Quackling
A Not-Too-Grimm Fairy Tale
Told by Aaron Shepard
Reader’s Theater Edition #41
Adapted for reader’s theater (or readers theatre) by the author, from his picture book published by Skyhook Press, 2018
For more reader’s theater, visit Aaron Shepard’s RT Page at www.aaronshep.com.
Story copyright © 2005, 2018 Aaron Shepard. Script copyright © 2022 Aaron Shepard. Scripts in this series are free and may be copied, shared, and performed for any noncommercial purpose, except the texts may not be posted publicly without permission.
PREVIEW: After waiting in vain for the King to repay a loan, Quackling wants his money back.
CULTURE: France
THEME: Benefits of friendship
READER AGES: 7–9
LENGTH: 5 minutesROLES: Narrators 1–4, Quackling, King, Ladder, River, Beehive, Guards 1 & 2, Prime Minister
NOTES: This French folktale is retold from “Drakestail” in The Red Fairy Book of Andrew Lang, 1890. For best effect, place NARRATORS 1 and 2 at far left, and 3 and 4 at far right, as seen from the audience. On the second line of Quackling’s refrain, the stress is on the even syllables—“I want my mon-ey back!”
All special features are at www.aaronshep.com/extras.
NARRATOR 1: Once there was a very small duck with a very loud
QUACKLING: (proudly, to audience) QUACK!
NARRATOR 1: So they called him Quackling.
NARRATOR 4: Now, Quackling was clever and he worked hard, so he saved up a good deal of money. In fact, he saved up so much, the King himself came to borrow some.
KING: (flattering) Thank you, Quackling! What a fine little duck you are!
QUACKLING: (beams and preens)
NARRATOR 2: Quackling was proud to loan his money to the King. But a year went by, then two, then three, and the King never paid him back!
QUACKLING: (angrily, to himself) I’ve waited long enough!
NARRATOR 3: So Quackling took a sack for the money, and he started for the castle, calling,
QUACKLING:
QUACK! QUACK! QUACK!
I WANT MY MONEY BACK!
NARRATOR 1: Before long, he came upon a ladder leaning against a wall. Ladder said,
LADDER: Where are you going, Quackling?
QUACKLING: To the King for my money!
LADDER: To the King! How wonderful! Will you take me with you?
QUACKLING: Why not? One can never have too many friends.
NARRATOR 1: And he called out,
QUACKLING:
QUACK! QUACK! QUACK!
LADDER INTO SACK!
NARRATOR 4: Quick as you can blink, Ladder was in the sack. Then Quackling walked on, calling,
QUACKLING:
QUACK! QUACK! QUACK!
I WANT MY MONEY BACK!
NARRATOR 2: Not much later, he came upon a river flowing through a wood. River said,
RIVER: Where are you going, Quackling?
QUACKLING: To the King for my money!
RIVER: To the King! How splendid! Will you take me with you?
QUACKLING: Why not? One can never have too many friends.
NARRATOR 2: And he called out,
QUACKLING:
QUACK! QUACK! QUACK!
RIVER INTO SACK!
NARRATOR 3: Quick as you can wink, River was in the sack. Then Quackling walked on, calling,
QUACKLING:
QUACK! QUACK! QUACK!
I WANT MY MONEY BACK!
NARRATOR 1: In a little while, he came upon a beehive hanging from a tree. Beehive said,
BEEHIVE: BZZZZZZZZ. Where are you going, Quackling?
QUACKLING: To the King for my money!
BEEHIVE: To the King! How marvelous! Will you take me with you? BZZZZZZZZ.
NARRATOR 1: Now, Quackling’s sack was getting full, but he thought there might be just enough room.
QUACKLING: Why not? One can never have too many friends.
NARRATOR 1: And he called out,
QUACKLING:
QUACK! QUACK! QUACK!
BEEHIVE INTO SACK!
NARRATOR 4: Quick as you can think, Beehive was in the sack. Then Quackling walked on, calling,
QUACKLING:
QUACK! QUACK! QUACK!
I WANT MY MONEY BACK!
NARRATOR 2: Soon after, Quackling arrived at the King’s castle. He marched right up to the guards.
GUARD 1: Halt!
GUARD 2: No ducks allowed!
QUACKLING: I’ve come for my money!
GUARDS 1 & 2: (look at each other and shrug)
NARRATOR 3: The guards went inside and told the prime minister.
PRIME MINISTER: (disbelieving) Did you say, a duck?
GUARDS 1 & 2: (shrug)
NARRATOR 3: The prime minister told the King.
PRIME MINISTER: (clears throat and speaks confidentially to King behind hand)
KING: (steaming) Who does that Quackling think he is?
PRIME MINISTER: (shrugs)
KING: Never mind. Just put him in the pit!
NARRATOR 1: So the guards put Quackling in the pit and left him there.
QUACKLING: Help! I’ll never get out!
NARRATOR 1: Then he remembered Ladder. So he called out,
QUACKLING:
QUACK! QUACK! QUACK!
LADDER OUT OF SACK!
NARRATOR 4: Quick as you can blink, Ladder was out of the sack. Ladder leaned against the side of the pit, and Quackling climbed out. Then Quackling stood there, calling,
QUACKLING:
QUACK! QUACK! QUACK!
I WANT MY MONEY BACK!
PRIME MINISTER: (clears throat and speaks confidentially to King behind hand)
KING: (steaming) How did that Quackling get out of the pit?
PRIME MINISTER: (shrugs)
KING: Never mind. Just put him in the pot!
NARRATOR 2: So the guards put Quackling in the pot and set it on the fire.
QUACKLING: Help! I’m in a stew!
NARRATOR 2: Then he remembered River. So he called out,
QUACKLING:
QUACK! QUACK! QUACK!
RIVER OUT OF SACK!
NARRATOR 3: Quick as you can wink, River was out of the sack. River put out the fire and flowed away. Then Quackling got out, calling,
QUACKLING:
QUACK! QUACK! QUACK!
I WANT MY MONEY BACK!
PRIME MINISTER: (clears throat and speaks confidentially to King behind hand)
KING: (steaming) How did that Quackling get out of the pot?
PRIME MINISTER: (shrugs)
KING: Never mind. Just bring him here, and I’ll put him in his place—for good!
NARRATOR 1: So the guards brought Quackling to the King. The King tried to grab him.
QUACKLING: Help! This is the end!
NARRATOR 1: Then he remembered Beehive. So he called out,
QUACKLING:
QUACK! QUACK! QUACK!
BEEHIVE OUT OF SACK!
BEEHIVE: BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!
NARRATOR 4: Quick as you can think, Beehive was out of the sack. The bees rushed from the hive and started to sting the King!
KING: Help! Help!
BEEHIVE: BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!
NARRATOR 2: The King fled the castle, and the bees followed. They chased him all the way to— Well, no one knows where, for they never saw him again.
PRIME MINISTER AND GUARDS: Hooray!
NARRATOR 3: The people of the castle all cheered, and the prime minister said,
PRIME MINISTER: We never liked that King anyway!
NARRATOR 3: So they put Quackling on the throne and gave him a crown. Then they asked,
GUARDS 1 & 2: Will you be our King?
QUACKLING: Why not? One can never have too many friends.
All special features are at www.aaronshep.com/extras.
Quackling
A Not-Too-Grimm Fairy Tale
Told by Aaron Shepard
Illustrated by Wendy Edelson
