A/N: This is a script written for my Playwriting class at school. The assignment was to take a fairytale and write what happens before and after. This is set on a stage.
Learning a Lesson
Scene One.
[Scene opens on a small cottage. There is a tree on the opposite side of the stage. The backdrop depicts a few more trees, and a field of crops in the distance. Giggling is heard offstage, followed by a few angry yells. In the next moment, three people escort a little girl dressed in a red cloak to the house. A man bangs on the door, then a woman opens it, obviously flustered.]
Man 1: I caught your daughter in my orchard again!
Man 2: She dug up half of my seedlings for the season!
Woman: She scared my chickens!
[The woman at the door looks at the little girl.]
Red's Mother: I am very sorry. I ensure you that I will take care of this problem.
[Red's mother grabs her roughly by the arm, while the others shuffle off, muttering angrily. Red shakes out of her mother's grasp and darts toward the tree.]
Red's Mother: Little Red! Get back here right now so I can give you your lashings!
Red: Catch me if you can!
[The girl climbs the tree, laughing the entire time. Her mother stands there for a moment before heading over to the tree.]
Red's Mother: Get down here right now!
Red: NO!
[The woman, disgruntled, begins to climb the tree.]
Red's Mother: I can't believe you are making me climb up here after you, you insolent little girl! Don't you know...
[She continues muttering. Red quickly climbs down the other side, laughing.]
Red's Mother: You're going to give me a heart attack! Don't you know what you do to my poor nerves!
[In the next moment, a scream is heard and then the mother falls from the tree, landing hard on her back. Red laughs and then darts into the cottage.]
Blackout.
Scene Two
[The outer wall of the cottage has been removed and Red's mother is standing at the counter, filling a basket with goodies. The sound of a screaming baby is heard from the next room, but never seen. Red is sitting in a rocking chair, confined as punishment.]
Red's Mother: [painfully] I was supposed to journey to your grandmother's house to bring her some baked goods. But- [she turns to the girl] Since you caused me to throw out my back, I have to stay here. As punishment- [she groans in pain at moving the wrong way] As punishment, you will have to journey over the stream and through the forest to her house. Be wary of strangers. Your mischievous ways will be the death of you if you aren't careful.
Red: What's going to get me, huh? A big scary bear?
Red's Mother: If you have that attitude, I hope you get eaten.
[Red's Mother crosses to her and pulls her to her feet. She then fixes the girl's cloak and hands her the basket.]
Red's Mother: Do not eat a single thing in that basket. Stick the pathway. You'll be safer if you do.
[Red ignores her mother and pushes out of the house. She crosses and exits on the other side of the stage. Her mother sits for a moment in the chair. The baby cries again. She heaves a sigh, then stands to tend to her household duties.]
Blackout.
Scene Three.
[There are trees placed sporadically on the stage. There is a small bridge over a "river" on stage right. A light brown pathway crosses the center and goes to the bridge. There are bushes here and there on either side of the pathway. A wolf crosses onstage. He sniffs about the bushes, searching for food when he hears laughter. The wolf darts beneath the bridge. Red crosses on to the stage, giggling to herself.]
Red: Silly farmer. Thinking he could get me with his pitchfork.
[She turns to reveal part of her cloak ripped.]
Red: Good thing I tricked him into falling into that hole. I think his leg broke. [Shrugs.] Oh well. Someone'll find him in a couple of days.
[Red sets down in the grass and peeks into the basket. She looks around for any sign of her mother, but there is none. She picks a muffin from the basket and takes a bite of it. There is rustling heard from beneath the bridge. Red stops and peeks toward the source of the noise, for a moment worrying that her mother's fears were true.]
Red: Who's there?
[After a moment, the wolf jumps out and roars at her, but the girl stands unwavering. The wolf stops roaring at her, confused.]
Wolf: Why aren't you running away?
Red: You're not very scary. You should really reconsider your entrance.
Wolf: What do you mean?
Red: You can't just jump out in front of someone. You should consider sneaking up on someone if you actually want to scare them.
Wolf: What do you know?
Red: All I know is I've managed to scare ten chickens into flight. And, and! The old woman down the street from me, she was pruning her flowers one morning and I snuck up behind her, like this.
[Red stands up and mimics the actions as to how she scared that woman.]
Red: And you just wait, until they stand up and they turn around, and then BOO!
[Red falls into a fit of laughter, before turning back to her muffin. The wolf is confused, but sits next to her.]
