Characters:

• Kasper

• Music Donkey

• Music Elephant

• Prince

• Pirate

• a small pouch or a bag

Note: The story can be slightly adapted depending on which characters are available.

The play to act out

(Kasper comes on stage)

Kasper:

Tri-tratrullala, tri-tra-trullala, Kasper is back! Hello, children! I'm here! Are you all here too?

(the children answer)

Kasper:

Children, I must tell you a story. Do you know the story of the Prince and the town musicians?

(the children answer)

Kasper:

No? Well then, watch and see how the story goes!

(Kasper leaves the stage, the Prince enters holding his pouch)

Prince:

I'm so excited, I'm so excited, I'm off to the circus now! I'm so excited, I'm so excited! How lucky that I've saved sooo much of my pocket money so I can buy the ticket! This is going to be great!

(the pirate waits on the other side behind the curtain, jumps out when he sees the Prince)

Pirate:

Stop! Stand still this instant and hands up! I'm the fearsome pirate and no one can stop me!

Prince:

Oh dear! There's the fearsome pirate. What am I to do now?

(the Prince raises his hands holding his pouch)

Pirate:

Ha, what have we here? Prince Maximilian. And what have you got in your hands, little prince?

Prince:

Where? In my pouch here? There's nothing. Just… old socks I'm taking to be washed.

Pirate:

Yeah, old laundry you say? I don't believe that. I think you've got your pocket money in there. I heard what you said earlier. But your trip to the circus is off, little prince, because I'm going to the circus!

(the pirate takes the pouch from the Prince and disappears from the stage)

Prince:

Help! Help! I've been robbed! I've been attacked! The fearsome pirate has stolen my pocket money! Children, please help me! Can you call my friend Kasper with me? We'll shout "Kasper" loudly together, okay?

(the children shout along, Kasper comes on stage)

Kasper:

Yes, who is crying out so pitifully?

Prince:

Kasper, there you are. You must help me! The fearsome pirate has stolen my pocket money and now I can't go to the circus.

Kasper:

Oh dear! The pirate? It will be hard to get your pocket money back. But I have an idea! Come with me, Prince!

(Kasper and the Prince leave the stage, two music hand-puppets appear on the other side)

Donkey:

Always performing at the circus and doing tricks is boring. Come on, Elephant, let's form a music band.

Elephant:

That's a good idea. I'll play the bagpipes and you can beat the drum. And then we'll both sing together — what do you think?

Donkey:

Yesss! That will be wonderful! Let's start right away!

(Music Donkey and Music Elephant make "music" together and sing delightfully off-key) Trörö – I-Aah – Trörö – Trörö – I–Aah – Trörö – I-Aah – Trörö – Trörö – I–Aah (the Prince and Kasper enter and cover their ears)

Prince:

Kasper, what is that racket? Are ghosts wailing? Has someone trodden on a cat's tail?

Kasper:

That's music, my dear Prince. And with that we'll get your pocket money back. Just you wait.

(Kasper takes his hands off his ears and goes to the music animals)

Kasper:

What do my ears hear? What a wonderful sound! I think there's an opera house here! Are you two opera singers?

Elephant:

We are not opera singers. We are two circus animals…

Donkey:

But we might be as good as opera singers! We would love to sing in an opera house, but we don't know how to get there.

Kasper:

Well, I can help with that. In the wood behind the big rocks is the opera director's house. If you two go there and give a little concert tonight, he'll surely give you jobs at the opera as first and second singers.

(Music Donkey and Music Elephant leave)

Prince:

You know where the opera director lives?

Kasper:

No, not exactly. But I sent the two to the pirate's house. And if they sing there as nicely as they do here, then the devil would have to be involved if the pirate doesn't run away at once.

(The Prince and Kasper leave, the pirate appears on the other side)

Pirate:

So, here in front of my house I'm safe. Now I'll count how much money I stole from the Prince.

(Music Donkey and Music Elephant come from the other side and stop when they see the pirate)

Elephant:

Look, there's someone. That must be the opera director.

Donkey:

Well then, let's just start singing and playing right away. On three? Children, will you help us count? One, … two, … three! Trörö – I-Aah – Trörö – Trörö – I–Aah – Trörö – I-Aah – Trörö – Trörö – I–Aah

Pirate:

Help! What is that dreadful noise? It sounds like ghosts coming to fetch me! Help! Help! I'd better run away quickly!

(The pirate runs away without the pouch, the two music animals follow him. When the pirate has gone, Kasper and the Prince come on stage; the Prince has his pouch in his hands)

Prince:

Kasper, that worked out brilliantly. Look, I have my pocket money back.

Kasper:

That was fun, wasn't it, children? Now you have your pocket money back and you can go to the circus. But you'd better take a pair of earplugs with you! Who knows, maybe the Donkey and the Elephant will want to sing in the circus again!