JUMPING MOUSE

By Rising Star and Growing Oak (aka Isabelle and Brian Styslinger)

Characters:

Jumping Mouse; Fellow Mouse #1, #2; Raccoon; Frog (&Voice); Old Mouse; Buffalo; Wolf

SCENE 1: THE BEGGING

{ENTER RISING STAR and 2 MICE}

[GROWING OAK]
Once there was a mouse.
She was a Busy Mouse, Searching Everywhere, Touching her Whiskers to the
Grass, and Looking.
She was Busy as all Mice are, Busy with Mice things.

But Once in a while she would Hear an odd Sound.
She would Lift her Head, Squinting hard to See, her Whiskers Wiggling in the Air,
and she would Wonder.
One Day she Scurried up to a fellow Mouse and asked her,

[RISING STAR]
"Do you Hear a Roaring in your Ears, my Sister?"

[MOUSE ONE]
"No, no" …( not Lifting her Busy Nose from the Ground).
"I Hear Nothing. I am Busy now. Talk to me Later."

{EXIT MOUSE ONE}

[RISING STAR]
"Do you Hear a Roaring in your Ears, my Sister?"

[MOUSE TWO] (The Mouse Looks at her Strangely.)
"Are you Foolish in the Head? What sound?"
{EXIT MOUSE TWO: (and Slips into a Hole in a Fallen Cottonwood Tree.)}

[GROWING OAK]
The little Mouse shrugged her Whiskers and Busied herself again, Determined to
Forget the Whole Matter.
But there was that Roaring again.
It was faint, very faint, but it was there!
One Day, she Decided to investigate the Sound just a little.
Leaving the Other Busy Mice, she Scurries a little Way away and Listened again.
There it was!

SCENE 2: THE RIVER WALK w/RACOON

{ENTER RACCOON}

[GROWING OAK]
She was Listening hard when suddenly, Someone said

[RACCOON] (from the shadows)
"Hello".
"Hello, little Sister,"

[GROWING OAK]
And Mouse almost Jumped right Out of her Skin.
She Arched her Back and Tail and was about to Run.

[RACCOON] (from the shadows)
"Hello,"

{ENTER RACCOON}

"It is I, Sister Raccoon."
"What are you Doing Here all by yourself, little Sister?"

[RISING STAR] (blushing, nose to ground, she timidly answers)
"I Hear a Roaring in my Ears and I am Investigating it,"

[RACCOON] (Sitting Down with her, she says.)
"A Roaring in your Ears?"
"What you Hear, little Sister, is the River."

[RISING STAR] (curiously)
"The River?"
"What is a River?"
{WALKING}

[RACCOON]
"Walk with me and I will Show you the River," Raccoon said.

[GROWING OAK]
Little Mouse was terribly Afraid, but she was Determined to Find Out Once and for
All about the Roaring.
"I can Return to my Work," she thought,
"after her thing is Settled, and possibly this thing may Aid me in All my Busy
Examining and Collecting.
And my Sisters All said it was Nothing.
I will Show them.
I will Ask Racoon to Return with me and I will have Proof."

[RISING STAR]
"All right Raccoon, my Sister, Lead on to the River.
I will Walk with you."

[GROWING OAK]
Little Mouse Walked with Raccoon.
Her little Heart was Pounding in her Breast.
The Raccoon was Taking her upon Strange Paths
and little Mouse Smelled the Scent of many things that had Gone by this Way.
Many times she became so Frightened she almost Turned Back.
Finally, they Came to the River!
It was Huge and Breathtaking, Deep and Clear in Places, and Murky in Others.
Little Mouse was unable to See Across it because it was so Great.
It Roared, Sang, Cried, and Thundered on its Course.
Little Mouse Saw Great and Little Pieces of the World Carried Along on its
Surface.

[RISING STAR] (fumbling for words, she says)
"It is Powerful!"

