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THE QUAILS

CHARACTERS:

NARRATOR

BESSY

JESS

WISE QUAIL

FOWLER

FOWLER`S WIFE

STIXY

SNIPPY

SCRIPT:

NARRATOR: Many years ago a flock of more than a thousand quails lived together in a forest in India. They would have been happy, but that they were in great dread of their enemy, the quail-catcher.   One day, two quails were talking about the hunter.

BESSY: We have to get rid of that hunter.  He catches us when he imitates the call of the quail.

JESS: I know, I hate that net he throws at us!.

BESSY: Yes, then and he goes to town to sell us.  We are not safe anymore.

JESS: We have to do something.   But what?.

NARRATOR: One of the quails who was very wise was passing by and heard the conversation.

WISE QUAIL: Brothers!.  I’ve thought of a good plan. Next time, as soon as the fowler throws his net over us, let each one put his head through a mesh in the net and then all lift it up together and fly away with it. When we have flown far enough, we can let the net drop on a thorn bush and escape from under it.

BESSY: Your plan sounds perfect.  Let´s tell the others.

NARRATOR: All agreed to the plan; and the next day when the fowler threw his net, the birds all lifted it together in the very way that the wise quail had told them, threw it on a thorn bush and escaped. While the fowler tried to free his net from the thorns, it grew dark, and he had to go home. This happened many days, till at last the fowler’s wife grew angry and asked her husband.

FOWLER´S WIFE: Why is it that you never catch any more quails?.

FOWLER: The trouble is that all the birds work together and help one another. If they would only quarrel, I could catch them fast enough.

NARRATOR: A few days later, one of the quails, Snippy,  accidentally hit the head of one of his brothers, Stixy, as they alighted on the feeding-ground.

 STIXY: Who hit me on my head?.

 SNIPPY: Don’t be angry, I did n’t mean to hit you.

 STIXY: I was looking at you!.  It was not an accident.

 SNIPPY: Yes, it was.  I didn´t even see you.

 STIXY: I don´t think so!.

 SNIPPY: Well, it´s your problem if you don´t want to believe me.  I didn´t mean it.

 STIXY: Yes you did!.  The other day you also hit me!.

 NARRATOR: And the quails went on quarreling.

 STIXY: Last week I lifted all the weight of the net; you didn’t help at all.

 SNIPPY: Yes, I did!.

STIXY: That´s what you say because nobody saw you.

NARRATOR: That made Snippy angry, and before long all were drawn into the dispute.

FOWLER: Now, it´s my chance.  They are busy arguing!.  I will imitate the cry of a quail and throw my net over those two quails.

NARRATOR: They were still boasting and quarreling, and they did not help one another lift the net.

FOWLER: I have to lift the net myself!.

NARRATOR: And he crammed them into his basket.

WISE QUAIL: Stop it!  We have to get together and fly away.

NARRATOR: And they did.  The Wise Quail knew that quarrels are the root of misfortune.

The End

Author:  A Jataka Legend

Adapted by: K I D S I N C O

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