THREE BILLY GOATS GRUFF
Narrator: Once upon a time there was a bridge spanning a deep crevice. (person dressed as bridge enters) Now this bridge was somewhat old and rickety (bridge acts this out) and would sway in the slightest wind. (act out) In a cave under this bridge lived a troll. (enter troll) The troll had a huge appetite (rubs tummy), but was too lazy to leave its cave. (yawns and stretches) So, it dined on the occasional traveler across the bridge. One day it heard footsteps (footsteps from offstage) and quickly hid. (licks lips and hides as goats enter) The 3 billy goats Gruff were going to cross the bridge to better grazing land. There was Big Gruff, Medium Gruff, and Little Gruff. As the leader, Big Gruff started across the bridge first. Just then the troll jumped up.
Big Gruff: Hello, ugly and disgusting troll.
Troll: Hello, dinner.
Big Gruff: Oh, I wouldn’t advise eating me. I’m much too old and tough. You’d have to chew and chew and . . .
Troll: Poo! Me too lazy to do that.
Big Gruff: Better luck with the next goat. Bye! (exits)
Medium Gruff: (enters) Hello, dirty troll with stinky, rotten breath.
Troll: Hello, dinner.
Medium Gruff: Well, do you have a refrigerator?
Troll: Me no got ‘frigerator.
Medium Gruff: Hmm! Even though I am medium, I am definitely a 2-meal goat.
If you can’t put the leftovers in the fridge, you’ll have to haul my remains away
because I rot quickly.
Troll: Poo! Me too lazy to do that.
Medium Troll: Thought so. Try the 1-serving goat coming up. Bye! (exits)
Little Gruff: (enters) Hello, big and strong troll. I’ve always wanted to meet you.
Troll: You have? Me should say . . . hello, dinner.
Little Gruff: Yes, tall and handsome troll, I’m going to get some dinner.
Troll: No. You for dinner.
Little Gruff: You want to invite me for dinner? How sweet! You have a bad reputation, but you’re really nice.
Can you be my friend?
Troll: Friend? Me no have friends.
Little Gruff: You poor thing. I’ll be your friend. Why don’t you join my family for dinner? You like grass?
Troll: Me never try grass. It far?
Little Gruff: It’s just across the bridge. Come on! (exit)
Narrator: So, the troll tried some grass and loved it.
(all enter and eat grass)
Troll: Now me vegetarian!
Narrator: The Troll made friends with the 3 billy goats (all hug) and never had to eat anyone else crossing the bridge.
That made the bridge very happy.
(bridge dances for joy)
The Little Pumpkin
SCARECROW: Welcome to the pumpkin patch. All these pumpkins are guaranteed to be the finest quality. Just listen! They will tell you.
Pumpkin Patch:
Pumpkins here. Pumpkins there. Pumpkins everywhere!
Pumpkins Orange. Pumpkins Green. Best pumpkins you’ve ever seen!
SCARECROW:
Look! Here comes the farmer to look at his pumpkins.
Farmer:
I need one of my best pumpkins to show at the fair.
SCARECROW:
Do you hear that, pumpkins? You’re going to the fair!
Pumpkin 1:
Pick me! I'm really big!
Pumpkin 2:
No! Pick me! I'm really orange.
Pumpkin 3:
No! Pick me! I’m gorgeous!
Little Pumpkin:
Pick me! I'm the smallest!
Pumpkin 4:
Silly little pumpkin. He won’t pick you!
Pumpkin Patch:
Ha! Ha!
SCARECROW:
That’s not very nice. Don’t listen to those rude pumpkins.
Farmer:
This is a prize-winning pumpkin for sure. (takes out pumpkin)
SCARECROW:
That was exciting. What do you say, pumpkins?
Pumpkin Patch:
Pumpkins here. Pumpkins there. Pumpkins everywhere!
Pumpkins Orange. Pumpkins Green. Best pumpkins you’ve ever seen!
SCARECROW:
Look! Here comes the baker.
Baker:
I need a big pumpkin to make a pumpkin pie.
Pumpkin Patch:
(all the pumpkins huddle and shiver)
SCARECROW:
The pumpkins don’t want to be chopped up and baked into a pie.