[RACCOON] (answering)
"It is a Great thing, but here, let me Introduce you to a Friend."

SCENE 3: THE RIVER w/ FROG and RACCOON

{ENTER FROG}

[GROWING OAK]
In a Smoother, Shallower Place was a Lily Pad, Bright and Green.
Sitting upon it was a Frog, almost as Green as the Pad it sat on.
The Frog's White Belly stood out Clearly.

[FROG] (responding)
"Hello, little Sister, Welcome to the River."

[RACCOON]
"I must Leave you Now,
but do not Fear, little Sister, for Frog will Care for you Now."

{EXIT RACCOON … Looking along the River Bank for Food.)

[GROWING OAK]
Little Mouse Approached the Water and Looked into it.
She saw a Frightened Mouse Reflected there.

[RISING STAR]
"Who are you?
"Are you not Afraid being this Far out into the Great River?"

[FROG]
"No,"
(pause)
"I am not Afraid.
I have been Given the Gift from Birth to Live both Above and Within the River.
When Winter Comes and Freezes the river, I cannot be Seen.
To Visit me, One must Come when the World is Green.
I, my Sister, am the Keeper of the Water."

[RISING STAR] (fumbling for words)
"Amazing!"

[FROG]
"Would you like to have some Special Power?"

[RISING STAR]
"Special Power?
Me?"
"Yes, yes! If it is Possible."

[FROG]
"Then Crouch as Low as you Can,
and then Jump as High as you are Able!
You will have your Special Power!"

[GROWING OAK]
She Crouched as Low as she Could and Jumped.
And when she did, her Eyes Saw the Sacred SIERRA Mountains.
Little Mouse could hardly Believe her Eyes.
But there They were!
But then she Fell back to Earth,
and she LANDED IN THE RIVER!
Little Mouse became Frightened and Scrambled back to the Bank.
She was Wet and Frightened nearly to Death.

[RISING STAR] (screaming)
"You have Tricked me!"

[FROG]
"Wait,"
(pause … holding hand up)
"You are not Harmed.
Do not let your Fear and Anger Blind you.
What did you See?"

[RISING STAR] (stammering)
"I, I, I Saw the Sacred Mountains!"

[FROG]
"And you have a New Name!"
"It is Jumping Mouse."

[RISING STAR]
"Thank you. Thank you,"
"I want to Return to my People
and Tell them of this thing that has Happened to me."

[FROG]
"Go. Go then,"
"Return to your People.
It is Easy to Find them.
Keep the Sound of the River to the Back of your Head.
Go Opposite to the Sound and you will Find your Sister Mice."

{EXIT FROG … WALK JUMPING MOUSE}

SCENE 4: HOME …

[GROWING OAK]
Jumping Mouse Returned to the World of the Mice.
But she Found Disappointment.
No One would Listen to her.
And because she was Wet, and had no Way of explaining it because there had been
no Rain, many of the other Mice were Afraid of her.
They believed she had been Spat from the Mouth of Another Animal that had Tried
to Eat her.
And they all Knew that if she had not been Food for the One who Wanted her, then
she must also be Poison for them.
Jumping Mouse Lived again among her People, but she could not Forget her Vision
of the Sacred Mountains.
The Memory Burned in the Mind and Heart of Jumping Mouse, and One Day she
Went to the Edge of the River.
Then Jumping Mouse went farther still -- to the Edge of the Place of Mice and
Looked out into the Prarie.
She Looked up for Eagles.
The Sky was Full of many Spots, each One an Eagle.
But she was Determined to Go to the Sacred Mountains.

SCENE 5: THE BUFFALO AND CROSSING THE PRARIE

{JUMPING MOUSE …. RUNS AROUND CIRCLE}
She could Feel the Shadows of the Spots upon her Back as she Ran.
All those Eagles!
Finally she Ran into a Stand of Chokecherries.
Jumping Mouse could hardly Believe her Eyes.
It was Cool there and very Spacious. There was Water, Cherries and Seeds to Eat,
Grasses to Gather for Nests, Holes to be Explored and many, many Other Busy
Things to do.
And there were a great many things to Gather.
She was investigating her New Domain

{JUMPING MOUSE: INVESTIGATES HER NEW DOMAIN}
when she Heard very Heavy Breathing.

