THE SHEPHERD WHO CRIED WOLF

Cast

Mother
Shepherd
Farmer
Smith
Potter
Baker

Mother: I know that this is a tedious job, my daughter, but it is an important one. The sheep of entire village are under your care. If you do a good job at this work then you will soon have a better job.

Be sure to stay on the hilltop. That way you can safely see if thieves or wild beasts try to take our sheep, and you will be able to call for help.

Now I must take the cart to the market in the city to sell our grapes. I will be back this evening.

Shepherd: Boy, what a lousy job. I bet this is the sorriest job in the whole world, watching a bunch of dumb sheep. I wish I could go to the market. There's lots of excitement there.

Hey, you ignorant lamb. Do you know where the ram went to wash his face? (pause) He went to the Baaa throom. I figured you wouldn't catch it. All you stupid animals know how to do is to chew grass.

Anything would be better than this. If I was picking grapes at least I'd have someone to talk to. Wait! I've got an idea. I bet this will add some excitement. (yells) Wolf! Help! Help! Wolf!

Farmer: Where? I don't see any wolves.

Shepherd: There was just one and he ran away.

Smith: Just one wolf? That's mighty curious, they usually travel in packs. Well if you see another one throw a stone first, and if that doesn't scare him then call us for help. (exit)

Shepherd: Oh boy! That was fun to see the old chubby smith a huffing and a puffing as he ran up the hill. This is a great idea. I'm going to have some kicks today. Who shall I trick next? I know, all those women working down near the ovens. (yells) Wolf! Help, help! A wolf!

Ha ha, look at that old lady run with her big pot. And now she dropped and broke it.

Potter: Are the sheep safe? I ruined an expensive clay vase to get here in time to help.

Baker: What!? I don't see a wolf in sight. My loaves of bread are probably burning, shepherd girl.

Shepherd: The wolf must have run away.

Potter: We've wasted enough time. We better get back to work.

Baker: Well it sounds mighty fishy to me. My husband told me at lunch time that the shepherd and yelled "Wolf," and there wasn't a sign of a wolf around.

(they exit)

Shepherd (sticks out tongue): Stupid old baker woman. What a sight she made, holding up her skirt as she ran. And my didn't she sweat and get red in the face. Ho ho!

Well, who shall I fool next? There's a man with a basket of apples. He'll do. Help! Help! A wolf, a wolf!

Yippee this is a real hoot, why .......... uh oh, that's not the apple picker. It's the smithy and he was carrying a basket of iron ore. And here comes his wife and the wheat farmer, too. I'm in trouble now. I better think of something quick. Here I'll throw some stones. (fakes throwing)

"Go away you bad wolf! Shoo, leave our sheep alone. (throws again) And don't you ever come back you mean wolf.

Smith: Not a wolf around.

Shepherd: I did like you told me and threw rocks and it scared the wolf away.

Baker: I'll bet, you little scamp.

Farmer: By Gemini, Smithy. There's not a wolf track around.

Potter: To think of all the work wasted today because of your foolishness. Your mother will hear about this.

Smith: I tell you one thing for sure. If you call "wolf" again shepherd girl, I'll come up here with a sturdy staff. If there's no wolf to whack around then I'll use the staff on your behind. (exit muttering)

Shepherd: You bunch of dumb people. It was worth it just to see all of you so upset. Go ahead and tell my mother. I'll just make up a story to tell her about how mean you are and she'll believe me.

That's strange, I didn't know we had a gray sheep. Good heavens! That's not a sheep, it's a wolf, and there's another one.

Help! Help! Wolf! Oh no, it's a whole pack of wolves. Help! Wolves! This time for real!

Why doesn't anyone come? Surely they can hear me. This is terrible. The wolves have killed the big ram and now the sheep don't stand a chance. (throws rock) "Go away you nasty wolves!"

They've killed all the sheep and are dragging off the little lambs. This is all my fault. This is a terrible lesson I've learned, "If you tell lies, no one will believe you even when you tell the truth."