The Tortoise and the Hare
THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE
Cast List
Narrator 1 Narrator 2 Narrator 3 Tortoise1 Tortoise 2 Hare 1 Hare 2 Tortoise Friend 1 Tortoise Friend 2 Tortoise Friend 3
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Cast List (continued) Hare Friend 1 Hare Friend 2 Hare Friend 3 Hare Friend 4 Newscaster Jan Curry Newscaster Sal Smith Newscaster Tom Poker Teacher 1 Teacher 2
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The Tortoise and the Hare
Narrator 1:
Once upon a time
Narrator 2:
there were two tortoises.
Tortoise1:
That’s me.
Tortoise 2:
and me!
Narrator 3: Hares:
And two hares…
Narrator 1:
The hares were very fast.
Hares:
You got that right.
Narrator 2:
And the tortoises were very slow.
Tortoises:
(hurt) Hey!
Narrator 3:
So the hares had an idea.
Hare 1: Tortoise Friend 1:
(to the tortoises) We challenge you to a race.
Tortoise Friend 2:
No offense, but there’s no way you can win.
Tortoise Friend 1:
Because you’re, well, a tortoise.
Tortoise Friend 2:
And everyone knows that hares are fast.
Tortoise Friend 1:
And tortoises are slow.
And that’s us!
Don’t do it, dude!
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The Tortoise and the Hare
Tortoise 2:
We hear you,
Narrator 1:
said the tortoise.
Tortoise1:
Let’s ask our teachers.
Tortoise 2:
They’ll tell us what to do.
Narrator 2:
So the tortoises went to their teachers.
Tortoise 2:
What should we do?
Teacher 1:
Well, it is true that hares are very fast.
Tortoise1 and 2
We know, we know.
Teacher 2:
And that tortoises are on the slow side.
Tortoise 2:
So we shouldn’t race against the hares?
Teacher 1:
Hang on there a sec. I didn’t say that.
Tortoise1:
What did you say?
Tortoise 2:
Yeah, where do you stand on this?
Teacher 2:
I think you can do whatever you set your minds to.
Tortoise1:
Even win the race?
Tortoise 2:
Against two hares? 4
The Tortoise and the Hare
Teacher 1:
It won’t be easy. But yes, I think you can win the race.
Teacher 2:
I think so, too. We really believe in you.
Tortoise1:
In that case, I’m in.
Tortoise 2:
Me, too!
Tortoise Friends:
And we’ll cheer you on!
Narrator 3:
Meanwhile, on the other side of town...
Hare Friend 1:
You challenged a tortoise to a race?
Hare 1: Hare Friend 2:
Uh----huh.
Hare 1 and Hare 2:
(laughing) We know!
Hare Friend 3:
You’re sure to win!
Hare Friend 4:
It won’t even be close!
Hare 1:
It’s gonna be a snap. I’m gonna bring a book.
Hare 2: Hare 1:
That is a hoot!
I’m gonna take a nap in the middle of the race. Those tortoises are gonna be so slow! 5
The Tortoise and the Hare
Hare 2:
I’m gonna tweet about it.
Hare 1:
Me too.
Hare 2:(tweeting)
Challenged tortoise to a race. LOL.
Hare 1: (tweeting)
Hashtag we are the champions! (The hares laugh.)
Narrator 1:
It was time for the race.
Tortoise Friend 1:
Limber up, dude!
Tortoise1:
I’m limbering!
Tortoise Friend 2:
Here, let me spot you.
Tortoise 2:
Thanks, pal.
Tortoise Friend 3:
You’re wearing new sneakers, right?
Tortoise1:
Yep.
Tortoise 2:
We bought ‘em special, just for the race.
Tortoise Friends:
Great! You’re ready to go.
Hare Friend 1:
Dude, are you gonna put on your sneaks?
Hare 1:
Nah. What’s the point? I’m gonna win without them. 6
The Tortoise and the Hare
Hare Friend 2:
Hey buddy, you wanna limber up?
Hare 2:
Limber up? What for? I got this.
Hare Friend 3:
Good luck, friend.
Hare 1:
I don’t need luck. Nature gave me springy feet.
Hare 2:
And amazingly fast legs.
Hare Friend 4:
Whatever.
Narrator 1:
And so the race began.
Narrator 2:
The hares started hopping.
Hare Friends and Tortoise Friends:
Wow! Look at them go!
Hare Friend 1:
You can see how fast hares are!
Hare Friend 2:
And how slow tortoises are.
Tortoise Friend 1:
Don’t listen to him, pal!
Tortoise Friend 2:
Yeah! Slow and steady, dude! Slow and steady!
