Man 4
: Because we must leave.
Woman 2 : Of course, husband.
Narrator 1 : Good morning. The title of our readers’ theater
is Leopard Woman.
Narrator 2 : She put out the fire, she gathered the meat, she
wrapped it. But before they left, she said,
Narrator 2 : Once upon a time, a man walked across the
African plains with his wife.
Woman 3 : Husband, there is something I must say.
Narrator 1 : The man carried his spear, and a bow and
arrows on his back.
Woman 1 : Remember, I can do anything you ask of me.
So in future, be careful what you ask.
Narrator 2 : Thank you for listening to our readers’ theater,
(Bow.)
Narrator 1 : And you, remember, be careful what you ask.
Women
: (Roar).
Narrator 2 : As they walked, the husband turned to his wife,
Man 1
: Wife, I’m hungry. You can turn yourself into a
leopard.
Man 2
: Change yourself into a leopard. Chase down
that herd of zebra.
Man 3
: Catch one zebra for me. Bring it back. Change
yourself back into a woman,
Man 4
: Skin the zebra, clean it, then cook it,
Man 1
: Prepare it the way I like it, and feed me.
Woman 1 : But husband, are you not a hunter?
Woman 2 : Do you not have your spear?
Woman 3 : Do you not have your bow and arrows?
Men
: I, am your husband.
Man 2
: If I tell you to turn yourself into a leopard, you
will.
Man 3
: If I tell you to chase down that herd of zebra,
you will.
Man 4
: If I tell you to bring back a zebra, then cook it,
prepare it, and bring it to me, you will,
Man 1
: Because I, am your husband.
Woman 4 : Are you sure you know what you’re asking?
Man 2
4
: Yes, I do, and do as you are told.
1
Narrator 1 : That woman, that woman,
Woman 2 : And my back, became the back of a woman,
Man 1
Woman 3 : And my paws, became the hands of a woman,
:
Her eyes, became the eyes of a leopard.
Narrator 2 : That woman, that woman,
Woman 4 : And my teeth, became the teeth of a woman,
Man 2
: Her teeth, became the teeth of a leopard.
Woman 1 : And my eyes, became the eyes of a woman,
Man 3
: And her hands, became the paws of a leopard.
Narrator 1 : And her heart became the heart of a woman.
Man 4
: And her back, became the back of a leopard.
Man 1
: And her skin, became the fur of a leopard.
Narrator 2 : And that woman, she skinned the zebra, she
cleaned the zebra,
Narrator 1 : And her heart became the heart of a leopard.
Narrator 2 : And she looked at her husband, and said,
Women
: (Roar.)
Narrator 2 : And that man was so afraid,
Narrator 1 : She built a fire, she pushed a stick through the
zebra’s body,
Woman
: I turned and roasted, and turned and roasted
the zebra, until it was done.
Narrator 2 : Into the branches,
Narrator 1 : And when that meat was cooked, she cut
some of the meat, and she prepared it the way
her husband liked it.
Narrator 1 : That woman, that leopard woman,
Woman 4 : Husband, come down, here is your meat.
Narrator 2 : She turned and she ran across the plains,
Narrator 1 : He refused to come down from the tree.
Woman 2 : Chasing down that herd of zebra, chasing,
Woman 1 : Husband, here’s your meat, come, eat.
Woman 3 : I turned the herd this way, chasing,
Narrator 2 : And it was then, and only then, that her
husband recognized her.
Narrator 1 : He ran to the nearest tree, and up up up up up,
Woman 4 : And I turned the herd that way, chasing.
Woman 1 : I chased, chased, until I caught the youngest of
the zebra.
Woman 2 : I bit his throat, I tore his throat open.
Narrator 2 : (Scream.)
Narrator 1 : He grabbed the piece of meat that his wife
prepared for him,
Narrator 2 : He went to one side, and watching his wife, he
ate and he ate and he ate.
Woman 3 : I brought the zebra back to my husband.
Narrator 1 : When he believed that his wife was back to
herself, he said,
Narrator 1 : And that woman, that leopard woman,
Man 2
: Woman, put out the fire,
Woman 1 : My fur, became the skin of a woman,
Man 3
: Gather the meat, wrap the meat,
2
3