A Readers Theatre Script Adapted by Patricia Hutchison From the story by Rudyard Kipling

A Readers Theatre Script Adapted by Patricia Hutchison From the story by Rudyard Kipling

Cast of Characters: Narrator Teddy a young boy Mother--Teddy s mother Father-- Teddy s Father Rikki-tikki-tavi a mongoose Darzee a bird Darzee s Wife Chuchundra a muskrat Nag a cobra Nagaina- Nag s wife Karait a snakeling Coppersmith a bird

Characters: Narrator Teddy Mother Father Rikki-tikki Act 1 Narrator: This is the story of the great war that Rikki-tikki-tavi fought all by himself. He got help from Darzee, the tailor-bird and advice from Chuchundra the muskrat; but Rikki-tikki did the real fighting. Rikki-tikki was a mongoose. His tail looked like a cat, but his head looked more like a weasel. He could fluff up his tail until it looked like a bottle brush. His war cry, as he snaked through the long grass was: Rikk-tikk-tikki-tikki-tchk! One day a flood washes him out of his home. It carries him down a roadside ditch. He finally catches a small blade of grass and hangs on for his life. When he comes to, he is lying in the hot sun in the middle of a garden path. A small boy named Teddy sees him. Teddy: (sadly) Here s a dead mongoose. Let s have a funeral. Mother: No; let s take him in and dry him. Maybe he isn t really dead. Father: (carrying Rikki-tikki into the house) He s not dead, but almost. Let s wrap him up in a blanket and get him warm. Rikki-tikki: (opening his eyes) Aaaaachooo! Father: Now don t scare him. Let s see what he ll do. Rikki-tikki: (looking at the blanket) This isn t good to eat!

Narrator: Rikki-tikki runs all around the table. He sits up and combs his fur. He scratches himself, and then he jumps on Teddy s shoulder. Father: Don t be frightened, Teddy. That s his way of making friends. Teddy: (laughing) Ha ha! He s tickling my chin. Narrator: Rikki-tikki looks down Teddy s shirt. He sniffs the boy s ear. Then he climbs down to the floor. He sits there rubbing his nose. Mother: Oh, my! To think he s really a wild animal! I guess he s so tame because we have been kind to him. Father: Mongooses are like that. If Teddy doesn t put him in a cage, he ll run around like that all day. Let s give him something to eat. Narrator: They give Rikki-tikki a piece of raw meat. Rikki-tikki gobbles it down. Then he goes out and sits on the porch, drying his fur. He is feeling better. Rikki-tikki: There is a lot to explore in this house. I will stay and find out all about it. Narrator: Rikki-tikki spends all day roaming around the house. He nearly drowns in the bath tub. He puts his nose in the ink on the writing table. He even burns his nose on the big man s cigar. When night comes, he goes to bed with Teddy. Teddy s mother comes in to kiss her son good night. Mother: I don t like that. What if he bites Teddy? Father: Don t worry, he would never do that. Teddy is safer with that little beast than if he had a guard dog to watch over him. If a snake came into the nursery Mother: Don t even think about anything so horrible!

Characters: Narrator Rikki-tikki Darzee Nag Nagaina Teddy Act 2 Narrator: It is morning. Rikki-tikki comes to breakfast. He is riding on Teddy s shoulder. They give him a banana and a boiled egg. He hops from one lap to another, making himself at home. Then he goes out into the garden. Rikki-tikki: (scampering around the garden) This is a great hunting ground! Wait what are those noises I hear? Someone sounds very sad. Narrator: Darzee, the tailor-bird and his wife sit on the rim of their beautiful nest. They are crying. Darzee: Ohhh, I can t believe it! Rikki-tikki: What s the matter? Darzee: We are very sad. One of our babies fell out of the nest yesterday. Nag ate him! Rikki-tikki: That is very sad! But I m a stranger here. Who is Nag? Narrator: Darzee and his wife sit and cry without answering. Suddenly Nag: Hisssssssss Who is Nag? I am Nag. Look, and be afraid!

