· web viewbrr, it’s cold! they may call it “greenland,” but this place has so much more...

Audun & the Bearadapted by Benjamin Knight

YOU ARE FREE AND WELCOME to print and distribute a sufficient number of copies of this play script for your performance, provided you are personally and directly involved in the production. What does that mean? If you are the director, producer, an actor or performer, musician, stage

hand, or a parent/caregiver of same for this play, you are welcome to make a sufficient number of copies. Otherwise, you may not distribute this script

in any format to any other third party whatsoever without permission – additional costs may apply.

Characters: AUDUN AUDUN'S MOTHER NARRATOR TRADER BEAR (no speaking lines) BEAR OWNER GUARD #1 KING HARALD GUARD #2 (no speaking lines) KING SVEN SERVANT

Scene 1 – Outside a long house

[Stage Set: The play opens on a scene outside a long house set in front of a beautiful backdrop of towering gray mountains and blue fjords. In front of the house, AUDUN is untangling fishing netting and AUDUN’S MOTHER sits churning cheese. During the quiet, a white-tailed eagle, signified by a cut-out picture attached to a stick, swoops by and screeches. AUDUN looks at the eagle and sighs.]

1

©2015, Stories to Grow by, LLC. (A NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION)FOR MORE INFORMATION EMAIL: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.storiestogrowby.org/

NARRATOR:This play is “Audun and the Bear,”a folktale from Iceland. It is brought to you by Stories to Grow by.

AUDUN’S MOTHER:What’s wrong, my son?

AUDUN:Oh, I’m fine.

AUDUN’S MOTHER:(stops churning and looks squarely at AUDUN) No, really. What’s on your mind? AUDUN: (sighs) Ah, Mother. Look at that white-tailed eagle! It travels the skies going where it pleases – it’s completely free.

AUDUN’S MOTHER: Aren’t you, too? We have hired hands on this farm. You may work in the fields too, but you go wherever you want. AUDUN:Where is there to go? Our farm is fenced in. There’s nothing to do here! AUDUN’S MOTHER: Your Uncle Rorig said there’s a new baby pig. Want to go to the barn and see it?

AUDUN: I’ve seen baby pigs all my life. They’re all the same. What I’d really like to do is to go see other farms – farms all over Iceland!

AUDUN’S MOTHER: My goodness, the way you talk! Leave the safety of your home and risk running into elves or trolls? When we have everything

2




we need right here. Cream and berries with our porridge in the morning, beef for dinner. And speaking of dinner, I’d best get started!

[AUDUN’S MOTHER exits, carrying her butter churn.]

AUDUN:(to audience) She just doesn’t understand. (returns to untangling fishing netting, then looks up) Say, what’s that? A ship coming in, this late in the season?

[From the side of the stage from a large boat emerges (a large cardboard/paper cut-out, carried by two people). TRADER stands behind it, though in view of the audience.]

TRADER:(shouts) Land hooooooo!

[The boat comes to a halt, and the TRADER steps off.]

TRADER:(looks around) Young man, could you tell me where I am?

AUDUN: You’re in the western fjords of Iceland, sir!

TRADER: That I am. And well-named it is, this Iceland.

[As TRADER is speaking, people come from off-stage and throw blue ribbons over the boat, representing ice.]

TRADER:(shakes head) As we speak, this boat is already icing up.

AUDUN: Why have you come here now, if you don’t mind my asking?

3




TRADER: Not at all. Wasn’t the plan. My journey was delayed and I feel lucky to at least get my boat to shore before it ices up completely. Look (points to boat), by morning, my boat will be completely stuck in the ice! At least I still have my cargo inside. I’ll just have to trade it over the winter. When spring comes and the ice melts, then I’ll be able head back to Norway.

AUDUN: (to audience) Norway! (to TRADER) You plan to trade your cargo up and down the coast this winter?

TRADER:Yep. This boat is full of linen and seeds from Norway.

AUDUN:The farmers here always need linen and new seed. Sir, if I help you lift and carry your goods about, when spring comes could I travel with you back to Norway?

TRADER:Why not? I could use a fine strapping lad like you.