Tortoise 2:
Thanks, Man. I wish I could go faster, but this shell is sure heavy.
Tortoise1:
Yeah, this shell weighs a ton. I wanna just go 7
The Tortoise and the Hare
inside my shell and never come out. But we gotta keep going. Narrator 3:
In no time at all,
Narrator 1:
the hares almost finished the race.
Hare 1:
Ha! Ha! I knew it!
Hare 2:
We left them in the dust!
Hare 1:
I’m glad I brought a book.
Hare 2:
Let’s make ourselves comfortable.
Hare 1:
Read a few chapters.
Hare 2:
We got plenty of time.
Hare 1:
Word.
Narrator 1:
And so, e ven though they were in the middle of a race,
Narrator 2:
the hares just stopped
Narrator 3:
and sat down
Narrator 1:
and started reading a book.
Narrator 2:
Their teachers came by.
Teacher 1:
While it always pleases me to see young 8
The Tortoise and the Hare
animals reading, I question your choice to read in this context. Teacher 2:
Exactly. You are in the middle of a race. You are behaving as though you are at a coffee shop.
Hare 1:
Teach, we got this. We’re so much faster than the tortoise
Hare 2:
that we can afford to take a break in the middle of the race...
Hare 1:
and still win! (The hares give each other high fives).
Teacher 1:
Indeed?
Teacher 2:
Interesting, very interesting.
Teacher 1:
Oh, my dear fellow teacher, if only these hares attended __________________ (name of your school).
Teacher 2:
If they did, they would know all about fables.
Teacher 1:
And these silly hares would know that slow and steady always wins the race.
Teacher 2:
Sadly, ______________ (name of your school) does not offer a school for hares… 9
The Tortoise and the Hare
Teacher 1:
yet.
Teacher 2:
And so these silly hares must learn the wisdom of the ancients the hard way.
Narrator 3:
Meanwhile some newscasters were following the tortoises
Narrator 1:
as they made their slow, but steady journey
Narrator 2:
through the race.
Newscaster Jan Curry:
This is Jan Curry.
Newscaster Sal Smith:
and Sal Smith,
Newscaster Tom Poker:
and Tom Poker
Newscaster Jan Curry:
reporting live for NBC news.
Newscaster Sal Smith:
This is a portrait of courage here, Ann.
Newscaster Jan Curry:
It sure is, Al.
Newscaster Tom Poker:
I mean a tortoise racing a hare? Amazing!
Newscaster Jan Curry:
The tortoises sure look tired.
Newscaster Sal Smith:
Tortoise, sir, we don’t mean to slow you down…
Newscaster Tom Poker:
Although, let’s face it, you could hardly go any slower! 10
The Tortoise and the Hare
Newscaster Jan Curry:
We’re just wondering. What keeps you two going?
Tortoise1:
The words of our teachers!
Tortoise 2:
They really inspired us.
Newscaster Sal Smith:
Wow! What did they say?
Teachers:
You can do anything you set your mind to.
Newscaster Tom Poker:
Even win a race against a hare?
Newscaster Jan Curry:
Against two hares?
Teachers:
It won’t be easy, but you can do it. If you try hard.
Newscaster Sal Smith:
Inspiring words…
Newscaster Tom Poker
From inspiring teachers….
Newscaster Jan Curry:
In an inspiring race…
Newscaster Sal Smith:
In an inspiring story! In an inspiring nation!
Newscaster Tom Poker
In an inspiring age!
Tortoise1: Tortoise 2:
Plus, we have great friends. Yeah. We can never forget their support. 11
The Tortoise and the Hare
Newscaster Jan Curry:
What words of support did your friends offer?
Tortoise 2:
You can hear them right now.
Tortoise Friends:
Slow and steady wins the race! Slow and steady wins the race!
Newscaster Tom Poker:
Wow, they sound almost as smart as students from______________ (your school)!
Newscaster Sal Smith:
Slow and steady wins the race. Maybe.
Newscaster Tom Poker:
The race isn’t over.
Newscaster Jan Curry
Well, that’s gonna do it for us out here.
Newscaster Tom Poker:
Now back to Sam Champion with the weather.
Narrator 1:
Meanwhile, the hares were relaxing.
Hare 1:
I finished Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire!
Hare 2:
Excellent! I finished Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Wanna swap?
Hare 1:
Sure, but first I’m gonna send a tweet to all my pals.
Hare 2:
What are you gonna write? 12
The Tortoise and the Hare
Hare 1:
“Chilling out at the race. Hashtag chillaxing.”
Hare 2:
Wait a second, I got a new tweet.