Narrator: The sight of the big black cobra makes Rikki-tikki jump back two whole feet. The snake just looks at him with his wicked snake eyes. Then he spreads his hood as far as it will go. Rikki-tikki is afraid for a minute. He has never met a real live cobra before. But his mother taught him that a mongoose s business in life is to fight and eat snakes. Nag knows that, too. At the bottom of his cold heart he is afraid. Rikki-tikki: (puffing up his tail) Well, do you think it is right for you to eat fledglings out of a nest? Narrator: Nag knows that mongooses in the garden mean death for his family sooner or later. He wants to get Rikki-tikki off his guard. Nag: (dropping his head to one side) Let s talk. You eat eggs. Why shouldn t I eat birds? Darzee: Behind you! Look behind you! Nagaina: Hissssssss.. Narrator: Rikki-tikki jumps up in the air as high as he can go. Nagaina, Nag s wicked wife whizzes under him. She hisses again when she sees that she has missed. Rikki-tikki comes down on her back. He bites down, but not long enough. He jumps clear of the snake s deadly tail. He leaves Nagaina hurting and angry. Nag: (lashing up as high as he can toward the nest) Wicked, wicked Darzee! Narrator: Rikki-tikki feels his eyes growing red with anger. Nag and Nagaina have disappeared into the grass. Rikki-tikki doesn t think he can fight two snakes at the same time. He trots off to the gravel path. He sits down to think. Rikki-tikki: (to himself) Even though I am young, I am very smart! I managed to escape Nagaina s blow from behind me. Now I am ready to be petted.

Teddy: (running down the path) Are you okay, Rikki-tikki? Characters: Narrator Rikki-tikki Karait Teddy Mother Act 3 Karait: Be careful. I am death! Narrator: The dusty brown snakeling is waiting to harm Teddy. His bite is as dangerous as a cobra s. Rikki-tikki feels his eyes growing red. He dances up to Karait. What he doesn t know is that Karait is more dangerous than Nag. The snakeling is so small, he can turn quickly. Unless Rikki-tikki can bite him in the back of the head, Karait will lash at his eye or lip. The snake lashes out and Rikkitikki jumps sideways. Teddy: Look! Our mongoose is killing a snake! Mother: (screaming) Ohh! Narrator: Teddy s father runs out of the house with a stick. Karait lashes out again, a bit too far. Rikki-tikki jumps on the snake s back, bites the snake on the back of the head, and rolls away. Karait is paralyzed. Rikki-tikki: (to himself) Now to eat him from the tail forward But wait! If I get too full, I will be slow. I must keep myself thin if I want to fight! Narrator: Teddy s father keeps beating the dead snakeling.

Rikki-tikki: There is no need for that! I have killed him. Mother: (scooping up Rikki-tikki and hugging him) You saved my Teddy! Narrator: Rikki-tikki snuggles into her arms, enjoying the attention. Characters: Narrator Rikki-tikki Teddy Chuchundra Nagaina Nag Act 4 Narrator: It is evening, and the family is having dinner. Rikki-tikki strolls up and down the dining table. He could have stuffed himself with all the good food. But he remembers Nag and Nagaina. His eyes get red and he goes off, shouting his war cry. Rikki-tikki: Rikk-tikk-tikki-tikki-tchk! Teddy: (carrying Rikki-tikki) There, now, let s get you to bed. You can sleep under the covers with me. Narrator: As soon as Teddy is asleep, Rikki-tikki takes his nightly walk around the house. He runs into Chuchundra, the muskrat. He is a sad soul. Chuchundra: (weeping) Don t kill me, Rikki-tikki. Please don t kill me! Rikki-tikki: (scornfully) Do you think a snake-killer kills muskrats?

Chuchundra: Those who kill snakes get killed by snakes. How can I be sure that Nag won t mistake me for you some dark night? Rikki-tikki: There s no danger of that. Nag is in the garden, and I know you don t go there. Chuchundra: My cousin Chua, the rat, told me Rikki-tikki: Told you what? Chuchundra: Shhh Nag is everywhere, Rikki-tikki. You should have talked to Chua in the garden. Rikki-tikki: Well, I didn t. You must tell me. Quick, or I ll bite you! Chuchundra: (crying hard) I am a very poor man. I don t have any courage. Shhh.. I must not tell you anything. Can t you hear, Rikki-tikki? Narrator: Rikki-tikki listens. The house is still, except Rikki-tikki: (scratching his head) I hear it the sound of a snake s scales scratching on the bricks. That s Nag or Nagaina, crawling into the bathroom pipe. You re right, Chuchundra; I should have talked to Chua. Narrator: Rikki-tikki goes quickly to Teddy s room, but it is empty. He sneaks into the bathroom. He hears Nag and Nagaina whispering together outside. Nagaina: When the house is empty, Rikki-tikki will have to go away. Then the garden will be ours again. Go in quietly. Remember the big man who killed Karait. Bite him first. Then come out and we ll hunt for Rikki-tikki together. Nag: Are you sure we should kill the people?

