Characters:

Storyteller 1, Storyteller 2, Rabbit, Fox, Dog 1, Dog 2, Dog 3, Wolf, Bear, Cock, Bird, Cat

Storyteller 1: Once upon a time there lived a Rabbit. Winter was coming. It was becoming very cold and

he built himself a hut made of wood.

Rabbit: What a nice house I have. It’s very warm inside, and soon I will invite my friends to welcome in the New Year.

Bird: Tuit-tuit-tu! Good morning, Rabbit! What a nice house you have! It looks so lovely and comfortable.

Rabbit: It is indeed. Come in for a cup of tea, Birdie.

Bird: Thank you. With great pleasure.

Storyteller 2: In the same forest there lived a Fox, too. He was very cunning and very lazy, too. He didn’t want to work very hard. As there was a lot of snow and ice around, he quickly built himself a house out of snow and ice and started teasing the Rabbit.

Fox: My house is ever so much nicer than yours, Rabbit. Mine is light, and yours is dark.

Rabbit: I do like my hut very much: it’s so warm and comfortable inside, and I can invite all my friends to the table and have a lot of fun!

Fox: You don’t say so! Your guests will lose themselves in the dark corners of your house.

Rabbit: Don’t worry. They won’t.

St 1: It is becoming colder and colder with every day, and it was becoming colder and colder in the Fox’s house, too.

Fox: Oh, yes, my hut is really very light. But it is so very cold inside. How can I make it warmer in my house?

Cat: Make a fire in the stove and prepare dinner. It will warm you up for the time being.

Storyteller 2 : No sooner had the Fox lighted the match than the snow and the ice started melting very quickly.

Fox: Oh, my dear! What am I to do? Once I had a house, it was nice and full of light. But now I have no house at all!

Storyteller 1: So the Fox began pleading with the Rabbit to let him move in.

Fox; Do, let me in, Rabbit, dear. I don’t even mind living in your garden.

Bird: Oh, no, Rabbit, please, don’t do it!

Rabbit: No, Mr. Fox, why should I after you teased me so?

Fox: Do, let me in, Rabbit, dear. I don’t even mind living in your garden.

Rabbit: No, Mr. Fox, why should I after you teased me so?

Fox: Do, let me in, Rabbit, dear. I don’t even mind living in your garden.

Rabbit: No, Mr. Fox.

Storyteller 2: But the Fox begged and begged, and finally the Rabbit let her live in the garden. But next day the Fox began pleading with him again.

Fox: Do, let me on your porch, Rabbit, dear.

Cat: Oh, no, Rabbit, don’t allow her to come near your hut!

Rabbit: No, Mr. Fox, I won’t. Why did you tease me so?

Storyteller1: But the Fox begged and begged till at last the Rabbit gave in and let her on to the porch. On the third day the Fox began pleading with him again.

Fox: Do, let me into the hut, Rabbit, dear. It’s so cold outside. My hands, my feet and my nose are frost bitten. Do, please, let me in!

Bird: Oh, no, Rabbit, don’t let her in.

Rabbit: No, Mr. Fox, I won’t.

Storyteller 2: But the Fox begged and begged, and the Rabbit finally did as she asked. So now there were two of them in the hut. A day passed and then another, and the Fox began chasing the Rabbit out of the hut.

Fox: Get out, squint-eyes! I don’t want you in the house with me!

Rabbit: But this is my house. I have nowhere to go…

Fox: Get out, squint-eyes! I don’t want you in the house with me! I want to be alone – the Mistress of the house.

Storyteller1: And she drove the poor Rabbit out. The Rabbit sat down and began to cry, brushing the tears away sadly with his paws. Just then some dogs ran by.

Dog1: Bow-bow-bow! Why are you crying for, Rabbit?

Dog 2: Is anything the matter?

Dog 3: Can we help you?

Rabbit: How can I help it? I had a house of wood, and the Fox had one of ice. The Fox’s hut melted, so he begged me to let her live in mine. I did, and now he has gone and driven me out!

Dog 1: Do not cry, Rabbit!

Dogs 2 and 3: We’ll chase the Fox out of your hut in no time!

Rabbit: No, you won’t!

Dogs: We will, don’t worry!

(They came up to the hut and called)

Dogs: Bow-bow-bow! Hey, Fox, get out! Get out of the Rabbit’s hut!