[AUDUN’S MOTHER enters.]

AUDUN’S MOTHER:I hear voices. A visitor!

TRADER:Indeed. (bows his head) A pleasure to meet you, my fine lady. I was just telling your lad I could use a hand trading my merchandise this winter, since my ship is stuck in the ice till spring. Looks like I have myself a helper!

AUDUN’S MOTHER:(looks warily at AUDUN) Oh you do, do you? (to TRADER) For wages, no doubt?

4




TRADER:(nods) No doubt at all.

AUDUN’S MOTHER:(nods approvingly to AUDUN ) Well, all right then.

[AUDEN pumps his first in the air as if to celebrate "Yes!" AUDUN'S MOTHER exits. Enter NARRATOR. A chest containing various items and cloths is brought onstage.]

NARRATOR: As winter rolled on, Audun helped the trader sell his wares across Iceland.

[As NARRATOR speaks, various people come from offstage and mime exchanging skeins of wool, dried fish, and animal pelts for the TRADER’s linen and bottles of seed.]

NARRATOR:Finally, after a long and profitable winter, spring came. The ice along the shoreline began to crack. Soon the seawater started to flow and the trader’s boat floated once more.

[NARRATOR and the customers exit. Other people from offstage pull the blue ribbons off of the boat. Enter AUDUN’S MOTHER.]

AUDUN:(to AUDUN’S MOTHER) Mother, soon the boat will leave for Norway. I will go on board with the trader.

AUDUN’S MOTHER:(gasps) What? Oh, I knew it! It wasn’t enough for you to travel weeks at a time, to farms who-knows-where, up and down the coast of Iceland. Now you must go to Norway, too, across that wide ocean? Against storms and sea monsters? And what will I do without you? How will I look after myself? I have no other child. (sits in despair)

5




AUDUN: Mother, please. I have to go. I just do. Look, your brother and the hired help will keep the farm going until I get back. And here (hands her an envelope). These are my wages for the winter. This should take care of you until I return.

AUDUN’S MOTHER:(accepts the envelope and sighs) When will that be, my son?

AUDUN:Exactly... three years from now. I promise you, Mother.

AUDUN’S MOTHER:Three years is a long time! Well, if you must go. Pray be safe, my son. Take care of yourself!

[AUDUN and AUDUN’S MOTHER hug. AUDUN and TRADER exit.]

Scene 2 – An open market

[Stage Set: Under a different backdrop, TRADER and AUDUN sell their wares to a crowd of customers. The boat has been moved to the other side of the set to reflect that they have traveled. Enter NARRATOR.]

NARRATOR:After a few days on the sea and a few bouts of seasickness from Audun...

AUDUN:(to audience) I can’t help it. I’ve never sailed before!

NARRATOR:He sailed west with the captain of the ship to Greenland...

6




[NARRATOR points to Greenland on an enlarged map of Scandinavia. See Performance Notes for further detail.]

NARRATOR:Greenland was on their way to Norway (points to Norway). At Greenland, they traded merchandise for almost a year. Or tried to.

[NARRATOR exits.]

AUDUN:(to TRADER) Brr, it’s cold! They may call it “Greenland,” but this place has so much more ice and snow here than back home at Iceland! Even the monsters are white.

[AUDUN points off stage in the direction from which BEAR enters. BEAR looks around, sniffing at their chest of wares. There is a rope around BEAR’s wrist that leads offstage.]

TRADER:What do you mean, Audun? Are you talking about that polar bear?

AUDUN:It is a magnificent creature, I’ll say that. Like nothing else I’ve ever seen. What I wouldn’t give to buy one!

BEAR OWNER:(from offstage) As it happens, this one’s for sale!

[BEAR OWNER enters, following the bear. BEAR OWNER is holding the other end of the rope.]

AUDUN: (to audience) My lucky day! (to BEAR OWNER) For how much, may I ask?

7




BEAR OWNER: Hmm, what do you have to offer?

AUDUN: Five hundred rigsdaler?

[AUDUN turns around and pulls a handful of coins from his pocket. He counts them silently and turns to BEAR OWNER.]

