(Enter The Lion. He is ferocious, and tears through the stage growling at the front rows...he exits at the opposite side. Enter Narrator 1.)

Narrator 1: Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages...

(Enter Narrator 2)

Narrator 2: It is our great pleasure to bring to you today...

1:(Cutting him off enthusiastically.) A terrific trio of tall tales to truly tantalize and tickle you, head to toe!.

2: A series of three, short dramatic fables.

1: (Nodding wholeheartedly.) We want wonderful wide eyes wherever we wend our wandering way.

2: We just hope you enjoy them.

1: Because between best buddies both boys before you, bend backwards begging big laughs!

2: Huh-hum...we want you all to have fun.

1: Like learned lecturers lavishly letting loose lucid little insights...

2: We also hope you will find this all educational...

1: Yes you young yahoos yearn for your youthful yarns and yonder yammering yokel likes to oblige.

2: I know you kids like to have fun while you learn so that’s what we will do, make this fun. Now...stop starting every single syllable and sentence with similar sounds, silly so-and-so!

1: Sorry.

2: So, which stories do we tell this year?

1: We begin with "THE LION AND THE MOUSE"

1+2: LION!!!! KING OF THE BEASTS!!! AAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!! (They exit in opposite directions in a great panic, screaming. The yelling is slowly replaced by the roaring of a lion from back stage until that is all we hear. Enter the lion, still roaring. He interacts with the audience a little, before apparently settling in to sleep. He finds a perch and starts to snore. Enter the mouse, timid, slowly crawling. He wears a grey mouse mask and has a tail. He is small and vulnerable to the sleeping giant cat. Carefully and suspenseful he tries to get around the lion, obviously terrified. Just as the mouse thinks he is free and clear, the predator spies him through one half open eye. The lion fakes his snore now and prepares to pounce...he jumps the mouse, and pins him under one foot)

Mouse: Help! Help! I’m sorry king, I’m sorry! Please have mercy oh mighty king, great sleek hunter of the plains spare my little life and I will be your friend forever.

Lion: HA! HA! HA! WHAT WOULD I NEED WITH A FRIEND LIKE YOU! I AM THE MIGHTY KING OF THE JUNGLE...YOU... ARE A MOUSE!!!...OH HA OH HA HA HA HA !!

Mouse: Maybe I’ll surprise you King...we can all use more friends right. We can all use more friends!...RIGHT KIDS!!!

Lion: LITTLE FELLOW YOU AMUSE ME GREATLY...YOU MAY LIVE...HA!...YOU MAY PROVE THE MOST USELESS LITTLE FRIEND A LION EVER HAD BUT YOU MAKE ME LAUGH...GO NOW...BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND! RRROOOAAAARRRRRRRR!!!

MOUSE: Yipes!!! (He runs out.)

Lion: Ha! Imagine...what a cheeky little mouse, thinking that a lion would ever have need of a friend like that is ridiculous!!! Now back to sleep!!!! (He flakes out again.)From backstage we now here the strains of suspenseful music. And from behind the curtain enters a hunting party with net...they approach on tip toes...slowly and stealthily...and capture the lion after a brief struggle. He is bound in the net now and the party congratulates itself.)

Lead Hunter: Well done lads. A fine capture. We have him where we want him now....THREE CHEERS FOR THE HUNTERS...(Exiting.)

Hip hip-Hooray, hip-hip Hooray!!!, Hip-hip Hooray!!!

(From backstage now...) We will leave him all tied up like that and come back for him after we find some more game to capture...He’s not going anywhere!!!

(After a short pause where the Proud Lion struggles in vain to free himself, the mouse... enters.)

Mouse: Oh my Oh my Oh my! This will never do never never never...are you all right my king?

Lion: Yes I’m fine...they have not hurt me. But I cannot seem to free myself from the ropes of this net!

Mouse: Oh my Oh my Oh my! I will help you!!! Mighty mouse to the rescue!

Lion: I am afraid it is no use little friend...I cannot free myself...so how could you ever help me?

