Fairy Tale / Folk Tale CyberDictionary

Characters: Narrators 12, Stellaluna, Pip, Flitter, Flap. Mama Bat, Mama Bird, Bat One, Bat two

Narrator 1: In a warm and sultry forest far, far away, there once lived a mother fruit bat and her new baby . Oh, how Mother Bat loved her soft tiny baby.

Mother Bat: I'll name you Stellaluna .

Narrator 1: Each night, Mother Bat would carry Stellaluna clutched to her breast as she flew out to search for food.

Narrator 2: One night, as Mother Bat followed the heavy scent of ripe fruit, an owl spied her. On silent wings the powerful bird swooped down upon the bats. Dodging and shrieking, Mother Bat tried to escape, but the owl struck again and again, knocking Stellaluna into the air. Her baby wings were as limp and useless as wet paper. Down, down she went , faster and faster, into the forest below.

Narrator 3: The dark leafy tangle of branches caught Stellaluna as she fell. One twig was small enough for Stellaluna's tiny feet. Wrapping her wings about her, she clutched the thin branch, trembling with cold and fear.

Stellaluna (squealing) Mother Bat Where are you?

Narrator 3: By daybreak , the baby bat could hold on no longer. Down, down again she dropped.

Narrator 4: Flump! Stellaluna landed headfirst in a soft downy nest, startling the three baby birds who lived there . Stellauluna quickly clambered from the nest and hung out of sight below it. She listened to the babble of the three birds.

Flap: What was that?

Flitter: I don't know, but it's hanging by its feet.

Pip: Shhh! Here comes Mama.

Narrator 5: Many, many times that day Mama Bird flew away, always returning with food for her babies. Stellaluna was terribly hungry - but not for the crawly things Mama Bird brought. Finally, though, the little bat could bear it no longer. She climbed into the nest, closed her eyes, and opened her mouth. Plop! In dropped a big green grasshopper !

Narrator 6: Stellaluna learned to be like the birds. She stayed awake all day and slept at night. She ate bugs even though they tasted awful. Her bat ways were quickly disappearing. Except for one thing: Stellaluna still liked to sleep hanging by her feet .

Narrator 7: Once, when Mama was away, the curious baby birds decided to try it, too. When Mama Bird came home she saw eight tiny feet gripping the edge of the nest.

Mama Bird: Eeeek! Get back up here this instant! You're going to fall and break your necks !"

Narraator 7: The birds clambered back into the nest, but Mama Bird stopped Stellaluna.

Mama Bird "You are teaching my children to do bad things. I will not let you back into this nest unless you promise to obey all the rules of this house." Stellaluna promised. She ate bugs without making faces. She slept in the nest at night. And she didn't hang by her feet. Stellaluna behaved as a good bird should.

Narrator 8: All the babies grew quickly . Soon the nest became crowded. Mama Bird told them it was time to learn to fly. One by one, Pip, Flitter, Flap, and Stellaluna jumped from the nest. Their wings worked!

Stellaluna: I'm just like them. I can fly, too.

Pip, Flitter, and Flap landed gracefully on a branch. Stellaluna tried to do the same. But she was not as graceful. How embarrassing!

Stellaluna: I will fly all day, Then no one will see how clumsy I am.

Narrator 9: The next day, Pip , Flitter, Flap, and Stellaluna went flying far from home. They flew for hours, exercising their new wings.

Flitter: The sun is setting.

Flap: We had better go home or we will get lost in the dark.

Narrator 9: But Stellaluna had flown far ahead and was nowhere to be seen. The three anxious birds went home without her.

Narrator 9: All alone, Stellaluna flew and flew until her wings ached and she dropped into a tree.

Stellaluna: I promised not to hang by my feet.

Narrator 10: So she hung by her thumbs and soon fell asleep. She didn't hear the soft sound of wings coming near.

Bat One: Hey. Why are you hanging upside down?

Narrator 10: Stellaluna's eyes opened wide. She saw a most peculiar face.

Stellaluna: I'm not upside down, you are!

Bat One: Ah, but you're a bat. Bats hang by their feet. You are hanging by your thumbs, so that makes you upside down. "I'm a bat. I am hanging by my feet. That makes me right side up!"

Stellaluna: (looking confused). "Mama Bird told me I was upside down. She said I was wrong

Bat One : Wrong for a bird, maybe, but not for a bat."

Stellaluna: More bats gathered around to see the strange young hat who behaved like a bird.

Narrator 10: Stellaluna told them her story.

Bat One : You ate b-bugs?

Bat Two: You slept at night?

All Bats: How very strange. Wait! Wait! Let me look at this child.

Mama Bat: An owl attacked you? You are Stellaluna. You are my baby.

Stellaluna: You escaped the owl? You survived?

Mother Bat: Yes come with me and I'll show you where to find the most delicious kiwis . You'll never have to eat another bug as long as you live.

Stellaluna: (squeaking) But it's nighttime. We can't fly in the dark or we will crash into trees.

Mother Bat: We're bats. We can see in darkness. Come with us.

Narrator 11: Stellaluna was afraid, but she let go of the tree and dropped into the deep blue sky. Stellaluna could see. She felt as though rays of light shone from her eyes. She was able to see everything in her path.

Stellaluna: I'll never eat another bug as long as I live she stuffed herself I must tell Pip, Flitter, and Flap!

Narrator 11: The next day Stellaluna went to visit the birds.

Stellaluna: Come with me and meet my bat family.

Pip: Okay, let's go.

Stellalluna: They hang by their feet and they fly at night and they eat the very best food in the world.

Flap: I feel upside down here.

Stellaluna: Wait until dark. We will fly at night.

Narrator 12: When night came Stellaluna flew away. Pip, Flitter, and Flap leapt from the trees to follow her.

Pip: I can't see a thing!

Flitter: (howling) Neither can I.

Flap: (shrieking) Aaeee!

Stellaluna: They're going to crash. I must rescue them!

Narrator 12: Just then. Stellaluna swooped about a tree, and the birds grasped a branch. Stellaluna hung from the limb above them.

Stellaluna : We're safe. I wish you could see in the dark, too.

The Birds: We wish you could land on your feet.

Narrator 12: They perched in silence for a long time.

Flitter: How can we be so different and feel so much alike?

Pip: And how can we feel so different and be so much alike

Flap: I think this is quite an 'x-troadinary' mystery.

Stellaluna: I agree. But we're friends. And that's a fact.

Everybody : Z-End

Stellaluna Readers Theatre