Pumpkin Patch:
(pumpkins huddle and shiver more)
SCARECROW:
But you’ll be so yummy served with ice cream.
Pumpkin 5:
Why did I have to grow up?
Pumpkin 6:
I’m big, too. Oh no!
Little Pumpkin:
I'm glad I’m the smallest!
Baker:
I'll take this big one. (takes out Pumpkin 6)
Pumpkin 6:
I'm too young to PIE!
SCARECROW:
This is your lucky day, pumpkins. What do you say?
Pumpkin Patch:
Pumpkins here. Pumpkins there. Pumpkins everywhere!
Pumpkins Orange. Pumpkins Green. Best pumpkins you’ve ever seen!
SCARECROW: Look! Here come some children.
Children: We need to pick a pumpkin.
SCARECROW: We’ve got lots of nice big ones.
Pumpkin 8: Pick me! I'm big!
Pumpkin 9: No! Pick me! I’m bigger!
Children: Sorry pumpkins! You’re too big for us!
Little Pumpkin: How about me?
Children: You’re just the right size for us.
(they decorate it with a face)
SCARECROW: Hey, little pumpkin…you got picked.
Little Pumpkin:
The children are going. It’s time to say bye.
I may not be big. But at least I'm not a pie!
SCARECROW: I’m gonna miss that little sprout. Well, pumpkins. Back to work!
Pumpkin Patch:
Pumpkins here. Pumpkins there. Pumpkins everywhere!
Pumpkins Orange. Pumpkins Green. Best pumpkins you’ve ever seen!
The second one we often performed in fall, with a reference to
Jack-O-Lanterns (but not Halloween). I’ve used it from kindergarten
classes up to second grade.
During my 40 years teaching career,
I frequently wrote and produced little plays for the children in my class to perform for their parents and the students in other classes at the school. Many of them were related to holidays or subjects we were studying. I have picked just three as examples. By the way, the children delighted in learning their lines, practicing the plays and ultimately shining in their roles.
The first one is one that I wrote while we were studying Fairy Tales,
Narrator
Once upon a time there was a small village named Appleton. Now Appleton was famous for the delicious apples grown on its local farms. People all around the country would travel for miles just to buy their fantastic fruit. By selling the apples, the people in the village soon grew rich and fat with luxury. Our story begins one holiday season as the townspeople meet in the main square.
All Townspeople
We are so rich. We are so fat.
Living high on the hog, that's where it's at.
Mayor
I am the Mayor. This is my wife.
Mayor and Wife
We just love our good, apple pie life.
All Townspeople
We are so rich, we are so fat.
Living high on the hog, that's where it's at.
Narrator
However, one year ugly brown spots appeared on the apples.
Farmer
I am the farmer. My news is sad.
All the apples are spotty!
All Townspeople
That is bad!
Mayor's wife
This news is rotten
Mayor
The apples are, too
Mayor's wife
There goes our good life
All Townspeople
What can we do?
Narrator
The villagers were very upset because they were sure that no one would want to buy ugly apples.
All Townspeople
Ugly apples...yuck!
Narrator
The people were so worried about themselves they stopped talking to one another. They were afraid that someone would take away their riches. The funny thing was that the apple spots soon went away. But the villagers had already hidden their valuables and locked their doors. They even put away their nice clothes and wore old, ragged things so that no one could find out just how much they had.
All Townspeople
We are so poor, just look and see.
Gone are the days of luxury.
Mayor
I'm your poor Mayor. And here's my poor wife.
Mayor and Wife
We just hate this poor, humble pie life
All Townspeople
We are so poor. Just look and see.
Gone are the days of luxury.
Narrator
Normally the holidays meant a time for parties and feasts; but the townspeople didn't want to share with anyone. So they prepared their dinners in secret. And out in public everyone made a great show of feeling sorry for themselves.
All Townspeople
Poor us...
Narrator
One night three soldiers arrived in this gloomy place.
These three soldiers were quite merry and this made the villagers very uncomfortable.
All Soldiers
Friends and neighbors, please give us an ear.
We soldiers three will give you nothing to fear.
