The Blind Men and The Elephant

Characters: Boy Blind man 1 Blind man 2 Blind man 3 Blind man 4 Blind man 5 Blind man 6 Guide SCRIPT: Setting: Somewhere in Asia where an elephant is passing by. Boy: (enters stage running and yelling). An elephant! Everybody, come see it, its coming, its coming. Everybody come out, come and see the elephant An elephant! (the blind men enter stage walking slowly with their cranes). Blind man 1: I dont know how an elephant looks like. Blind man 2: Me neither. Blind man 3: Me neither. Blind man 4: I would like to know how an elephant looks like. Blind man 5: Lets wait so we can touch it. Blind man 6: We will touch it with our own hands. Our fingers are our eyes. Guide: (enters with the elephant). Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen, this big elephant needs to walk through here. Be careful. Blind man 1: (walking) Good man, please let this poor blind men touch your elephant. We want to know how it looks like. Guide: OK. Get near one by one. Hes not dangerous. Dont be afraid. Blind man 1: (touches the elephants body). Mmmm, I can see: The elephant is like a rough wall. Blind man 2: (touches the elephans leg). No, you are wrong. The elephant is like a tree.

Blind man 3: Thats a lie, thats a lie! My hands tell me clearly that the elephant is like a spear. Blind man 4: You are completely wrong. I also touched it and I am sure that its like a hand fan, and my fingers don`t lie to me. Blind man 5: Nobody lies to me. The elephant looks like a snake. Blind man 6: None of you know how an elephant looks like! I think that the elephant looks like a rope to tie packages. Blind man 1: How do you dare to insult me? I am sure that it looks like a wall. Blind man 2: I am telling you that it looks like a tree. Blind man 5: No, its like a snake. Blind man 3: Snake? Not at all! I am sure it looks like a spear. Blind man 4: It`s a lie. It looks like a hand fan. Blind man 6: Its a rope! Its a rope! (the blind men start fighting with each other. Theres great confusion and everybody is talking at the same time). Blind man 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6: No one will say that I am wrong Take this! Ouch, ouch but I am right. Its a rope Its a wall Its a spear No, I am telling you that its a hand fan A tree, its a tree Who hit me? Ouch, my back! Guide: Calm down, calm down! Be quiet! Listen listen I will explain everything. (there`s silence in stage) Blind Men 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 : Why? Why? Guide: (gets into the elephant) Because each of you only touched a part of the elephant. The one who touched the body thought it was a wall. The one who touched the leg thought it was a tree. The one who touched the tusk imagined a spear. The one who felt the ear tought it was a hand fan. The one who touched the trunk remembered the snake, and the shortest one, that only could touch the tail, was sure that the elephant was like a rope. Blind man 5: Now I understand. Yes, thats what happened and we all got angry. Guide: You got so angry that you started fighting with each other. Blind man 1: We behaved like fools. Blind man 2: We were wrong.
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Blind man 3: We got so furious. Blind man 4: Because all of us thought we were right. Blind man 5: But none was. Blind man 6: Instead of trying to understand. Guide: Of course, to know the truth we have to know every part. Blind man 1: We thank you, and the elephant too, for teaching us that its better to agree with each other and try to know the truth. Now we know that reality is different depending on how we see it. Blind man 2: Lets be friends again. Blind man 3: Lets get to know the elephant. (The blind men walk around the elephant touching it at the same time). The End. American poet John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887) based this poem, on a fable that was told in India many years ago. Author: A Fable from India Moral: there may be some truth to what someone says.

