Great Joy Reader’s Theater

Characters:                                          Vocabulary: wager, merchant,
Narrator 1                                                                            garland
Narrator 2
Farmer                                                           
Great Joy, the bull calf                                Theme: Treat all with respect.
Rich Merchant

Narrator 1: A farmer named his new bull calf named Great Joy.  He cared for it well and it grew into a fine, sturdy bull.

Great Joy: This kind man has brought me up with loving care.  I must repay him for his trouble.

Narrator 2: One day the bull spoke to the man and said:

Great Joy:  You have raised me like your child. I would like to reward you for all of your love and kindness. Go to a rich merchant and tell him that your bull can draw a hundred loaded carts.  Make a wager for a thousand pieces of gold that I can pull them.

Farmer: Am I dreaming?  I hear my bull talking. The whole town will think I am mad.

Great Joy:  You are not dreaming!  Do as I say and you will win 1,000 pieces of gold.

Farmer: Are you sure I’ll win such a bet?

Great Joy: Of course!  I will help you.

Narrator 1:  So the farmer went to a rich merchant.

Farmer: I have a bull that can pull 100 loaded carts. 

Rich Merchant:  You must be joking! My bulls are the strongest, but no bull can pull 100 carts. I’m willing to make a bet on that.

Farmer:  I’ll bet you 1,000 pieces of gold that my bull can pull 100 loaded carts.

Rich Merchant:  I’m willing to wager on that!  Agreed!

Farmer:  Agreed!

Narrator 2:  The next day, the farmer was ready with a hundred carts loaded with sand, gravel, and stones.  He hung a garland of flowers around Great Joy’s neck and tied him to the carts.

Farmer: I will soon have 2,000 pieces of gold!  I have my life savings of 1,000 gold pieces, plus I will win this bet and get another 1,000 gold pieces.  I will be the richest man in town.

Narrator 1: These thoughts made the man greedy.  He began to yell at his bull,
Great Joy.

Farmer:  Come on you rascal!  Pull!  Pull, you beast!

Narrator 2: Great Joy was shocked at his master’s mean words.  He planted his feet and wouldn’t budge.

Great Joy:  Well, I won’t move because he is hitting me and calling me names.

Farmer:  What’s wrong with Great Joy?  Why won’t he listen to me?  I will lose all of my money on this bet!

Rich Merchant:  Ha! Ha!  I win.  You’ve lost 1,000 gold pieces.

Narrator 2:  Sadly, the farmer paid his money and went home.

Narrator 1:  Later that day, the bull felt sorry for his master who was usually a good, kind man.

Great Joy: Why did you call me names?  Have I ever done anything wrong? 

Brahman:  No, never!  I’m sorry. I guess I was just afraid of losing all of my money.

Great Joy:  All is not lost yet.  Go make the bet again for 2,000 gold pieces.  Only remember, don’t call me names.

Narrator 2:  The man went to the merchant and bet him 2,000 gold pieces that his bull would pull the heavy load.

Merchant:  This man is a fool.  He wants to lose more gold!  I will take the bet.

Narrator 1:  When the loaded carts were ready, the farmer spoke kindly to his bull.

Farmer:  Now then my fine fellow, pull the carts.

Narrator 1: With those kind words, Great Joy gave a single tug and pulled the carts.

Merchant:  Amazing! You deserve every one of these gold pieces!

Narrator 2: The farmer went home a happier, richer, wiser man!  He had learned an important lesson about kind words.