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Act 2

Scene 1

SETTING: King’s bedroom
AT RISE: KING is sleeping. Suddenly, the large, downstage window
opens and CROW steps in. He looks around, then signals to the other
members of Mother Nature’s Court. All except JUDGE enter. They carry
a bench and witness box, which they set up where it can be seen by
KING. Jury sits together, either on the floor or on folding chairs which
they carry with them. The witnesses remain together in another area.
1 CROW: Caw! Caw! Hear ye! Hear ye! Mother Nature’s Court is now
in session. Judge Wise Owl presiding. All rise. (All rise as JUDGE OWL
enters, goes to bench and sits. KING awakens.)

2 JUDGE OWL (Pounding gavel): What is the first case before
the court?

3 CROW: Mother Nature vs. King Bartholomew, Your Honor.
4 JUDGE: Is the attorney for Mother Nature ready?

5 EAGER BEAVER: Ready, Your Honor. Your Honor, ladies and
gentlemen of the jury, I, Eager Beaver, shall prove beyond a shadow of a
doubt that King Bartholomew is guilty of attempted murder.

6 KING (Sitting up in his bed): Murder! I have never murdered
anybody!

7 JUDGE: Quiet, please.

8 BEAVER: I said, “Attempted murder.”
9 KING: I have never even “attempted” murder!
10 JUDGE: You will have to restrain yourself, Sire—or you will be held
in contempt of court. You may proceed, Mr. Eager Beaver.

11 BEAVER: I speak of the attempt to murder by starvation.
12 KING: I have never starved anybody! Even the prisoners in our jail
are given the finest peanut butter and jelly!

13 JUDGE: This is your last warning, Sire.

presiding If you are presiding over an event, you are in charge of it.
attempted If you attempted something, you tried to do it.
restrain When you restrain yourself, you stop yourself from doing what you want to do.
contempt When you show contempt, you show little or no respect for someone
or something.

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