Reader's Theater: "A Caterpillar's Voice"

To Read Aloud in Class or to Perform

Based on a story retold by Elaine L. Lindy Adapted as a play script by Lindsay Parker

Characters: NARRATOR or NARRATORS (one person or more than one person) HARE CATERPILLAR JACKAL LEOPARD RHINOCEROS ELEPHANT FROG

ACT 1 NARRATOR or NARRATORS: [If one person is the NARRATOR, then that person introduces the play. If more than one person is a NARRATOR, then all of the NARRATORS together introduce the play.]

NARRATOR or NARRATORS: This play is "A Caterpillar's Voice." It is a folk tale from Africa. It is brought to you by Whootie Owl. Once upon a time in Africa there was a Hare. The Hare lived in a nice cave. One day when the Hare was away, a Caterpillar went into the Hare's cave. [HARE starts out on the stage. He is sitting in a chair. This is his cave. He gets up and speaks.]

HARE: I think it is a nice day for a walk. Maybe I will leave my cave and go visit a friend. [Hare exits.] [CATERPILLAR enters. It is good if CATERPILLAR can crawl.] CATERPILLAR: This seems like a very nice cave. (sits on the chair) This is nice. Maybe I will stay here. Oh, my! This cave has an echo. It makes my little voice sound big!

[HARE enters and looks around.]

Reader's Theater

HARE: What is going on here? It looks like someone is in my cave. (calls out) Who is in my cave? CATERPILLAR: (in a big, loud voice) It is I! I am the biggest and strongest one of them all.

HARE: Oh dear! How am I going to get back in my cave?

[JACKAL enters.]

HARE: Oh Jackal, please help me.

JACKAL: How do you need me to help?

HARE: There is some big, strong animal in my cave. Can you try to get it out?

JACKAL: Sure, I can try. (calls out) Who is in the cave of my friend, the Hare?

3 Copyright 2005 Elaine L. Lindy. All Rights This Page May Not Be Reproduced In Any Form Without Written Permission From The Reserved. Publisher.

Reader's Theater CATERPILLAR: (in a big, loud voice) It is I! I am the biggest and strongest of them all.

JACKAL: Oh, Hare, I do not think I can help you. It sounds like you have a huge animal in your cave. Probably bigger than me. I must go now! Goodbye!

[JACKAL exits.]

[LEOPARD enters.]

HARE: Leopard, please stop and help me!

LEOPARD: Sure. What's the problem?

HARE: There is a big animal in my cave. Can you get it out ?

LEOPARD: Definitely. I am big and strong myself. (calls out) Who is in the cave of my friend, the Hare?

CATERPILLAR: (in a big, loud voice) It is I! I am the biggest and strongest one of them all. 4 Copyright 2005 Elaine L. Lindy. All Rights This Page May Not Be Reproduced In Any Form Without Written Permission From The Reserved. Publisher.

Reader's Theater LEOPARD: Uh, oh. If that animal is the biggest and strongest, I do not want to think what he could do to me! I am sorry, Hare. I am out of here.

[LEOPARD exits.]

[RHINOCEROS enters.] HARE: Oh please, Rhino, you have to help me. You are big and strong.

RHINOCEROS: Oh thank you, I am. How can I help? HARE: There is something in my cave. I am scared. Can you help me?

RHINOCEROS: Of course I can. I am glad that you came to me for help. Nothing scares me. (calls out) Who is in the cave of my friend, the Hare?

CATERPILLAR: (in a big, loud voice) It is I! I am the biggest and strongest of them all.

5 Copyright 2005 Elaine L. Lindy. All Rights This Page May Not Be Reproduced In Any Form Without Written Permission From The Reserved. Publisher.

Reader's Theater

HARE: Oh Rhinoceros, can you get it out?

RHINOCEROS: Hare, I am your friend. And nothing scares me. Nothing, that is, except a big and loud voice in a cave! You need a bigger and stronger animal than me. Maybe an elephant?

[ELEPHANT enters.]

ELEPHANT: Did I hear you talking about me?

HARE: We were talking about how big and strong you are.

ELEPHANT: What do you need? I can do anything. I am the biggest and strongest animal in the forest.