{ENTER BUFFALO: LAY DOWN IN SICKNESS}
She Quickly Investigated the Sound and Discovered its Source.
It was a Great Mound of Hair with Black Horns.
It was a Great Buffalo.
Jumping Mouse could hardly Believe the Greatness of the Being she Saw Lying
there before her.
She was so large that Jumping Mouse could have Crawled into One of her Great
Horns.
"Such a Magnificent Being," Thought Jumping Mouse, and she Crept Closer.

[BUFFALO]
"Hello, my Sister,"
"Thank you for Visiting me."

[RISING STAR]
"Hello, Great Being,"
"Why are you Lying here?"

[BUFFALO]
"I am Sick and I am Dying,"
"And my Medicine Man has Told me that only the Eye of a Mouse can Heal me.
But little Sister, there is no such Thing as a Mouse."

[GROWING OAK]
Jumping Mouse was Shocked.
"One of my Eyes!" she Thought, "One of my Tiny Eyes."
She Scurried back into the Stand of Chokecherries.
But the Breathing came Harder and Slower.
"She will Die," Thought Jumping Mouse, "If I do not Give her my Eye.
She is too Great a Being to Let Die."
She Went Back to where the Buffalo Lay and Spoke.

[RISING STAR]
(with shaky voice)
"I am a Mouse,"
"And you, my Sister, are a Great Being.
I cannot Let you Die.
I have Two Eyes, so you may have One of them."

[GROWING OAK]
The minute she had Said it,
Jumping Mouse's Eye Flew Out of her Head and the Buffalo was Made Whole.
The Buffalo Jumped to her Feet, Shaking Jumping Mouse's Whole World.

[BUFFALO]
"Thank you, my little Sister,"
"I Know of your Quest for the Sacred Mountains and of your Visit to the River.
You have given me Life so that I may Give-Away to the People.
I will be your Sister Forever.
Run under my Belly and I will Take you right to the Foot of the Sacred Mountains,
and you need not Fear the Spots.
The Eagles cannot See you while you Run under Me.
All they will See will be the Back of a Buffalo.
I am of the Prairie and I will Fall on you if I Try to Go up the Mountains."

[GROWING OAK]
Little Mouse Ran under the buffalo, Secure and Hidden from the Spots.
Finally they Came to a Place and Buffalo Stopped.

[BUFFALO]
"This is Where I must Leave you, little Sister,"

[RISING STAR]
"Thank you very much,"

{EXIT BUFFALO}

SCENE 6: GRAY WOLF AND THE MAGICAL MOUTAIN LAKE

[GROWING OAK]
Jumping Mouse Immediately Began to Investigate her New Surroundings.
There were even more things here than in Other Places, Busier things, and an
Abundance of Seeds and Other things Mice Like.

{ENTER GRAY WOLF: LOOKING AROUND AIMLESSLY}
{JUMPING MOUSE: FINDS WOLF}

In her Investigation of these things, Suddenly she Ran upon a Gray Wolf who was
Sitting there doing absolutely Nothing.

[RISING STAR]
"Hello Sister Wolf,"

[WOLF]
(suddenly alert)
"Wolf! Wolf!
Yes, that is what I am, I am a Wolf!"

[GROWING OAK]
But then her Mind dimmed again and it was not long before she Sat Quietly again,
completely without Memory as to who she was.
Each time Jumping Mouse Reminded her who she was, she became Excited with
the News, but soon would Forget again.
"Such a Great Being," thought Jumping Mouse, "but she has no Memory."
Jumping Mouse Went to the Center of this New Place and was Quiet.
She Listened for a very long time to the Beating of her Heart.
Then Suddenly she Made up her Mind.
She Scurried back to where the Wolf Sat and she Spoke.

