The Hawk Family and their Friends

Characters:                        Vocabulary:  Osprey
Narrator 1
Narrator 2                        Theme:  The importance of friendship
Mr. Hawk
Mrs. Hawk
Lion
Osprey
Turtle
Two Hunters

Narrator 1:  Long ago, there lived a hawk family near a lake in the forest. 

Mrs. Hawk: Husband, do you have friends nearby?

Mr. Hawk:  I have friends, but none in this part of the forest.  I don’t think I need any.

Mrs. Hawk:  You must find some friends. In times of need, it is friends who help.

Mr. Hawk: I’ll do as you say.  Who shall I ask to make friends?

Mrs. Hawk:  Go to our neighbors, of course.  Visit the lion, the osprey, and the turtle.

Narrator 2:  The hawk agreed and flew to the tiny island where the turtle lived.

Mr. Hawk:  Will you be my friend Turtle?

Turtle:  With pleasure!

Narrator 1:  Hawk then made friends with the Osprey.

Osprey:  Any time you need me, send for me.

Narrator 2:  Finally, the hawk made friends with the lion.

Lion:  Now that you are my friend, no one will harm you.

Narrator 1:  Everyone was happy to make a new friend.  Everything was going smoothly, except suddenly one day some hunters came into the forest.  They hunted all day, but caught nothing.

Narrator 2:  The hunters were tired and decided to sleep under the tree where the hawks had their nest.  They heard the baby hawks crying in the nest.

Hunter 1: Did you hear that?  That was the cry of baby birds.  They will make a good breakfast.  Let us sleep here tonight and see what we can find in the morning.

Narrator 1:  The hawks listened to the hunters.  Mrs. Hawk was frightened.

Mrs. Hawk:  Did you hear that husband?  These men are planning to eat our little ones.  We have to ask our friends to help us. Go tell Osprey that we are in danger.

Narrator 2:  Mr. Hawk flew quickly and silently to the Osprey.

Osprey:  Why are you here at such a late hour?

Mr. Hawk:  We need your help.  Hunters will eat our young ones in the morning.

Narrator 1:  The hawk and the osprey flew back to the hunters.   Osprey dipped his wings in the pond and sprinkled water on the hunters’ fire.  He did this again and again until the fire was out.

Narrator 2:  But the hunters kept building a new fire. 

Mrs. Hawk:  Our friend Osprey is getting tired.  Husband, go and ask Turtle to help us.

Narrator 1:  Mr. Hawk flew to the other side of the lake to get Turtle. 

Turtle:  What is the matter friend?  Why have you come?

Narrator 2:  Mr. Hawk told Turtle about the hunters.

Mr. Hawk:  The Osprey has been working for hours, but he is tired now, that is why I have come to you.

Turtle:  I will help you.

Narrator 1:  Turtle swam to the place where the hawks lived.  He gathered mud from the pond to put the fire out.

Hunter 1:  Why should we bother with the baby hawks?  Let’s eat the turtle!

Hunter 2:  Yes!  Let’s throw a net over it, and then have the turtle for breakfast!

Narrator 2:  The hunters made nets from vines.  They tried to catch turtle, but he swam away.

Hunter 2:  Now what? Let’s make another fire.  In the morning we’ll climb this tree and eat those young hawks for breakfast. 

Mrs. Hawk:  I am afraid that those hunters will get our young ones sooner or later.  Go and ask our friend Lion to help us.

Narrator 1:  Mr. Hawk flew to his neighbor Lion to tell him about the hunters.

Lion:  Don’t worry friend.  I will help at once.

Narrator 2:  When the lion came running to the tree, the hunters started to run away.  The hawks were happy to find the hunters gone.

Mrs. Hawk:  Husband, now do you see the importance of friends?

Mr. Hawk: I do.

Narrators 1 and 2: The hawks appreciated the efforts made by all of their friends. They all lived happily ever after.