A MAGIC PENCIL Characters: Narrator Goblin Keyla Teacher SCRIPT: Narrator: One day the teacher asked Keyla to make up a short story. In the afternoon, while she was trying to write in her notebook, thinking and thinking what to write, she heard a little voice. Goblin: Keyla, Keyla! Narrator: Keyla looked on both sides, but she couldn`t see anybody. Then she heard again the same little voice. Goblin: Keyla, Keyla! Look down here, on the table! Narrator: Keyla almost fell to the floor when she saw a little goblin. It was dressed in green, with a little hat and black shoes. Keyla: Who are you? Where did you come from? Goblin: Dont be afraid. My name is Sparkle. I was walking by when I saw you so worried thats why I want to help you. Whats wrong? Keyla: I have to write a short story, and I dont know what to write about. Goblin: (thinking for a while, then he takes out a pencil and gives it to Keyla) Take this, I lend you my pencil. With my pencil you can write whatever you want. Narrator: Keyla couldnt believe what was happening. She then decided to ask the Goblin how the pencil worked. Goblin: All you have to do is ask the pencil to help you. Narrator: Then the goblin disappeared. Keyla took the pencil in her hand and asked for an adventure short story. Keyla: Look pencil. I want the story to take place in the jungle, while I am in a boat in the river. Narrator: Keyla placed the pencil over her notebook and she started to write until she finished the story. Narrator: The next day Keyla read the story in class. Teacher: Wow! Your story was fantastic! You have to write for us another story.
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Keyla: I will try! Narrator: And she did. The pencil and Keyla wrote funny and exciting stories. One night she liked her dream so much that she decided to write about it. She took the pencil until she forgot that the pencil was magical. When she finished, she heard the goblin`s voice. Goblin: Hi, Keyla! Have you written many stories? Keyla: Yes, and everybody liked them. Goblin: Good! I am glad that you are not having trouble writing short stories. I think that you can now give me my pencil back. Keyla: The magical pencil? But I need it. Goblin: I don`t think so. The other day you wrote your dream, and the pencil didn`t help you. In fact, you can write whatever you want to because the pencil always writes what you are thinking. Keyla: You`re right! I can write all the stories I want. And I can write them all by myself. Narrator: The goblin took the magic pencil and disappeared, and was never seen again. Keyla: I am not worried about having to write a story anymore. Now I know that I can write whatever I want to. The End

THE THREE KINGS DAUGHTER Characters: Narrator Father Oldest Daughter Second Daughter Youngest Daughter Cook King

SCRIPT: Narrator: Once upon a time there was a rich king who had three beautiful daughters, but the youngest was the prettiest, and the king loved her the most. The three of them were engaged and were happy. One day, the king was feeling weak, so he called his three daughters and their handsome princes. Father: I wanted to talk to you because I feel sick and weak and I need that one of you takes my place. Oldest Daughter: I will take your place, father. Father: Dont interrupt me. Second Daughter: Let him talk! Father: I have thought about dividing my kingdom into three equal parts, one for each one. Oldest Daughter: That will be fair. Father: I will live for a while with each of you, and will take with me a hundred men. Oldest Daughter: A hundred men! Father: But thats not all I will divide my kingdom into three equal parts according to your love and kindness. Narrator: Then, there was silence in the room,. The king asked the oldest daughter. Father: How much do you love me? Oldest Daughter: More than my own life. Come and live with me, I will take care of you. Second Daughter: I love you more than anybody could love you in the whole wide world.
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Youngest Daughter: I love you as a daughter should love a father, and I need you as the food needs salt. Narrator: The king was very angry because he was dissapointed of the youngest daughter, and said. Father: Thats all? Well, I will divide my kingdom between your two sisters and you will receive nothing. Narrator: At that moment, the youngest daughters prince left the room and didnt come back. He thought that he didnt want to have a poor girlfriend. Then she said to her sisters. Youngest Daughter: (crying) I dont know how to express myself as you do, but I love our father as much as you do. And I know that you must be very happy right now because you wanted so much this kingdom that now it will be yours. Narrator: The two sisters were laughing at her. Oldest Daughter: Ha, ha, ha Second Daughter: Ha, ha, ha. Father: I don`t want to see you anymore! Youngest Daughter: But father! Father: Get out of my castle, and never come back! Narrator: The crying princess left the palace taking only one dress, a party dress, and her wedding dress. Youngest Daughter: I have been walking for days, and I am so tired. Narrator: One day she got to the edge of a lake where she saw some reeds. She look herself in the water and saw a beautiful image. Youngest Daughter: I will take some of those reeds to make a dress. I need to cover this elegant dress I am wearing. And I will also make a hat to cover my blond hair. Narrator: From that day on, when people saw her they started calling her: Reed Hat. One day she arrived to her ex-boyfriends land. She then knew that his father had died and that now he was the king. She also knew that he was looking for a princess . Then she went to talk to the cook. Youngest Daughter: I know that you have a lot of work with so many parties and so many guests. Can I work here? Cook: The truth is that I dont have so much work. But if you make a mistake I will throw you away from here.
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Narrator: The princess worked a lot and never complained. She wasnt getting paid and could only get food to eat. Once in a while she could see the king and that made her feel happy. Meanwhile, her father wasnt as rich as he was because he had already divided the kingdom between his other two daughters. And with his hundred men he went to the oldest daughters house. Oldest Daughter: I am happy to see you but you bring too many people, father. I think that fifty men is enough for you. Father: (angry) What are you saying? I gave you my kingdom and you cannot have my men living here. I will go live with your sister. Narrator: The second daughter heard his complains and said. Second Daughter: Come on, father. My sister is right. Why do you want so many men for? You should fire them all. You can stay, but I cannot have all those people here. Father: Ohh! I will go back with your sister, at least she wanted fifty of my men. Your are so ungrateful. Narrator: The old men fired half of his men, and went back to his palace. But because of his old age he traveled slowly and by the time he got to his oldest daughters house she knew already what had happened. So she ordered to close all the gates, When he arrived a man from the high tower shouted. Man: Go away, my lady doesnt want you here!

