THE MAD TREE

CHARACTERS:

NARRATORS:

 NARRATOR 1
 NARRATOR 2
 NARRATOR 3
 NARRATOR 4

CHILDREN:

 ALEXANDER 1

 BENJAMIN 2

 DANNY 3

 THOMAS 4

 HELEN 1

 EMILY 2

 SUSAN 3

 RACHEL 4

 MEGAN 5

1) MAD TREE 1 12) SPRING

2) MAD TREE 2

3 ) SNOW

4 ) FROST

5) NORTH WIND

6) AUTUMN

7) WINTER

8) HAIL

9) HAPPY TREE 1

10) HAPPY TREE 2

11) LITTLE BOY

 THE MAD TREE

NARRATOR 1: Once upon a time there were nine children that went on a picnic to the Chapultepec
Forest, in Mexico City; as they were having lunch, and enjoying the very nice view of the big City on a
Sunday afternoon, something mysterious was about to happen…
NARRATOR 2: Two children are waiting for their friends to come (Alexander and Benjamin). They all
are supposed to meet at noon at the entrance of the Chapultepec Forest.
ALEXANDER: Hi, BENJAMIN! How are you doing?
BENJAMIN: Not so good, I almost didn’t come, I wasn’t feeling very well.
ALEXANDER: Why? What’s up with you?
BENJAMIN: I had a terrible headache. Thanks God, mommy gave some medicine and now I’m good.
(At that moment three girls arrive, Helen, Emily, and Susan.
HELEN: Hi guys! Sorry we are late.
EMILY: Yeah, Dad couldn’t come faster because there was a lot of traffic, you know.
SUSAN: Yea! We’re so sorry, but here we are! And we brought what we promised, sandwiches!
And you, did you bring the beverages?
ALEXANDER: Yes, we brought sodas and water and Danny was supposed to bring disposable cups and
plates, but he hasn’t arrived yet.
BENJAMIN: I´m so hungry!! (He tries to get a sandwich)
HELEN: No, Benjamin, wait! We are going to have lunch in the middle of the woods, all together! All
right?
BENJAMIN: OK
(At that moment, Danny is coming towards them.)
DANNY: Hey, guys! I’m here! I brought disposable cups and plates and Mom sent an apple pie for
dessert! She made it and I helped her.
EMILY: Yummy! I love apple pie!!
SUSAN: Me too! And the one your mom bakes is delicious!
(Three more children arrive. (Thomas, Rachel and Megan)
THOMAS: (sighs of relief) Uhf!! Here we are, at last!
RACHEL AND MEGAN: Hi guys! Howdy!
HELEN: Hi, girls! We’re altogether now. Come on, let’s find a nice place for the picnic!
DANNY: OK, let´s go then!
ALEXANDER AND BENJAMIN: Yes!!!
NARRATOR 1: So the nine children get into the woods. They walk and walk for about 30 minutes.
They are looking for a nice place to sit down and eat.

(Suddenly Danny spots a nice fine place to sit down, eat and relax.)
DANNY: How about sitting here?
ALEXANDER AND HELEN: It´s ok! Perfect!
SUSAN: Yeah it´s nice!
BENJAMIN: Yea! Wherever! I´m starving!
Megan: Then help, take out the food.
BENJAMIN: OK
THOMAS: Just take it out. Don’t start eating, eh?
(Everybody laughs)
EMILY: What a lovely forest! The grass is so green and soft.
MEGAN: And the flowers look like pink stars!
ALEXANDER: Hush! Girls, stop talking, I want to listen to those birds singing.
NARRATOR 2: 2 HOURS LATER…
HELEN: (Sighing) I feel so fine. It’s so quiet here.
DANNY: Me too, I wish we didn’t have to go.
RACHEL: Yes, it feels so good, but it´s getting late and our parents must be worried. We can come
back on Friday after school.
Benjamin: Yes, let´s go, or else they won’t let us come back anymore.
(The children leave the forest and leave all their garbage there.)

(After the children left the forest, some tree noises began to be heard) (trees show their mad faces.)

NARRATOR 1: On Friday, the children return to the forest as they had said.

MAD TREE 1: Hello again, kidos!

Thomas: What’s going on?? Who is talking to us??

MAD TREE 1: What are you doing here? You’re not welcome in this forest! Every time you come and
leave your garbage on the ground, we, plants and trees start dying little by little.