AUDUN:(hands over the money) Is this enough?

BEAR OWNER: It’s a start.

AUDUN:(takes a moment to think) How about this?

[AUDUN reaches into his collar and takes off a necklace he was wearing before handing it to BEAR OWNER.]

BEAR OWNER: Better. What else?

[AUDUN removes his jacket and his shoes and hands them over to BEAR OWNER.]

BEAR OWNER: Hmm, yes. That’ll do. Thank you. The bear is yours!

[BEAR OWNER hands the end of the rope to AUDUN. BEAR OWNER exits. BEAR walks up to AUDUN and growls in greeting.]

AUDUN: What a fine gift this treasure of a bear will make. I will offer it

8




to none other but to the king of Denmark, King Sven. That is, when I figure out how to get there.

TRADER:Denmark? It so happens I’m bound for Denmark after our next stop in Norway.

AUDUN:Perfect!

[BEAR whines to itself.]

Scene 3 – A dock in norway

[Stage Set: AUDUN, TRADER, and BEAR arrive in Norway. Gulls fly about in the sky (more cut-outs). Standing at the end of the dock is GUARD #1. AUDUN and TRADER hide behind the boat. NARRATOR enters.]

NARRATOR: The boat lands in Norway as planned. (points to Norway on the enlarged map of Scandinavia) Before Audun could deliver his gift to the King of Denmark, he first had to make this stop.

[NARRATOR exits. As AUDUN and TRADER step off the boat, BEAR begins to follow them. BEAR is no longer on a rope. When TRADER and AUDUN realize this, they panic and move BEAR back into the boat.]

TRADER:Quick, he’s off the rope! Back to the ship! If anybody sees this treasure of a bear, people will start asking questions!

[TRADER and AUDUN turn back and notice GUARD #1, who has already seen BEAR.]

9




AUDUN: Wait!

[GUARD #1 exits.]

AUDUN:Great, now everybody will find out.

[GUARD #1 returns.]

GUARD #1:You are hereby summoned to the court of King Harald of Norway. You are also commanded to bring that enormous white bear with you.

[AUDUN and TRADER glare at BEAR. BEAR shrugs.]

Scene 4 – King harald’s throne room

[KING HARALD is seated on his throne. GUARD #1 stands on one side of KING HARALD, and GUARD #2 stands on the other side. Enter AUDUN, TRADER, and BEAR.]

AUDUN and TRADER (together):(bow together) Your Majesty.

10




KING HARALD: So. I heard about this treasure of a bear you have. (walks over to BEAR, inspecting it) Indeed, what a magnificent animal! Surely, this is a treasure fit for a king!

AUDUN:(uneasily) Y...yes, sir. (pauses) With all due respect, sir, I had purchased the bear to give as a gift to King Sven of Denmark.

KING HARALD:(turns to AUDUN and frowns) King Sven of Denmark! You must know that Norway and Denmark are at war, and our two countries are mortal enemies.

[GUARD #1 and GUARD #2 unsheathe their swords and surround AUDUN and TRADER.]

AUDUN:Uh, yes, Your Majesty.

[KING HARALD begins to pace back and forth.]

KING HARALD:(does not look at Audun) Yet in my own royal hall, you dare to suggest that you intend to give this royal treasure of a bear to the King of Denmark?

AUDUN: (looks nervously at guards) Uh... yes, that is my intention...

[GUARD #1 grips AUDUN’s arm, and GUARD #2 grips TRADER’s arm. AUDUN looks at GUARD #1.]

AUDUN:…Your Majesty.

[There is a long pause as KING HARALD stares at AUDUN.]

11




KING HARALD:Very well. Guards, release them!

[The GUARDS release their grip. TRADER and AUDUN breathe a sigh of relief.]

KING HARALD: Then go in peace, I will not stop you. But I require one thing.

AUDUN: What is that, Your Majesty?

KING HARALD: When you return, you must stop back here and tell me how King Sven rewarded you for that treasure of a bear.

AUDUN: I shall do so, Your Majesty.

[KING HARALD, GUARD #1, and GUARD #2 all exit.]