Narrator: The old king, sadly fired all his men, and had to sell his horse. Then started walking through the woods where he found an abandoned hut and stayed there to live. One day Reed Hat was walking in the forest looking for fruit for king, when she saw his father sitting in a rock. She felt sorry for his father. The king didnt recognize her because of her dress and hat and because he was almost blind. Youngest Daughter: Good morning, sir. Do you live here alone? Father: (sadly) Yes, who would want to take care of an old man? Youngest Daughter: Many people. And if you need something, just tell me Narrator: Then she started cleaning his house, made the bed and cook for him. Father: You are a kind girl . Narrator: Reed Hat went to see his father every Sunday, and whenever she could, and feed him. There was going to be a big party at the palace and everybody could go, but the cook said.
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Cook: But you, Reed Hat, you cannot go the way you are dressed, so you have to stay in the kitchen. Narrator: When everybody left, the girl took off his reed dress and hat and with his beautiful princess dress and her shiny blond hair, went to the great party at the palace. Everybody looked at that beautiful creature. The king, apologizing with the other princess went walking straight to her and said. King: Do you want to dance with me? Narrator: He didnt even recognized that she was the princess, as soon as she had the opportunity she escaped and went to hide in a room. That night she was very happy. Next day, the cook couldnt stop talking about the beautiful girl. Cook: (talking to the prince) I noticed that you liked the beautiful girl that came to the party last night. Prince: Yes, and I am hoping to see her again. Cook: Why don`t you give another party, maybe she will come. Prince: That is a good idea! Narrator: And the prince threw another party, and the princess attended even more beautiful than the first time. The king only danced with her. Again, as soon as she could, she escaped without being noticed. Then once again, the king threw another party. This time the princess attended with her wedding dress. She was so beautiful that everybody admired her. The king said. King: You are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen and also the sweetest. I beg you not to leave, and marry me. Narrator: The princess smiled, but once again escaped. The king was so sad that couldnt even eat. One morning, the cook told Reed Hat to prepare breakfast for the king. Then over the jelly she put the wedding ring that the king once gave her. When he saw it, he said. King: Bring the cook! Narrator: The cook was very afraid and told the king that she didnt cook breakfast that morning, that Reed Hat did it. The king called her, and under her reed dress she was wearing her wedding gown. King: Where did you get the ring that was over my plate? Youngest Daughter: Someone gave it to me. King: Who are you? Youngest Daughter: They call me Reed Hat, sir.
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King: Let me see what you are hiding under that reed dress. Narrator: She started taking off really slowly her reed dress and hat and a wonderful wedding dress appeared. King: Oh, dear, it was you. I dont know if you can forgive me. Narrator: But since the princess loved him with all her heart they started planning the wedding. Her father also came. The wedding ceremony was magnificent, but the food tasted bad, with no spices on it, and nobody was eating. The king, really angry told the cook. King: Nobody is eating this food! Narrator: Then the princess, looking at his father ordered the cook to bring some salt. Her father started to cry, because it was then that he knew how much her youngest daughter loved him, and how bad he was to her.