Mouse: Did you not spare my life...am I not your friend forever! I have a way my king! My little teeth are very sharp and perfect for chewing through these ropes...I will have you free in no time! (He starts to chew.)

Lion: I am afraid it is no use my friend..if I cannot get myself free you surely can not do anything...I am so great and powerful and you are so little and meek how could you ever be a friend to me at a time like this...all is lost...woe is me...the king is dead, long live the king...(He puts his hands over his face.) All is lost all is gone!

(Lost in his sorrow he does not notice that the mouse has chewed through the ropes and lifted the net up over the head of the King.)

Mouse: King.

Lion: All is gone! All is lost!

Mouse: King. Oh King?

Lion: How the mighty are fallen!!!

Mouse: King! Its O.K.!

Lion: What..Wha...wwwww...WOW!!! YOU DID IT!!! Well done little friend!!!

Mouse: My pleasure my great big kingly friend..after all what are friends for!!!

Lion: Exactly! I have learned a valuable lesson here today my little buddy!

Mouse: What’s that?

Lion: That even the mightiest among us can benefit from having the littlest of friends.

Mouse: That sounds like the morale of a story.

Lion: It is! Our story silly !!!. Even the mightiest among us can benefit from having the littlest of friends!!!

Together: TTTTHHHEEEEEEEEE EEEEEENNNNDDDDDDDD!!!

Next..... ........ THE FOX AND THE STORK!!

(They exit in opposite directions, full tilt. After a pause we hear the yelped howling of a fox who enters, prancing.)

Fox: I hate birds.

(Next, the sounds of a stork are heard in the other wing when in it flies, huge beak and all.)

Fox: Mr. Stork! How are you my old friend! It seems a very long time since we have seen each other!

Stork: Too long...too long for friends to be apart! You look great! Have you been working? Dieting? Hey a new hair cut maybe! You look like a million darn dollars!

Fox: Well thank-you old friend...thank-you indeed. You too! I must say that of all the birds you are my favorite...I find so many birds to be very flighty in fact. They fly off the handle sort of...always in a flap about something. Not you though...you are different fine bird, a soaring example of virtue...you glide your way into people’s hearts.

Stork: Thank-you my Foxy friend...you flatter me.

Fox: No No No...I mean every word of it! In fact I have a thought that between old friends we should share a meal...what say you and I have some dinner at my place tonight...would you be my guest?

Stork: I would love to old boy! What a kind invitation! What time do you think would suit you?

Fox: What say that you and I meet at my place at about...oh I don’t know...say seven? O.K.?

Stork: O.K. I shall look forward to it greatly! Can I bring anything?

Fox: Just your fine self! (Exiting.) See you then old boy.

Stork:(Exiting.) What a treat! I heard that the fox was mean and sneaky, but he was nice enought to me...nice enough to me. Dinner with Fox!

(Fox re-enters with a shallow bowl which he places on a chair at center stage.)

Fox: Perfect! With his long beak this shallow bowl will make diner very hard for the Stork to eat. Hee hee hee.

(Re-enter the Stork.)

Stork: Dinner served already I see. What a great treat! What is it?

Fox: It is a delicious soup I have made...I just hope you enjoy it!

(Stork now goes to the shallow bowl and futily attempts to drink from it. No use though his beak will not allow him a way to drink from it.)

Stork: Can't get a drink! Can't get a drink! Very frustrating. Very frustrating! (aside) Bad host...inconsiderate host!

(While fox leisurely laps at the dish and drinks his fill, stork is comically attempting in vain to get a drink of the soup...he thrashes his beak about in the inch or two of liquid but it is no use. Fox is eventually snickering at Stork and speaks only after he appears to have had his fill.)

Fox: Well my friend I am sorry that you did not seem to be more hungry, you barely even touched your dinner. Next time I will try to put out food that you will enjoy...

Stork: Oh no no no no...next time you must be my guest for dinner...in fact I insist. Would tomorrow evening be to your liking?

