Characters: (15) three storytellers, nine mice, chief mouse, clever mouse and the cat.
Storyteller 1: Once upon a time there was a cat
Storyteller 2: who lived on farm.
Storyteller 3: His favourite pastime was sleeping and chasing mice.
(Cat is lying in the middle of the stage purring and stretching. He sees some mice and he chases them).
Cat: Run, run as fast as you can. I will catch you one day. I always do.
(The cat goes over to the side of the stage and goes to sleep.)
Storyteller 1: All the mice on the farm had enough.
Storyteller 2: The chief mouse called an emergency meeting.
Storyteller 3: He wanted to stop the cat chasing and scaring all the mice.
Chief mouse: We must stop the cat. All the mice are frightened.
Mouse 1: Cut his tail off.
Mouse 2: Pull his whiskers out.
Mouse 3: I’ve a better idea lets kill him. (All the mice start nodding their heads and they start shouting).
Mice: Kill him, kill him.
Chief mouse: Quiet please. Don’t be silly if we kill him, or cut his tail off or pull his whiskers out. We need a better plan than that.
Mouse 4: He is too big and strong.
Mouse 5: We have to do something. We can’t go anyway but he creeps up behind us and chases us.
Mouse 6: If we knew where he was he couldn’t surprise us.
Storyteller 1: They all shook their heads. (All the mice shake their heads in despair).
Storyteller 2: They didn’t know what to do.
Storyteller 3: But then the cleverest mouse in the group put up his hand.
Clever mouse: I have an idea.
Chief mouse: Please tell us. (He gets down on his hands and knees).
Clever mouse: Well, (he pauses) why don’t we wait until the cat is fast asleep and then we can tie a bell around his next. That way we will hear it every time he is near us
Mouse 7: That’s a genius idea.
Mouse 8: You are so clever, clever mouse.
Mouse 9: Lets do it, let’s do it.
Chief mouse: That’s a wonderful plan but who amongst us is willing to put the bell around the cats neck.
Mice: (individually) Not I?
(Chief mouse sighs well it was a good idea but we have to think again).
Mice: (sigh and hang their heads in despair.)
(The cat wakes up and sees all the mice and has a big grin on his face and chases them off the stage.)
Storyteller 1: The lesson of the story
Storyteller 2: just because we say something should be done
Storyteller 3: doing it is often a lot more difficult.
Stage Start Two – 20 more plays for children
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