Wolf: What's that?
Red: A muffin. Mom made them for my grandma. That's where I'm heading.
Wolf: May I have one?
Red: No.
Wolf: Why not?
Red: Because they're for grandma.
Wolf: But you're eating one.
Red. So.
Wolf: That makes no sense.
Red: So.
Wolf: Give me one.
Red: No.
Wolf: Give me one!
Red: No!
[The wolf darts forward to the basket, but she grabs it and pulls it out of the way. He falls flat on his face. Red stands, laughing at him.]
Wolf: You little-
Red: Okay, here. You can have this one.
[Red offers one to him. He reaches for it, and nearly has it in his hands, but she pulls it away. He gets angry. She offers one again. He again reaches for it. She lets him take it into his hands, but then she smashes his palms together, destroying the muffin. She falls to the ground into yet another fit of laughter. The crumbs of the muffin fall to the ground, and the wolf looks at her, anger written across his face.]
Wolf: You-You're..
[He stomps away madly. Red follows closely behind him.]
Red: Hey! Wolf!
[Wolf turns to face her and she then shoves him into the "stream". She laughs, scoops up her belongings, then crosses the bridge and goes offstage. The wolf is left behind, angered beyond belief. He climbs out of the water, then attempts to dry himself off.]
Wolf: I'll get you for this, stupid girl.
Blackout.
Scene Four.
[There is another cottage on stage right. There are many trees from the house all across stage left. The wolf then crosses toward the cottage. He peeks into a window, then glances around the surrounding area.]
Wolf: I'll get that little girl's basket of goodies. And then I'll scare her all of the way home. She'll never mess with another person again.
[The wolf hears someone offstage. He darts behind a tree. An elderly woman comes onstage and crosses to the cottage, a bag of berries in her hands. She crosses to the door and reaches for the doorknob before the wolf steps from behind the tree.]
Wolf: Excuse me.
Red's Grandmother: Oh! A wolf! Get away!
[She throws the bag of berries at him, then tries to rush into the house. The wolf grabs her hand.]
Wolf: Wait! I'm not going to hurt you. I promise! I wanted to discuss something with you.
Red's Grandmother: Discuss something with me! Don't you want to eat me?
Wolf: No!
[Wolf steps forward. Red's grandmother is frightened, so she runs off stage right. The wolf looks around, gives a shrug, then pushes his way into the house. A few moments pass before we hear the voice of a girl singing. Red skips onstage, the basket swinging in her hand. She stops about midstage and then glances around. She hears movement in the cottage, so she stops and grabs another muffin out of the basket. She eats it slowly.]
Wolf: [in a high pitched voice] Little Red? Is that you out there?
[Red stuffs the rest of the muffin into her mouth and swallows.]
Red: Yes, grandmother!
Wolf: Why don't you come in dear?
Red: I'm picking wildflowers! I'll be in in just a second!
Blackout.
Scene Five.
[Same set up as before, only the exterior wall of the cottage is gone, revealing a one roomed cottage. It has a bed off to one side, a table on the other. There is a small stove at the back of the room. Red is standing near the entrance, basket in one hand, and a bouquet of flowers in the other.]
Red: Grandmother?
Wolf: I'm in bed darling. I haven't been feeling very well today. Come closer.
[Red listens and steps forward.]
Red: I brought you a basket of baked goodies from Mom. I also picked you some flowers.
[She reaches the bed and hands the flowers to who she thinks is her grandmother. The wolf takes the flowers.]
Red: Oh my! What big hands you have!
Wolf: The better to hug you with, my dear.
[The wolf sniffs the flowers, then sets them on the stand next to the bed.]
Red: Would you like a muffin?
Wolf: No, just set them near the stove.
[Red does as instructed, then steps back toward the bed.]
Red: Oh, Grandmother, what big eyes you have.
[She is hesitant.]
Wolf: The better to see you with, my dear.
Red: Grandmother.. are you really sick?
Wolf: I am afraid I am, Little Red.
[Red steps even closer.]
Red: What a big mouth you have.
Wolf: [revealing natural voice] The better to eat you with!
[He darts forward out of the bed and grabs Red. She screams. Off stage left, we hear footsteps, and in comes Red's Grandmother and an axman nearby. The Wolf throws Red on the bed and then advances on her like he's going to eat her.]
Red's Grandmother: He was this big wolf, this big, bad wolf. He had these terrible, sharp teeth, and his claws were so big. I think he may be inside!
