Wendy the Whooping Crane

Characters:
1. Wendy (WY)
2. William (WM)
3. Baby Wilbert (WB)
4. The Humans (H)
5. Narrator (NARR)


Act I

NARR: Wendy is a mother whooping crane who has a husband, William, and a son, Baby Wilbert. She has a very good life and a great family. Wendy is a bird who, unlike her husband, enjoys soaring in the sky and playing with Baby Wilbert. William, however, is a very lazy and pretty much just lies around all day. We join them here at Lake Whooper, where they live.
WY: Oh, William! Why are you always so lazy? Get up and do some work for me.
WM: Awwww…
WY: Come on now, you do want to set a good example for Baby Wilbert, don’t you?
WM: (In an annoyed voice) Fine, fine. I’ll get up. Just give me five minutes…… (Snore).
WY: (annoyed) Willia- (interrupted)
WB: Mommy, I’m hungry. Can I have a blue crab please?
WY: Yes, just a minute Wilbert.
WB: But, but, I want one now!
WY: Ok, ok. Calm down. I’ll go get you one right now. (Walks away)
(Baby Wilbert goes over to his father and falls asleep next to him.)

Act II

NARR: Wendy some back with a few blue crabs and the whole family has a feast. After the feast they all take a nap until late afternoon. Here we are with them right after their nap.
WY: (yawns) Well, that was refreshing. Now, time to go find some more food for dinner. (Walks away)
NARR: While Wendy is away, Wilbert and William laid down to rest again. Wilbert was suddenly woken by a loud BOOM. He got up and looked around nervously.
WB: What was that Dad?
WM: (sleepily) Huh? Oh... I don’t know. I didn’t hear it.
WB: Do you think Mom is ok?
WM: Uh…yea. She’s probably fine…. (Falls asleep).
WB: Goodness gracious……DAD! What if something happens to her?!?
WM: What? Oh...Oh my goodness! Maybe you’re right. Maybe something could have happened to her. I hope not. Don’t worry son, you and I will go look for her.
WB: Ok, thanks Dad.
WM: Let’s go!
NARR: William and Baby Wilbert make their way around the lake where Wendy always caught their dinner. They came across her footprints about half-way around the lake. They looked and looked, and the finally found her about ¾ of the way around the lake. Wilbert fan up to her and said:
WB: Mom! Here you are. Are you ok?
WY: Yes Wilbert, I’m fine. How are you?
WB: I’m fine Mom. What was that noise?
WY: I’m not sure, but maybe it was a- (Interrupted)
NARR: All of a sudden, there was another loud BOOM, and the whooping crane family huddled together. They heard footsteps and they saw a human come around the corner. They all squawked loudly and started to run away.
H: What kind of bird is that? Well, whatever it is, it doesn’t matter. This is a great place to set up camp. Maybe we can even live here. (Walks away.)
NARR: The whooping crane family runs and runs, and they’re finally so tired of running, they start flying. They fly for days, and they finally had to resort to resting. Here they are resting in southern Canada.
WB: Mom, what’s going to happen to our home? What’s going to happen to all my friends, and stuff?
WY: Wilbert, I’m not sure. I’m sorry about all this, but there’s nothing Dad or I can do.
WB: (starts crying)
WY: Oh Wilbert, don’t cry. Please don’t cry. Everything will work out, you’ll see.
WB: Ok Mom, whatever you say. (Sniffs)
WY: Ok, let’s just sleep and worry about this tomorrow.
NARR: When they awoke the next morning, they found that the humans were moving north even more and they were going to be forced to also move north farther, leading them into the most northern parts of Canada.
WY: Come on, everybody up. It’s time to go, for the humans are coming again, and we don’t want to get in trouble with them, for that could cost us our lives.
WB: (in an annoyed voice) Yes, Mom. I’m up, I’m up.
WM: I’m (yawn) up too.
WY: Well then, let’s go.
NARR: They set off flying north, and in a few days they came to this building, where they heard other whooping cranes and animals calling. They went over to investigate, but they were careful not to be seen, for they didn’t know what happened there.
WY: Shhhh… We don’t know what they do to the animals here; it could be a poacher’s camp or something.
WM: Yes, but then again, it could be a safe place for us. The only way to find out is to wait till nightfall and talk to the other whooping cranes.
WY: Ok, we’ll do that, but for now we must be careful, quiet, and very alert, because anyone could come at any moment.
NARR: So they waited till nightfall and when it finally came, they snuck into the building (there was a little “whooper’s door” so they could get out in the yard and get some fresh air) and talked to one of the whooping cranes. The whooping crane said that this was a refuge center, and they were treated very nicely here, and that they should wait till morning and walk around in the yard so they would find them. Then they would be taken care of here. So they did just this, and they were found by one of the workers, and brought in. They lived the rest of their lives here, and I must say; their lives were very happy from then on.

THE END