Little Red Riding Rabbit
Characters: Mother Rabbit, Bunny, Grandma Rabbit, Fox
Props: a thorny raspberry thicket, Grandma’s shawl, sign saying “Meanwhile in Grandma Rabbit’s Thicket”
Mother Rabbit Listen, Bunny Dear. Grandma Rabbit is not feeling well today. Why don’t you go and visit her? Maybe that will make her feel better.
Bunny Sure. I’ll cut right through the woods because that’s a faster way to get to Grandma Rabbit’s thicket.
Rabbit OK, but remember to keep a lookout for danger.
Bunny Of course I will. My big eyes let me see well even in dim light.
Rabbit That’s right. And because they’re on the side of your head, you can see almost all the way around yourself.
Bunny Yeah. Nothing will escape my eyes!
Rabbit And remember to listen for danger.
Bunny I sure will. I’ve got big ears on the side of my head, too.
Rabbit True. Don’t forget you can swivel them all around to hear in any direction.
Bunny Nothing will sneak up on me!
Rabbit And remember to sniff for danger.
Bunny Oh, I have a really good sense of smell, so I can tell when there’s a predator nearby.
Rabbit Good. If you use all of your senses, you’ll get to Grandma Rabbit’s thicket with no trouble.
Bunny Right! See you later. (both exit)
(Hold up sign saying “Meanwhile in Grandma Rabbit’s Thicket”)
Grandma Rabbit Oh dear. I’m not feeling well and I’m getting old. My old eyes don’t focus as well, and my old ears don’t hear as well, and my old nose doesn’t smell as well as it used to, but I think there’s Mr. Fox come to visit! (Fox enters) Oh dear me. My old legs don’t run as well so…Help!
Fox Gotcha! Hey, stop kicking me, Granny Rabbit. Gee, you’re a tough old thing!
Grandma Rabbit That’s right, I am tough – tough and stringy. You won’t want to eat me.
Fox Oh yes, I will! I’m hungry. We predators have to wait so long between meals that we’re happy to eat even an old rabbit like you.
Grandma Rabbit But you won’t find much meat on my bones. I’m withered and gray!
Fox Well, you’ll still make a meal that’s full of energy for me.
Grandma Rabbit Uh oh, Fox! You’d better look out, because there’s a big ol’ bear, and he’s after you!
Fox Nice try, Granny Rabbit, but that looks more like a nice young bunny to me, not a big old bear at all. I’m just going to have to save you for later while I catch that tasty morsel.
Grandma Rabbit Oh no! That looks like Little Red Riding Rabbit!
Fox Yes, yes it is! And I can hide you in this nice prickly raspberry thicket. In you go! (Grandma exits behind thicket)
Grandma Rabbit Oh no! Look out, Little Red Riding Rabbit!
Fox There! I’ll come back for you later. Now, I’ll just put on Grandma’s shawl, and no one will ever know the difference. (Fox leaves and re-enters wearing Grandma’s shawl; Bunny enters)
Bunny Hello, Grandma Rabbit, is that you?
Fox Yes it is, Bunny Dear.
Bunny Gee, Grandma Rabbit, what big eyes you have, and they’re right on the front of your head!
Fox The better to see in front of me where my prey is trying to flee.
Bunny And Grandma Rabbit, what big ears you have, and they’re pointing to the front too!
Fox The better to hear my prey, especially when I’m chasing it before me, hee, hee, hee.
Bunny And Grandma Rabbit, what a big, long nose you have!
Fox The better to sniff out my prey when it’s trying to hide, ha ha ha!
Bunny And Grandma Rabbit, what big, sharp, pointy teeth you have!
Fox The better to pierce and grip and bite and EAT YOU with!
Bunny You’re not Grandma Rabbit at all! You’re a Predator!
Fox (Takes off shawl) That’s right. And you’re going to be my breakfast!
Bunny But first you have to catch me, and I’m good at making quick turns to throw off my pursuer, so I’ll turn here (turns), and here (turns), and here (turns)!
Fox I’ll catch you soon enough, Little Rabbit, because I can run faster and longer than you can.
Bunny But Mr. Fox, like all herbivores, I know all the escape routes in my neighborhood, so I’ll just dive down this hole into the raspberry thicket. (exits)
Fox Perfect! Now I have two rabbit meals right where I want them. I’ll just stick my nose in here to see how tasty they smell…ow! Too many prickers. I’ll try over here…ow! Too many prickers. Maybe over here…ow! Too many prickers!
Grandma Rabbit (peeking out from thicket) One thing we didn’t mention, Mr. Fox.
Fox Grrrr. What’s that?
Grandma Rabbit We LIVE in the raspberry thicket, and you’ll never catch us here!
Bunny (peeking out from thicket) Happy Hunting, Mr. Fox.
Fox Grrrr! I’ll get you next time, you Rabbits! (exits)
THE END
Nearby Nature 