The
Sword in the Stone
Chapters
20 and 21: Team 5
The Badger’s History of the Creation of Man:
Scene One: Talking with Merlyn
Narrator: One day, Wart was talking
to Merlyn.
Wart: Kay won’t tell me how you
become a knight.
Merlyn: Well, first you undress Kay,
and he goes into a fancy bath. (Kay puppet appears, and goes into tub) Then,
maybe Sir Grummore, and King Pellinore (two knights appear) will come and
lecture him about chivalry. They will pour water on him and sign him with a
cross.
Wart: Wow…
Merlyn: That is not all. You must bring him to a clean bed to get dry, and dress him as a hermit. (Kay comes out of bath). He goes to the chapel to pray all night, then you lead him to bed in the morning. (Kay go bye-bye)
Wart: Won’t he be tired and lonely?
Merlyn: Actually, the vicar, candle
watcher, and guard will be there. But after he sleeps, you dress him up in nice
clothes for dinner. Before you go though, lead him into the hall, and King
Pellinore, and Sir Grummore each put on a spur. Sir Ector says, “Be thou a good
knight” to him.
Wart: Is that it?
Merlyn: No. You go to the chapel. Kay
gives the vicar his sword, then the vicar gives it back. The cook takes his
spurs.
Wart: That’s all?
Merlyn: Yes.
Narrator: The next day, when Kay is to be knighted, the wart speaks with his tutor again.
Merlyn: I think you should meet my
friend. He is a badger.
Wart: Wow, I’ve never met a badger
before.
Merlyn: He is a very wise badger, the
smartest animal I’ve ever met, other than Archimedes. (pauses) Oh. And I should
tell you. After this, I cannot turn you into things anymore. You will have to
go your own way.
Wart: I understand.
Merlyn: Do you think you have gotten
a good education?
Wart: Yes, I have learned much and I
am happy.
Merlyn: Alright then, go meet my friend the badger. He lives there. (points)
Scene 2: The Hedgehog Encounter
Narrator: The Wart is turned into a badger and he finds himself in the Forest Sauvage. The Wart is unhappy that he will never become a knight.
Wart: Merlyn told me to go and talk to the badger but I won’t! I can’t be a knight and this is my last lesson from my tutor. I will be a wild beast!
Narrator: The Wart is quite safe being a badger. His skin is thick and his jaw is strong. The Wart continues to walk until he comes across a hedgehog.
Wart: Hedgehog, I am going to eat you! The more you shriek the harder I will bite!
Hedgehog: (Muffled) Take pity on me! I’m only a poor urchin!
Wart: No! Come out and face me!
Hedgehog: (Muffled Again) Please spare my life and I will teach you to sing!
Wart: Sing?
Hedgehog: (Muffled Again) Yes, sing! (Song: )
“Oh, Genevieve,
Sweet Genevieve,
Ther days may come,
Ther days may go,
But still the light of Mem’ry weaver
Those gentle dreams
Of long ago.”(260)
Narrator: The hedgehog continued to sing.
Wart: You may stop. I will not bite you
Hedgehog: (Muffled Again) Thank you! Thank you! (Pauses, then begins to sing again)
Wart: Stop and uncurl! Tell me where you learned these wonderful songs!
Hedgehog: (Muffled Again) Please, let me sing–
Wart: NO! Uncurl you dummy and tell me where you learned these songs!
Narrator: The hedgehog explains to the Wart about a man who took care of him when he was young. The Wart wants to know the man’s name. Eventually, the Wart makes a guess.
Wart: Was he called Merlyn?
Hedgehog: (Muffled Again) Yes, that was his name, all right, but not one you could remember.
Wart: Please uncurl. I know Merlyn and I think I saw you when you were very young. I’m sorry I scared you. Please uncurl. I am your friend. I won’t hurt you since I knew you as a baby.
Narrator: The hedgehog talks on and on and finally…
Hedgehog: (Muffled Again) –and then they yell at you, making you uncurl!
Wart: I’m sorry I woke you up, hedgehog. Goodnight.
Hedgehog: (Muffled Again, muttering to himself) First it’s uncurl, then it’s curl!
Narrator: The hedgehog soon reenters his dreams, leaving to Wart to find the badger, which is exactly what he does.