White Rose and Red Rose

 

 

Piece of a tale by the Brothers Grimm

by Ruth Salles

Dramatization of a fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. Music in a pentatonic scale, considered appropriate for 7 year olds.

Characters: Choir, Mother, Rose-White, Rose-Red, Bear (Prince), Gnome, Eagle, Brother of the Prince.

The choir speaks, while the mother embroider, sitting in the rocking chair, and each girl waters her rosebush, one with white roses, the other with red roses. Something represents a fireplace. There are two brooms in the corner. This happens on the left side, because on the right will be the field where the girls will walk and meet the gnome.

CHOIR :
– On the highest mountain, in the middle of the forest,
in a white tiled house,
live Pink-White and Pink-Red.
The turtledove and the lamb live with their mother,
each Rose tending to its rose bush.
The flashlight in the room glowed.
Outside the house the snow was falling.

MOTHER:
– How cold it is outside!
White Rose, close the door.

(After White Rose pretends to close the door, there is a knock.)

CHOIR:
– Pam! Pam! Pam!

MOTHER:
“Someone hit hard now!
Rose-Red, open the door!

RED ROSE (goes quickly to open, and the bear enters):
- Ah, it's the bear with the thick fur!
Every winter he stays with us.

BEAR (coming to the fireplace):
– I came to warm myself by the fire.

MOTHER:
– Oh, your fur is full of snow!
Go, my daughters, go sweep it!
(They both sweep it too excitedly.)

BEAR:
– Roses, Roses, it is good to stop,
or her fiancé they will kill.

(The girls stop, put their brooms in place, and sit at the feet of their mother, who is dozing. The bear lies down and sleeps, to signify the passage of time.)

BEAR (wakes up and stretches):
– The snow is gone. It's already spring.
Already the gnomes come out of their caves,
to steal!
Goodbye! My treasure I will guard. (Gets up and walks out the door)

WHITE ROSE:
- Mother! He cut himself at the door, poor thing!

RED ROSE:
- I saw it, Mom, I saw it.
under the skin a golden glow!

MOTHER: (giving each girl a coin):
- My little girls,
when he appears again,
we'll know.
Now go to town to buy
ribbons and threads for Mother to sew. (The girls leave holding hands.)

WHITE ROSE:
- We'll walk to the city.
In the middle of the forest we will pass.

(They see the gnome, with a bag at his side and his beard stuck to a piece of wood.)

RED ROSE:
- It's a gnome with a beard sandwiched
in chopped wood.

WHITE ROSE:
- He shakes sinuously
like a snake!

Gnome (always angry):
- Relief! Relief! Who make stops?

RED ROSE:
- Let's save him now! poor thing,
stuck alone! (They release him and try to help him with the bag.)

GNOME:
– In my bag of gold, do not put your hand!
Are you trying to rob me or not?

WHITE ROSE:
- No! We just wanted to help!

(The gnome leaves, then appears on the other side with another bag.)

RED ROSE:
- We'll walk to the city.
At the river's edge we will pass.

GNOMO (beard stuck again):
– Oh, oh, oh! I was fishing.
I was dazzled by the sunlight
and I caught the beard on the end of the hook!

PINK-RED:
- It's the gnome our friend
passing through another danger!

(They both run to release him and try to help him with the bag.)

GNOME:
– In my bag of pearls, do not put your hand!
Are you trying to rob me or not?

WHITE ROSE:
- No! We just wanted to help!

(The gnome leaves to appear on the other side with another bag.)

RED ROSE:
- We'll walk to the city.
Through an open field we will pass.

GNOMO (beard caught by the eagle):
– Oh, oh, oh!…

WHITE ROSE:
- It's the gnome that shouted.
The great eagle grabbed him!

RED ROSE:
– In the eagle's claws he cries.
Glad we arrived now.
(They release him and try to help him with the bag.)

WHITE ROSE:
– What a big, heavy bag…
Looks like it's pretty stuffed!

GNOME:
– Do not put your hand on the precious stones!
Are you trying to rob me or not?

WHITE ROSE:
- No! We just wanted to help!

(They go out one way and come back in the other. The gnome also goes out and comes back with a bigger bag or all three bags.)

RED ROSE:
- From the city we are returning
and through the rocks we pass.

GNOMO (emptying the bag):
- At this hour no one will see me,
and my treasure I will spread!

ROSE-WHITE (admired):
– The setting sun shines differently
on that rock!

RED ROSE (astonished):
- It's gold! They are pearls!
And gems!

ROSES and GNOMO (seeing the bear appear):
- Oh oh oh!

Gnome (all kind):
“Dear bear, don't hit me!
I give you everything you see here.
Kill the girls, who are chubby to eat…

(The bear drives the gnome away, and the Roses begin to flee. The bear's skin falls off and the prince appears in a golden robe. He calls out to the Roses.)

PRINCE:
- White Rose! Red rose! (They come back quickly)
I am prince charming
who finally became disenchanted.
That gnome so evil,
that had bewitched me,
my treasure stole.
Until I can defeat him,
i was doomed
to wander in the world like this
like a very furry bear.

ALL (sing):
“Our prince who has returned
he is already married to the White Rose.
Your brother will also arrive.
With Rose-Red he will marry.

They shared that treasure:
stones, pearls and gold.
With the mother, the dove, the lamb,
they were happy all their lives.”

***