Literature Circle Script:

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

Scene 1:
Narrator: Once there was a tree, and she loved a little boy. Every day, the boy would come to visit the
tree. He would gather her leaves to make a crown and pretend to be the king of the forest…
[Lights On]
GELO: Bow down because the king has arrived! [laughs] and my first order is to protect the environment!
Isn’t that right Ms. T?
FLORA: Right, if you protect nature, nature can give anything for you. [pat his head]
GELO: That is why I always visits you and check if your branches are okay.
FLORA: Yes, and because of that here is your daily apple. [gives a red apple]
GELO: Wow! It is so pretty! Thank you, Ms. T!
FLORA: Now would you like to play hide and seek?
GELO: Yes! I will hide now. Close your eyes now Ms. T!
FLORA: Okay! [close eyes] 1…2…3…4…5! Where are you!! [walks] Gotcha!!
GELO: [giggles] That was fun! But I am too, tired. Can sleep under your trunk, Ms.T?
FLORA: With pleasure, my dear little friend. [caress the boy]
Narrator: The boy loved the tree so much; the tree was happy.
[Lights Off]
Scene 2:
Narrator: However, time went by, the boy grew older, and the tree was often alone. One day the boy came
and with a girl...
[Lights On]
FLORA: Boy… It’s been a long time…You brought a friend with you too…Are you going to play with
me today?
GELO: No, Ms.T.
NYX: So, this is Ms. T.
GELO: Yes, Ms. T. This is my partner, Yve. Yve this is Ms. T.
FLORA: Nice to meet you Yve. [Shake her hand using the branch]
NYX: Nice to meet you Ms. T, we are here to ask you something.
FLORA: [smiles] What is it my dear?
GELO: We want your blessing… I want to get your blessings for the both of us Ms. T.
FLORA: My blessing? For your relationship?
NYX: Yes, please we are begging you.
FLORA: Sure, I give my blessings. Carve your names in my trunk as my token for your love.
[NYX and GELO will carve their names]
Narrator: The tree is glad about the boy finding someone he can spend his life with. The tree loved the
boy, the tree was happy…
[Lights Off]
Scene 3:
Narrator: The tree become alone as the time goes by, but she is happily waiting for the return of the boy
to play with her again. One day, her dreams come true, the boy returned, not as a mere child but a young
adult now. Far from the energetic and happy child from the past…
[Lights On]
FLORA: You are back, come boy, come and climb in my trunk and swing to my branches. Play by my
side till dawn and enjoy eating the fresh apples that I have created.
GELO: I am too big to climb and play, I want to buy the thing I like and have some fun, I want some
money. Can you give me some money?
FLORA: I’m sorry, I don’t have money. I only have my apples, take my apples, boy, and sell them in the
city then you will have some money and you will become happy. [smiles while giving a basket a basket
of apples.]
Narrator: And so, the boy gathered and takes all the apples and carried them away, and the tree was
happy.
[Lights Off]
Scene 4:
Narrator: The boy stayed gone for a long time, and the tree became alone. The tree was sad but it did not
last long as the boy visits one day. The young man that she saw last time changed completely to a mature
man.
[Lights On]
FLORA: Come boy! Climb in my trunk and swing from my branches and be happy.
GELO: I am too busy to climb trees. I want a house to keep my family warm. Can you give me a house?
FLORA: I had no house, the forest is my house, but you can cut my branches and build a house. Then you
will be happy.
Narrator: The tree watches the boy cut off her branches and carried them away and the tree was happy.
[Lights Off]
Scene 5:
Narrator: The boy stayed away for a long time, when he came back the tree could not hardly speak. The
boy has now changed and become an old man.
[Lights On]
YURY: You are back. Come boy. [pause and stares him intently] Come and play.
GELO: I can’t, I am too old and sad to play. I want a boat that will take me far away from here. Can you
give me a boat?
YURY: [Pats the boy’s head] Cut down my trunk and make a boat. Then you can sail away, and be
happy.
[Lights Off]
Narrator: And the boy cut down her trunk, and made a boat to sail away. Again, the tree was happy, but
not really.
Scene 6:
Narrator: After a very long time, the boy came back.
YURY: I am sorry boy, but I have nothing left to give you—my apples are gone.
GELO: [smiles] my teeth are too weak to eat an apple.
YURY: My branches are gone. You cannot swing on them—
GELO: I am too old to swing in branches.
YURY: My trunk is gone; you cannot climb anymore—
GELO: I am too tired to climb. [smiles at the distant horizon]
YURY: I am sorry, I wish I could give you something but I have nothing left. I am just an old stump, I am
sorry.
GELO: Don’t be, I don’t need very much now. Just a quiet place to sit and rest, I am very tired.
YURY: Well, [come closer to the boy] an old stump is good for resting. Come boy, sit down and rest with
me.
GELO: [leans to the tree] With pleasure, Ms. T… [the boy closed his eyes and smiles]
Narrator: For the last time, the tree spends the day with boy on his last day. Her dream came true, and the
tree was happy.
=end=