TRADER:(to AUDUN) That was a close one! (to audience) Remind me to never travel with a polar bear again.

Scene 5 – King Sven’s throne room

[The court is lavishly furnished with tapestries hanging from the walls and gold statues across the floor. In the center, KING SVEN sits on a throne. NARRAROR enters.]

NARRATOR:After their close encounter with King Harald of Norway, Audun and the trader travelled south to Denmark (points to Denmark on enlarged map).

12




[NARRATOR exits. SERVANT enters. SERVANT walks up to KING SVEN and kneels.]

SERVANT: Sire!KING SVEN:What is it, my servant?

SERVANT:There are two traders who seek an audience with you! Two traders and... a white giant who-knows-what-it-is. Some kind of bear?

KING SVEN: A white giant of a bear, you say? (to audience) This doesn’t happen every day) (snaps his fingers) Send in the two traders!

[AUDUN, TRADER enter. BEAR follows them on a long rope. The rope is tied to BEAR’s wrist and not to BEAR’s neck. TRADER and AUDUN kneel.]

AUDUN and TRADER (together):(both bow) Your Majesty.

KING SVEN: Pray, tell me why you have brought this... giant bear into my court.

AUDUN: Sire, we have travelled all the way from Greenland to bring you this treasure of a bear. As a royal gift to Your Majesty.

KING SVEN:A gift?

AUDUN:Yes, Sire.

13




[KING SVEN stands up and inspects BEAR.]

KING SVEN:Such a majestic creature! Such thick, white fur. And what do you expect in return for a magnificent gift such as this?

AUDUN:Only that you should accept it, Your Majesty.

KING SVEN:Yes, yes, of course. But you sacrificed a great deal to bring me this giant bear from very far away. A gift such as this shall not go unrewarded, lad. Uh, your name?

AUDUN: Audun, Your Majesty. Audun of Iceland.

KING SVEN:Audun, I offer you a position in my court as my royal cup-bearer with honours besides. And my personal invitation to stay at my palace for as long as you wish.

AUDUN: I... (looks at TRADER)

TRADER:Go on and take it, Audun.

AUDUN: I am honoured to accept, Your Majesty!

KING SVEN:Splendid!

[KING SVEN hands AUDUN a cup.]

14




TRADER:Farewell, my friend! Perhaps we will meet again someday on the seas.

[AUDUN and TRADER shake hands. TRADER exits. AUDUN goes to stand by KING SVEN’s side. NARRATOR enters.]

NARRATOR:Audun was honoured to bear King Sven’s cup for many months. It would be three years that spring.

[NARRATOR exits.]

AUDUN:(to KING SVEN) Sire, a word, if you please.

KING SVEN:Yes? What is it, my cup-bearer?

AUDUN: Nearly three years ago when I left Iceland, I promised my mother that I would return within three years. We all feel the warm spring breeze in the air. I realize I must set sail now if I am to make it back to Iceland by the end of summer.

KING SVEN: Hmm. Normally, I am not pleased when a member of my court asks to leave. But you promised your mother. And so you must go home to her.

[AUDUN sets the royal cup on a table.]

KING SVEN: Ah! It will be a shame to see you leave, Audun of Iceland. And it seems not right that you should return no better than when you started. Especially when you brought me this magnificent treasure of a bear.

15




[BEAR vainly primps to the audience.]

KING SVEN:(thinks for a moment) Come to the window.

[KING SVEN and AUDUN go to a window.]

KING SVEN:What do you see?

AUDUN:The finest, largest ship I have ever laid eyes on, Sire.

KING SVEN:She is yours! My gift to you for that treasure of a bear. That is the ship in which you will sail back home to Iceland.

AUDUN:I am stunned, Your Majesty.

KING SVEN:And the cargo inside? What pray tell do you suppose will happen to that?

AUDUN:I imagine it must first be unloaded, Your Majesty.

KING SVEN:Tell you what. The ship and all of the cargo in its hold belongs to you!

AUDUN: Your Majesty, you do me too much honour!