Nagaina: Yes! When there were no people in the house, did we have a mongoose in the garden? When the house is empty, we are the king and queen of the garden. Our eggs will be in the melon patch tomorrow. Our children need room to grow in peace and quiet. Nag: I had not thought of that. I will go, but we won t need to hunt for Rikki-tikki. I will kill the people and the house will be empty. Rikki-tikki will leave. Characters: Narrator Rikki-tikki Nag Father Mother Act 5 Narrator: Rikki-tikki tingles all over with rage. He hates Nag. Nag s head comes through the pipe. His five feet of cold body follow it. Rikki-tikki is frightened when he sees the size of the big cobra. In the dark, he can see the snake s eyes glitter. Rikki-tikki: (thinking to himself) If I kill him here, Nagaina will know. If I fight him on the bathroom floor, he might win. What am I to do? Nag: (drinking from the water jar) Mmm that is good. Now, when Karait was killed, the big man had a stick. When he comes in to bathe in the morning, he won t have the stick with him. I will wait here until he comes. Nagaina, do you hear me? I will wait here in the cool until daytime. Narrator: There is no answer from outside. Rikki-tikki knows Nagaina has gone away. Nag coils himself down around the bottom of the water jar. Rikki-tikki

stays still as death. After an hour, he begins to move slowly toward the jar. Nag is asleep. Rikki-tikki: (to himself) Now where will I get the best hold on him? If I don t break his back at the first jump, he can still fight. And if he fights, Oh Rikki! His neck is too thick. If I bite near the tail, that would only make him angry. I must bite his head, right above the hood. Then I must hold on for dear life! Narrator: Rikki-tikki jumps. He holds down the snake s head. He is battered to and fro like a rat being shaken by a dog up, down, around in circles. His eyes are red as he holds on. He upsets the soap dish and is banged against the side of the tub. Still he holds on. He closes his jaws tighter and tighter. If he dies, he wants to die with his teeth locked on the snake. He grows dizzy and is aching. Suddenly something goes off like thunder behind him. A hot wind knocks him back, and red fire singes his fir. The big man was awakened by the commotion. He fires both barrels of a shotgun into Nag, just behind the hood. Rikki-tikki: I am sure I am quite dead, but I must hold on! Father: (picking up Rikki-tikki) It s the mongoose again. The little fellow has saved our lives now. Mother: Thank goodness! Narrator: Rikki tikki spends the night in Teddy s room. He shakes himself often to find out if he is really broken into forty pieces, as he imagines. When morning comes, he is very sore, but pleased with what he has done.

Characters: Narrator Rikki-tikki Darzee Darzee s Wife Nagaina Act 6 Rikki-tikki: Now I have Nagaina to deal with. She will be worse than five Nags. And who knows when her eggs will hatch. Goodness! I must go see Darzee. Narrator: Rikki-tikki doesn t even wait for breakfast. He runs to the thorn bush where Darzee is singing at the top of his voice. The news of Nag s death is everywhere in the garden. Rikki-tikki: (angrily) Oh you stupid tuft of feathers! Is this the time to sing? Darzee: (singing) Nag is dead! Nag is dead! The brave Rikki-tikki caught him by the head and held on. The big man brought the bang-stick and Nag fell in two pieces! He will never eat my babies again! Rikki-tikki: (looking carefully around the garden) That is true, but where is Nagaina? Darzee: (singing) Nagaina came to the pipe and called for Nag, and Nag came out on the end of a stick. The sweeper threw him on the garbage heap. Let s sing about the great, red-eyed Rikki-tikki! Rikki-tikki: Darzee, stop singing! You re all safe up there in your nest, but it s war for me down here. Darzee: For the great Rikki-tikki s sake I will stop. What do you need, Oh Killer of the terrible Nag?

