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Scene opens, Humming bird, Frog, Tree lizard and Blue gill on set. Humming bird is drinking nectar from cactus |
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Humming bird |
It's great to be able to drink nectar in peace. Those human children used to chase me away all the time. |
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Tree lizard |
Yes, you're right - the children often threw stones at me and tried to catch me. |
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Frog |
I liked the humans being around; they made the lake, you know. |
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Blue gill |
I completely agree. I couldn't even be here without the lake. |
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Gila monster walks in slowly from left
Horned toad lizard walks in slowly from right |
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Gila monster |
Oh, I'm really hungry! Has anyone seen any birds' nests around, full of delicious eggs? |
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Horned toad lizard |
Eggs! Who wants to eat eggs? Give me lots of juicy ants any day. |
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Humming bird |
Your lucky that now the humans have gone you can come into town to to find eggs and ants. |
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Horned toad lizard |
Yes and there's a harvester ants nest right next to the old grocery store. I know exactly where to find my lunch. |
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Humming bird moves off right
Dragonfly moves in from left |
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Frog (quietly - stage whisper to audience) |
Ah, a dragonfly! Here's my lunch. |
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Tree lizard (quietly - stage whisper to audience) |
Not if I can help it! I like to eat dragonflies too. |
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Both start to move towards dragonfly who has not seen them yet. |
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Dragonfly |
What good luck to have a lake in the middle of the desert.
(Short pause) Is that a frog? Oh no,
and this looks very much like a tree lizard. Why is there never any rest? |
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Dragonfly flies off to left (high)
Frog jumps but misses, then moves back to position under cactus.
Tree lizard starts to follow but then stops under cactus
Enter Coyote from right with Kissing bug behind
Enter Rattlesnake from right , behind cactus
Tree lizard stays onstage but hides on other side of the cactus
Frog moves offstage |
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Coyote |
I am so fed up with these parasites! |
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Kissing bug (moving up, so as to be seen) |
Since the humans have gone, I'm forced to feed on coyotes. It's a shame really because I prefer human blood. |
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Coyote |
Why me? Go and find another coyote |
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Rattlesnake |
I can't believe you miss the humans, bug. Rattlesnakes almost became extinct when they lived around here. |
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Coyote |
I know. The humans used to shoot coyotes, too. |
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Kissing bug |
I'm glad they aren't around to shoot you. I like it in your fur and I am very difficult to get rid of, unless I decide to
change my host. But for the moment I am quite happy with you. |
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Coyote (moving off right) |
Grrrrrrrrr! |
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Rattlesnake moves to left and Tree lizard moves to the other side of the
cactus (left)
Meanwhile Vine snake appears from cactus and sees tree lizard |
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Vine snake |
What good luck! Lunch is sitting right under my nose. |
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Vine snake moves slowly down towards tree lizard. Tree lizard sees vine
snake just in time, gives out a screech, and moves quickly left |
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Tree lizard |
Oh my - that was too close for comfort! |
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Tree lizard moves offstage to left |
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Vine snake |
That is very disappointing - another day perhaps, my dear lizard. |
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Centipede enters from right
Grasshopper mouse enters from left |
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Grasshopper mouse |
Get out of my way, centipede! |
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Centipede |
Hey, why should I get out of your way? Move aside, grasshopper mouse. |
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Grasshopper mouse |
OK, so we fight it out, invertebrate but I warn you I am faster than you and I like the taste of your poisoned fangs. |
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Centipede |
But you won't like it when I squirt my poison into your eyes. |
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Both fight and move off to left
At the same time the black widow spider enters from the right |
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Black widow spider |
Wow, did you see that fight! |
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Rattlesnake |
That could not have happened when the humans were around. They would have chased them both away. |
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Black widow spider |
I'm pleased the humans are gone. I can make my webs in the dark corners of their houses now and wait for my food to
come to me. |
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Vine snake |
You had better get back to those dark corners, black widow. Night is falling and your food will be waiting for you. |
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Osprey enters (high)
Vine snake and Black widow goes offstage
Rattlesnake remains onstage |
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Osprey |
I can't see very
much. I have left it very late in the day to hunt for fish. |
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(pause - hovers around). |
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Meanwhile Owl enters and rests on cactus, Tarantula and Packrat enter from right |
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Osprey |
Ah! I think I see one (makes a dive on Blue Gill) Missed! Guess I'll have to wait until its light. |
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Osprey moves off to left |
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Blue Gill |
Wow! I wish it was always as dark as this! I'll go down deeper in the lake now that the night creatures are out looking for
food. |
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Lights go down. Tarantula and Owl join rattlesnake on stage. Owl on the top of the cactus. |
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Owl |
It's a beautiful night. Now what is there to eat? |
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Tarantula |
I wouldn't try to eat me, owl. I have poison in my fangs. |
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Rattlesnake |
Yes, and me too. |
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Pack rat enters unaware of the other animals |
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Packrat |
Oh great! Now that the humans have gone I can clean up Ruby. I can eat practically anything! - or at least try to. |
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Tarantula |
Be careful, packrat - there are a few predators around. |
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Packrat |
Where? (looks around) A rattlesnake - and an owl (bounces off as rattlesnake and owl try to catch it.) |
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Rattlesnake |
Oh too bad! Stupid tarantula - you always manage to spoil my dinner. |
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Owl |
That could have been my dinner too. |
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Tarantula |
Tough luck! I'm off into a house to see if any young birds or bats have fallen out of their cosy nests. |
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Tarantula moves off |
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Owl |
I'll look elsewhere too. (moves off) |
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Rattlesnake |
There must be something to eat somewhere.
(moves off) |
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Packrat bounces back onstage |
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Packrat |
Good - now that they have all gone I can look for my food in peace. |
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Enter ring tailed cat |
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Ring-tailed cat |
Am I dreaming? A tasty packrat and it's just for me. |
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Packrat |
You'll never catch me, ring tail. |
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Ring-tailed cat |
Don't be so sure about that - I am a champion pack rat catcher. |
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Fight starts and animals move off stage.
Scorpion moves on stage |
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Scorpion |
What - nothing to eat! |
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Tarantula moves onstage |
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Scorpion |
(stage whisper to audience) I spoke too soon - here comes my supper. |
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Tarantula |
No little bats! No little birds! No food for a poor tarantula. |
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Scorpion |
Oh, poor tarantula! It doesn't seem to be
your night, does it? After I have finished with you, you will not have to worry
about finding something to eat. |
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Fight starts and animals move off stage - more light as dawn breaks
All day animals come back onstage and feed |
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Tree lizard |
It is easier for all of us now that the humans have left Ruby. |
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Blue Gill |
Yes, but I have to thank the humans for the lake. |
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Osprey |
And I could not exist in the desert without the lake. |
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Humming bird |
Some of the animals are busy re-cycling Ruby. |
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Kissing bug |
The packrats, termites and ants are all re-cyclers. |
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All together |
Between us we are returning Ruby to Nature. |
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