The Greedy Zebra
Characters
2 Narrators – can be animals
1 Zebra
1 Eagle
1 Elephant
2 Giraffe
1 Lion
1 Leopard
2 Gazelles
2 Ostrich
1 peacock
3 Monkeys
2 Hyenas
1 Rhino
Narrators – Improvisation at the start – welcoming the children
(Curtains open all the animals in the jungle are there. They do a dance to the circle of life/jungle book).
Narrator 1 (the narrators can be jungle animals): Long ago, in the hot, dry grasslands of Africa’s Great Savannah, all of the animals lived equally and some not so equally alongside one another, sharing the wealth of the land.
(All the animals milling around the stage, all the animals looked the same but it is their walk and body language that make them different)
Narrator 2: None of the animals were particularly distinguishable from one another as they all had dull white coats. They would work together to collect immense vegetation stores to last throughout the summer’s drought.
Narrator 1: The only animals that didn’t pull their weight in the savannah were the lazy lion, the foolish rhino and the extremely greedy zebra. They would sit around eating all day, their fat stomach protruding from under their knobbly legs.
Narrator 2: The Elephant, who was the noblest and wisest of all the animal kingdom. Would sometimes scolded the zebra and his friends
Elephant: Zebra, don’t you think you should help everyone else we must collect food and water so will not starve in the hot summer.
Leopard: Yes, you know how hot it gets. Everything dies. We must make sure we have enough food to survive.
Lion: Oh go away Elephant and Leopard we are hungry now.
Zebra: We want to eat what we want now. (Points to a tree) Come on Lion look lovely green lush trees over there.
Rhino: Quick hurry before those goody two shoes try to save some of it for the summer drought. (The Lion, Zebra and rhinos are laughing and joking and they are eating the leaves on the tree)
Giraffe 1: (Puts his arm around the Elephant) Do not take any notice of them, giraffe. They are not very nice animals. The Rhino is foolish, the lion is lazy and the zebra is just … well the zebra is just plain ……….Grrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeedy:
Leopard: Come elephant and giraffe, we don’t need them we can ask the other the animals in the jungle to help us.
Eagle: (come swooping on to the stage) Hey everyone, why do you look some glum?
Giraffe 2: Hello Mr Eagle. We have asked the lion, zebra and rhino to help us collect food for the winter but they just want to stuff their faces with the lovely luscious leaves on the tree.
Leopard: While we do all the work.
Eagle: Don’t take any notice of them I will help you because I can fly up into the sky and survey the hot plains and tell you where the best food is and then we can all work together and get the food for the long hot summer.
Elephant: What a splendid idea, Eagle. Giraffe call the Ostriches and the monkeys. Leopard, get the gazelles and I will get the peacock.
Monkeys; (Swinging from the trees): What about us. We want to help to collect the food.
Giraffe 1: Mmmmmmmmm Monkeys you don’t know how to behave yourself.
Eagle: Yes, monkeys you can’t be getting into mischief like you normally do.
Monkey 1: We promise.
Monkey 2: Oh please let us come.
Elephant; I don’t know. Your mischief will delay us.
(Flashbacks – to the tricks the monkeys played on the other animals in the jungle – for example playing run away knock on the ostriches as their heads are in the sand or scaring the gazelles by pretending to be a monster. Ask for suggestions from the students/ come up with their own ideas. Act out the flashbacks. Make them as funny as you can.
Peacock: I haven’t forgiven you. You know.
Ostriches: (very angry) Neither have we.
Elephant: Perhaps they deserve a second chance.
Gazelle 1: Well leopards never changes their spots
Gazelle 2: (very meekly, looks at the leopard who looks annoyed) No offence meant, Leopard.
Leopard: (Looks annoyed) None taken. But I don’t know we say that because I don’t have any spots.
Narrator 2: All the animals worked hard except for the lion, the rhino and the zebra. (Lion, zebra and rhino are sunning themselves, eating, chatting, and playing)
(Mime of the animals working hard, lion rhino and zebra are sleeping, playing eating. Music playing while the animals are moving. Music has to be chosen. Music fades out and the narrators begin to speak.
Narrator 1: One stormy day in the heart of the leafy forests of Africa there was a rumbling in the earth (thunder sound and the lights flick on and off).
Narrator 2: Then all of a sudden a huge cave appeared in the ground.
Giraffe: What was all that noise?
Gazelle 1: I don’t know but it was very scary
Gazelle 2: (Both the gazelles are in a huddle): Look over there.
Hyenas: (Laughing nervously) Everyone needs to be careful.
Ostrich 1: I am not staying here
Ostrich 2: Me neither (both put their heads into the sand)
Narrator 1: A few animals crept cautiously up to this new and wonderful sight and when the leopard who was the bravest of them peered into the darkness. He saw something glittering.
Leopard: There is a big hole but there is something glittering inside it.
Monkeys: Come quickly let’s have a look.
Peacock: No we have to be careful. We must wait for Elephant see if he knows anything about this wonderful sight. Besides I don’t want to get myself dirty.