Fox: I’ll jump me down

And I’ll rush me out,

And I’ll tear you to pieces

And strew them about!

Dog 1: Did you hear what he said?

Dog 2 : He will tear us to pieces…

Dog 3 : And he will strew us about!

Dogs: We are sorry, Rabbit. We cannot help you. We are afraid of the Fox!

( And they ran away)

Storyteller 2: The Rabbit sat down and began to cry again, brushing the tears away sadly with his paws.

Just then a Wolf passed by.

Wolf: Woo-woo-woo! What are you crying about, Rabbit?

Rabbit: How can I help it, Grey Wolf! I had a house of wood, and the Fox had one of ice. The Fox’s hut melted, so he begged me to let him live in mine. I did, and now he has gone and driven me out!

Wolf: Do not cry, Rabbit! I’ll chase the Fox out, you’ll see.

Rabbit: No, you won’t.

Wolf: I will, never fear!

Storyteller1: The Wolf went up to the hut and howled in a frightening voice.

Wolf: Woo-woo-woo! Get out, Fox, get out of the Rabbit’s hut!

Fox: I’ll jump me down

And I’ll rush me out,

And I’ll tear you to pieces

And strew them about!

Wolf: Oh how scary he is! I’m frightened to death. I’m afraid, I cannot help you!

(The Wolf ran away)

Storyteller2: The Rabbit sat down and began to cry again, brushing the tears away sadly with his paws. Just then an old Bear passed by.

Bear: What are you crying about, Rabbit?

Rabbit: : How can I help it, Bear! I had a house of wood,

and the Fox had one of ice. The Fox’s hut melted, so he begged me to let him live in mine. I did, and now he has gone and driven me out!

Bear: Do not cry, Rabbit! I’ll soon chase him out.

Rabbit: That’s what you think! The dogs tried, and they couldn’t, the Grey Wolf tried , and he couldn’t. So surely, you can’t either.

Bear: I will, never fear!

Storyteller 1: And the Bear walked up to the hut and growled:

Bear: Gr-r-r-r-r! Get out, Fox, get out! Gr-gr-gr! Get out, Fox of the Rabbit’s hut!

Fox: I’ll jump me down

And I’ll rush me out,

And I’ll tear you to pieces

And strew them about!

Bear: Oh, I’m scared to death, and I can’t help it.

(And he ran away)

Storyteller1: : The Rabbit sat down and began to cry again, brushing the tears away sadly with his paws. He cried and cried, and cried. Just then a Rooster passed by with a scythe in his hand.

Rooster: Cock-a-doodle-doo! What are you crying about, Rabbit?

Rabbit: How can I help it, Rooster, dear! I had a house of wood, and the Fox had one of ice. The Fox’s hut melted, so he begged me to let him live in mine. I did, and what did he do but throw me out!

Rooster: Don’t you fret, Rabbit, I’ll soon chase him out!

Rabbit: That’s what you think! The dogs tried and they couldn’t, the Grey Wolf tried, and he couldn’t, and the old Bear tried, and he couldn’t. So, surely, you can’t either.

Rooster: I will, you’ll see!

Storyteller 2: And the Rooster went to the hut and crowed out:

Rooster: I’ve red boots on my feet

And a scythe in my hand,

And I’ll skin Fox alive

As I live and stand.

So out, Fox, away,

Or I’ll do as I say!

Storyteller 2: When the Fox heard him he got terribly frightened.

Fox: Just let me get my things on!

Rooster: Cock-a-doodle-doo!

I’ve red boots on my feet

And a scythe in my hand,

And I’ll skin Fox alive

As I live and stand.

So out, Fox, away,

Or I’ll do as I say!

Fox: Just let me put my coat on!

Rooster: Cock-a-doodle-doo!

I’ve red boots on my feet

And a scythe in my hand,

And I’ll skin Fox alive

As I live and stand.

So out, Fox, away,

Or I’ll do as I say!

Storyteller 2: As the Rooster crew for the third time, the Fox was very frightened indeed. Down he jumped from the stove and away he ran as fast as his legs could carry him. And as for the Rabbit and the Rooster, they lived happily ever after. And as it was a big holiday, the New Year’ s Eve they invited all their friends to celebrate it together. And they had a lot of fun during the holiday, and were happy and merry all the year round.