11/8/2016

FromtheElephantPit|StoriestoGrowBy

FromtheElephantPit

CHARACTERS
[SCENES&DESCRIPTIONS:
Scene1Forestwithalargepit
Scene2Huntershomewithbedandtablessetup
Scene3Darkdungeonontheleftandabeautifulpalacewithagardenontheright.]

SCENE1
NARRATOR:
ManyyearsagointheLandofTibettherewasagreathunterofelephants.Hewasathisbestatwhat
hedid,ashetrappedthewildelephantsbyhavingthemfallintopits.Onedaythoughwhilecheckingin
onhispitshedidntfindanyelephants,butalion,asnake,afalcon,amouseandamanhadfallenin.
Thisisthestoryofhowthisgroupendedupinthehunterselephanttrapandhowthehuntermadea
terriblemistakebyrescuingoneofthem.
[Thecurtainrisesshowingaforestonthestage.Thereisalargepittotheleftsideofthestage
alongwithmanytreesandplantsspreadalongthestage.OnstageaLIONischasingaMANall
overtheplace.TheLIONisupsetattheMANfortryingtokidnaponeofitscubs.]
MAN:
(pleadingwiththeLIONwhilerunning)Oh,pleasedonthurtme,Ididntmeananyharmtoyour
children.
LION:
(withabitteranger)Youhavetriedtohurtmycubsandnowyouwillpay!
MAN:
(practicallybeggingnow)KingoftheJungle,pleaseletmebe.Ihavedonenothingtothem,Iswearit.
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[Whilethetwoofthemarerunningtheyfailtonoticethegiantpit.Thetwoofthemstarttogetintoa
scuffle.Theystartrollingaroundandfallintothedeeppit.Atthesametime,aMOUSE,SNAKE
andFALCONenterthestage,allchasingeachother.]
MOUSE:
(alarmedathowclosetheSNAKEwasgettingtohim,inahighpitchedandsqueakyvoice)Oh,please
donteatme.Ihavedonenothingtoyou.
SNAKE:
(grinninggleefullyknowinghisdinnerisnear,inahissingbutaudiblevoice)Ihavenoteatenfordays
andyouwillbemynextmeal.
FALCON:
(eyeingtheSNAKE)AndafteryoueatthatmouseIwillfeastonyou.
NARRATOR:
Thesethreealsodidnotethattherewasamassivecavityupaheadthatthelionandmanhadalready
falleninto.Theyallfellaswellintothepitafterthemouseledthemtoit.Thefiveoftheminthepit
fearedfortheirlivesastheybelievedanyotheranimalcouldharmthematanymovetheymade.Finally
thelionspokeup.
LION:
(nervously)Ohhonoredones,weareallcomradesinmisfortune.Letuspromisenottohurteachother.
Leteachabidewherehenowiswhileweplanawaytogetoutofthispit.
OTHERS:
(withpromptness)Agreed!
NARRATOR:
Theanimalsandthemanstartconversingabouthowtheywillbeabletogetoutofthepit.Whilethey
aredoingthis,thehuntercomesalongtoseeifhehascaughtanyanimalswhenhediscoverswhoisin
thehole.
[HUNTERenters.]
HUNTER:
(bellowingoutwhilelookingdownatthehole)Why,whatisallthis?Howdidallofyougethere?
ANIMALS:
Oh,hunter,goodhunter,kindhunter,thebestofthebest,pleasehelpusout.(beggingfortheirlives)
Youseethatwearenotelephants,weareingreatneedtogetoutofhere.
MOUSE:
(squealingwithagrin)No,no,goodhunter,Iamnotanelephant,Iamnotanelephant.
HUNTER:
(chucklingattheremark)No,youdontlooklikeanelephantmylittlefriend.IthinkImusthelpyouallto
escape.
[TheHUNTERthenbeginstohoistdownaladdertoretrievetheANIMALS.TheLIONcomesup
first.]
LION:
(withgreatrespectandthanks)Ohhunter,Iandtheotheranimalswillprovegratefultoyouandwillhelp

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youforyourkindnesstous,sorescuethem.Butleavethemaninthepit,forIwarnyouhewillforget
yourkindnessanddoyouharm.
HUNTER:
(shockedattheremark)Thatsnonsense.Imustrescueeveryoneinthispitsotheywillnotdie.
[TheHUNTERproceedstorescuetherestoftheANIMALSandtheMANoutofthepitwithallof
themthankinghimwhilehedoesso.]

