Readers’ Theatre – The King of the

Forest Lion: (Turns to face the audience) What do

you want?
CHARACTERS: Bear: King Lion, we have come to tell you
- Narrator something that will help you.
- Wolf Lion: What is it?
- Goat Bear: We know you are the King of the
- Doe Forest but you must stop eating the
- Zebra animals. You have killed many. Those you
- Bear have not killed are afraid to stay in the
- Monkey forest. Soon there will be no animals left.
- Fox Lion: What shall I eat? I must have
- Lion something to eat.
- Rabbit Bear: We will take care of that. Each day we
Narrator: (All animals except the Lion face will choose one animal for you to eat. It will
the audience.) Once there was a big lion come to your cave so that you will not have
who lived in the forest. All the other animals to hunt for food.
were afraid of him. Every day the lion went Lion: That is a good plan. Let’s try it. (All
through the forest to hunt for food. The animals except the Lion turn their backs to
animals tried to hide from him but the lion the audience.)
always found one and killed him. The forest Narrator: The animals carried out their
was not a safe place. At last the Wolf promise to the Lion. Each day they sent one
thought of calling all the animals to a little animal to the lion’s cave. Each night
meeting. one of them was missing from the forest.
Wolf: It is good that everyone is present. Narrator: (Rabbit turns to face the
(Sadly) We are here because we have a big audience) One day, the rabbit was chosen
problem. Our lives are in danger. (Cast: to be the lion’s meal. He started for the
Ooohhhh danger! Danger) lion’s cave early in the morning but he
Goat: Meeee-eee-eee. What can we do to thought he might as well have all the fun he
save ourselves from the lion? He eats one could before he was eaten. So, he played
of us every day. Soon all of us will die. along the way. (Rabbit hops) It was very late
Doe: The lion is fierce. He has no pity for when at last he hopped to the door of the
anyone. I remember that day I left my little lion’s cave. The lion was very hungry.
fawn alone. (Cries) When I came back, my Lion: (Growls angrily) Why have you kept
little one was gone. me waiting so long?
Zebra: What shall we do? The lion is wise. Rabbit: Good morning King Lion. Would
He roars to frighten the animals. They cry in you like to see a big lion that looks just like
their hiding places. That is why the lion you? He has a voice like yours too.
knows where to find them. Lion: Where is the other lion?
Bear: (Fearfully) The lion’s sharp claws can Rabbit: I cannot tell you that King Lion. You
tear us to pieces. He can climb a tree with have to come and see for yourself.
his strong paws and his teeth are very Narrator: Then the rabbit hopped away
sharp. through the forest and the lion followed him.
Monkey: (Angrily) Everyone is afraid of the Soon they came to a deep well. There was
lion. He is only one. We are many. Can we water at the bottom of it and it was very
not stop him from killing us? deep.
Fox: If we don’t plan well, then we will all Rabbit: Look down there King Lion. There
die. Why don’t we think hard and talk about he is!
the matter? Narrator: The lion looked down into the
Wolf: What do you suggest? well. There he saw another lion. He opened
Rabbit: Everyone must think of a plan. Then his mouth and roared. (Lion ROARS) The
we shall decide what is the best. echo of his voice was very loud. (Echo of
All: We agree. Let’s think of a good plan. roar) He jumped into the well (Lion jumps)
Narrator: The animals thought and thought. to fight the other lion and was drowned.
Many gave suggestions. Finally, they chose (Lion stays in the well) The rabbit hopped
the Rabbit’s plan as they thought it was the back to tell the other animals about the
best. That night, the animals went to see the good news.
lion. As they came near the cave, they
heard him growl. (Lion growls) Some
wanted to turn back but, when they saw All: (All animals turn to face the audience)
how brave the rabbit was, they went on. After that the animals lived in peace in the
forest.