Rikki-tikki: I ll ask again; where is Nagaina? Darzee: On the garbage heap, mourning for Nag. Rikki-tikki: Have you heard where she keeps her eggs? Darzee: In the melon patch, near the wall. She hid them there weeks ago. Rikki-tikki: Why didn t you tell me before? Darzee: Rikki-tikki, you are not going to eat her eggs, are you? Rikki-tikki: Not exactly, no. Darzee, please do me a favor. Fly off to the stables and pretend that your wing is broken. Let Nagaina chase you away to this bush. I need to get to the melon patch. If I go there now, she will see me. Narrator: Darzee is a feather-brained little fellow. He thinks about this plan for a minute. Finally, his wife makes him come to his senses. She knows that cobra eggs mean more cobras to kill her children. She flies off from the nest, leaving Darzee to keep the babies warm. Darzee s Wife: Oh, my wing is broken! The boy threw a stone at me and broke it! The boy broke it with a stone! Nagaina: After you are dead, I will settle the score. My husband lies dead this morning. Before the night, the boy will be dead. Don t bother to run away. I will catch you! Look at me! Narrator: Darzee s wife knows better than to look at the snake. She would be too frightened to move. She flutters about, weeping, and never leaving the ground. Nagaina moves more quickly.

Rikki-tikki hears them going up the path. He races for the melon patch. There, he finds twenty-five eggs, cleverly hidden. Rikki-tikki: I arrived just in time! These babies are about to hatch. They could kill a man or a mongoose! Narrator: Rikki-tikki bites off the tops of the eggs and crushes the baby cobras. Finally, there are only three eggs left. Then he hears Darzee s wife screaming. Darzee s Wife: (screaming) Rikki-tikki, I led Nagaina toward the house. She has gone inside the porch. Come quickly she is ready to kill! Characters: Narrator Rikki-tikki Nagaina Darzee Teddy Father Coppersmith Mother Act 7 Narrator: Rikki-tikki smashes two eggs. He runs from the melon patch with the third one in his mouth. He scuttles to the porch. Teddy and his parents are at the table, but they are not moving. Their faces are white. Nagaina is coiled up on the mat by Teddy s chair. She is dancing and singing a song of triumph. Nagaina: Son of the big man that killed Nag, stay still. I m not ready yet. All of you, stay still. If you move, I ll strike. If you don t move, I ll strike. You fools killed my Nag! Teddy: (watching his father) Father!

Father: Stay still Teddy. You mustn t move. Please keep still. Rikki-tikki: (running in) Turn around Nagaina; turn and fight! Nagaina: In good time. I will settle with you right now. Look at your friends, Rikki-tikki. They are still and white. They are afraid. If you come one step closer, I will strike. Rikki-tikki: Look at your eggs in the melon patch. Go and look, Nagaina. Narrator: The big snake turns around and sees the egg on the porch. Nagaina: Ahh! Give it to me! Narrator: Nagaina spins around, forgetting everything in order to save her one egg. Rikki-tikki sees Teddy s father take Teddy by the shoulder. He drags him across the table, out of reach of Nagaina. Rikki-tikki: I tricked you! I tricked you! Rikk-tchk-tchk! The boy is safe. It was I that caught Nag in the bathroom last night. He threw me to and fro, but he could not shake me off. He was dead before the man shot him. I did it. Rikki-tikki-tchktchk! Come and fight with me, Nagaina. You will not be a widow for long. Nagaina: (lowering her hood) Give me the egg, Rikki-tikki. Give me the last one and I will go away and never come back. Rikki-tikki: Yes, you will be on the garbage heap with Nag. Fight me! The big man has gone for his gun. Fight me! Narrator: Rikki-tikki dances around Nagaina. His eyes are like hot coals. Nagaina flings out at him. Rikki-tikki jumps backward. Again and again she strikes. Each time she misses. Rikki-tikki dances around her. Nagaina turns around to face