Hare 1:
Read it.
Hare 2:
It’s from my pal Caprese.
Hare 1:
What does it say?
Hare 2:
It says: “Word to the wise. The tortoises have nearly crossed the---”
Hare 1:
Crossed the what? Crossed the what?
Hare 2:
He ran out of words. Twitter only lets you use 164 characters.
Hare 1: Hare 2:
What did they cross? What did they cross?
Hare 1:
Maybe he sent you another tweet , you know, to finish the first one?
Hare 2:
Let me check. Gotta log in all over again!
Hare 1:
Hurry!
Hare 2:
Just typing in my password!
Hare 1:
Be quick!
I dunno. Stop freaking out! Be chill!
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The Tortoise and the Hare
Hare 2:
Now you made me type my password in wrong. Gotta do it all over again.
Hare 1:
What did the tortoises cross?
Hare 2:
OK I’m in.
Hare 1:
Did he send you a new tweet?
Hare 2:
Yeah.
Hare 1:
Read it!
Hare 2:
It says “finish line.”
Hare 1:
Now put the first and second tweets together and read them.
Hare 2:
(reading) “Word to the wise. The tortoises have nearly crossed the ....FINISH LINE!”
Hare 1:
Oh snap! Let’s make like a tree and leaf!
Hare 2:
Let’s make like a banana and split!
Hare Friends (run in):
Dudes! Get in the game! The tortoises are winning!
Hare Friend 1:
What were you guys doing out here?
Hare 1:
We took a break to read.
Hare 2:
I only meant to read a chapter, but I got so 14
The Tortoise and the Hare
caught up I read the whole book. Hare Friend 2:
That is so not cool.
Hare 1:
Have you ever read Harry Potter?
Hare 2:
If so, you would understand.
Hare Friend 3:
Get going! There’s no time to lose. Time waits for no man or hare!
Hare Friend 4:
So the hares hopped at top speed-----------
Narrator 1:
But there was too much ground to cover.
Narrator 2:
As fast as they were,
Narrator 1:
the tortoises were so far ahead of them
Narrator 2:
that
Narrator 1:
Slow and steady! Slow and steady!
Narrator 2:
They won the race!
Tortoise Friends and Teachers:
You did it! (The Tortoises wipe off the sweat. The Hares and the Hare Friends put their heads in their hands).
Hare Friend 1:
This is so humiliating. 15
The Tortoise and the Hare
Hare Friend 3:
(to the hares) Because of you, everyone is saying that the tortoises beat the hares.
Hare Friend 2:
Because they did!
Hare Friend 4:
Yeah, but we gotta hand it to the tortoises. They won this race fair and square.
Hare Friend 1:
(to the tortoise) I’d like to shake your hand. You guys were amazing.
Tortoise1:
Thanks, man.
Hare Friend 2:
You taught us something today.
Tortoise 2:
What was that?
Hare Friend 3:
That just because we have a special talent,
Hare Friend 4:
it doesn’t mean that we can just count on it
Hare Friend 1:
to work like magic.
Hare Friend 2:
We have to, you know, apply ourselves.
Hare 1:
I learned that even though Harry Potter is an excellent book that I should not be reading it in the middle of a race.
Hare 2:
I learned something, too.
Teacher 1:
What was that, dear? 16
The Tortoise and the Hare
Hare 2:
I learned about the value of social media.
Teacher 2:
Yes, dear. Your twitter account let you know that the tortoises were beating you.
Hare 1:
But if we’d been doing the right thing and running the race, we wouldn’t have needed twitter to tell us that.
Hare 2:
All that time I spent trying to log in--I could have been focusing on hopping. My bad.
Hare 1:
No, brother. Our bad.
Newscaster Jan Curry:
This is a touching scene…
Newscaster Tom Poker:
With lessons all around.
Newscaster Sal Smith:
The tortoises have won the race!
Newscaster Tom Poker:
Amazing! Tortoises beating hares!
Newscaster Jan Curry
Do you have any words of advice for people about how to be a winner in life?
Tortoise1:
Yes, I do. The first is listen to your teachers.
Teachers: Tortoise 2:
Gee, thanks. And the second is to always have great friends around you ready to cheer you on! 17
The Tortoise and the Hare
Tortoise Friends:
Hurray!
Tortoise1:Â
That’s right. No one succeeds alone. Our pals reminded us that slow and steady wins the race.
Tortoise 2:
And they reminded us of that
Tortoise1:
when the race was so hard
Tortoise 2:
and we were too tired
Tortoise1:
to remember that ourselves. So we share this honor with our teachers and our good friends.
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