C U LT U R E S A R O U N D T H E WO R L D F R O M
RETOLD BY
PAT
BETTELEY
ART BY
KATIE
CANTRELL
CHARACTERS:
Narrator 1, Narrator 2, Tiger, Gibbon,
Water Buffalo, Gecko, Elephant, Pangolin, Snake
Narrator 1: Four animals sat gazing at the ruins of ancient Angkor Wat.
Tiger: Look at those old stone carvings of kings. Kings in parades. Kings
at feasts. Kings fighting battles. I would have been a fine king, with my
amazing strength.
Gibbon: Muscles are not always the answer. I would have been a finer
king than you, as I would rule with compassion and kindness.
Water Buffalo: What makes a fine ruler is strength of
character. If I were king, nothing could make me give up.
Gecko: What about bravery? I would have been a
great warrior who was fearless in battle.
Elephant: Many qualities are necessary to
be a good king including strength, kindness,
diligence, and bravery.
Gibbon: Where did you come from, Elephant? I did not
see you sitting there.
Elephant: Never mind. Go to the temple on that hilltop to find
out if you are truly worthy to be king,
Water Buffalo: What temple? Do you mean
that ruin over there?
Gecko: I have been all over this jungle, but
I have never seen that ruin before.
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Tiger: No matter. I shall beat you
to the hill!
Gibbon: You will not get there before me!
Water Buffalo: I am determined to win!
Gecko: I will see you at the top!
Narrator 2: Tiger raced through the jungle. He came to a
swamp guarded by a fierce Snake. The enormous reptile
was coiled, ready to strike. Tiger took one mighty leap,
sailed over Snake’s head, and ran on.
Narrator 1: Next, Tiger came across a bird with a broken
wing. He pretended not to hear Crane’s calls for help, and
hurried on. Meanwhile, Gibbon had swung through the
trees until he met the snake.
Gibbon: You seem to be tangled in the branches. I
will help you.
Narrator 2: After untangling Snake’s coils,
Gibbon hurried off toward the hill. But soon,
the monkey got tired. He spied a Pangolin
plodding through the jungle.
Gibbon: Can I hitch a ride?
Pangolin: Hop on, friend.
Narrator 1: Water Buffalo pushed tirelessly
through the jungle until she heard a hissing
voice.
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Snake: Do not fear. I will let you pass.
Water Buffalo: I would like to believe you, but slinky, slithery, creatures
terrify me. I will go a different route!
Narrator 2: Water Buffalo was determined to finish, but she had to trek
around the far edge of the swamp through a tangle of twisted trees. Gecko, too,
found the Snake barring his way.
Gecko: I am not afraid. You are too slow to catch me!
Narrator 1: Gecko dodged his way past Snake and ran on toward the distant
hill. Finally, the four animals arrived at the temple on the hilltop.
Tiger: Is that you, Elephant?
Gibbon: I thought we left you at the ruins with all the carved kings.
Water Buffalo: Yes, how did you beat us here?
Gecko: Very curious.
Elephant: You have done well, friends. Each has reached the top of the hill. But
your journeys have revealed your strengths and weaknesses.
Tiger: What do you mean? Am I not the mightiest?
Elephant: Clearly, yes. Your strength allowed you to escape danger and be the
first to reach the top of the hill.
Tiger: (roaring in triumph) Then I am the WINNER!
Elephant: But, you ignored Crane’s call for help along the way. You lack
compassion for others. There was another who was kind to a stranger, though.
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Gibbon: (nodding) It was I.
Elephant: But you tired quickly, choosing to ride on the back of another rather
than make your own way. One animal was determined to run the race by
herself, though. She kept going tirelessly.
Water Buffalo: (snorting proudly) You noticed.
Elephant: However, you lacked the courage to face your fears. You let the Snake
force you far from the path. Another of you was bravest. He faced a terrible foe
without fear.
Gecko: (chirping happily) You are talking about me.
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Elephant: Unfortunately, you were foolish not to realize the danger you were
in. You were actually in great peril, and lacked the wisdom to understand your
situation.
Narrator 2: The animals took a walk down the path to think about Elephant’s
words. They realized that none of them had all the qualities of a great king.
When they returned to the temple, Elephant was gone. But all around them
were wondrous carvings of an ancient Elephant King: scenes of strength,
kindness, diligence, and bravery.
Tiger: I will try to be more considerate, like the King.
Gibbon: I will work on not being lazy.
Water Buffalo: I must overcome my fears.
Gecko: And I will learn to be less foolhardy.
Narrator 1: All of the animals learned something about being a good leader
that day. And they never forgot their meeting with the final king of Angkor
Wat.
WORD HELP
• Diligence is careful and persistent work.
• A pangolin is a scaly mammal that eats ants.
• Foolhardy means to act recklessly or without thinking.
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TM
Text and Art © 2016 by Carus Publishing Company dba Cricket Media
Copyright © 2016 by Carus Publishing Company.
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ISBN 978-0-8126-6505-5