Mice-Capades
Characters: Matthew Mouse, Matilda Mouse, Dory Doe, Chelsey Chickadee, Rocky Raccoon
Props: small strip of fur, 6” piece of feather boa, bag labeled “Nuts” prop; special stage with tunnel and chamber under the snow.
(Puppets appear on top of the snow)
Matthew Hey Matilda, let’s go out for a walk in the snow.
Matilda Sorry, Matthew. I’ve decided to hibernate like Woody Woodchuck and sleep until spring. So, see you in May!
Matthew Matilda, hibernating is much more than sleeping. Only a few animals can do it, and white-footed mice like us are not hibernators.
Matilda Well, then I’ll just be dormant like Rocky Raccoon. He sleeps for weeks at a time in winter.
Matthew No, Matilda. We’re not dormant animals either. We’d get too hungry.
Matilda Well, gee. I wish I’d migrated, like Martin Monarch. He went to Mexico!
Matthew Sure, lots of animals are dormant or hibernating, or they’ve migrated away, but we mice get to stay active and enjoy the winter!
Matilda Enjoy the winter? With wind and snow and frozen water, and the plants not making any food? Winter’s no fun! I’ve got a nice warm nest, and I plan to stay inside it.
Matthew But aren’t you tired of eating old stale food? Let’s go find some fresh berries. There are still some on the bushes.
Matilda Mmm, fresh berries? That does sound good. Okay, I guess I’ll come. (hops) Brrr, I can see my breath.
Matthew Come on, let’s go! (hops off stage)
Matilda Okay. Now which way did he go? It’s hard to see when it’s snowing like this.
Doe (fur strip draped over back) Hello, Matilda Mouse.
Matilda Dory Doe! You scared me. Gee, you aren’t even shivering and I’m frozen!
Doe Oh, I’m quite warm. I’ve got my winter coat on. It’s like wearing a blanket.
Matilda You put a coat on?
Doe No, but I grew a special coat of crinkly fur that holds in my warmth.
Matilda You’re lucky to have such thick fur. I only have a thin coat and I’m brrr cold.
Doe Here, Matilda. You can have this fur that I shed. (move fur to mouse)
Matilda Why thanks, Dory! I’ll be much warmer now.
Doe Yes, and it looks very deer! Bye, Matilda. (exits)
Matilda Bye Dory Doe. Mm, this fur is warm, but I’m still chilled.
Chelsey Chickadee (with feather boa draped over back) Chickadee, dee, dee!
Matilda Hello, Chelsey Chickadee. See my new coat? Gee, you look like you’ve… um…put on some weight
Chickadee Nope. Just fluffed up my feathers a bit.
Matilda You must be very cold with nothing but feathers on.
Chickadee Are you kidding? Feathers are the best kind of insulation there is. I even grow extra feathers in time for winter.
Matilda Really?
Chickadee Sure! Especially these downy feathers underneath. It’s like wearing long-johns. Here, have some feathers to keep you warm. (move feather boa to mouse)
Matilda Why thank you, Chelsey! I feel warmer already.
Chickadee Chicka-dee-dee. I’m just dee-lighted I could help. So long! (exits)
Matilda Bye, Chelsey. Mm, I do feel warm in my fur coat and down muffler.
Rocky Raccoon Huh? Is that you, Matilda?
Matilda Hi, Rocky Raccoon. Sure it’s me. I’m wearing these extra layers to stay warm. But Rocky, I thought you’d be asleep. Aren’t you dormant in winter?
Raccoon Ho ho, yes, I sleep a lot in winter! But I wake up when my belly feels empty.
Matilda Your belly looks pretty full to me.
Raccoon Ho, ho, that’s because I put on a nice layer of fat, to keep my insides warm. You should too, Matilda. Here, have some hickory nuts. They’ll put some fat on your bones. (give bag prop to mouse)
Matilda Oh, yum! Thanks, Rocky.
Raccoon You’re welcome! I’ve eaten my fill (yawns) and now I’m ready for a little snooze. See you in the spring. (exits)
Matilda Okay, sleep tight, Rocky!
Matthew Matilda! There you are!
Matilda Hi, Matthew, look at me! I’m ready for the cold. See – fur, feathers, and some nuts to make me fat!
Matthew You do look warm, but we’ve got to run! Willy Weasel’s right behind me! Quick! Hop down in this tunnel.
Matilda Yikes! But Matthew, I’ll freeze down there in the snow and I can’t fit in that tunnel with all these clothes on.
Matthew Don’t worry. It’s warmer under the snow, and there’s no wind. You won’t need those layers. Hurry!
Matilda Okay… (shakes off clothes) Here we go! (both go down tunnel to chamber)
Matthew We’re safe! That was a close call.
Matilda Yes, phew! And it is warmer down here! I guess we mice don’t really need thick fur since we can go under the snow. Only, how are we going to get food? I don’t want to go back outside with that weasel around!
Matthew Wait a minute. I think I’ve got a pile of food stored here somewhere. (looks left and right) Look! Here it is! It might be a bit old and stale…
Matilda Old stale food? Yum! My favorite!
THE END
Nearby Nature 