Tacky the Penguin by Helen LesterCHARACTERS: 6 penguins, 5 narrators, 4 hunters
Narrator 1: There once lived a penguin.
Narrator 2: His home was a nice icy land he shared with his companions.
Narrator 3: His companions were named Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly, and Perfect.
Narrator 4: The penguin's name was Tacky. Tacky was an odd bird.
Narrator 5: Every day Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly, and Perfect greeted each other politely.
Goodly: Hi!
Lovely: Hi!
Angel: Hi!
Neatly: Hi!
Perfect: Hi!
Narrator 1: Tacky greeted them with a hearty slap and a loud
Tacky: WHAT'S HAPPENING?!?!?!
Narrator 2: Goodly, Lovely, Neatly, Angel, and Perfect always marched
Goodly: 1-2-3-4
Lovely: 1-2-3-4
Neatly: 1-2-3-4
Angel: 1-2-3-4
Perfect: 1-2-3-4
Narrator 3: Tacky always marched 1-2-3 4-2 3-6-0 2 ½ 0.
Narrator 4: His companions were graceful divers.
Narrator 5: Tacky liked to do splashy cannonballs.
Narrator 1: Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly and Perfect always sang songs like "Sunrise on the Iceberg."
Narrator 2: Tacky always sang songs like "How Many Toes Does a Fish Have?" Tacky was an odd bird!
Narrator 3: One day the penguins heard the thump, thump, thump of feet in the distance.
Narrator 4: This could only mean one thing.
Narrator 5: Hunter's had come!
Narrator 1: They came with maps and traps and rocks and locks, and they were rough and tough.
Narrator 2: As the thump...thump...thump drew closer, the penguins could hear growly voices chanting,
Hunter 1: We're gonna catch some pretty penguins,
Hunter 2: And we'll march them with a switch,
Hunter 3: And we'll sell them for a dollar,
Hunter 4: And get rich, rich, RICH!
Narrator 3: Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly, and Perfect ran away in fright.
Narrator 4: They hid behind a block of ice.
Narrator 5: Tacky stood alone.
Narrator 1: The hunters marched right up to him, chanting,
Hunter 1: We're gonna catch some pretty penguins,
Hunter 2: And we'll march them with a switch,
Hunter 3: And we'll sell them for a dollar,
Hunter 4: And get rich, rich, RICH!
Tacky: What's happening?
ALL Hunters: We are hunting for penguins. That is what's happening."
Tacky: PENGUINS? Do you mean those birds that march neatly in a row?
1-23 4-2 3-6-0 2 ½ 0
Narrator 2: The hunters looked puzzled.
Tacky: Do you mean those birds that dive so gracefully?
Narrator 3: And he did a splashy cannonball. The hunters looked wet.
Tacky: Do you mean those birds that sing such pretty songs?
Narrator 4: Tacky began to sing and from behind the block of ice came the voices of his companions, all singing as loudly and dreadfully as they could.
Goodly: How many toes does a fish have?
Lovely: And how many wings on a cow?
Angel: I wonder, yup
Neatly: I wonder!
Narrator 5: The hunters could not stand the horrible singing.
Narrator 1: This could not be the land of the pretty penguins.
Narrator 2: They ran away with their hands clasped tightly over their ears,
Narrator 3: leaving behind and traps and rocks and locks,
Narrator 4: and not looking at all rough and tough.
Narrator 5: Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly, and Perfect hugged Tacky. Tacky was an odd bird but a very nice bird to have around.
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