08 The Millionaire Miser
SCENE 1
NARRATOR 1: Sukki was a miser. Though his treasure house was full, he was too stingy to give away even the smallest coin.
NARRATOR 4: And since food cost money, he ate almost nothing, and starved his family and servants besides.
NARRATOR 2: One morning, as Sukki took his daily walk through town, he saw a boy eating a sweet rice dumpling.
BOY: (makes loud sounds of enjoyment as he eats) Yummy!
NARRATOR 3: Sukki’s mouth watered as he made his way home. He said to himself,
SUKKI: If only I could ask my wife to make me a sweet dumpling. But if I wanted one, so would my wife. And if my wife wanted one, so would the children. And so would the servants. So I had better just keep quiet.
NARRATOR 1: When Sukki arrived home, he said nothing about a dumpling. But he wanted one so badly, he felt weak. His legs shook, and he had to go to bed.
NARRATOR 4: His wife, Mala, came to him.
MALA: What is wrong, my husband?
NARRATOR 2: Sukki lay groaning and clenched his teeth.
NARRATOR 3: Sukki’s face grew red, then purple. At last he squeaked,
SUKKI: I would like a sweet rice dumpling.
MALA: That is no problem. We are wealthy enough. Why, I will make sweet dumplings for the whole town!
SUKKI: (gasps)
NARRATOR 1: Sukki gasped in horror.
SUKKI: You will make a pauper of me!
MALA: Well then, I will make dumplings for our family and servants.
SUKKI: Why would the servants need any?
MALA: Then I will make them for us and the children.
SUKKI: I am sure the children can do without.
MALA: Then I will make one for you and one for me.
SUKKI: Why would you want one?
NARRATOR 4: Mala sighed and went out.
NARRATOR 2: After a while, she returned with a single sweet dumpling.
NARRATOR 3: Then she looked on as Sukki, moaning with delight, devoured every crumb.
SUKKI: (makes loud sounds of enjoyment as he eats) Nice! Good!
SCENE 2
NARRATOR 1: Now, it happened that all this was seen by Sakka, the King of Heaven, who was sitting on his marble throne in his thousand-mile-high palace.
SAKKA: (appalled, looking down to earth) Not in seventy-seven millennia have I ever seen such a miser! I will teach this fellow not to be so stingy.
NARRATOR 4: The next day, when Sukki left on his morning walk, the god made himself look just like Sukki and came down to earth.
NARRATOR 2: Sakka walked into Sukki’s house.
NARRATOR 3: In Sukki’s own voice he told a servant,
SAKKA: (imitating Sukki) Run through the town and invite everyone you see. Today Sukki will share his wealth!
SERVANT: (excitedly bows and runs off)Yes, sir!
NARRATOR 1: When Mala heard these words, she cried,
MALA: Husband, can this be true? Heaven be praised for your change of heart!
NARRATOR 4: Then she helped him open the treasure house.
TOWNSPEOPLE (including WOMAN, MAN, BOY): (enter)Wow! Yeah!
NARRATOR 2: Soon the people of the town arrived. The pretend Sukki told them,
SAKKA: Take what you will! And if anyone who looks like me tries to stop you, drive away the scoundrel!
MAN: Thanks to Lord Sukki!
WOMAN: The most generous man alive!
NARRATOR 3: They rushed into the treasure house and loaded themselves with gold, silver, diamonds, and pearls.
NARRATOR 1: Just then, the real Sukki came home.
NARRATOR 4: When he saw his treasure being carried out the gate, he screamed,
SUKKI: Robbers! Thieves! Put that back! How dare you!
NARRATOR 2: But the townspeople said,
BOY: This must be the one that Lord Sukki warned us about!
NARRATOR 3: And they chased Sukki halfway across town.
WOMAN: (chasing Sukki) Be off with you!
MAN: (chasing Sukki) And don’t show your face again!
NARRATOR 1: Sukki rushed on to the court of the Rajah.
SUKKI: (arriving out of breath, speaking frantically) Your Majesty, the people of the town are taking all I own!
RAJAH: But your own servant invited them! I heard him myself. Did you not give the order?
SUKKI: Never! If the order was given, I beg you to bring the one who gave it!
NARRATOR 2: So the Rajah sent a messenger.
NARRATOR 3: Soon came Sakka, still pretending to be Sukki, along with Mala and the children. The children stared wide-eyed at the two Sukkis, and Mala nearly fainted.
SUKKI: Impostor!
SAKKA: Deceiver!
RAJAH: (bewildered, looking from one to the other) I cannot tell the difference between you!
NARRATOR 1: He turned to Mala.
RAJAH: Can you say which is the true Sukki?
NARRATOR 4: Mala looked at both men.
MALA: Your Majesty, may I ask them a question?
RAJAH: Certainly.
NARRATOR 2: Mala turned to Sakka.
MALA: Is it better to be generous to yourself, to your family, to your servants, or to your neighbors?
SAKKA: It is best to be generous to all! When you are generous, others also grow generous, and everyone is wealthier.
NARRATOR 3: Then Mala turned to Sukki.
MALA: Is it better to be generous to yourself, to your family, to your servants, or to your neighbors?
SUKKI: To none! It is a waste of wealth that can never be regained!
NARRATOR 1: Mala took a deep breath. She gathered the children, and then drew close to Sakka.
MALA: This is the true Sukki, Your Majesty.
SUKKI: But, Mala! My wife! My children!
NARRATOR 4: At that, the god stepped forward. With a blinding flash of light, he changed back to his own shape.
SAKKA: Your Majesty, I am not Sukki but Sakka. I came down from Heaven to teach this man a lesson!
NARRATOR 2: He turned to the trembling and downcast Sukki.
SAKKA: Do you see? You are so stingy, even your wife and children deny you!
SUKKI: (moans)
SAKKA: There is but one hope for you. Will you stop being such a miser?
SUKKI: (hesitantly) Well . . . maybe I could be a little more generous.
SAKKA: You had better be a lot more generous. Or I’ll be back!
NARRATOR 3: And with another flash of light, he vanished.
RAJAH: (to Sukki) Well! It seems you indeed have been taught a good lesson!
SUKKI: I suppose so, Your Majesty.
NARRATOR 4: He turned shyly to Mala and held out his hand.
SUKKI: (questioningly) Wife?
NARRATOR 2: Mala took it.
MALA: (smiling at him) Husband! Oh, Sukki, let us celebrate! I have an idea. Let us make sweet rice dumplings for the entire town!
SUKKI: (gasps)
NARRATOR 3: Sukki gasped in horror.
NARRATOR 1: His legs shook.
NARRATOR 4: He groaned and clenched his teeth.
NARRATOR 2: His face grew red, then purple. Then he squeaked,
SUKKI: All right!
劇本來源： website http://www.aaronshep.com/rt/RTE15.htm
Story copyright © 1995 Aaron Shepard. Script copyright © 1997, 2002 Aaron Shepard.
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