KING SVEN: But wait, there’s more! A ship can easily be sunk. If that happened, how would people know you carried with you the

16




blessing of the King of Denmark if you must swim to shore to save your life? That’s why I give you a purse of special silver coins you must keep with you at all times, stamped with my royal seal!

[KING SVEN gives AUDUN a coin purse.]

AUDUN: Thank you–

KING SVEN:(interrupts) Though. Coins can easily be stolen, yes? I daresay the seas are filled with brigands, cutpurses and pirates. And then, how would others know you had once done a great favour for the King of Denmark? And so I shall give you the official signet ring of my court.

[KING SVEN gives AUDUN a ring.]

AUDUN:(to audience) I hope I can remember all this! (to KING SVEN) I am without words. This is most incredibly generous. This must be all, is that right, Sire?

KING SVEN:One more thing. If someday you feel compelled to give the ring to a great man for a great favour, then do not hesitate to do so. Now, Audun, farewell.

AUDUN:(bows) I have been honoured to know you, Sire.

[AUDUN exits.]

Scene 6 – The dock in Norway

17




[Stage set: The docks are the same as the scene showed previously. However, KING HARALD is already standing there without GUARDS. AUDUN enters.]

AUDUN: (bows) I’ve returned, Your Majesty.

KING HARALD: So you have. Welcome back to Norway, lad. I imagine you gave that magnificent bear to the King of Denmark?

AUDUN:(worried) Uh, yes.

KING HARALD:And tell me. Did King Sven give you anything in return for the bear when you left?

AUDUN: Yes. He gave me this wonderful cargo ship for me to travel home in.

[AUDUN gestures offstage. KING HARALD also looks in that direction, nodding as if he has seen something grand.]

KING HARALD: That truly is an impressive vessel. But I believe I’d have given you something similar in return for the bear.

AUDUN: He also gave me all the cargo that the ship contains.

KING HARALD:(taken aback) All the cargo? I would have thought the ship alone would be sufficient.

18




AUDUN: Indeed. Yet he also gave me another gift. A purse of coins bearing his royal seal.

KING HARALD: All right, all right, I get it.

AUDUN: And one last thing. He gave me the signet ring of the royal Danish court.

KING HARALD:I must say I am impressed.

AUDUN:Which I now give to you, Your Majesty. (offers KING HARALD the ring)

KING HARALD:What?

AUDUN: You could have taken my life, Sire, and that of my bear. But you allowed me to leave in peace. Others may not have done so. I hope you will accept this ring as a token of my gratitude.

KING HARALD:(takes the ring) This is most unexpected. (stands up straight and makes his voice deeper) Audun of Iceland! Because of your display of appreciation to the Norwegian Crown, I present you with this gift of silver coins!

[KING HARALD snaps his fingers. Enter GUARD #2, carrying a small chest. He hands it to AUDUN.]

AUDUN: Why, thank you, Your Majesty!

19




20




KING HARALD:(looks at the ring) It’s been a long time since I’ve spoken to King Sven of Denmark. We used to be friends. Maybe it’s time we had a conversation again. (to AUDUN) Take your treasure and travel safely, Audun.

[AUDUN bows and exits.]

Scene 7 – Outside the long house

[Stage Set: Back at the long house below the mountains, AUDUN’S MOTHER sits churning butter.]

AUDUN’S MOTHER:Oh, the summer’s nearly over. It’s almost three whole years since Audun left home. I warned him about the sea monsters! (stands and paces) I know something terrible must have happened! (looks offstage, in the same direction as the TRADER’s ship appeared in Scene 1) Wait! Why, that’s the largest sea-dragon I’ve ever seen, and it just washed up on the shore!

[AUDUN enters, carrying the chest of silver coins.]

AUDUN: Not a sea-dragon, Mother.

AUDUN’S MOTHER: Audun! My son! You’re back!

[AUDUN'S MOTHER embraces AUDUN. AUDUN sets down the chest of silver coins.]

AUDUN: I promised I’d return in three years, mother. Here I am. And look! (gestures to the chest) The King of Norway gave me this chest of coins.

21




AUDUN’S MOTHER:What? Why would he do such a thing?