[RISING STAR]
"Sister Wolf,"

[WOLF]
"Wolf! Wolf,"

[RISING STAR]
"Please, Sister Wolf,"
"Please listen to me. I Know what will Heal you.
It is One of my Eyes.
And I Want to Give it to you.
You are a Greater Being than I,
I am only a Mouse.
Please Take it."

[GROWING OAK]
When Jumping Mouse Stopped Speaking her Eye Flew out of her Head
and the Wolf was made Whole.
Tears Fell down the Cheeks of Wolf,
but her little Sister could not See them,
for Now she was Blind.

[WOLF]
"You are a Great Sister for Now I have my Memory.
But Now you are Blind.
I am the Guide to the Sacred Mountains.
I will Take you there.
There is a Great Medicine Lake there.
The most Beautiful Lake in theWorld.
All the World is Reflected there.
The People, the Lodges of the People, and All the Beings of the Prairies and Skies."

[RISING STAR]
"Please Take me there,"

{WOLF & JUMPING MOUSE: WALK AROUND THE CIRCLE}

[GROWING OAK]
The Wolf Guided her through the Pines to the Medicine Lake.
Jumping Mouse Drank the Water from the lake.
The Wolf Described the Beauty to her.

[WOLF]
"I must Leave you here for I must Return so that I may Guide Others,
but I will Remain for as long as you Like."

[RISING STAR]
"Thank you, my Sister,"
"But although I am Frightened to be Alone,
I Know you must Go so that you may Show Others the Way to this Place."

{EXIT WOLF}
{JUMPING MOUSE: SIT TIMIDELY}

SCENE 7: THE EAGLE … HELPED BY FROG

[GROWING OAK]
Jumping Mouse Sat there Trembling in Fear.
It was no use Running, for she was Blind,
but she Knew an Eagle would Find her Here.
She Felt a Shadow on her Back and Heard the Sound that Eagles Make.
She Braced herself for the Shock.
And the Eagle Hit!
Jumping Mouse went to Sleep.

{JUMPING MOUSE: GO TO SLEEP}

Then she Woke Up.

{JUMPING MOUSE: WAKE UP}

The surprise of being Alive was Great,
but Now she could See!
Everything was Blurry,

{JUMPING MOUSE: SQUINT}

but the Colors were Beautiful.

[RISING STAR]
(over and over)
"I can See! I can See!"

[GROWING OAK]
{FROG: WALKS TO EDGE OF CIRCLE}
A Blurry Shape Came toward Jumping Mouse.
Jumping Mouse Squinted hard but the Shape Remained a Blur.

[FROG] (from the shadows a voice says)
"Hello, Sister,"
"Do you Want some Medicine?"

[RISING STAR]
"Some Medicine for me?"
"Yes! Yes!"
"Then Crouch down as Low as you Can,
and Jump as High as you Can."

[GROWING OAK]
She Crouched as Low as she Could and Jumped!
The Wind Caught her and Carried her Higher.

[FROG] (calling from the shadows)
"Do not be Afraid,
Hang on to the Wind and Trust!"

{JUMPING MOUSE: FLOAT AROUND CIRCLE}

[GROWING OAK]
Jumping Mouse did.
She Closed her Eyes
and Hung on to the Wind and it Carried her Higher and Higher.
Jumping Mouse Opened her Eyes and they were Clear,
and the Higher she Went the Clearer they Became.

{FROG: ENTER CIRCLE}

Jumping Mouse Saw her Old Friend upon a Lily Pad on the Beautiful Medicine Lake.
It was the Frog.

[FROG]
"You have a New Name.
You are Eagle!"

{RISING STAR: EAGLE FLYS AROUND THE FIRE … AND INTO THE DARKNESS}

The End