

SCENE VI –  AT THE FOREST

(Henry walks in the forest.  He sits on the ground and begins to eat the bread.  A Squirrel approaches him)

SQUIRREL: Please, give me some bread. I’m very hungry!.

(Henry scares away the Squirrel then he eats the bread.  He stands up and begins to walk.  He arrives to the palace. The King is in his throne.  Martin stands in front of him.  A Guard is standing beside the King)

KING: Who are you?.  You’re not from around here.  What do you want?.

HENRY: (he bows) Oh, your majesty, please help me, I really need a job!.

KING: Well, well, well, you’re the second one this week that comes asking for a job.  And tell me, young man, who sent you?.

HENRY: No one sent me, your majesty.  I’m here on my own.

KING: I believe you.  Are you willing to do any kind of job?.

HENRY: Yes, your majesty.  Just tell me what to do, and I’ll do it.

KING: I’ll give you a very special job, so listen carefully.  I have a hundred rabbits.  I want you to take them to the field so they can eat, and at night you should bring them back.  Do you think you can do it?.

HENRY: Don’t worry, your majesty, I’m very clever.  How much will I get paid?.

KING: You will get all the money your hands can feel, and all the money your nose can smell.

HENRY: What?.

KING: You know exactly what I mean.  My guard will tell you where to go and what to do.  Oh, and one more thing… there should be no mistakes… if only one of my rabbits is missing, then you will go to jail and stay there for a year.  Do you still want the job?.

HENRY: Yes, I still want it.

KING: Good!.

(The Guard and Henry leave)

 SCENE VII – IN THE FIELD

(On the ground there is a cage with the rabbits inside.  Henry stares at the cage, he opens it and the rabbits get out of the cage and get away.  They start eating food that’s on the ground.  A few minutes later, Henry tries to catch them)

HENRY: Come here, come back, and get inside the cage!.

(All the rabbits run away and get lost)

HENRY: Oh no!.  My brother was right, these rabbits are under a spell.  I better go before the king finds out.  I don’t want to end up in jail just because of Rabbits.

(Henry leaves)

SCENE VIII – AT HOME

(John, Henry, Martin and their mother are in the kitchen table)

HENRY: I’m sorry mother, but John was right.

JOHN: I told you it wasn’t going to be easy.

MARTIN: Now it’s my turn, mother.

MOTHER: No, Martin, you’re my youngest son, I won’t let you go.

MARTIN: I have to. Trust me, please, mother.

JOHN: Let him go.

MOTHER: No!.

HENRY: He’s our only hope now.

(Martin stand up and kisses his mother)

MOTHER: (crying) What if I never see you again?.

MARTIN: You will, you have to believe.  I’ll be back with those gold coins.

MOTHER: Take this piece of bread, and may God help you.

MARTIN: He will mother, I trust Him as you should trust me.   Good-bye.

(Martin leaves)

 SCENE IX

(Martin walks in the forest.  He sits on the ground and starts eating the bread.  A Squirrel approaches him)

SQUIRREL: Please, give me some bread.  I’m very hungry!.

MARTIN: Here, take it.

SQUIRREL: I don’t want all your bread, just a small piece of it.

MARTIN: No, I’m fine,  take it all.

SQUIRREL: You are very kind!.  I want to give you something.  Wait here.

(The Squirrel leaves, then he comes back with a bell)

MARTIN: What is that?.

SQUIRREL: This is a magic bell.  Use it when you’re in trouble, and you’ll see.

(Martin takes the bell, puts it in his pocket and stands up)

MARTIN: Thank you.  I’m leaving now.

SQUIRREL: Don’t forget what I told you.  The bell will bring you back everything that is lost.

MARTIN: I won’t, good-bye.

(Martin leaves)

SCENE X – AT THE PALACE

(The King is in his throne.  Martin stands in front of him.  A guard is standing beside the King)

KING: You’re the third man this week that comes looking for a job.  Are you related to the other two?.

MARTIN: Yes, your majesty.  They are my brothers, and I beg you to forgive them.  Our situation is not good right now, and our mother is suffering because of that.

KING: Well, I suppose they told you what to do.

MARTIN: Yes, that’s why I’m here.

KING: I don’t know why, but I have the feeling that you will be the one.

MARTIN: I don’t quite understand, your majesty.

KING: I can feel you’re heart.  You came to me asking for forgiveness, and you mentioned your mother’s suffering, and I haven’t heard a word about money.

MARTIN: If I don’t believe in myself, I will not see the money.  I believe in myself, and I know that money is there, just waiting for me to get it.

KING: Hmmmm, I have nothing else to say.  Guard, please show him the way.

(The Guard and Martin leave)

SCENE XI

(On the ground there is a cage with the rabbits inside.  Martin stares at the cage, he opens it and the rabbits get out of the cage and get away.  They start eating food that’s on the ground.  A few minutes later, Martin tries to catch them)

MARTIN: Oh, my brothers were right.  This is not easy.  What will I do?.  My mother will be disappointed of me.   The bell!. The bell the squirrel gave me… that’s it!.   He told me to use it if I was in trouble.

(He takes the bell from his pocket and rings it.  When the rabbits hear the bell they come back and get inside the cage)

MARTIN: The squirrel was right.  The bell gave me back what was lost!.

(He puts the bell in his pocket.  The King approaches Martin, he looks surprised)

KING: I knew there was something special about you.  Take these gold coins, you have earned them.

(Martin takes the gold coins)

MARTIN: Oh, thank you!.  My mother will be proud of me.

KING: I know she will.  But before you leave… tell me, how did you do it?.

MARTIN: Well, it’s not a secret at all.  Kindness was all I needed.

KING: That’s what I wanted to hear.  Now, go back to your family!.

MARTIN:  Good-bye!.  

(Martin leaves)

THE END

Author:  European Folktale

Adapted by: K I D S I N C O

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