五人英语话剧剧本-The Silber Swindle

　　Tavern¹ Keepe:(男主角)

　　Young Man

　　Keeper's Wife(女主角)

　　Young Man

　　Old Man

　　Summary:

　　Once upon a time, there was a tavern.  Travelers and hunters would exchange silver ingots for copper² coins and eat some food there.  The tavern keeper and his wife were very greedy. They always played tricks on the scales and cheated their customers. One day they played a trick on an old man as usuaL They were so happy.   They thought they made a big fortune. Th their surprise, a young man in the tavern began snickering.  "It looks like you've been cheated this time." He told them that the silver ingots had lead in them.  The old man was a con³ artist in fake⁴ silver for years.  How could it be this way?  A smart money changer ilke the tavern keeper was outwitted by an old man!

　　Narrator:

　　Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen. Today I will tell you a story. Once upon a time somewhere at the foot of the Changpai mountain, there was a tavern at which travelers and hunters exchanged money to be used inside and outside the small town. Most people knew that the keeper of the tavern and his wife were very greedy. They cheated people by playing tricks on the scales and even charged additional fees for no reasons.

　　One day~

　　Scene I

　　(Customers are talking, laughing and drinking in the tavern. A traveler just comes in, finds a seat and sits down.)

　　Hunter 1: We hunted many animals today. (laughing) Let's have some more drink.

　　Hunter 2: Yeahl That's a good idea.

　　Hunter 1: Let's eat.

　　Waiter: (sees the traveler come in) Welcome in, sir. What would you like to order? We have good food here and, of course, good wine, too.

　　Traveler 1:  Bring me your best dishes!

　　Waiter: That's nice, sir. Your food will be here soon.

　　Traveler 2:  (walks to the checkout⁵ counter) Hey! How much should I pay?

　　T.O.:  It's ten for food, five for wine, and three for the service. It's all cost eighteen coins.

　　Traveler 2:  What! It's too expensive. You rip⁶ me off.

　　T.K.: If you want to eat free, you will get a misfortune⁷.

　　Traveler 2: (throws some coins on the counter reluctantly and marching out angrily) Don't expect I will come back again.

　　(Meanwhile, an old man comes downstairs and

　　orders some food before checking out.)

　　O.M.: Excuse me. May I order now?

　　T.K.: (walks from behind the counter) Hello! Mydearfriend.Youdidn'tpay me yesterday. It's fifty coins for lodging⁸, thirty-five for food, and five coins for cleaning.

　　O.M.: (surprisingly) What! I just stayed for one single night. And I have to pay so much money. It's ridiculous!

　　T.K.: Don't you dare to stay in my tavern for free!

　　(One of the two young men comes up to the old man.)

　　Y.M.1: Calm down, you two. (to the old man respecifully) Uncle Wang, how are you recently?

　　O.M.: Fine. And you?

　　Y.M.1: Fine. Thank you.

　　T.K.: (interrupts their greeting) Pay me first and take your time chatting.

　　Y.M.1: (to the keeper) Please wait a minute.(turns to the old man)Your son has been doing business with me in Changchou. He wanted me to give you this letter and some silver ingots before I left Chavgchou. I did not expect to meet you here. (hands the old man a letter and a bundle of silver ingots) Please take this.

　　O.M.: Thank you. Do you want to have a drink with me?

　　Y.M.1: Oh, no. I can't. I have to leave here for another business.

　　(The young man leaves hastily⁹ after giving the old man a big bundle of silver ingots.)

　　O.M.: (to the tavern keeper) My son again gives me money as my living expenses. But, please read this letter for me since my eyesight is not as good as it used to be. I have money more than enough now. Could I trouble you to read this letter from my son? I will pay you ten more coins as tips.

　　T.K.: Why do I have to read this letter for you?

　　K.W.: (moving from behind the counter) There's nothing to argue about. (pulls the tavern keeper aside and whispers to her husband) We don't have any lose.

　　T.K.: (tears open the letter reluctantly and read the letter)

　　Dear Father, How are you recently? I am now in Changchou doing business. My wife is pregnant¹⁰ again. kids are all filial to us. They can recite some poems. I'm sorry that I can't travel with you. Afler doing business for three years, I made a big fortune. So here are 50 taels of silver for you. And I think its enough for you to live in comfort. I'll be home in two months.                                                                                                      ~Nish you well.

　　Your son

　　O.M: (giving the bundle to the tavern keeper's wife) What a good son! Now take what I owe you and exchange the rest for coins, please.

　　K.W.: (opens the bundle shockingly) Wait a moment! That's really a big future.

　　T.K.: (to the old man) All right. You have money now. You can pay us.

