The Sparrow's Gift

a play written by Mary DeLia, performed by  her homeschool group, based on the Japanese folk tale, 'The Tongue Cut Sparrow', in the book "What your 2nd Grader Needs to Know," edited by E.D. Hirsch, Jr.

In this scene the Woodcutter has arrived at the Sparrows' house and is being entertained with a song and dance while he enjoys "tea, sweet candies and rice cake".
The Woodcutter is played by Nick Cooper. The sparrows are: Emily DeLia (The Tongue-Cut Sparrow), Sierra Cooper, Anastazia Van Sise, Sophia Rogers, Emma Rogers, Faith Rogers and Judah Santos.
 
Some trees, sitting on the floor in the background, are Gregor Van Sise and William Sullivan. Also in the play, but not in the photo, was Emma Sullivan who played the Woodcutters wife.
 
We used one table to signify both the Woodcutter's House and the Sparrows' House, simply changing some props in between scenes.
 
This play also works well with as few as three actors and audience participation for the sparrow family and the trees.
 
We did not actually cut anything during the "tongue-cutting" scene. The mean wife simply makes a very dramatic scissor motion with her arms followed by a loud clap. It got the point across without terrifying any very young children!
 
I hope others may want to put on this play and use their own creative ideas with it.

Stories from Around the World
Homeschool Plays© Copyright 2009 Mary DeLia

The Sparrows’ Gift (The Tongue-Cut Sparrow)
Japanese folk tale, adapted by Mary DeLia © from the Tongue-Cut Sparrow, as seen in What Your 2nd Grader Needs to Know, Edited by E.D. Hirsch, Jr.

Characters: 

Tongue-Cut Sparrow
Woodcutter
Woodcutter’s wife
Wife’s cat
Narrator-
Sparrow family (2 – 5)
Basket sparrows (2) 
Trees in woods (3-5)

Emily DeLia as a Sparrow

Script:

Scene 1 Husband and Wife sit at table eating while narration begins.

Narration: Once there was a kindly old man who lived in Japan with his wife.

Husband: Good morning, my dear wife. What a beautiful morning.

Wife: Beautiful? I guess, if you like the sun shining in your eyes.
How many times do I have to tell you to fix those shades?

Narration: They never had any children, so the husband befriended a tiny sparrow and cared for it like a child.

(Enter sparrow tweeting)

Husband: Ah, there you are my sweet little bird. I have some fresh bread crusts to share with you on this fine morning. (feed sparrow)

Wife: Husband, why are you feeding that silly bird? You think of nothing but that silly bird.

Husband: My dear, this tiny sparrow brings such happiness to our home with her gentle ways and sweet singing.

Sparrow (song): Tweet, tweet, tweet, my song is sweet. Tweet, tweet, tweet my beak is sweet. Tweet, tweet, tweet, sugar is sweet. Tweet, tweet, tweet and you are sweet.

Sparrow's Waltz

(Husband listens and smiles. Wife scowls.)

Wife: Go out and chop the wood, husband! Leave that silly bird be!

Husband: Yes, dear wife. Good bye. Good bye, dear sparrow.

Sparrow: tweets

(Husband goes into the background and chops wood.)

(Sparrow follows and then flies out of sight)

(Wife sets up laundry to begin ironing (Bring wooden iron and ironing board)

Wife:  Oh, boy these robes will be as stiff as wood with my wonderful starch. Two parts ground rice, one part water. A dash a fresh jasmine for scent.  ----- Hmm, smells good enough to eat.

(Sparrow peaks her head in at the mention of rice and water. Licks lips.)

(As the wife begins to press her laundry, the sparrow sneaks up - to the music of “The Cat” from Peter and the Wolf - and, after inspecting the bowl, sneaks a taste.

Wife: Why you horrid little creature!! How dare you steal my starch!!

(She snips off her tongue and the sparrow flies off into the woods.)

(Husband returns – rushing in.)

Husband: What have you done? Where is my sparrow?
(He rushes off into the woods to find her.)


TREES (Children dressed as trees) IN

Husband: Sparrow! Sparrow! Where are you?

When she flutters through he’s relieved.

Husband: Ah, there you are! I was so worried. Are you alright?

Sparrow: Old man, you have always been kind to me. Now I will show you some kindness.

Husband: Sparrow, you … can talk!

Sparrow: Yes, when your wife cut my tongue it gave me the ability to speak your language. Now, come, meet my family.

TREES OUT – Sparrow family enters


Tongue-Cut Sparrow: Come and sit. (Husband bows and removes shoes) We have rice cakes, sweet candies and tea. (Once husband is set with tea) Come brothers and sisters.

(Sparrow family does The Sparrow’s Waltz )

Husband: (stands) This has been a magical day, and I thank you for your kindness. But I see the sun is setting. Forgive me, but I must be returning home.

Sparrow Sister:  before you go, please accept a gift.

(Gift sparrows place two baskets in front of him.)

Sparrow Brother: Please choose one of these.

Tongue-Cut Sparrow: And do not open it until you reach home.

Narrator: The old man was not greedy so he took the smaller basket and headed back home.

Tongue-Cut Sparrow: I will see you again soon, my friend.

(The sparrows all say good bye and exit)

Husband returns home

Wife: Where have you been! (angry)

Husband: Oh, dear wife, I have been to the sparrow’s home. It has been a most magical day! Look! They’ve given me a gift! They told me to choose a basket. (mumbling) I didn’t want to be greedy so I took the smaller one.

(He pours jewels out of the basket. They are both surprised.)

Wife: You foooooool!!!!!!! (screams) I can’t believe you didn’t take the big basket!!! (Gets up) I’m going there. Where did you say they live?

Husband: In the woods … but, dear, it’s so late …

(She ignores him and heads to the woods.

TREES IN

Wife: Sparrow! Sparrow!! (Sparrow appears) Sparrow! Let me in.

Tongue-Cut Sparrow:  Oh, yes, please come in!

TREES OUT

Tongue-Cut Sparrow: Please, have some tea. (Set up tea, then …)
Come, brothers and sisters. (The sparrow family prepares to sng and dance but is interrupted after one bar of music)

Wife: Enough of this! I have to go.

Sparrow Sister:  Before you go, please accept a gift.

(Gift Sparrows place placed two baskets in front of him.)

Sparrow Brother: Please choose one of these.

Tongue-Cut Sparrow: And do not open it until you reach home.

(The wife grabs the big basket (laundry sized) and runs out the door.)

TREES IN

Wife: Ugh! This basket is so heavy. (She sits) One little peak won’t hurt.

(She lifts the blanket and Out pops snakes and wasps that sting her all over. Children behind curtain make bee sounds. She runs through the woods, screaming, and ends up back at her home and collapses into her chair.)

Narrator: The kind man took care of his wife until she was all better.

Wife: I was wrong to hurt the sparrow. And I was too greedy. From now on I will take care of all the sparrows and be kind, like you, dear husband.

Narrator: And that’s what she did. Their home was always filled with sweet songs and the gentle ways of all of the birds in the woods.