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DRAMA: Grimmly Speaking

The Mouse, The Robin and The Sausage

This is one of those fun and strange little tales that some think are the best kind. There is a lesson in the story, just not the kind of lesson you'd think. This on-line script matches what you hear in the audio – a great way to learn English and how to read.

Grimmly Speaking: Volume 1: 12 Scripts for 12 Tales is available in both paperback and Kindle – Go HERE

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Cast In Order Of Appearance:

Narrator
Mouse
Robin
Sausage
Lark
Dog

SFX: Grimmly Speaking theme music

NARRATOR

Once upon a time there was a mouse,—

MOUSE

Eek, eek.

NARRATOR

—a robin—

ROBIN

Tweet, tweet.

NARRATOR

—and a sausage.

SAUSAGE

Jimmy Dean's best!

NARRATOR

They all became friends and decided to keep house together. A few months later the robin boasted to the lark about her nice household and her wonderful living arrangements.

SFX: birds

ROBIN

All I have to do is fetch some twigs from the forest each day. What could be simpler?

NARRATOR

The lark disagreed.

LARK

You are a fool! You work the hardest and the other two have it easy. When the mouse is done lighting the fire, carrying the water and setting the table — she gets to go into her little room and take a nap until dinner.

ROBIN

But, but, but—

LARK

And the sausage just stays by the pot. When the food is nearly ready, it just rolls around once or twice through the broth to season it. You are being used by this mouse and this sausage!

NARRATOR

Oh, the robin was very unhappy hearing this. She felt a bout of indigestion coming on. So she decided she would make things change. That evening, she and the other two ate well and had a good night's sleep. But in the morning, the robin became contrary and refused to get any more twigs.

ROBIN

No, no, no, I won't get the wood. You have made a fool of me long enough.

MOUSE

But what shall we do then?

SAUSAGE

Yes, what do you want us to do?

ROBIN

You, little sausage, shall fetch the twigs for tomorrow. I'll light the fire and you, little mouse, will do the cooking.

NARRATOR

No matter how hard they argued with her, the mouse and the sausage could not persuade the robin to change her mind. So the sausage set out to collect the next day's twigs and the robin took care of the fire. The poor little mouse just sat by the cookin' pot in the kitchen, waiting patiently for the sausage to return. However, a great deal of time passed and the mouse became exceedingly concerned.

MOUSE

This has been too long. Where, oh where, can the little sausage be?

ROBIN

I'll go fly about and look for it.

NARRATOR

Not far off, the robin spied a big, ugly, mangy, flea-ridden dog right as he was swallowing the sausage. She flew down to him.

ROBIN

Robber! Robber! You have eaten my friend, the little sausage.

DOG

See here, robin. Stop yelling at me. I found forged letters on that sausage. It got what it deserved!

NARRATOR

And the big, ugly, mangy, dirty, smelly, flatulent—

DOG

Hey!

NARRATOR

Well, the dog stomped away in a huff. Heartbroken, the robin flew home and told the mouse what had happened.

MOUSE

I guess there's nothing we can do.

ROBIN

Yes, I guess not. I'll go ready the table for our meal.

NARRATOR

Now, the mouse wanted to season the soup the way the sausage used to season it, so she climbed into the boiling pot. And, before she could say another word, she lost her hair -

MOUSE

Oh my!

NARRATOR

—and her skin—

MOUSE

Oh my gawd!

NARRATOR

—and her life. When the robin came into the kitchen for dinner, the mouse was gone.

ROBIN

Mouse! Mouse! Where are you?

NARRATOR

In her frenzy to find the mouse, the robin knocked the pot over and scattered the fire. The house began to fill with smoke.

ROBIN

Oh, heavens! I'd better fetch some water from the well!

NARRATOR

But the bucket dropped into the well and the robin fell in after it and drowned.

SFX: fade in Grimmly Speaking end theme (make certain the volume is low to start and then increase the volume when narrator is finished)

NARRATOR

Oh, well. That's what happens sometimes when you change things for a lark.

©1997-2020 Lishka DeVoss/Kranky Kids®

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