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The Prince and the Pauper: This classic novel by Mark Twain is about a poor boy, Tom Canty, who switches places with rich Prince Edward. They both learn about the difficulties of each other’s lives.

CHARACTERS:

NARRATOR

PRINCE EDWARD

GUARD 1

GUARD 2

TOM

GENERAL

 SCRIPT:

NARRATOR: Once upon a time in London, there was a young Prince called Edward.

PRINCE EDWARD: I wish I could go outside those gates by myself, but I know that the guards won´t let me.

NARRATOR: So, he called the guards.

PRINCE EDWARD: Guards!

GUARD 1 AND 2: What can we do for you?

PRINCE EDWARD: I want to go to the city… by myself.

GUARD 1: You know that is not possible.

GUARD 2: We have strict orders not to leave you alone.

PRINCE EDWARD: I know that, but I also know that last week when you took me for a ride you stopped at a shop and sold the…

GUARD 1: Please stop, don´t mention that.

PRINCE EDWARD: So, are you going to leave me alone or should I tell my father about the …

GUARD 2: No, please!

PRINCE EDWARD: Chandelier that is missing from the …

GUARD 2: Very well, we will take you to the village.

PRINCE EDWARD: Let´s go then.

NARRATOR: After a short drive they arrived in the city.

PRINCE EDWARD: Leave me here, I’ll walk alone.

GUARDS: We will come and get you in about an hour.

NARRATOR: When the guards left him, he started to walk through the city streets, but he got lost.

PRINCE EDWARD: I have never been to this part of the city.  All the houses look so old!

NARRATOR: Then he was astonished by what he saw just in front of him.

PRINCE EDWARD: Well, well, well!  What a coincidence.  We look exactly alike.

TOM: You´re right!   But I am poor, and my clothes are old and dirty.

PRINCE EDWARD: And I am dressed in silk and satin.

TOM: Oh, I would be happy if I could dress like you, at least for just a moment.

PRINCE EDWARD: Well, that is not a problem…take my clothes…

TOM: What for?

PRINCE EDWARD: Hurry up!

NARRATOR: So, they exchanged their clothes.

PRINCE EDWARD: You look exactly like me!  Take the crown also.

NARRATOR: At that moment the guards came looking for him.

GUARD 1: We have to go.

GUARD 2: The king must be worried.

TOM: But I am not…

GUARD 1: Don´t tell us that you are not ready yet.

GUARD 2: Get in the carriage!

NARRATOR: So, they threw Tom inside the carriage, instead of the real Prince Edward.

GUARD 1: And as to you…stay away from the prince!

PRINCE EDWARD: You are making a terrible mistake!

GUARD 2: Let´s go!

NARRATOR: And they left leaving Prince Edward in the middle of the street, dressed as a poor beggar.

PRINCE EDWARD: Stop!  Stop!  You are making a terrible mistake! Please, come back!

NARRATOR: But it was too late.  They had already left.

PRINCE EDWARD: What am I going to do now?  Nobody will believe my story!

NARRATOR: He started walking telling every person in the street who he was, but nobody believed him. Then he finally sat in a corner thinking what to do.

PRINCE EDWARD: I am hungry, and I don´t have any money.  I need to work.

NARRATOR: So, he started to work in everything he could until one day his country went to war.

PRINCE EDWARD: I will enroll in the army; I have to fight for my country.

NARRATOR: And while he was fighting in battle for the love of his country, Tom, the false prince was having a good life in the castle.

TOM: Now I have everything I always wanted!  Everybody obeys my orders… life is being fair to me now.

NARRATOR: One day the king got seriously ill.

KING: My dear son… I don´t have much time… I leave you, my kingdom.

TOM: I will take good care of it… I promise you.

NARRATOR: The king died that same night, and Tom became the new king.

TOM: Things will be different from now on.  I promised the old man I would take good care of … me… of course!

NARRATOR: He raised taxes, lowered salaries, extended working hours, and became richer and richer.  All at the expense of his people.  Meanwhile, Prince Edward was still in battle.

PRINCE EDWARD: This war is taking us nowhere. I have to talk to the general.

NARRATOR: And he did.

GENERAL: What is so important that couldn’t wait until tomorrow?

PRINCE EDWARD: Well, I have a plan to win this war.

GENERAL: And what is your plan?

NARRATOR: He explained his strategy to win the war.

GENERAL: How do you know it will work?

PRINCE EDWARD: Because I know that is what our late king would have done.

GENERAL: And how do you know that?

PRINCE EDWARD: Because he taught me everything I know.  He was my father.

GENERAL: That is nonsense.  But your plan sounds good… let´s do it.

NARRATOR: The general followed Prince Edward´s advice, and the war was won.

GENERAL: Tom, you are a great soldier!

PRINCE EDWARD: Our country deserves good soldiers, like you.

GENERAL: Let´s go to the river, we need a good bath before going back to the city.

NARRATOR: When Prince Edward took off his shirt, the general was surprised.

GENERAL: Tom, those marks you have on your neck.

PRINCE EDWARD: What about them?

GENERAL: I have seen them before.  I saw them in The Prince when he was born.  You are Prince Edward!

PRINCE EDWARD: I know it was hard to believe in someone like me, but I was telling you the truth.

GENERAL: We have to go to the city!  The people must know that they are being ruled by a false king.

NARRATOR: When they told the people about the false king, they went to the palace, forced the entrance gates, and went straight to the throne.

TOM: Guards!  Guards!

GUARDS: We are sorry, Your Highness, but we couldn´t stop them!

TOM:  How do you dare enter my palace like that!

PRINCE EDWARD: This is not your palace anymore!

TOM: What is this beggar doing here? Guards!

PRINCE EDWARD: You well know I am not a beggar.

GENERAL: We know the truth!

PRINCE EDWARD: I order you to give me my clothes and my crown.

TOM: But…

GENERAL: Do it now!

TOM: He is lying!

GENERAL: It´s useless.  Guards, please, get him out of the castle.

PRINCE EDWARD: I forgive you for what you did.  Your punishment will be to go back to your old life and work hard.

NARRATOR: So, he was thrown out of the castle.

PRINCE EDWARD:  I have suffered with and for my people and my country… and now I can be a good king.

THE END

Author:  Mark Twain

Adapted by:  K I D S I N C O

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