HARE: There is something in my cave. Can you help get it out?

ELEPHANT: Oh sure. Is that all? (calls out) Hey, who is in the cave of my friend, the Hare?

6 Copyright 2005 Elaine L. Lindy. All Rights This Page May Not Be Reproduced In Any Form Without Written Permission From The Reserved. Publisher.

Reader's Theater CATERPILLAR: (in a big, loud voice) It is I! I am the biggest and strongest of them all.

ELEPHANT and RHINOCEROS: (screaming) AH!

[ELEPHANT and RHINOCEROS run off stage.]

HARE: NOW what I am going to do?

[FROG enters.]

FROG: Hare, what is wrong?

HARE: Oh, it is just terrible. I am trying to go inside my home, but there is something in my cave. It says it is the biggest and strongest one of them all. I do not know what to do!

FROG: Have you tried calling to the thing in your cave?

HARE: Oh yes. I tried. So did Jackal, Leopard, Rhinoceros and Elephant.

7 Copyright 2005 Elaine L. Lindy. All Rights This Page May Not Be Reproduced In Any Form Without Written Permission From The Reserved. Publisher.

Reader's Theater

FROG: What happened?

HARE: All the other animals were scared and ran away.

FROG: I know I am not as big as Jackal, Leopard, Rhino, or Elephant. Still, can I try, too?

HARE: You can try. Please help me get this animal out of my cave!

FROG: (calling out) Who's in the cave of my friend, Hare? I am the one who is the biggest and strongest of ALL the animals. Come outside this cave, right now!

CATERPILLAR: Oh dear, what a loud voice! After all, I am just a Caterpillar. I am coming out. Please do not hurt me.

[CATERPILLAR gets off the chair, crawls over to the animals, and stands up.]

HARE: What? All that time it was YOU in the cave? 8

Copyright 2005 Elaine L. Lindy. All Rights This Page May Not Be Reproduced In Any Form Without Written Permission From The Reserved. Publisher.

Reader's Theater

FROG: What happened?

HARE: All the other animals were scared and ran away.

FROG: I know I am not as big as Jackal, Leopard, Rhino, or Elephant. Still, can I try, too?

HARE: You can try. Please help me get this animal out of my cave!

FROG: (calling out) Who's in the cave of my friend, Hare? I am the one who is the biggest and strongest of ALL the animals. Come outside this cave, right now!

CATERPILLAR: Oh dear, what a loud voice! After all, I am just a Caterpillar. I am coming out. Please do not hurt me.

[CATERPILLAR gets off the chair, crawls over to the animals, and stands up.]

HARE: What? All that time it was YOU in the cave? 8

Copyright 2005 Elaine L. Lindy. All Rights This Page May Not Be Reproduced In Any Form Without Written Permission From The Reserved. Publisher.

Reader's Theater Reader's Theater [JACKAL, LEOPARD, RHINOCEROS and ELEPHANT enter.] [JACKAL, LEOPARD, RHINO, and ELEPHANT all frown at CATERPILLAR. They look mad.] JACKAL: Wow, it was only a caterpillar. CATERPILLAR: Um, right now I think I will move on. LEOPARD: Boy, he sure fooled us. [CATERPILLAR crawls off stage.]

CATERPILLAR: Oops. ELEPHANT: Can you believe it? All of us were scared of that small, little caterpillar! HARE: [All the animals laugh.] I cannot believe that you were all scared of a little caterpillar. HARE: : FROG: I think you were scared too, Hare. (pointing to FROG) All of us, that is, except one.

HARE: Actloud 1 voice. No, no, not of Caterpillar. It wasEnd onlyof that

RHINOCEROS: : THE ENDtiny You are right, Hare. How did such a little, Caterpillar have such a loud voice?

CATERPILLAR: Well, this cave was so cozy. And when I spoke, there was a wonderful echo! It made me feel BIG!

10

Copyright Copyright2005 2005Elaine ElaineL. L.Lindy. Lindy. All AllRights Rights This ThisPage PageMay MayNot NotBe BeReproduced ReproducedIn InAny AnyForm FormWithout WithoutWritten WrittenPermission PermissionFrom FromThe The Reserved. Reserved. Publisher. Publisher.