AUDUN:And there’s more. (points offstage to the direction he came from) You see that magnificent vessel? The King of Denmark gave that to me, and all of its cargo, too.

AUDUN’S MOTHER:Gifts from two kings! An entire ship and a chest of silver! I don’t know what to say. I can hardly believe it!

AUDUN:We can live comfortably for the rest of our lives!

[NARRATOR enters.]

NARRATOR:With his gold, Audun bought a fine Icelandic hall staffed with servants. And that’s where he moved to live as a nobleman with his mother and uncle. From time to time, Audun caught the urge to travel. He might go to explore Scandinavia again or to lands beyond, but he always returned home. For the rest of his life, Audun was esteemed by all those who knew him as the most deserving and fortunate of men.

[If you have a curtain, close it now. If you do not, all actors come on stage and bow to the audience.]

22




SOURCE: The play script, "Audun & the Bear," was adapted by Benjamin Knight from a story of the same name found at www.storiestogrowby.com/stories/audun_bear_iceland.html and further described at the end of the story. ©2005 Elaine L. Lindy. All rights reserved.

Performance Notes:

THREE WAYS THAT STUDENTS AND TEACHERS CAN UTILIZE THIS PLAY

1. Students can read the play aloud from their seats. Students simply read their lines. They do not follow the stage directions.2. Students can perform the play in the classroom. Clear an area that can be used as the stage. Have the audience sit on the floor in front of the stage. Students in the play can make simple costumes and/or sets as described below. When the scene change, the characters "on stage" simply walk to the back of the room where they wait until their next appearance "on stage."3. Students can perform the play on stage. For performance on a real stage, see the notes on costumes, props, and sets.

COSTUMES

NARRATOR — Casual modern-day clothing. AUDUN — Simple brown/dull-colored clothing. He wears a jacket,

boots and a necklace, too, which he gives to BEAR OWNER in scene 2.

AUDUN’S MOTHER — Brown/dull clothing, with a white scarf around her head.

TRADER — A backpack and a hat.

23




BEAR — Portrayed by wearing white clothing and a polar bear mask (if a full polar bear costume is not possible).

BEAR OWNER —Simple clothing. GUARD #1 and GUARD #2 — Helmets and carry swords. KING HARALD — Wears a crown and a blue cape. KING SVEN — Wears a crown and a red cape. SERVANT — Very plain clothing.

PROPS

Butter churn. Piles of yarn or thin rope to signify fishing netting. Eagle prop (a paper/cardboard cut-out attached to a stick, activated

by somebody off-stage). TRADER’S boat. (Appears in scenes 1, 2 and 3. This can be portrayed

by creating a large cardboard cut-out of a boat that, at most, three people can hide behind.)

Chest, filled with various colored cloths and small objects Blue ribbons, to be thrown over boat Rope (attached to BEAR) An enlarged map of Scandinavia (used by NARRATOR). Needs to be

visible to an audience member. Should show the countries of Scandanavia, Iceland and Greenland. You might differentiate the countries by drawing a dark border and giving each one a different color. Be sure to label the countries prominently, so the name of the countries are easily seen by the audience.

Coins Seagull prop (made the same as the eagle in Scene 1) KING HARALD’S throne (a large chair) KING SVEN’S throne (a large chair) Cup Small table Small coin purse (could be filled with anything – the bag is never

opened)

24




Ring Small chest of silver

SETS

Audun’s long house in Iceland, which appears in scenes 1 and 6, can be portrayed with a backdrop of a house and a mountain. However, with the least possible props, the butter churn and anything to represent the house could suffice.

Greenland can be portrayed by simply covering the set in white cloth, to simulate snow or ice.

Norway docks (scenes 3 and 6) could easily be a simple large plank of wood covering the floor to represent the pier. The cut-outs of seagulls also add to the scene.

King Harald’s Palace can be portrayed by large patterned cloths, representing tapestries, hanging from the walls, and a small statue or two anywhere in the scene. Harald’s throne is in the centre of the scene.

King Sven’s palace is portrayed the same way, except with a window in the scene.

25




· web viewbrr, it’s cold! they may call it “greenland,” but this place has so much more...

Documents