Add a Little Dramatic Play to Learning
Short Fables
Play Scripts in Two Versions
present tense for ESL and advanced vocabulary
THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER
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Download PDF Files |
The Ant and the Grasshopper The Crow and The Fox and The Fox and The Hare and |
The Farmer The Ant and The Frogs Who The Milkmaid The Oak and the Reeds |
The Lark and Her Young Ones The Frog and The Bundle of The North Wind The Bat, the Birds and the Beasts |
Hear the Story as you read
NARRATOR
One day, the Grasshopper meets the Ant.
GRASSHOPPER
What a beautiful day! I love to jump and sing.
He he he! Ho ho ho!
ANT
I carry wheat all day. I'm tired!
GRASSHOPPER
Why work? Sing with me!
ANT
I have to do this. it's for the winter!
GRASSHOPPER
That's a lot of work for nothing!
ANT
I must work now.
GRASSHOPPER
Boring!
NARRATOR
When winter comes. The ant is happy.
ANT
I have enough wheat. I can take it easy.
GRASSHOPPER
It's cold. Poor me! Nothing to eat, nothing to drink. Good-bye!
NARRATOR
The moral of the story: He who prepares lives.
(Prepare for days of necessity.)
Ant enters slowly dragging food, Grasshopper bounds in behind him
NARRATOR
One day, Grasshopper was out for his usual hop, skip and jump across the grass
when he met industrious Ant who was dragging a big hunk of wheat
up the side of his anthill.
GRASSHOPPER
Hey there Ant, beautiful day, isn't it? It just makes me want to jump
and sing and play in the rays!
(sings)
Every day
Is a day to play.
Life is fun
When you jump and run.
(sings again trying to get the Ant to dance with him)
ANT
(Annoyed with Grasshopper)
I have to do my work first! After carrying food supplies all day, I'm too tired to play!
GRASSHOPPER
Oh c'mon, grumpy, lighten up! Why are you working so hard on such a beautiful day?
Remember the saying,"All work and no no play makes Jack a dull boy!"
Sing with me! Hop with me!
ANT
Not now Grasshopper. I have to collect this food. It's for winter!
GRASSHOPPER
Winter! That's months away, you're doing all that work for nothing!
ANT
I know what I'm doing. Now is the time to get ready for the cold, frosty winter.
You'll be sorry if you don't prepare. Now, leave me alone.
I must get this work done today.
GRASSHOPPER
What a bore! You just have to learn to chill out and enjoy life, Ant.
(exits singing)
Every day
Is a day to play.
Life is fun
When you jump and run.
Sun goes down, clouds and snow flakes rise over stage
NARRATOR
With an icy blast of cold air, winter grips the land.
(Ant is seen in his home at one side of the stage with lots of food piled up)
Ant is happy, warm, cosy and safe in his home.
ANT
Ahh ... this is the life! I have enough to eat to last the whole winter.
Now I can put my feet up and take it easy. I wonder how that silly Grasshopper
is doing - hope he did a little work before it was too late.
GRASSHOPPER
(sitting outside, shivering at the other side of the stage)
I -I- It's s-s-s-so cold! Poor me! Nothing to eat, nothing to drink.
Life just isn't fair!
(sings weakly)
Every day
Is cold and gray.
No food, no sun,
I think I'm done!
Good-bye, cruel world! (falls over right off the stage)
NARRATOR
The moral of the story: He who prepares survives.