Father: Please, my sweet daughter, forgive me! Youngest Daughter: I have nothing to forgive you, father. I love you as much as food needs salt. Narrator: And they all lived happy forever. The End Adapted by K I D S I N C O Moral Value: Unconditional Love. Power of forgiveness

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THE BLACK PLATE Characters: Narrator Merchant 1 Merchant 2 Girl Grandma SCRIPT: Narrator: once upon a time in India, there were two merchants who sold plates, pots, pans, brooms, mops, soap, jewelry, and clothes. Each day, they took turns to sell. Merchant 1: (yelling in the street) Everybody come here! Come see our jewelry for sale, pots, pans. Everything you need, we have it! Girl: Grandma, look at that beautiful bracelet! Grandma: How much is it? Merchant 1: More than what you can pay, old lady. Grandma: At home we have an old black metal plate. Do you want it for the bracelet? Merchant 1: I have to see it first. Grandma: Lets go home so you can see it. Merchant 1 : Fine you lead the way, old lady. Narrator: When they arrived to the old ladys house, she showed the plate to the merchant. Grandma: Take a look at the plate. Merchant 1: (looking at the plate) Mmmm, lets see. Narrator: When the merchant saw the plate, it was truly black, but when he scratched it a little, he could see that it was a silver plate. Merchant 1: This plate is worthless, old lady. If you want to, I can take the plate with me and give you a broom. Grandma: Thank you, but we prefer to keep our plate. Merchant 1: Its your decision. I have wasted my time. Narrator: But the merchant was thinking about going back the next day to try to convince her to give him the plate. Next day, merchant 2 was selling in the street. Merchant 2: Pot, pans, brooms, clothes, everything you need, I have it! Just come and get it! Girl: Grandma, look! I still want that beautiful bracelet! Grandma: How much is it? Merchant 2: More than what you can pay, old lady. Grandma: At home we have an old black metal plate. Do you want it for the bracelet? Merchant 2: I have to see it first. Grandma: Lets go home so you can see it. Merchant 2 : I will follow you.
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Narrator: When they arrived to the old ladys house. Grandma: Take a look at the plate. Merchant 2: Mmmm,lady, this is a silver plate. Its all black because it is dirty. The things I have to sell are not enough to pay you. Grandma: Oh, we didnt know. But we dont have anything in this house! We dont have any furniture, we are very poor. Can you give us the bracelet and something else? Merchant 2: I will give you everything I have. Grandma: Oh thank you, kind man. Narrator: When the merchant left the home he went to see his friend. Merchant 2: Take a look at this. Its a silver plate I got it from an old woman. I gave her everything I had for this plate. What do you think? Merchant 1: What? I saw that plate yesterday! I lost an opportunity to have it without giving her anything in return. Narrator: Then he stopped to think for a while. Merchant 1: I have thought about it. If we join your honesty and the beautiful things that I still have, we can do great businesses. Can we work together from now on? Merchant 2: Sure! Narrator: Both men cleaned the silver plate until it was sparkling. And both were the most successful merchants in the region. The End

Author: Story based on a Buddhist legend

Moral Value: Honesty - When we say the truth, we are being honest. - We are being honest when we think and act the same way. - Honesty is not to make promises that we are not planning to keep. - An honest person is somebody whom we trust because he or she doesnt lie. - Honesty means not to take what we didnt achieve or that belongs to others.

