GOLD, CORAL AND MONEY

ACTORS : 1. Azuwa - Mother 2. Gold - Daughter of Azuwa 3. Coral - Daughter of Azuwa 4. Money - Daughter of Azuwa 5. Narrator 6. Servant 7. Mother Narrator: Once upon a time, there lived a woman called Azuwa and her three Daughters named Gold, Coral and Money. They grew into beautiful women and it was soon time for them to get married. Azuwa prepared very expensive wardrobes for her two eldest daughters, Gold and Coral, but did nothing for Money. The two daughters later maltreated their mother but Money remained faithful. SCENE ONE: Family house (The Family is seated in a large sitting room.) Gold: Mother, you know I will be leaving for my husband's house today. Azuwa: Yes, my dear. Gold: Mother, I would like to have a share of your property as my bridal wealth. Azuwa: Don't worry, my daughter. I have prepared a large porting of it for you. When you are ready to go, the slaves that are also part of your inheritance will take them with you. Go and get ready, my daughter. (exit Gold) Go and get ready too, Coral; you know you'll be leaving soon too. Coral: Yes, Mother. I am ready. Azuwa: I have given a large portion of my inheritance to you too. Coral: Thank you very much, Mother. (exit Coral) Money: Mother, what of me? I am also leaving today. Azuwa: Get out, you good-for- nothing child. I have no wealth to waste on you. You are very ugly. No man will want to marry you. Money: But, Mother, I am your child, you bore me. Remember how I used to help you while all my other sisters abandoned you. Azuwa: I have nothing for you. Good-bye. I am happy to be rid of you. (Money begins to weep and eventually exits.) SCENE TWO: Family House (The house is looking old and wretched. Azuwa is sitting down.) Narrator: Several years later, Azuwa becomes old, poor and wretched. Everybody has deserted her. Azuwa: O! God why have you done this to me? I am so old and poor. I can hardly get any food to eat. All my children have deserted me. All the same, I will still go and stay with them. That is better than staying here. Narrator: She then sets out to find her children, starting with Gold. SCENE THREE: Gold's House (Everything in the surrounding is made of gold. Gold is seated on a beautiful chair.) Gold: Servant! Servant!! Servant: Yes, madam. Gold: Go and see who is making that noise outside. (Exit servant; on the right side of the stage, outside the door, Azuwa is seated with tattered clothes.) Azuwa: (begins to sing) Gold, Gold o! Tell your husband to do me good Come and see the suffering Azuwa is in Azuwa is now suffering. Servant: She says she is your mother, Madam. Gold: Bring her in (servant goes out and comes in again with Azuwa) Gold: Who is this? Who do you want? Can I help you? Azuwa: I am your mother, Azuwa. Don't you know me again? Gold: Get out of my house. I have no business with wretched people like you. Servant, throw her out of my house. Look at the stinking fool. (The servant drags her out) SCENE FOUR: Coral's House (There are lots of beautiful corals on the wall; Coral is seated on a beautiful chair and Azuwa's song is heard from outside) Servant: Madam, there is a woman that says she is your mother outside, singing. Coral: Ask the guard to throw her out. I have no business with her. I cannot help her. Servant: But ma, she is your mother! Coral: Are you deaf? Call the guard and ask him to throw her out of the compound. I have no place in my house for the suffering mother her song talks about. She has other daughters, let her go to them. Narrator: Azuwa was thrown outside. The rain fell on her and the sun dried her. All the clothes she had on were torn to little bits. She didn't know who to go to, having been nasty to Money. After many weeks of living like a mad woman, she finally decided to go to Money's house. SCENE FIVE: Money's House (There is a very expensive environment, far more than the other two. Azuwa's song can be heard from afar.) Money: I think I can hear a very faint song from afar. The voice sounds like my mother's. Servant! (enter servant) Go and see who the person is that is singing this sorrowful tune. Servant: Yes, Madame. Voice: Money, Money o! Tell your husband to do me good Come and see the suffering Azuwa is in Azuwa is now suffering Money: (She starts weeping) So my mother is now suffering. What could have happened to her wealth? Servant: Madam, your mother is outside. Money: Go to my bedroom and bring out all the expensive wrappers and spread them on the floor for her to walk on. (exit servant and re-enters spreading the wrappers on the path Azuwa will walk on) Money: Go and bring my mother in. (As her mother appears, Money runs to her and embraces her. They both start crying) Money: Go and tell the other servants to boil water for my mother's bath. Tell them to kill a fattened goat and make food for her. (exit servant) (Turning to Azuwa) Mother, what happened to you? Where are my sisters? Azuwa: After you all left, I became very lonely and poor. When I went to Gold's house, she drove me out like a dirty dog. Coral wouldn't even set her eyes on me. But you, my daughter, took me in, clothed me and cared for me after all I did to you. I am sorry, my daughter. God will bless you. Money: We shall send for my other sisters. For now, come inside and have a good bath so that you can eat. SCENE SIX : Money's House (The three daughters are seated around their mother) Gold: Mother, we are really very sorry. Please, forgive us. Coral: Mother, please forgive us. Azuwa: I have forgiven you. If Money can forgive me who am I to bear you any grudge? Coral and Gold: Thank you, Mother. Azuwa: There is something I must tell all of you today. From today, Money is the most senior out of the three of you. She alone has shown love and maturity. Moreover, without money we cannot buy Gold. Without Money we cannot buy Coral. We thank God for the kindness she has shown to all of us. Money: I thank you very much, Mother, for that gesture. But I don't think it is necessary. Coral: Money, don't disagree with Mother, she is correct. Gold: Yes, Money, we have nothing against Mother's decisions. Without your help, Mother would have probably died now. Money: Okay, sisters. Thank you too. Let's go in and have some food. (exit all) (Fade out)