Fairy Tales Retold: reading drama; Tom Thumb 2

Read the play, then answer the practice question.

Picture 1

Cast of Characters:
Tom Thumb: a very small boy, no bigger than an adult’s thumb
Randy: a robber
Jed: another robber

Scene One:
(Evening, in a barn outside the mayor’s house. TOM THUMB has just run away from a man that he was traveling with.)
Tom: (talking to AUDIENCE) Phew, what a day of adventure, eh friends? It was easy to escape from that silly man—because I’m so small. All I had to do was jump into a mousehole, and he couldn’t find me anywhere. I may be tiny, but I can still be tricky! (Sound of footsteps.)
Tom: Someone’s coming—let’s hide!
(TOM hides. Enter TWO ROBBERS, JED and RANDY.)
Randy: This is the house, Jed. The mayor’s traveled a long distance and won’t be back until tomorrow, so tonight is the perfect night to steal all his money.
Jed: But what about the cook and the maid? They’re certain to hear us breaking those famous iron bars around his money box.
Randy: Then we’ll just have to do it very, very quietly, won’t we?
Tom: (to AUDIENCE) Robbers! I like to play tricks, but stealing isn’t right. I feel another adventure coming on . . . watch this.
(TOM jumps out.)
Tom: (to ROBBERS) Hello there!
Randy: (looking around) Who said that?
Tom: (waving) Down here!
Jed: How curious. What a tiny fellow.

Picture 2

Tom: Please take me with you into the house—I would love to help you.
Randy: You? Ha! You’re very polite, but you’re rather small to be a robber.
Tom: You said the mayor’s money is behind iron bars, and it will be noisy if you break them. But I’m so small, I can slip right between the bars without a sound.
Jed: And why should we trust you?
Tom: I may be tiny, but I’m a faithful fellow—and I love adventures!
Randy: Alright then, tiny one. Just remember—everyone has to speak very quietly inside the house. Think you can do that?
Tom: Oh, certainly!
Randy: Very well. Now, let’s get robbing.

Scene Two:
(Inside the mayor’s house.)
Randy: (whispering) Now then, tiny one. I expect climbing that table will be easy for you—then you just have to squeeze through the iron bars to get us the money. Ready?
Tom: (whispering) Ready!
Randy: (whispering) Remember: quiet as a mouse!
(TOM climbs up the table, and slips through the iron bars.)
Tom: (to AUDIENCE, whispering) Now watch this! (To ROBBERS, talking in his loudest voice) HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT? SHOULD I JUST TAKE ALL OF IT?
Randy: (whispering) SSSShhhhh! You’ll wake the cook and the maid—just give us the money!
Tom: (Even louder) WHAT? YOU WANT ME TO TAKE ALL OF THE SEVERAL HUNDRED COINS OUT OF THIS MONEY BOX?
(Sound of a door banging upstairs, and people shouting and running.)
Jed: (whispering) They’re coming, Randy!

Picture 3

Randy: (whispering) You sneaky little rat-boy—you tricked us! Let’s get out of here, Jed.
(ROBBERS run away.)
Tom: (shouting after ROBBERS) I may be tiny, but I can still be tricky!