SCENE2
[ThecurtainrisesshowingtheHUNTERlyinginhisbedinsideofhishousewithhisWIFE,both
sick,weak,sneezing,andcoughing.]
NARRATOR:
Hehasgrownillwithterriblefeverinthepastmonthsandisnotabletohuntforelephantsoranyother
gamenolonger.Hewouldhavediedalongwithhiswifeifitwerentforthelionbringingmeateveryday
tothehuntershome.
[TheLIONisshowndroppingoffthemeatatthehouse.]
HUNTER:
Ioweyousomuchnow,sinceyouhavefedmywifeandIduringthesehardtimesandhaveallowedus
tolive.
LION:
IamjustrepayingyouforthekindnessthatyoutreatedmewithwhenIfellintothepit.
[LIONexits.]
NARRATOR:
Thenextdaythefalconarrivesatthehuntershousecarryingalargebagofgemshehadfoundinthe
middleoftheforest.Theywerebrightandglistening.Hebroughtthemtothehunterforrepayinghimfor
savinghislife.
[FALCONenters.]
FALCON:
Takethesegemsasagiftforsavingmylife.Youcanusethemforbuyingfoodforyourselfandyour
wife.
HUNTER:
(withmuchgratefulness)Youhavehelpedsavemywifeandme.Ithankyouforyourgooddoings.I
wishyougoodhealth.
NARRATOR:
Withthatthefalconnoddedandleftthehunter.Littledidheknowisthatthegemshefoundintheforest
wereactuallythequeensgems.Notrealizingit,shehadleftthemintheforesttheypreviousday.When
shefoundtheyweremissingthekingsuspectedtheft,andsentoutthemanwhothehunterhadsaved,
alongwithmanyothersoldiers,tofindthesegems.Whilethemanwassearchinghecameuponthe
huntershouse.
[FALCONexits.MANenters.]
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MAN:
(withkindness)Ihopethatyouarefeelingbetter.Iaskyou,though,haveyouseenanygems?
HUNTER:
(withsomeshock)YesIhave.Heretheyare.
[HUNTERspreadsthegemsacrossthetable.]
MAN:
(withmuchsurpriseandintrigue)Wheredidyougetthese?
HUNTER:
(cautiously)ThefalconwhomIrescuedfromthepitbroughtthemtome.
MAN:
(lookingatthegemswithmuchgreed)Thesegemsbelongtothequeen.Shethinkssomeonehas
stolenthem.Ihavebeensenttofindthem.UnlessItell,nobodywillevernowwheretheyare.Somy
friend,(withthoughtsofrichesinhismind)letusdividethem.Youkeephalf,andIllkeephalf.Thenwe
shallbothgainwealthandnoonewillbethewiser.
HUNTER:
(shocked)What!(angrily)Doyoutakemeforathief?No,NoIsay!(calmingdown)Thegemsshallbe
returnedtoourgoodqueen.
MAN:
(sneeringanddisappointedatwhatjustoccurred,ungratefully)Thenmyhonestfellow.Youshallgoto
thepalaceasmyprisoner.
[TheMANclapshishands,whichcausestwoSOLDIERStorushin.]
MAN:
Bindhimandcarryhimtotheking!Itishewhostolethequeensjewels!
NARRATOR:
Withthatthehunter,whowasstillfrailfromillnessandfever,wastakenoutofhishouseandbroughtto
thepalace.Thekingbelievedthefalsestorytoldbytheman,chainedthehunterasathief,andplaced
himinadarkdungeon.

SCENE3
[Thissceneopenstoadarkandmiserabledungeonattherighthandpartofthestage.Itisblocked
offtothelargepalaceattheleftofitandnexttothatisabeautifulgarden.TheHUNTERisaloneon
stage,miserableinhisdungeon,interribleshape.]
HUNTER:
(speakingwithmuchsadnesstoanyonewhowouldlisten)Alas!Thelionspokethetruth.Becauseof
themanthatIrescuedfrommyelephantpitIamnowinthisloathsomedungeonwithnonetopitymeor
todeliverme.
[MOUSEappearsoutofacornerofthedungeon.]
MOUSE:
Saynotso,goodfriend.Ipityyou,anditmaybeIwhocandeliveryou.Keepupyourcourage.Iwillgo
nowandfindhelp.
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NARRATOR:
Themouseexitsatthisremarkandgoestofindhelp.Thisleavesthehunteralonetothinkforawhile.
Themousereturnswiththesnakewithinafewmoments.
[MOUSEexitsandreenterswithSNAKE.]
SNAKE:
(withmuchdelightatseeingtheHUNTERalive)NowIamglad,tohaveachancetoshowmygratitude.
[SNAKEbringsoutaboxofcream.]
SNAKE:
Takethislittleboxofcream.Hideitinyourchest.Thenwhenthekingwalksinthegarden,Iwillsting
himontheheel.Thecreaminthatlittleboxalonecansavehislife.Iurgeyou,useit!
[KING,QUEENandPEOPLEenter.]
NARRATOR:
Afewmomentslater,whilethekingwaswalkinginthegarden,thesnakebithim.Agroupofpeople
gatheredaroundhim.
PEOPLE:
(screaminginterror)Hewilldie!Hewilldie!Noneofourdoctorsknowthecureforthebiteofthesnake.
NARRATOR:
Whilethequeenwasgrievingnexttothekingssidethemouseapproachedher.
MOUSE:
(withmuchhonor)Oqueenthereisonewhocancuretheking.Thehunterwholiesinthelowest
dungeon.Sendforhimquickly,lestitbetoolate.
NARRATOR:
Thequeenthensentforthehunterwhoappearedwiththehuntersthatbroughthimup.Hecametothe
kingssideandtooktheboxofcreamonhischestandappliedittothekingswound.Theswellingsoon
wentdownandthekingwaswellagain.
KING:
(uponawakeningwithmuchpleasure)WhatrewardshallIgiveyou?Askwhatyouwill,mydeliverer!
HUNTER:
(withmuchadmiration)Oking,Iaskonlyofyouronegreatfavor,thatyoulistentomystory.
NARRATOR:
Heproceededtotellthekingeverythingthathadoccurred.
KING:
Sothelionwasright.Ifyouhadlefttheungratefulmaninthepityouwouldhavebeenfine.Ho,soldiers
bringhimtomeandIwillseethatheisfitlypunished.
[TheSOLDIERSsearchthroughoutthestageareabutareunabletofindtheMAN.Theyreturnwith
thebadnewstotheking.]
HUNTER:
Iamgladheescaped,forIlikenottoseeanyonesuffer.

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KING:
(withmuchrespectfortheMAN)Good,itisnoblethustoforgiveanenemy.Andnow,myfriend,Ihave
needofabravemanlikeyouinmypalace.Youshalllivehereasmygreathunter.
[TheHUNTERfollowstheKINGintothepalaceashegreetstheQUEEN,andthecurtainfalls,
endingtheplay.]

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