Megan: Run! Let´s get out of here, the tree is talking!!!

MAD TREE 1: Yes, leave! Get away from here! This is my forest. Anyone can understand that, and I
will allow nobody to play in it but myself.

NARRATOR 2: So he built a high wall all round it, and put up a sign: TRESPASSERS WILL BE
PROSECUTED. The poor children had now nowhere to play.

ALEXANDER: Now, where are we going to play?

HELEN: The ground around the forest is very dusty and rough. We couldn’t eat there, no way.

BENJAMIN: Yes, and I wouldn´t like to play on the road with all those hard rocks all over.

EMILY: Oh, I’m going to miss that soft grass so much.

Rachel: Yes, we were so happy there.

HAPPY TREE 1: Yes, this is such a nice place.

HAPPY TREE 2: But you destroy it with all the garbage you leave behind.

MEGAN: Now who’s talking? (Screams)

(EVERYBODY RUNS)

NARRATOR 1: Then the spring came, and all over the country there were little blossoms and little
birds, but in the forest of the Mad Tree it was still winter. The birds did not care to sing in it as there
were no children, and the trees forgot to blossom. The only ones who were pleased were the Snow
and the Frost.

FROST: Spring has forgotten this garden, so we will live here all the year round.

SNOW: Yes, we will have fun. I will cover up the grass with my great white cloak. It will look so fancy!

FROST: And I will paint all the trees silver.

SNOW: We should invite the North Wind to stay with us. He will love it!

FROST: That's a great idea, and we will own this forest forever!

NARRATOR 2: And the North Wind came. He was wrapped in furs, and he roared all day about the
garden, and blew and blew.
NORTH WIND: This is a delightful spot. We must ask the Hail to visit us. He is so funny.

SNOW: Yeah! It is so quiet here! We need some noise.

FROST: Oh yes noise! Hail is so noisy. Let’s invite him right away!

HAIL: Hello my friends! So this is going to be our new home? I like it... I like it...

NARRATOR 1: So the Hail came. Every day for three hours he rattled on the roof of the Chapultepec
Castle, and then he ran round and around the garden as fast as he could go. He was dressed in grey,
and his breath was like ice.

MAD TREE 1: I cannot understand why the spring takes so long to get up here. The forest is still
white. I hope there will be a change in the weather, maybe is the global warming! (He, he, he) –He
laughs at himself sarcastically-

NARRATOR 2: But the spring never came, nor the summer.

AUTUMN: I will give golden fruit to every forest, but not to the Mad Tree’s forest since he is too
selfish and doesn’t let the kids play inside!

NORTH WIND: Oh yes, he is so selfish! But I think its good news to us.

HAIL: Exactly North Wind, its good for us. Can't you see Autumn? Now you can keep all the leaves
brown!

AUTUMN: Well, yes and you know brown is my favorite color.

WINTER: This is my forest now, so Autumn if you are not happy, leave now.

AUTUMN: No, no I will stay just for a while, but this forest won’t get my golden colors ever.

WINTER: We will stay here!

HAIL: SPRING and SUMMER, you are not welcome here anymore!

SNOW: I will be the only one to dance through the trees.

NORTH WIND: And I will be your partner, I'll blow and blow all the leaves from the trees.

FROST: We'll have so much fun!

NARRATOR 1: One morning the mad tree was just looking at the sky when he heard some lovely
music.

MUSIC: Song

MAD TREE 1: Where is that sweet music coming from? It´s the most beautiful music in the world.
NARRATOR 3: Then the Hail stopped dancing, and the North Wind stopped roaring, and a delicious
perfume came to him through the open window.

MAD TREE 1: I believe the spring has arrived at last. I’d better get ready and see what is happening
outside.

SPRING: I'm here again, I won't let this forest dry out.

NARRATOR 4: And he saw the most wonderful sight. Through a little hole in the wall, the children
had crept in. They had picked up the garbage, and they were sitting in the branches of the trees

MAD TREE 1: Oh, the children picked up the garbage. The forest looks great, and there is a little child
in every tree.

SPRING: Now, the trees will blossom, the grass will be green and soft, and the birds will sing again.

HAPPY TREE 1: (To the spring) We are so glad you came back.

HAPPY TREE 2: Now we will cover ourselves with blossoms.

HAPPY TREE 1: This forest will be beautiful again!

HAPPY TREE 2: Oh yes! We missed the laughter of the kids!