him. Her tail swishes along the floor of the porch. Rikki-tikki had forgotten about the egg. Nagaina comes nearer to it. Suddenly she catches it in her mouth and flies like an arrow down the porch steps. Rikki-tikki runs after her. He knows that he has to catch her, or all the trouble will begin again. Rikki-tikki catches up with her, and latches on to her tail. Nagaina goes down her snake hole, and Rikki-tikki goes down with her. Darzee: It s all over for Rikki-tikki. We must sing a death song. Brave Rikki-tikki is dead! Nagaina will surely kill him underground. Narrator: Darzee sings a mournful song that he quickly makes up. Just as he gets to the saddest part, the grass around the snake hole moves. Rikki-tikki, covered with dirt, drags himself out, licking his whiskers. Darzee stops singing. Darzee: Rikki-tikki! Rikki-tikki: (shaking the dust off himself) Aaaachooo! It s all over. The widow will never come out again. Narrator: Rikki-tikki curls himself up in the grass and sleeps where he is. He sleeps and sleeps until it is late in the afternoon, for he had done a hard day's work. Rikki-tikki: (waking up) Now I will go back to the house. Tell the Coppersmith bird to spread the news. Coppersmith: Ding-dong-tock! Nag is dead dong! Nagaina is dead! Ding-dongtock! Narrator: The frogs begin croaking and the birds begin singing, for Nag and Nagaina used to eat them as well. Now they are safe. Rikki-tikki goes to the house, and Teddy s parents come out and cry over him. That night they feed him

until he can eat no more. He goes to bed on Teddy s shoulder. Teddy s mother looks in on them. Mother: He saved our lives. Just think he saved all our lives! Rikki-tikki: (awaking with a start) Oh, it s you. What are you worried about? All the cobras are dead, and if they weren t, I m here! Narrator: Rikki-tikki did not grow too proud of himself. He kept the garden as a mongoose should keep it. Never a cobra dared show its face inside the walls.

Activities for Rikki-Tikki-Tavi Pre-reading Vocabulary study: funeral- a ceremony for someone who has died fledglings- baby birds snakeling- young snake paralyzed- not able to move singes- burns commotion- noisy confusion mourning- feeling sad over losing a loved one triumph- success widow- a woman whose husband has died Suggested activities: 1. Have students use the context of the sentences to determine the meanings of the words. 2. Have students make flashcards with the word on one side and the meaning and a picture on another. 3. Have students begin (or add to) a picture dictionary of new vocabulary words learned. Activating Background Knowledge: 1. Have students quickly find information about these animals: mongoose, cobra, muskrat. 2. a. Read to the class one or more Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling. They can be found on the Internet. Discuss the fact that the animals talk in these stories (anthropomorphism). Ask them how this affects their understanding of the story. b. Ask the students, What if your dog (or other pet) could talk? What do you think he would say to you? 3. Talk about animal loyalty. Have them relate their own personal stories or stories they have heard of how animals show their loyalty to humans. While Reading the Story Questions to Ask Orally: 1. Why did Rikki-tikki go to live with Teddy and his family? (A flood had washed him out of his home.)

2. What kind of animal is Rikki-tikki? What is his business? (He is a mongoose; his business is to catch and eat snakes.) 3. What words would you use to describe the character of Rikki-tikki? Tell why you would use those words. (possible answers: loyal, curious, hard-working, clever) 4. Describe the relationship between Rikki-tikki and Teddy s family. (Teddy and his family give Rikki-tikki food to eat and a home to live in; Rikki-tikki protects the family from snakes.) 5. What is the conflict in the story? (Rikki-tikki is fighting against the cobras to protect his new family and his animal friends.) 6. What is the plot of the story? Call on students one at a time to give the action in sequence. 7. Why do you think Rikki-tikki doesn t give in and let Nagaina go with her last egg? What would you have done, if you had been Rikki-tikki? Why would you have acted this way? 8. What do you think is the lesson the author wanted you to learn from this story? Give evidence from the story to support your answer. Post Reading Projects 1. Make a zoo book with pictures of all the animals in the story and a paragraph telling about each one. 2. Act out a live newscast after the battle between Rikki-tikki and the cobras. 3. With a group, perform a live interview of Teddy and his family after Rikki-tikki saved them. 4. Make and illustrate a map of the story. 5. Perform a puppet show of the story.