The Adventures of Yumi. Theatre play for children. Maxim Titovets

is the end for you.

      Yumi comes back and stands behind Pirate’s back. A titmouse flies to the wasteland.

      Yumi. Don’t move, you coward!

      Pirate. Eh?!!

      Yumi. You are a coward if you hurt the weak.

      Pirate. What have you just said?

      Yumi. You are a coward if you hurt the weak.

      Pirate. You are barking up the wrong tree, you pup.

      Yumi. Don’t you touch the kitten!

      Pirate. Grrr!!! You just say it…

      Pirate takes a couple of steps towards Yumi. The puppy stands still. Greta enters into the picture, starts forward and steps between Pirate and Yumi.

      Greta. Grrr!!! Don’t you dare touch him, Pirate!

      Pirate. Grrr!!!

      Greta. Grrr!!!

      Pirate. And you are the same old brass neck, Greta.

      Pirate moves back, comes to Toy and takes the sausage from him.

      Pirate. I’d finish you off but I’ve got no time for this.

      Pirate goes back to the bushes. Yumi approaches Toy and helps him get free. Toy runs off. Yumi steps up to Greta, and she hugs her son.

      Greta. Yumi, my boy. You scared me so much.

      Yumi. Mommy, I’m sorry.

      Greta. You left our housing and ran into danger.

      Yumi. But Pirate could have killed the kitten!

      Greta. These wrangles have nothing to do with you. Let’s go home. (She heads for the dugout).

      Yumi. One should not leave the weak to their fate!

      Greta. Oh, Yumi. You are just like your father when he was young.

      Yumi. My father? When he was young?

      Greta. Time spares no one… Yumi, keep up.

      Yumi. My father, what was he like?

      Greta. Don’t ask me about it.

      Yumi. Mom, please do tell!

      Titmouse. Your father was the strongest and the bravest dog in the whole neighborhood.

      Yumi. Oh really?

      Titmouse. He was a police dog and fought with the cat burglar gang.

      Yumi. Fought with the cat burglar gang?

      Titmouse. Yes. And then somebody shot your father with a gun.

      Yumi. With a gun?

      Titmouse. Exactly, I saw it with my own eyes when they were taking him to the hospital.

      Yumi. Aunt Titmouse, and where is my father now?

      Titmouse. Half a year ago he was pensioned off on health grounds…

      Greta. Off you go! Don’t mess with the boy’s head. (She shoos the titmouse away).

      Titmouse. You are one to talk. You are one to talk… (She flies away). Thunder! Your father’s name was Thunder!

      Yumi. Thunder. Mom! My father’s name was Thunder.

      Greta. Don’t listen to this old twister, son. Your father disappeared.

      Yumi. Disappeared?

      Greta. Vanished into thin air.

      Yumi. Vanished?

      Greta. Had abandoned his family a month before you were born.

      Yumi. Abandoned? My father? No, he couldn’t do that.

      Greta. Titmouse. Old scandalmonger. If I ever get a hold of you.

      Yumi. My father is a real hero! I wish I could meet him.

      Yumi and Greta get into their dugout house.

      Scene 2.

      Morning. The same wasteland. Light snow is falling.

      Yumi, Greta.

      Greta. What have I just said, Yumi?

      Yumi. Yes, I know, mom, I know.

      Greta. Repeat it please!

      Yumi. The first rule: never go far from our home.

      Greta. In case of any danger run right hereinto. What’s next?

      Yumi. The second rule: don’t go to the gully, since Pirate, the evil dog, lives there.

      Greta. Watch out for him, son! What else?

      Yumi. Look, I’ve come by some berries. (He shows Greta a bunch of frozen red berries).

      Greta. What is the third rule?

      Yumi. The third rule: never trust people.

      Greta. Especially those, who try to treat you to something nice and yummy.

      Yumi. Yummy?

      Greta. It’s a trap, Yumi!

      Yumi. Yes, I know, I know. Let’s eat finally. Here you are, take it.

      Yumi splits off a twiglet with red berries from the bunch and gives it to Greta. Then he throws the rest of the berries into his mouth and starts chewing them actively. Greta watches him carefully.

      Yumi. (Stops chewing, screws up his face and spits). Yuk, how disgusting! Mom, they are so bitter…

      Greta. My little silly boy. These berries are called viburnum.

      Yumi. Ugh… gross.

      Greta. Here, have some of this. (She gives Yumi a piece of frozen bread).

      Yumi. Bread!

      Greta. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get anything else in the town.

      Yumi gulps down his whole piece so that there is not a mite left.

      Yumi. Mmm… so tasty. But not enough.

      Pause.

      Yumi. And here we go again.

      Greta. What happened, son?

      Yumi. I’ve eaten everything.

      Greta. Well done.

      Yumi. I forgot to share it with you!

      Greta. Nevermind, darling. You need to eat well in order to be strong.

      Yumi. But what about you, mom?

      Greta. I can put up with it, Yumi. The only thing that matters is that you can live through this winter.

      Yumi. When I get older, I will be the strongest and the bravest. Just like my father.

      Greta.