Dinner Guest Dilemmas
Characters: Sally Squirrel, Molly Mole, Willy Weasel, Benjy Bear
Props: foods like corn cobs, apples, blueberries, clover
Sally Squirrel I hope I have everything ready for my dinner party. My guests should be arriving any time now. (knocking sound) Here’s someone now!
Molly Mole Hi, Sally Squirrel. Am I the first one here?
Squirrel Yes, come right in, Molly Mole. May I offer you some acorn appetizers?
Mole Acorns? Oh, no thank you, Sally. I can’t eat acorns.
Squirrel Then how about some fir buds? They’re delicious. I cut them myself.
Mole No thank you, Sally. You’re an herbivore, so your wide, flat teeth are good for grinding up hard nuts and buds. My teeth are not made for eating plants, hard or soft.
Squirrel Oh, I didn’t realize that.
Mole It’s because I’m an insectivore. My sharp needle-like teeth are perfect for biting into insects – the crunchier the better. Yum! So who else is coming to your party?
Squirrel Well, let’s see. There’s Harry Hare, Milly Mouse, and Christopher Cricket…
Mole A cricket? Great! I’ll just wait and eat him!
Squirrel But Christopher Cricket is my guest – he’s coming to eat dinner, not to be eaten for dinner!
Mole Ah, I see. That’s too bad. Who else is invited?
Squirrel Well, I also asked Willy Weasel.
Mole Willy Weasel? (uneasy) Gosh, um, what time is it? I just remembered I have a very important appointment. Sorry I can’t stay for your dinner party! Goodbye, Sally. (exits)
Squirrel Bye, Molly! Gosh, that’s too bad… though maybe it’s just as well. Oh look, here comes Willy Weasel now.
Willy Weasel Hi, Sally! I can’t wait for dinner. It’s nice of you to invite me and you look delicious…I mean you’re looking good. So, who are we having for dinner?
Squirrel Hi, Willy. Glad you could come. Molly Mole was just here but she suddenly had to leave.
Weasel Shucks, that’s too bad! Well, one mole wouldn’t go very far anyway. You must have something else planned.
Squirrel Yes! I have some hickory nuts, butternuts, and acorns.
Weasel Nuts! I can’t eat a bunch of nuts. Your big front teeth are good for chipping away at hard shells, but I don’t have big chippers like yours.
Squirrel Gee, it looks like you’ve got very large teeth, on the side here – long, pointy ones. I can see them.
Weasel Those are my canine teeth. They’re good for piercing and killing prey animals, and my sharp molars are good for slicing into meat. Come a little closer so you can see them. I’m a carnivore you know – a meat-eater.
Squirrel Oh dear. I’m afraid I don’t have anything for you to eat tonight.
Weasel That’s okay. I’ll just eat you! (lunges)
Squirrel Oh no you won’t! You forgot I’ve got other company coming. Here comes Benjy Bear right now.
Weasel Well, I’m not afraid of an ol’ bear, but I’ll be going anyway. Dinner without meat is not my cup of tea. (exits)
Squirrel Phew, that’s one guest I won’t invite again!
Benjy Bear Hi, Sally!
Squirrel Hi there, Benjy. I’m glad you showed up just at this moment. Um, I think I am, anyway.
Bear Well, I’m not one to be late for dinner! Let’s see, what’ve you got to eat here? Acorns, buds – yum!
Squirrel You like eating plants? Phew, that’s a relief. Your teeth don’t look like herbivore teeth. You’ve got big canines and sharp-looking molars, just like a weasel!
Bear Yes, but I’ve also got wide, flat molars in the back of my mouth for chewing up plants. I’m an omnivore, you know. My teeth are good for eating just about anything. In fact, you look kind of tasty.
Squirrel Yu-yu-you eat meat too?
Bear Sure! Animal, vegetable, anything goes! It all depends on how hungry I am.
Squirrel And just how hungry are you?
Bear Very hungry! I always bring a good appetite when I’m invited to a dinner party.
Squirrel I was afraid of that!
Bear But I’m not picky. I’ll eat whatever I can get my paws on. (moves closer to squirrel)
Squirrel Uh oh! Wait, Benjy! I’ve got something you can get your paws on right here. (exits, reenters with corn) Here, have some of this corn.
Bear Mmm, don’t mind if I do. (munches loudly as though eating corn; exit corn)
Squirrel (presents apples) And here are some apples…
Bear Mmm, I love apples! (munches loudly as though eating apples; exit apples)
Squirrel (presents blueberries) Here, have some of these blueberries too…
Bear Blueberries! Yum! (munches berries; exit berries)
Squirrel (out of breath) And here’s some clover…(presents clover)
Bear Stop! I couldn’t eat another bite – animal or vegetable! You sure know how to throw a party, Sally Squirrel. I’m so full, (yawn) I need a nap. So long, Sally, and thanks for dinner! (exits)
Squirrel Phew, lucky I had a good supply of plant food on hand. Next time I have a dinner party, I’ll be sure to invite only herbivores like me. No more insectivores, carnivores, or omnivores. They might eat my guests – or ME!
THE END
Nearby Nature 