SPRING: The kids will have a place to play again.

Megan: And we will always pick up our garbage after a picnic!

DANNY: Look, everybody. Over there! The birds are flying and singing with delight, and the flowers
are blooming once again.

NARRATOR 4: But only in one corner it was still winter. It was the farthest corner of the forest, and
there was a little boy crying.

LITTLE BOY: I can’t reach up to the branches of the tree.

HAPPY TREE 1: Climb up, little boy!

LITTLE BOY: I can´t, I am too small to climb.

HAPPY TREE 2: You can do it! Stretch a little bit more...

NARRATOR 3: And the MAD TREE’S heart melted as he looked out.

MAD TREE 1: Oh! How selfish I have been! Now I know why the SPRING would not come here. I will
help that poor little boy, and then my forest shall be the best children’s playground for ever and
ever. I am very sorry for what I have done, but I am happy to see that children pick their garbage
after eating.
NARRATOR 4: So he went downstairs and opened the front door quite softly, and went out into the
forest.

Rachel: Oh, no! The MAD TREE is here again. He doesn´t like children playing around! Let’s go!! Run
for your life!!!

WINTER: Now the forest is ours once again.

HAIL: HA, HA, HA! It will be ours!

NARRATOR 3: Only the little boy did not run. His eyes were so full of tears that he did not see the
MAD TREE coming.

MAD TREE 2: Let me help you, little kid. Come on, take my hand, I will put you up.

LITTLE BOY: Wow! You’re not mad at all! Thank you!!! You’re so kind!

(The little boy stretched out his two arms and flung them round the MAD TREE’S neck, and kissed
him.)

SUSAN: Did you see that?

ALEXANDER: The MAD TREE is not angry anymore.

EMILY: He even looks happy! Let´s go back.

SPRING: And I will go back with you. I love that place.

MAD TREE 2: It is your forest now, little children. I will knock down the wall, and you can come here
every day, I will only ask for one important thing: DON’T EVER LEAVE YOUR GARBAGE HERE, THIS IS
MY HOME AND ALL THE HAPPY TREES’ HOME!!

Thomas: Thank you, Mr. MAD TREE, I mean, MR. HAPPY TREE. We love you and this beautiful forest
that is your home. We will respect it and keep it clean as if it was our own house.

NARRATOR 4: And when other people went to visit the forest, they found the MAD TREE playing with
the children in the most beautiful forest they had ever seen. One day the MAD TREE asked the
children.

MAD TREE 2: Where is your little companion? The boy I put on my branches?

Megan: We don’t know. He has gone away.

MAD TREE 2: You must tell him to be confident and come back here tomorrow. I’ll be so happy to see
him again.

Rachel: But, we don´t know where he lives.

DANNY: I had never seen him before.

SUSAN: Neither do I. But don´t feel sad, maybe one day he will return.

NARRATOR 3: Every afternoon, when school was over, the children came and played with the MAD
TREE. But the little boy was never seen again. The MAD TREE was very kind to all the children, but he
missed his first little friend.

MAD TREE 2: How I would like to see him again!

NARRATOR 4: Years went over, and the MAD TREE grew very old. He could not play about any more,
but he was delighted watching the children at their games, and admiring his forest.

MAD TREE 2: I have many beautiful flowers, but the children are the most beautiful flowers of all.

NARRATOR 3: One winter morning as the MAD TREE was looking out through the forest, he saw that
in the farthest corner of the forest was a tree quite covered with lovely white blossoms. Its branches
were all golden, and silver fruit hung down from them, and underneath it stood the little boy he had
loved.

MAD TREE 2: I can´t believe it, it´s the little boy! He came back!

NARRATOR 4: When the little boy turned around his face towards the MAD TREE, his face turned
happier!

MAD TREE 2: Where were you little boy? I missed you so much

NARRATOR 3: And the little boy smiled at the mad tree, showing him his angelical wings

MAD TREE 2: Are those wings?

LITTLE BOY: Yes, I'm an angel, and my mission is to help everybody find happiness in this world

MAD TREE 2: Oh you certainly help me, I'm not mad anymore, thank you so much...

LITTLE BOY: Once you let me play in your forest, today you will come with me to my garden, which is
Paradise.

NARRATOR 4: And when the children ran in that afternoon, they found the MAD TREE lying dead. He
seemed as he was sleeping, and he was all covered with white blossoms.

THE END