Our leader is Pops, the oldest in the group.
And here is our Bugler, the horn blower of the troupe.
Last there is Sonny. We three are like one.
We rarely have money, but we always have fun.
We marched hard all day, and noticed your smoke.
We need a good dinner, but you see, we are broke.
Narrator
The villagers were shocked. (gasp) Were these soldiers actually asking for them to share?
All Townspeople
What you ask is real funny. You've come to the wrong city.
We've got nothing to give you except for our pity.
We're really so sorry, but can you beat it, guys?
This village is starving. Don't you have eyes?
Narrator
The soldiers did indeed have eyes...and their eyes could see the plump bodies hidden under the villager's rags. The soldiers also had good noses that could smell the delicious aroma of fine dinners coming from kitchen windows. Although things were not looking good for the soldiers, they came up with a plan.
All Soldiers
Attention dear friends. Just listen a while.
We've got something to say that will make you all smile.
We know you don't have much. We won't ask you to share.
Since you say you are poor folks and your cupboards are bare.
But hearing your story has really made us sad.
And we'd like to help you, though you may think we're mad
We really do know just how you feel.
To show you we care, we want to make you a holiday meal.
Narrator
The people were amazed. (gasp) How could these three soldiers hope to feed the whole village?
All Soldiers
How can we do this? Well, a secret is ours.
A secret we gained from far away powers.
We know how to make soup, but let it be known,
The soup that we cook will be made out of stones.
All Townspeople
Soup out of stones? How could this thing be?
You're nutty! You're loco! There's bats in your belfry!
If you'll pardon our doubts, what you're saying sounds wild.
How can you make soup, no matter how many rocks are piled?
All Soldiers
If you can believe, there is always hope.
With just a bit of faith, you'll find a way to cope.
Narrator
The next day the entire village assembled in the main square. The news had spread and everyone was buzzing with excitement. (buzz) A large pot of water had been placed in the center of the square with a good fire underneath.
All Soldiers
Attention, attention, let the cooking begin.
What we need is quality stone. (crowd, "right") Not just any stone. (crowd, "no, no") Only the best will do. (crowd, "right") Wait! Don't forget to wash them! (crowd, "right")
Narrator
The crowd soon returned with stones and placed them in the pot. The soldiers sampled the soup expertly.
All Soldiers
Excellent...you have delicious stones in this part of the country. (crowd, "hurray")
Narrator
The village was anxious to taste the soup, but as they crowded nearer they could hear Pops say:
Pops
Do you recall the soup we made in Ramading?
Now that was really stone soup fit for a king
All Soldiers
But we had potatoes then. What a shame we don't again. (soldiers, "tch, tch")
Townsperson
As I was cleaning up today what do you think I found?
Two or three potatoes were just lying on the ground.
Narrator
When he left, several others suddenly remembered finding some potatoes that day. Once again the soldiers sampled the soup.
All Soldiers
Ambrosia! (crowd cheers)
The soup is really tasty, but the pity of the thing.
If we just had a carrot it would have a special zing.
(all, "tch,tch")
Townsperson
I have a few small carrots I was saving for a stew.
But if it will help the soup, I'll share them all with you.
All Soldiers
If you all will keep this up, it's really plain to see
We'll make the best soup ever, and that we guarantee.
Townspeople
What about peas?
Soldiers
Yes, if you please!
Townspeople
A few ears of corn?
Soldiers
Why, blow our horn!
Townspeople
What about meat?
Soldiers
It couldn't be beat!
Townspeople
A little butter?
Soldiers
That would be better!
Townspeople
Some salad to start?
Soldiers
You're after our hearts!
Townspeople
Some bread and some wine?
Soldiers
That would be divine!
Townspeople
Let's end with some cake?
Soldiers
Yes, for goodness sake!
Narrator
Soon such a feast was spread as had never been seen in the village of Appleton before. All the people were happy and sharing. They were having so much fun they forgot to be worried and suspicious.
All Soldiers
Now you've learned a lesson. For stone soup, what's the start?
Put the stones into the pot, but keep them from your heart.
This last play was one we performed occasionally during the Winter/Christmas season.