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Characters: Father Son Spirit

SCRIPT: Narrator: A long time ago there was a woodcutter who had only one son. One day he said. Father: I have decided to use all my savings to give you a good education, so that you can have a decent and honest job which will help us survive when I can no longer work. Boy: Thank you father. I will study hard and you will be proud of me. Father: You will leave next week. Narrator: The young boy went to the university where he spent there three years. One day the boy received a letter from his father. Boy: (thinking) My father doesn`t have any money and I can`t stay here anymore. I have to go back. Narrator: When he arrived home his father said. Father: I don`t know what are we going to do. With the money I earned cutting wood, we can hardly survive. Boy: Don`t worry father, I will go with you to the forest and I will help you. Father: It`s hard work, and you`re not used to it. Besides, we only have one ax and we don`t have money to buy another one. Boy: Why don`t you ask our neighbor to lend you his ax? Father: That`s a good idea and we will buy another one when we have enough money.

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Narrator: Next day, their neighbor lent them an ax, and so they went to the forest to work. After lunch, the boy said. Boy: I will take a short walk father. I`ll be back soon. Father: Don`t take too long, we still have a lot of work to do. Boy: I won`t. Narrator: When he was in the deep woods, he saw an enormous oak tree.Then he heard a voice calling him. Spirit: Help! Help! Let me out of here! I want to go out! Narrator: As the boy was walking, he saw a bottle in the ground with a little creature inside. Carefully, he picked up the bottle. Boy: What a strange little bottle and the voice is coming from inside. Spirit: Let me out! Let me out! Boy: I will open it! Narrator: As soon as the boy opened the bottle, the little creature started to grow, and grow, and grow, until it became a huge giant. Spirit: Prepare yourself! I`m going to eat you! I have been here for a long time, and I am very hungry! Boy: Wait, wait before you do, I have to be sure that it was you who was inside the bottlethen you can eat me. Spirit: But it was me! You saw me! Boy: Prove it! Spirit: How? Boy: Get smaller again! Spirit: Very well then I will eat you! Narrator: Then the giant got smaller, and smaller, and smaller, and the boy closed the bottle again. Spirit: Let me out! If you do, I will do whatever you want me to do! Let me out! I will make you rich! I`m telling you the truth! Let me out of here!
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Boy: You have to promise that you will not eat me! Spirit: I promise. Narrator: The boy opened the bottle, and the little creature started to grow, until it became a huge giant once again. Spirit: Thank you! Boy: How can you help me? Spirit: Take this handkerchief. When you suffer an injury, cover it with the handkerchief, and it will heal instantly. And when you cover a metal object with it, the metal will turn into silver. Boy: Go now you are free! Narrator: As soon as the giant left, the boy returned to where his father was. Father: Where have you been? It`s getting dark and we haven`t finished. Boy: Don`t worry father. I`ll do all the work. Narrator: The boy took the ax and cleaned it with the handkerchief, and suddenly the ax turned into silver, and broke. Father: You broke the ax! Now we have to pay for it, and we dont have any money! Narrator: The boy took the broken ax and saw that it had turned into silver. Boy: Don`t worry father I have something to tell you. Father: What is it? Boy: Look at it, father this is not an ordinary ax. Father: What do you mean? What`s this? Boy: It`s silver. Narrator: Then the boy told his father about the giant. Boy: We have to sell it, father.
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Father: Let`s go to town right away! Narrator: They sold the ax almost immediately, and bought a new one for their neighbor. Father: Let`s go give him this new ax. Boy: And with all this money I can go back to the university, where I will become a doctor. Father: What about the handkerchief? Boy: With this handherchief I will heal all my patients. Father: I am proud of you!. The End

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