[They hear a scream from Red.]
Red's Grandmother: That sounds like Little Red! My granddaughter!
[The axman bounds into the cottage and, using his ax, stuns the wolf to the ground. He gives the wolf a few more blows until he lies limp on the floor of the cottage. Little Red is sitting in the corner on the opposite side of the bed. Her grandmother peeks into the cottage door.]
Red's Grandmother: Is everything okay?
Axman: The wolf is dead.
[He gathers up the wolf and then drags him out of the cottage and off stage right. Red's grandmother sees the basket and then looks around for her granddaughter.]
Red's Grandmother: Little Red?
[A cry is heard from the girl. Her grandmother crosses to her, but the girl is non-responsive.]
Red's Grandmother: Oh, my what has this wolf done to you? I must write your father right away.
Blackout.
Scene Six.
[The scene opens in the cottage of Red's mother. There is an elderly woman standing at the sink, a twenty-something year old woman sitting in the rocking chair, and a young man sitting at the table.]
Young Man: Well, Mother, I am off to help Mr. Rockman plow his fields.
[He kisses his mother on the cheek, then exits. An elderly gentleman enters from the opposite side of the stage. The two of them share a glance, then both continue the way they were going. The young man disappears offstage, and the elder man enters the cottage.]
Red's Father: Well, everything is settled. Tomorrow, the blacksmith's son is coming to retrieve Red and take her as his wife.
[The man glances at the woman in the rocker, who is absentmindedly staring out of the window.]
Red's Mother: Are you sure this is the best thing for her?
Red's Father: Of course, we are far too old to tend to her now. She cannot take care of herself. We must marry her away so she is no longer a bother.
[Red's Mother looks at her daughter, before turning back to her husband.]
Red's Mother: I just don't think marrying her off to some young man will do any good.
Red's Father: We have no other choice. Besides, he's a noble man for taking her.
Red's Mother: How much did you agree upon for her dowry?
[The man does not want to tell his wife.]
Red's Father: One hundred florin.
Red's Mother: One hundred florin! Why, that's over half of what we have left. You and I can no longer work, and we'll only have our son to take care of us. But, he'll marry soon and then we shall be left in the cold.
Red's Father: Be glad that someone was willing to take her for a hundred florin. Otherwise, she would cost us a lot more.
Red's Mother: It's just not right. Such a beautiful girl.
[She steps towards Red with a bowl and offers to feed her. The girl continues to stare out of the window, and makes no motion to acknowledge her mother.]
Red's Father: How long has it been?
Red's Mother: Since what?
Red's Father: Since I brought her home like this?
Red's Mother: Oh, I don't know. [pause] Many years.
Red's Father: And to think, all of this over a wolf. I knew that something would happen that would make her behave. But I never thought it would scar her...
Red's Mother: I know.
[She steps away from Red to speak in confidence with her husband.]
Red's Mother: I regret ever sending her to your mother's house. Had I gone in her place, she would be fine.
Red's Father: Well, we can't take back our past choices. All we can do is move forward.
[He steps towards Red.]
Red's Father: Red, darling, tomorrow you are getting married. To the blacksmith's son.
[The girl makes no motion to respond.]
Red's Mother: It's no use! She hasn't spoken a single word since. What makes you think she's going to respond to you now?
Red's Father: Can't hurt a man for trying.
[He steps out of the cottage and disappears behind the structure. Red's Mother steps towards her daughter.]
Red's Mother: I am so sorry, sweet girl. We have no choice. We are old, now. You need someone younger who can take care of you.
[No response from Red.]
Red's Mother: Please! Say something! Anything. Just one word to let me know that you hear me!
[Once again, nothing. Red's Mother gives a frustrated groan.]
Blackout.
Scene Seven.
[Scene opens on a wood. A young man enters escorting Red.]
Man: Come now, Red. Don't be afraid. Everything is going to be okay.
[She is led along with no problem. Another man, a servant, enters.]
Servant: Sir, did you want me to water the horses?
Man: No, we aren't going to be long. Just wait by the carriage.
[The servant exits. The man leads Red even further across the stage.]
Man: Now, really, you must understand my point of view. I need a wife who can take care of my house and provide me with children. Your father came to me and begged me to take you as my wife for a measly hundred florin.
[He takes Red's hands into his and tries to gaze into her eyes.]
Man: The florin I can use, a dumb wife, however, I cannot.
[He pulls a gun from his pocket. The lights go out. Gunshot.]
Curtain.