“Michael Liar: The Boy Who Itched for the Truth”. This story reminds us of how dangerous lies can become when they grow out of control. Michael is a boy who loves to invent stories — dragons, earthquakes, and imaginary creatures — but when one lie too many breaks his parents’ trust, something magical (and itchy!) teaches him that honesty is the only path to peace.
CHARACTERS:
MICHAEL
MOTHER
FATHER
SCRIPT:
SCENE I: The Midnight Visitor
(At three o’clock in the morning. Michael is standing over his parents’ bed. A single spill of moonlight comes through the window, emphasizing the darkness. He is shaking his MOTHER’s shoulder.)
MICHAEL: Mom! Mom! Wake up! There’s a bat in my bedroom! I heard its wings!
MOTHER: (Muttering, pulling the covers over her head) Oh, Michael, not again. Look at the clock, it’s 3 a.m.We need to sleep. You need to go to sleep.
MICHAEL: Mom, I’m telling you the truth!
MOTHER: (Sitting up, exasperated) The other night you told me you saw a dragon sitting on the toilet! If I have to come in there and look for the ‘bat,’ is it going to turn out to be your own shadow again?
MICHAEL: (Pleadingly) This time you have to believe me! I know I was fibbing about the dragon—that was just because I couldn’t sleep. But this time… this is real. I saw it. It had little claws.
FATHER: (Groans, his voice thick with sleep) Michael, go back to bed. You have school tomorrow.
MICHAEL: Good night, Mom. Good night, Dad.
(Michael turns and leaves the room. The door closes silently.)
MOTHER: (Sighing, to the Father) He’s getting worse, Henry. The things he invents… I don’t know what to do.
FATHER: He’ll grow out of it. But he’d better not have broken anything last night while he was prowling around.
(They look at each other, silent, before the Mother turns out the bedside light.)
SCENE II: The Earthquake
(The next morning. Michael and his Mother are in the dining room having breakfast. The Mother is laying out plates. The Father enters, stepping past a table, and stops dead as he looks at the floor. A valuable-looking gold cup lies in pieces.)
FATHER: (Voice tight with shock) Who broke my favorite gold cup? The one my mother gave me on my tenth birthday!
MOTHER: (Immediately turning to Michael) Michael! What have you done?
(Michael stands up and looks at the broken cup. He knows he’s caught, but instinct takes over.)
MICHAEL: I didn’t do it.
MOTHER: I certainly didn’t break it, either!
MICHAEL: (Pleadingly, making eye contact) Dad, I swear! Last night, after I left your room, I came in here for a drink of water. The house started to rumble like a big, hungry bear!
FATHER: A bear?
MICHAEL: Yes! An earthquake! The cups were dancing right off the table! Yours just went right off the edge, a beautiful parabola! I saw it with my own eyes!
FATHER: (Staring at the boy in disbelief) A parabola!
MOTHER: (Shaking her head, disappointment etched on her face) You’re lying. I knew it. That’s why all the people in town call you Michael Liar. Or is it Michael, the Boy Who Talks to Dragons?
FATHER: Not even you believe your own stories, Michael.
MOTHER: (Pointing a finger at him, speaking with sudden, cold authority) I hope every lie you say comes back to bite you! I hope the lies make you itch, scratch, and squirm until you choke out the truth!
(A strange, intense tingling starts on Michael’s arms. He looks down, confused, then rubs his forearm furiously. The itching sensation instantly spreads to his legs and neck.)
MICHAEL: (Frantically rubbing his neck, then his head) I never lie! I never! (He scratches his foot so hard he nearly falls over. He is silently panicked, trapped by the overwhelming itching.)
MOTHER: (Gently) Tell us, Michael. Just say the words.
MICHAEL: (Through gritted teeth, struggling against the horrible sensation) I…I never lie! (The itching intensifies, bringing him to the verge of tears.)
MICHAEL: (Defeated, suddenly stopping the scratching. The moment he prepares to speak the truth, the itching instantly vanishes.) Mom…Dad. I broke the cup. I didn’t mean to. I tried to catch it.
(The silence is profound. Michael stands still, feeling the glorious relief of not scratching.)
FATHER: (Calmer now) It’s easy to tell the truth, right?
MICHAEL: (Relief washing over him) Yes, Dad. I’m so sorry.
MOTHER: Remember, no more lies, or you will get itchy.
MICHAEL: I promise! No more lies. I learned my lesson.
FATHER: Good. I’m hungry, and breakfast looks delicious!
(Michael, Mother, and Father sit at the table and start eating. Michael takes a spoonful of cereal, then pauses. He quickly and subtly reaches up and gives a tiny, discreet scratch behind his ear. His parents don’t see it. He stops, smiles, and starts eating.)
In the end, Michael Liar learns that even the smallest lie can cause great discomfort — sometimes in ways we don’t expect! Once he decides to tell the truth, his heart (and his skin) feel calm again. The story shows that truth may be hard to say, but it always sets us free and brings back the trust we lose when we lie.
The End
Author: Folktale from Switzerland
Adapted by: K I D S I N C O
Moral of the Story: Always tell the truth — lies only make life uncomfortable!
Moral Values:
- Honesty: Truth builds trust and peace.
- Responsibility: Admitting mistakes is the first step to fixing them.
- Integrity: What we say should always match what we do.
- Trust: A single lie can break it, but honesty restores it.
- Consequences: Every action — or lie — has a result we must face.
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