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Scene 1
Open with dragon's voice (deep, husky, slow, threatening):
Dragon: Em the Baldragon Dragon. Fae Baldragon
And em hungry.
Elise Kidd and other pupils from Baldragon Academy in Dundee have written a play based on the local legend of the Baldragon Dragon, sometimes known as the Dundee Dragon.
The legend tells of a farmer at Pitempton, a farm not far from the site of Elise's school, who sent his nine daughters to the nearby well to fetch water. Some versions of the story claim that dragon ate eight of the daughters but the ninth daughter was saved by a young knight called Martin. The offical name of the local area is Strathmartine.
The young writers took a humourous approach to the legend and have written an enjoyable lively playscript. Nine Maidens also explores the relationship between fathers and daughters and raises questions about how to deal with a person in authority when that person is in the wrong.
Scotland is a country blessed with a rich history and store of wonderful legends. Do you know about any of the historical events that took place in your area? Are there any legends told about places near your house or school?
Can you write a play, a poem or a story (either serious or funny) based on an event or legend from the local history of your part of Scotland?
For some inspiration, read the Nine Maidens
Nine Maidens by Elise Kidd (Baldragon Academy) Cast: Dragon Fether Kyla (dochter 1) Dochters 2 - 8 Dochter 9 Bob the Teuchter Mertin the Knight Scene 1 Open with dragon's voice (deep, husky, slow, threatening): Dragon: Em the Baldragon Dragon. Fae Baldragon And em hungry. Em stervin. Eh could eat a hoarse. Eh could eat a haill coo. Eh could murder a fish supper! Eh could murder a. . . . here, wha's this comin doon the road? Scene 2 Fether: (Sound effect - slurping and slaverin as he finishes last drap o wattar fae a bucket) Braa wattar, this. Whut, it's feenished? Och na, that's no real. Em affy thirsty. (shouts for First dochter) Oi you! First dochter: Whut ye waantin? Fether: Get you doon tae the well and fetch us some mare wattar. First dochter: Ugh but daa... Fether: Jist dae it! First dochter: Gees the bucket then (sighs). Fether: And dinna bang the door on yer wey oot. (Sound effect - Door slams) Scene 3 First dochter: (mocking her Fether) 'Fetch us some mare wattar.' 'Jist dae it!' 'Em affy thirsty.' Here's the well noo. Ell get him ees stupit wattar - and then em goin hame for a wee leh doon. Dragon: You look perfect.... First dochter: (flattered, she walks towards the voice unaware of what it’s coming from) You're no bad yer self. Dragon: You look perfect.... First dochter: Eh ken. You said that aaready. Meh name’s Kyla and whut shall eh caa you? Dragon: You can caa me The Baldragon Dragon fae Baldragon. First dochter: (sarcastically) Catchy. Dragon: And as eh was sayin, you look perfect...tae eat. (Sound effect - roaring, munching, crunching of bones) First dochter screams. Dragon burps. Scene 4 Fether: Whar is that wee bizzim wee meh wattar? Dochter Twa: Whut ye shoutin fur, fether? Fether: Cause em thirsty and she's no back wee meh wattar! Dochter Twa: Ye no waantin me tae go, fether dear? Fether: Eh. Git doon there noo! And tak this new bucket wee ye. Kyla's awa wi the first ane. And dinna bang the door... (Sound effect - door slams) Fether: (Sighs) Ken, ev got tae dae ahin roon here. Scene 5 Dochter Twa: (oot o breath) Och, that man scares me tae death. Dragon: Ho, ho - and so will eh. Hullo, young lassie. Dochter Twa: And wha are you? Dragon: (deep sneaky laugh ) Em a friend oh your sister. Dochter Twa: Oh, are ye? (fills bucket) Dragon: Ken, you look affy like her. Dochter Twa: Weel, surprehze, surprehze! We are sisters! Dragon: Come over here. Eh cannae see your face. Dochter Twa: Git awa fae me! Dragon laughs Dochter Twa screams. (Sound effects - crunch, munch) Dragon: Oh this is meh lucky day. Scene 6 Dragon (narrating) That fether must huv been affy thirsty. He kept sendin his dochters doon tae the well for wattar but didnae seem tae bather him when they didnae come hame. His other dochters did notice though. And telt him whut they thought. But he didnae listen. He didnae care. Aa he waanted was his wattar. Stupit man. Dochter 3: Em no goin if they havenae came back. Fether: Git. And dinnae slam... (Sound effect - Door slams) Dochter 4: You cannae mak me go da. Em scared aboot meh sisters. Fether: Awa ye go! (Sound effect - Door slams) Dochter 5: Da, em no gettin yer wattar. Em goin to the well tae find them. Fether: Weel, tak a bucket wee ye onywey! (Sound effect - Door slams) Daughter 6: Da !! (crying) Please dinnae mak me go. Fether: Stap yer greetin! (Sound effect - Door slams) Daughter 7: Ell go but if eh dinna come back jist remember we aa warned you. Fether: Here, em runnin oot o buckets. (Sound effect - Door slams) Daughter 8: (soft voice) Em goin oot tae the well tae find them. And ell bring you back yer wattar as weel. (starting to tear up) But can you no think oh someone other than yer self for once? (Sound effect - Door slams) Scene 7 (Sound effects - swords clashing as Mertin practises his fighting skills) Boab the Teuchter: Mertin! Mertin! Mertin: Whut's up, Boab the Teuchter? Boab the Teuchter: It's that dragon again. Mertin: Whut? The Baldragon Dragon fae Baldragon? Boab the Teuchter: Eh, that ane. He's up tae nae good. Ye better come and tak a look. He's doon at the well. Mertin: Och, aaright then. Eh suppose... Scene 8 Dochter 9 (As Narrator) Sae wir da sent aa ees dochters tae their fate at the Pitempton Well. Eh was the last ane. The last dochter still alev. But eh went doon wee a bucket onywey. Eh didna ken aboot the dragon but eh soon foond oot. Eh could see eight buckets lehin on the grund and beside the well a big fat dragon burpin and boakin. The dragon stood up and roared. Eh was affy feart. But the nixt thing eh kent, a knight on horseback cam chergin oot and killt the dragon daid. The knight was caaed Mertin. And soon we were merried. And guess whit? We had nine wee bairns. And even although the Baldragon Dragon's daid, we never let them go doon tae the well on their ain. |