Danforth
the Duck: a 10-Minute Play
(Danforth
the Duck stands alone, facing the audience to which he addresses)
Danforth:
Hi, my name is Danforth the Duck. I always wear a red cap on my head. Why you
ask? Well, one, so you can recognize me and two, it’s for good luck. I’ve named
it “Fred”. I’d better get going, the play’s about to start. See ya!
Scene
1
Setting:
a forest path after a heavy rain.
Action:
Danforth the Duck is walking along this forest path, enjoying his after-rain
walk. All of a sudden, his foot gets stuck in a big mud puddle, uh-oh!
Danforth:
Help! Help! Somebody help! My flipper is stuck in a mud puddle!
(a
snake slithers past, but stops when she sees the struggling duck)
Danforth:
(spotting the snake): Miss Sally, I’m stuck in the mud, can you please help me
out?
Miss
Sally (she hisses with every “s” she uses): I’m sssorry, Danforth dear, but as
you can sseee, I do not have any armss, therefore, I can’t help pull you out
(the
snake slithers away, leaving Danforth alone and dejected)
Danforth
(to himself (and the sky): I’ll be stuck here forever!
(along
comes a blue owl named Beatrice. She immediately flies over to see what is the
matter. By the way, she and Beatrice are best friends)
Danforth:
(pleadingly) Beatrice, thank goodness you’re here! My flipper got stuck in the
mud, can you help me pull it out?
Beatrice:
Of course I can, friend!
(she
examines the stuck flipper for a full minute)
Danforth
(getting impatient): Will you try and pull the darn flipper out already?
Beatrice:
Well, do you want me to help you or not?
Danforth:
Yes, I need your help
Beatrice:
Then be quiet and let me figure this out
(the
owl begins trying to pull the flipper out of the mud with no success)
Beatrice
(examining the flipper with a careful eye): Whew, that is some hard work trying
to pull your flipper out
(Danforth
just nods in agreement while Beatrice starts trying to pull out his flipper
again)
(Just
as they were about to give up, along came their friend, Ellie the Chicken. The
duck and the owl called the chicken over and explained their predicament)
Ellie
(after examining the stuck flipper) Hmm, this looks quite easy
Beatrice
and Danforth (in unison): Then pull it out!
Ellie
(to Danforth): Alright, alright, don’t get your tail feathers in a knot.
Beatrice and I are going to use our combined strength to pull you out
Danforth:
Sounds good to me
(the
chicken goes around behind the duck and wraps her wings around the duck’s
middle while Beatrice went around behind Ellie and wrapped her wings around the
chicken’s middle. It was quite a funny sight!)
Ellie(calling
over her shoulder): Beatrice, I’m going to count to three. When I say three, we
both pull as hard as we can, got it?
Beatrice
(chirping from behind him): Got it!
Ellie
(after clearing her throat and adjusting her grip around the duck’s middle): One,
Two….THREE, pull, Beatrice, pull!
(the
two pulled with all their might, but the flipper still would not budge. The
chicken and the owl have tumbled backwards onto each other)
Ellie
(after brushing herself off): Beatrice, Are you alright? I apologize for landing
on you
Beatrice:
I’m fine and apology accepted!
Danforth:
This mud is really sticky. How are we going to get my flipper out?
(the
three of them thought for a good ten minutes, but couldn’t come up with
anything)
Danforth:
Am I going to be stuck here forever?
Ellie:
Of course not, your flipper will come out eventually. We just have to figure
out a way, that’s all
Beatrice;
You know the saying, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way”
Ellie:
We have the will, we just have to figure out a way
(the
three thought for another few minutes)
Beatrice
(getting an idea): hey, Ellie, do you think Bruce the Bear is hibernating?
Ellie:
Well, it is spring, so he should be waking up soon. Why?
Beatrice;
Maybe Bruce can pull Danforth out. He’s plenty strong, right?
Ellie:
Yes, you’re right, but he’s going to be cranky after napping all winter, so
we’d better bring him a peace offering. What does he like?
Beatrice:
I know he likes berries and there’s a big bush of berries right over there!
Ellie:
He also likes honey. You got get the berries, I’ll go scout out some honey.
We’ll meet back here with our peace offerings, got it?