Fox: (Insincerely.) Why certainly old friend it would be my pleasure. Tomorrow night then! Thanks for coming...it was great fun for me! (He exits with his bowl.)

Stork: I’ll see you tomorrow night my friend...when I will be serving a taste of your own medicine. (He exits to the opposite side.)

(Re-enter the Stork carrying a vase that is deep and has a fairly narrow neck. He places this at center stage and starts to drink with exaggerated gulping sounds. Soon the Fox re-enters and the Stork lifts his head.)

Stork: Oh there you are my friend...so glad you could come. I had such an interesting time at your house last night I just had to repay you! You deserve it! But I am being rude I think...please dig in!

Fox: Oh. O.K. I think I will.

(Fox sticks his head in the vase and finds, of course, that he cannot reach the bottom where his meal is. He lifts his head and stares blankly at the Stork.)

Stork: Problem?

Fox: Um...NO!

(He sticks his head in the jar and tries desperately now to reach the bottom, he thrashes his head about and pushes it further and further into the vase. Finally he lifts his head up and his head is stuck! He stumbles around and shakes and spins and cannot free himself. Fox is done for and thrashes his way all the way off stage to big laughs.)

Stork: And now maybe Fox will learn a thing or two about doing unto others as they do unto you!

Fox: (Re-enters.) I did indeed learn something...a morale to the story you might say.

Stork: Oh? And what would that be?

Fox: One bad turn, deserves another.

Stork: Its true...remember the golden rule.

Fox: Do onto others as you would have others do onto you.

Together: (They remove their masks in unison...................................) TTTTTTTTTTTTTTHHHHEEEEEEEE EEEEEENNNNNDDDDDDD!

Next..... ......ANDROCLES AND THE LION!!

(They pause and then stare at each other for a moment blankly before shouting.) Lion! AAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!! (They exit screaming in opposite directions.)

(From off stage we hear the sounds of a flute playing a classical sort of melody and then it goes crazy...scary fast broken music and a man comes running through the stage area in Greek style of dress. He is obviously frightened and he is watching his back, looking to see if he is being followed, he runs out and behind the curtain. He pauses there while the audience reacts and speculates before running back in and around across the stage and around the curtain and back again at full tilt. Then he pauses again, out of sight. He re-enters, straining to see if he is being followed and goes out the other side.

Now the flute playing subsides and the Lion enters.

He walks with a pronounced limp and has a huge spike/thorn through his foot and running shoe. He is in great pain. Finally he gets himself to center stage and sits down on the chair. His head tosses around with his pain and he tries to grab the object to remove it but he howls with agony whenever he goes to touch it.)

Lion: Its no use. I’m done for!

(Enter Androcles. Slowly he creeps in, unseen by the lion.)

Lion: I will just have to sit here and wait for the end I think...my poor paw! I can hardly walk and whenever I try to take it out...it hurts too much.

Androcles: Maybe I could help!

(The Lion jumps up with a start and crouches down in the corner of the playing area, he is scared. Androcles notices this and moves toward him slowly.)

Androcles: Don’t be frightened King! I want to help you...you see I am an escaped slave myself and I feel like I do not have a friend in the world right now. I would like to help you if I can.

Lion: I need help right now...I cannot get up the nerve to remove this thorn! Drat it all, it hurts too much!

Androcles: I understand! You have an ouchie!

Lion: What!

Androcles: You have an ouchie...

Lion: I do not!

Androcles: Sure you do.

Lion: I do not have an ouchie...Lions do not get ouchies!

Androcles: O.K. O.K. don’t get huffy....call it a boo-boo.

Lion: I do not have an ouchie or a boo-boo, now get this think out of my paw!

Androcles: All right...touchy touchy...give me your paw. Now turn your head. This won’t hurt a bit...(Yank.)

Lion: AAARRRRGGGGGGG!!!!! OWIE OWIE OWIE OUCHIE OUCHIE OUCHIE...I GOT A BOO-BOO...BOO-BOO...OCUCHIE OUCHIE OUCHE!!!

