BUSHY TAIL, THE LITTLE CHIPMUNK

NARRATOR 1 – Mother and Father Chipmunk and four little chipmunks lived in a hole by an old tree.

NARRATOR 2 – Three of the little chipmunks stayed at home and did just what their mother told them to do.

NARRATOR 3 – The other little chipmunk named Bushy Tail was not like the others. Something was always happening to Bushy Tail.

FATHER – How fine our baby chipmunks look. See their lovely brown coats.

MOTHER – And look how nicely each one holds his tail up.

NARRATOR 1 – One day Bushy Tail called to the other little chipmunks.

BUSHY TAIL – Come on. I know where the field mouse lives down by the brook. Come with me and I will show you.

MOTHER – No, Bushy Tail. You must not go away from your home.

FATHER – You are not old enough to go as far as the brook. You must stay near our doorway. What if a big fox comes?

MOTHER – Father and I must go into the woods to find something for breakfast. Stay here and play while we are gone.

NARRATOR 2 – The little chipmunks watched their father and mother go into the woods.

BUSHY TAIL – Let’s go and see the field mouse for awhile.

CHIPMUNK 1 – No, Bushy Tail. Remember what Mother and Father said.

CHIPMUNK 2 – We must not go to see the field mouse.

CHIPMUNK 3 – Father wants us to play near our doorway.

NARRATOR 3 – The four little chipmunks jumped over the stones.

NARRATOR 1 – They rolled in the grass and leaves.

NARRATOR 2 – They ran around the roots of the old tree.

NARRATOR 3 – Then all at once there were just three little chipmunks playing.

CHIPMUNK 1,2,3 – Mother! Father! Come home. Come home. Bushy Tail is lost!

NARRATOR 1 – Mother and Father Chipmunk came running back through the woods.

FATHER – Oh dear me. So many things could happen to little Bushy Tail.

MOTHER – Where did you see him last?

CHIPMUNK 1 – He was right here. We were running around the big tree.

CHIPMUNK 2 - Then all at once Bushy Tail was not here any more.

CHIPMUNK 3 – He is gone. We cannnot find him.

MOTHER – Bushy Tail! Bushy Tail! Where are you?

NARRATOR 2 – But Bushy Tail did not come. Mother Chipmunk was very sad.

MOTHER – Oh dear! I do not know where to look for him.

NARRATOR 3 – Just then she heard someone calling from the doorway.

BUSHY TAIL – Here I am, Mother. Do not look sad. I was not lost.

MOTHER – Where have you been?

FATHER – Tell us, what happened to you?

BUSHY TAIL – A very strange thing happened to me. We were playing hide-and-seek. I was looking for a place to hide. I ran behind the flat stone near the roots of the old tree.

MOTHER – Then what happened?

BUSHY TAIL – I saw a pile of dry leaves. I ran under the leaves to hide. There was a round hole under the leaves. I fell down into the hole.

FATHER – Did you go down, down, down, far into the hole?

BUSHY TAIL – Yes. I went down, down and then I fell into a big room. I think I must have found a new way into our house.

MOTHER – No, Bushy Tail. You did not find a new way. You found our secret doorway.

CHIPMUNK 1 – A secret doorway!

CHIPMUNK 2 – Why do we have a secret doorway?

CHIPMUNK 3 – Can we see it?

FATHER – Every chipmunk home has its own secret doorway. Someday our family may need to get out of the hole in a hurry.

MOTHER – Come with me now and I will show all of you how to use the secret doorway that Bushy Tail found.

NARRATORS – THE END!