(leaving
poor Danforth stuck in the mud, Beatrice heads off to the berry bush while
Ellie goes off to scout out some honey)
Beatrice
(to herself): I hope these aren’t poisonous! Luckily, I’m an Owl Scout, and can
identify the safe berries to eat from the poisonous ones
(Beatrice
picks up a nearby basket and starts picking the safe berries. She is humming a
little tune to herself as she does this)
(While
she does this, Ellie is at Mother Bear’s front door. She is the one to go to if
you want a jar of honey, she is very generous like that)
Ellie
(after Mother Bear opens the front door): Good Afternoon, Mother Bear. Beatrice
and I are going to give Bruce a peace offering so that he can pull our friend
Danforth out of the mud. Could we perchance have a jar of honey to give to
Bruce?
Mother
Bear: Of course, dear. As we all know, Bruce loves honey! He is my most loyal
customer. I’ll be right back with your jar of honey
(Ellie
waits at the open front door while Mother Bear goes inside to get Ellie a jar
of honey to offer Bruce)
Mother
Bear (once returning): Here you go. It is one of my last jars. I will need to
get more. I hope Bruce is able to get Danforth out of the mud
Ellie
(accepting the jar of honey); Many thanks, Mother Bear and I hope so too!
(Turning,
Ellie makes her way back to the mud puddle where Danforth is still stuck and
Beatrice is nearby, filling her basket full of berries. Ellie joins Beatrice at
the big berry bush)
Ellie (picking
a berry off of the bush and popping it into her mouth): I got the honey from
Mother Bear. Are you almost done with picking those berries?
Beatrice
: I am almost done
(when
the owl finished, the two went back over to Danforth)
Ellie:
Danforth, old pal, Beatrice and I will have to leave you for a while. We have
to go give Bruce a peace offering so that he’ll be willing to pull you out of
the mud. Will you be okay here?
Danforth:
Yes, I will be here, just stuck in the mud
Ellie;
Good, then we’ll be back
(cue
time lapse!)
(Pretty
soon, the owl and the chicken arrive at the opening of Bruce the Bear’s cave.
To their surprise, they find the bear in his rocking chair beside the cave,
rocking back and forth while he plays the banjo)
Bruce:
What can I do you for, Miss. Ellie and Miss Beatrice?
Ellie:
We thought you’d be cranky after your long winter hibernation
Bruce:
Me, cranky after a winter hibernation? (he stops playing the banjo long enough
to wave a paw in the air) Naw, that’s just a tale I tell to buy myself some
alone time in the days after I wake up from a winter hibernation)
Beatrice:
Oh, well, um, we brought you berries and a jar of honey as peace offerings
(Beatrice
hands the basket to Bruce while Ellie hands over the jar of honey)
Bruce:
Well, I do love peace offerings, especially when they contain my two favorite
things in the whole forest; berries and honey! (he sets aside his banjo to
accept the peace offerings).
Ellie:
we were wondering if you could help us pull Danforth out of a mud puddle
Bruce:
Did he get his flipper stuck in that Big Ooey Gooey Mud Puddle?
Ellie:
Yes, that’s the one, I think
Bruce:
Well then, I’m glad you came to me. I’m the only animal in the forest who can
pull a fellow forest critter out of that mud puddle. Before I go with you to
help your friend, I have just one question for you
Beatrice:
Ask away!
Bruce:
Why are you blue? Most owls are brown, black, white, you know, neutral colors
Beatrice:
That’s easy, this is a children’s story. I want to be a character that stands
out and make the children ask, “Why is that owl blue? Why can she talk?” You
know, things like that
Bruce:
Alright then, good answer
(cue
another time lapse!)
(Bruce,
Ellie and Beatrice have returned to the stuck duck)
Bruce:
Aw, that’s easy
(With
ease, he grabs the duck and pulls him out of the mud puddle with a loud
Schlup!)
Danforth
(after he is set on the ground): Whew, thanks Bruce, I thought I was going to
be stuck there forever!
Bruce:
No problem. See you all later!
(the
bear turns and lumbers away)
Danforth:
I think today, we all learned the lesson of teamwork, helping others and patience!
Beatrice:
Yes, I think we did. Now, would you like to come with me and Elliot to get some
lunch?
Danforth:
Of course, I’m starving!
(The
three friends walk on down the path, living happily ever after!
The
end