Androcles: I told you it was a boo-boo, now don’t you worry king old boy, I will take care of you for a while now. I will be happy to have someone to keep me company...I will find us a cave and I will give you the help you need to heal yourself up properly...come on now lets go! Carefully...that’s it...we’ll get through this together Mr. Lion!

Narrator: And so it was that the Lion and the escaped slave named Androcles became good friends and helped each other to survive happily in the wilderness.

But in those days it was not long before an escaped slave would get recaptured and wild lions were taken in the hunt!

(Enter the lion in a panic he runs to center stage and turns when in comes a hunting party of children after him...They have swords and shields and roman type hats and togas...and a big net that they throw over top of the king of the beasts. When that is done the leader of the hunting party speaks up.)

Hunter: Well done men! Another beast for the games at the coliseum! This lion will live and we will use him for sport back in the city!

Hunter #2: Three cheers for the hunters...Hip-Hip

All: Hurrah!

#2: Hip-Hip...

All: Hurrah!

#2: Hip-hip...

All: (Exiting.) Hurrah!

(Enter Androcles, smiling taking in what is no doubt the lovely fresh air of an ancient Greek morning. He moves happily to center stage where he sits down in the chair to close his eyes for a cat nap. He snores...when in enters the hunting party. They stop as if they recognize he is an escaped slave and approach him with the net. They throw it over him. He wakes and struggles. But it is no use.)

Androcles: Let me go...please let me go.

Hunter: Not a chance slave! You must go back to the city to be punished! Lets go! (They drag him away, as he struggles.

Enter the second Narrator.)

Narrator #2: And so it was that Androcles the slave, and the King of the Beasts, the Lion, were both captured and taken back to the city.

And in some times in the past, and in some places in the world people can be very cruel...so they kept the lion without any food for days, to make his stomach empty with hunger...and they kept Androcles in a dark dungeon until the day of his final punishment. And do you know what they sometimes did to slaves back then in the dark pages of history? Sometimes they threw their slaves to the lions!

(Enter the Empress and her band of body guards...they are all in ancient style of dress and the Empress wears a crown while the bodyguards are armed with swords. All are in togas over their clothes. The Queen is brought to a place above the crowd at the back...one of the body guards steps forward with an old scroll. It has the Queen’s lines on it to help her out.)

Queen: Bring in the slave!

(Enter Androcles.)

Queen: You are the slave Androcles, who foolishly tried to escape three months ago. I have decided to make an example of you to show everyone else in the kingdom what happens when you try to defy me...Bring in the Lions...Let this slave be eaten by lions as an example!

(The lion enters all right, but instead of attacking the slave as the court expects the lion goes to Androvcles like a loyal pet and nuzzles agianst him.)

Queen: What is this...what is the meaning of this! Someone explain this to me! Has the world gone upside down!!!

Androcles: I can explain your Highness. You see in the time that I escaped I happened to meet this lion in the wilderness and he had a bad injury that he needed help with. So I helped him with his injury and then helped feet him till he was all healed up...we are friends and I know that he is grateful for my help so he could not eat me very well could he!

Queen: This is an amazing story! The lion is grateful to the slave and won’t eat him!

GRATITUDE IS THE SIGN OF A NOBLE HEART! I PRONOUNCE YOU BOTH FREE...YOU HAVE GOOD HEARTS AND MAY LIVE IN FREEDOM FROM NOW ON...YES...GRATITUDE IS THE SIGN OF A NOBLE HEART...YOU ARE FREE..BOTH OF YOU...NOW TAKE ME BACK TO THE PALACE!!!

(She and her body guards exit. She wacks one of them with her sceptre.)

Queen: Hurry up!!! Lets go!!! Before I throw you to the lions.

Together: Three cheers for us! Hip-Hip Horray...Hip-Hip Horray...Hip-Hip Horray!!! TTTTTTTTHHHHHHEEEEEE EEENNNNNNNNDDDDD!!!!!!!!

J.P.S.