　　K.W.: Well. The silver you gave me is more than you need to pay. Ah..., let me see. (pretends to be weighing the silver ingots on the scales) Mmm.... They're exactly 50 taels. The current exchange rate for 50 taels is 5000 copper coins. You have to pay us 100 coins. So, here are 4000 and 900 coins you keep yourself.

　　O.M.: That's what my son told me in the letter. So, good-bye now.

　　K.W.: Waiter.Waiter. Show the gentleman to the door.

　　(The old man takes the coins and leaves the tavern.)

　　K.W.: You can't believe it. That 50 taels of silver weights 60. His son must have been too busy to check the weight. The old man didn't know they could exchange for 6000 copper coins. So we eamlO taels.

　　T.K.: It's so great . We made a big fortune today.

　　Y.M.2: (snikering and walking to the keeper)Are yousure about the silver cotent?  You'd better check them again.

　　T.K.: What did you mean by saying that?

　　K.W.: (cuts open one of the ingots) My gosh I

　　T.K.: Oh, God! We were cheated. I have to get back my money. Do you know where I can find him?

　　Y.M.2.: (smiling and putting out his hand over) I know but...

　　T.K.: No problem. Only if you tell me where to find him and I'll give you a tael of silver ingo

　　Y.M. 2: A taels?... He is in a town.

　　T.K.: Tell me more and I'll give you three taels.

　　Y.M. 2: Three taels? He is in a village.

　　T.K. : O.K. Five taels and no more.

　　Y.M. 2: Five taels?... In the east of a village, there is a temple...

　　T.K. : O.K., O.K. Ten taels and you tell me the exact place.

　　Y.M. 2: That's a deal.

　　Hunter 1: Let's go with him.

　　K.W.: Waiter. Take the scale and go with them

　　(Most of the customers go along.)

　　Scene II

　　(The tavern Keeper leaves his wife and went to the place the young man described. It's a wine shop. The old man is drinking wine there with lots of people.)

　　T.K.: So, here you are. You, swindler. You cheated me and you dare to have fun here.

　　O.M.: Oh, come on my friend.  Have a dink with me.

　　(The tavern Keeper pushes away the old man's hand.)

　　T.K.: Don't talk so much. Return my money.

　　O.M.: Did I cheat you? It was a mistake, my friend.

　　T.K.: (angrily) Hmm~! You can't deny it! Those pieces of silver ingots you gave me are fake. They're with lead inside.

　　O.M.: How do you know the silver ingots are mine.

　　T.K.: Let me show to you.

　　(The tavern Keeper puts the silver ingots on the scales.)

　　O.M.: (showing the letter from his son to the others) You see. They weigh 60 taels of silver. What my son writes in this letter is 50 taels. Don't fool me. These are not the silver ingots I gave you.

　　T.K.: I I this this...

　　Onlookers¹¹: (grabs the tavern keeper and beat him hard) You are not honest. And you are trying to buff this poor old man. Let's throw him out.

　　(Light dims out)

　　Scene III

　　(The tavern Keeper leaves the village wearily¹².)

　　K.W.: (expecting his husband) Oh! My goodness! What happened to you?

　　T.K.: Stop talking to me. Close the door.

　　K.W.: What happened, my dear?

　　T.K.: Just close the door. It's my decision.

　　(The tavern Keeper utters the sentence dismally¹³.)

　　K.W. : I'm asking you what happened to you! Why are you so upset!

　　T.K.: l... Do you believe it? I was made a fool of by the old man.

　　K.W. : Oh oh ! My goodness! How could it be? Oh -'.

　　T.K.: Now you can understand why I am so upset,

　　K.W.: I am as angry and sad as you are? Why are you mad with me?

　　T.K.: (shouts at his wife) Those two guys outwitted us. Just be quiet.

　　K.W.: (dismally) You! You!

　　(To the surprise of the couple, the old man appears in a smoke suddenly.)

　　O.M.: Look at me closely and see who I am.

　　T.K.: (surprisingly) How How come you are here?

　　O.M.: Don't be afraid! You are in a dream. Tell you the truth. I am a god and both of the two young men are my sons.! came here to teach you a lesson. Don't deceive people any more, my friend! Do your business honestly. You will suffer from what you do if you don't stop cheating people.

　　(Finishing his advice, the old man disappears in a smoke.)

　　T.K.: I don't dare to deceive people any more.

　　K.W.: Yes! Me too!

　　Scene IV

　　Traveler 4: May I get my bill?

　　T.K.: Won't you stay longer? Don't you satisfy with our service?

　　Traveler 4: No. No. Everything is great.

　　T.K.: All right. Please wait a minuet and have some tea. It's all cost thirty coins.

　　Traveler 4: It's cheap. Thank you very much. You are really a good man. So goodbye now.

　　T.K.: Goodbye.

　　Narrator: Ever after, the tavern keeper and his wife treated people with kindness. What's more, they even helped poor people in need.

　　The End

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