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THE BALD BOY AND THE SQUIRREL

THE CHARACTERS OF THE STORY

THE STORY TELLER 1-2

THE BALD BOY
THE OLD WOMAN( THE BALD BOY’S MOTHER)
THE SQUIRREL
THE GROUSE QUEEN
THE SULTAN

SCENARIO

STORY TELLER 1 : Once upon a time, in a small village in Turkey, there lived a mother and her
loyal son. The son was known by all as Bald Boy because even though he was still quite
young he had no hair on his head at all. Bald Boy and his mother were very poor indeed and
so each day Bald Boy would take up his basket and venture out into the woods in search of
food. The old woman waved goodbye to his son.

THE BALD BOY: Mum I am going to the forest to collect mushroom for dinner. I won’t be
late. Don’t worry about me.

THE OLD WOMAN: Good luck my son. I hope you find some food. Don’t be late. I will have
lit the fire by the time you arrive home.
STORY TELLER 1: One day, as he was searching the forest floor for the juicy mushrooms that
could often be found growing in the shadows of the tall trees, Bald Boy was sure that he
could hear a young girl crying. When he looked up he noticed a little squirrel sitting on the
branch of the tree above his head. The squirrel was crying continuously and so Bald Boy
reached out to comfort the little creature. He took the squirrel in his arms and stroked her
and sang to her and assured her that everything was going to be okay.

THE BALD BOY: Please calm down. What’s wrong with you? Please don’t cry. Wipe your
tears. Everything will be OK.

STORY TELLER 2: When at last the squirrel stopped crying, the two friends got to talking and
Bald Boy explained how he lived with his mother and how they were very poor.

THE BALD BOY: I need to come into this forest each day in search of food because we have
no Money.

THE SQUIRREL: You have been very kind to me today so I am going to help you in return.

STORY TELLER 2: Then the little squirrel jumped out of Bald Boy’s hands and said:

THE SQUIRREL: Follow me, follow me.

STORY TELLER 2: The young boy followed the squirrel through the forest for many hours
until they reached a cliff edge that overlooked the lush green valley below.

THE SQUIRREL: You must climb down this cliff. When you reach the bottom you will find the
Grouse Queen. She will ask you three questions and you must answer them all correctly to
receive the prize.

STORY TELLER 2: The squirrel climbed up onto Bald Boy’s shoulder and whispered the
answers to the three questions in his ear. And once she had done so she jumped down and
scampered back into the forest without another word.

STORY TELLER 2: Bald Boy made himself a rope out of twine and lowered himself down the
cliff edge and made his way to where the squirrel had told him the Grouse Queen lived.
When she saw him approaching, the Queen stopped Bald Boy in his tracks and demanded
that he answer three questions.

THE GROUSE QUEEN: I will ask you three questions if you can answer them correctly you are
going to get two jar of gold as a reward but if you do not then you will lose your head.

THE STORY TELLER 2: The Bald Boy was very nervous but he nodded all the same and
awaited the first question. The Queen indicated to a cherry tree nearby.

THE GROUSE QUEEN: How many cherries are growing on this cherry tree?
THE BALD BOY: It is a piece of cake. There are as many cherries on that tree as there are
feathers on your back. If you want to find out you can count.

THE GROUSE QUEEN: Your answer is correct. Here is my second question. Thin carefully
before you answer it. Where is the middle of the earth?’

THE BALD BOY: You are standing on the middle of the earth. If you don’t belive you can
measure it.

THE GROUSE QUEEN: You are so clever. Well done. And my final question. Look at these
walnuts in my hand. You think they look the same but my final question is the hardest.
Which is the heavier of these two walnuts?

STORY TELLER 1: Bald Boy looked at both nuts and then tossed them into a nearby stream.
One of the nuts stayed afloat but the other disappeared beneath the surface.

THE BALD BOY: The one which has sunk beneath the water is the heavier of the two, Your
Majesty.’

STORY TELLER 3: The Queen could not deny that all three answers were correct and so she
reluctantly handed Bald Boy the large pot of gold that was his rightful prize. The young boy
climbed back up the cliff face with his pot of gold strapped to his back and ran into the forest
to thank the little squirrel for her kindness. But when Bald Boy eventually found the squirrel
she was crying once more, her head resting in her tiny front paws as the tears fell to the
ground all around her.

THE BALD BOY: Why are you so sad?

THE SQUIRREL: I used to be a beautiful Princess until the Grouse Queen cast a spell on me
and turned me into a squirrel. Now the only thing that will set me free is a single drop of
Emerald Water from the lake in the dragon’s cave.

THE BALD BOY: I want to help you. Friends always help each other. You and I are friends.
THE SQUIRREL: It is very difficult Bald Boy. Nobody can help me. You cannot fight with a
dragon.
THE BALD BOY: I am leaving right now. I will find the dragon’s cave and bring you the
emerald water. Trust me! I will save you.

THE STORY TELLER 3: Bald Boy was so Grateful to the little squirrel for saving him and his
mother from a life of poverty that he instantly promised to fetch a drop of the Emerald
Water. He marched into town and used some of his gold to buy the sharpest sword from the
blacksmith. Then he climbed the Mountain of Kaf towards the dragon’s cave.

THE STORY TELLER 1: When he reached the cave, Bald Boy raised his sword and did battle
with the two giant snakes that guarded the entrance to the cave. The fight was fierce and
bloody but Bald Boy eventually cut the heads of the evil snakes and threw them from the
edge of the mountain.
THE STORY TELLER 2: Deep inside the cave the evil dragon stirred. He stretched his wings
and took flight to see what was happening with his snake guards. It was then that Bald Boy
crept unnoticed into the dragon’s lair and filled his glass bottle with the precious Emerald
Water. When he was sure it was safe he ran from the lair and climbed back down the
mountain and disappeared into the forest to find the little squirrel. He finally found his
friend.

THE BALD BOY: I have returned. I kept my promise. and I have the Emerald Water for you.

STORY TELLER 1: Bald Boy poured some of the water into his open palm and watched it run
between his fingers into the forest floor. The last drop he saved for the squirrel who jumped
down from the tree to drink from Bald Boy’s palm.

STORY TELLER 2: As soon as she had taken the drop of Emerald Water there was a blinding
flash of white light that illuminated the gloomy forest for miles and miles. When the light
eventually faded a beautiful Princess stood before Bald Boy with tears of gratitude in her
eyes.

THE SQUIRREL: I can’t believe. I am back. You are my hero. We must go and see my father
Bald Boy. Thank you so much. I am grateful to you. Come on hold my hand let’s go and find
my father. I miss my family so much.

STORY TELLER 3: Bald Boy escorted the Princess back to the Royal Palace and when the
Sultan saw his beautiful daughter he was overjoyed.

THE SULTAN: You are a brave man and you shall never again want for anything. I will make
your wish come true.

STORY TELLER 3: That was when Bald Boy remembered his poor mother waiting back home
for her mushrooms. He thanked the Princess and the Sultan and he took his pot of gold and
returned home to his mother after shopping for gifts and food at the local market.

The old woman could not believe the story that Bald Boy told her over dinner that night, but
one thing was for sure… her brave son would never again have to enter the forest in search
of food. The old woman smiled to herself then as she dipped her silver spoon into a nice big
bowl of mushroom soup. At the end, Bald Boy and his mother lived happily ever after.

This project was funded by the European Commission. This publication reflects the views
only of the author. The European Commission and the National Agency are not responsible
for any use that may be made of the information it contains.