Narrator 1; Just then they heard the thunderous plodding of the elephant.
Leopard: Elephant, come and have look at this. What do you think it is?
Elephant: I’m not sure but I will go ask my friend Eagle. Eagle knows all the secrets of the spirit mists. You stay here, don’t move a muscle and I will try to find eagle.
(All the animals make a tableau or the curtain can close).
Elephant and eagle can improvise here with the audience. Eventually eagle tells elephant the secrets of the cave.
(Eagle leaves and elephant calls the others. The animals come in from the back and greet the audience) Music playing.
Elephant: Eagle, what is going on here? Do you know what is happening?
Eagle (whispers something into the elephant’s ear)
Peacock: Well, Elephant what is the story?
Elephant: There are all kinds of materials in the cave which you may choose from. You will be issued needles by the Ostrich but there is only one needle each so take good care of it.
Ostrich1: Roll up, Roll up, get your needles here.
Ostrich 2: Only one for each animal. Lose them at your peril.
(All the animals line up and receive there needles)
Elephant: Now you may go in but there is to be no pushing and shoving, and keep in an orderly line.
Gazelle: Everyone is here except for the lion, rhino and the greedy zebra.
Peacock: They don’t want to come they are too busy munching on the grass and playing. If they don’t come there will be more for us.
Elephant: Let them be. Come hurry up. You are going to miss out.
(They all go into the cave one by one. Eventually the curtain opens)
Zebra, lion and rhino are outside the curtains improvise with the audience and each other. They say there is nothing much to look at in the cave. The eagle could also come in here and interact with them. He tells them what they are missing out on. The zebra doesn’t believe him but the rhino and the lion are not convinced. Eventually the lion decides to go and see what is going on but the zebra convinces the rhino to stay with him and keep eating but the rhino is unsure. The all leave and the curtains open and all the other animals are inside the cave.
Narrator 1: The animals were amazed the caves were full of furs and skins, all glossy and new. (Animals in the cave are the giraffes, elephant and leopard)
Narrator 2: Inside the cave there were horns and tails of countless shapes and sizes, needles and threads of a thousand different colours.
Narrator 1: The news spread far and wide and all the animals were on their way to see the cave, running and jumping and sliding and swinging, slithering through the trees.
(All the other animals come in one by one eventually the lion arrives in and then he is followed by the rhino that look on rather sheepish)
Elephant: Where is the Greedy Zebra?
Rhino: He didn’t want to come he said there was lots of time to go visiting the cave.
Lion: He is too busy stuffing grass into his bulging mouth.
Hyenas: (laughing), Monkeys: (doing impressions of a fat zebra).
(Music plays and all the animals admire themselves and help put things on each other. Everyone focuses on the peacock)
(Music fades out and curtain closes and the zebra is lying on the steps half asleep and munching grass)
Zebra: All those silly animals are gone to see the cave. I don’t care as there is more food for me. Yummy, yummy!
(One by one the animals come out from behind the curtain. The zebra become more and more amaze and the animals get more and more spectacular until it culminates in the peacock or whoever has the most colourful costume). This like a catwalk on the fashion show the narrators can do the voice of what the animals are wearing. They walk up the centre and out the back stage door). The Zebra is amazed by all this and when the fashion show is finished he talks to the audience.
Zebra: I am going to the most beautiful animal in the jungle. I shall have spots like leopard, beautiful feathers like peacock and a gorgeous mane like lion. I will be finest looking animal in the forest. (Asks the audience what animal they preferred and what sort of things they would like to see him wear.)
Curtains open and only rhino and elephant are on the stager.
Elephant: Rhino there is only grey left because it took you so long to choose. But here have some horns. (Rhinos puts on the horns but puts them on wrong)
Rhino: I put the horns on wrong.
Elephant: I will help you to straighten them. (Helps him with a struggle) No, there is nothing I can do.
Rhino: I suppose I will have to live with the horns.
Elephant: Oh stop complaining. At least, you have horns I am just left the grey material.
Zebra: (enters the stage) I have come to deck myself out in wonderful colours and furs.
Elephant: There is nothing left.
Rhino: I got the last of the horns.
Elephant: There maybe a few bits of black material over there but to be honest I think you are too late. (Elephant and rhino leave the stage).
Narrator 1: The zebra search desperately and found some black material.
Zebra: It is a bit tight but I can squeeze in to it. (Asks the audience what they think)
Narrator 2: He pushed and grunted and oohed and aahed and finally he managed to squeeze himself in to the black cloth.
Narrator 1; but it was a tight fit. It was bursting at the seams especially around his fat tummy.
Zebra: I feel a bit peckish. I think I will stroll down to the stream to take a quick bite of a leafy bush.
Narrator 2: When suddenly pop, pop, pop. His tubby tummy squeezed through the seams.
(All the animals come in and laugh at him)
Eagle: To this day his chubby stomach shines through his coat because he is so ………………….GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEDDDDDDDDDY
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