The Black Plate
Characters:
Narrator
Merchant 1
Merchant 2
Girl
Grandma
SCRIPT:
Narrator: once upon a time in India, there were two merchants who sold plates, pots, pans, brooms, mops, soap, jewelry, and clothes. Each day, they took turns to sell.
Merchant 1: (yelling in the street) Everybody come here! Come see our jewelry for sale, pots, pans. Everything you need, we have it!
Girl: Grandma, look at that beautiful bracelet!
Grandma: How much is it?
Merchant 1: More than what you can pay, old lady.
Grandma: At home we have an old black metal plate. Do you want it for the bracelet?
Merchant 1: I have to see it first.
Grandma: Let´s go home so you can see it.
Merchant 1 : Fine… you lead the way, old lady.
Narrator: When they arrived to the old lady´s house, she showed the plate to the merchant.
Grandma: Take a look at the plate.
Merchant 1: (looking at the plate) Mmmm, let´s see.
Narrator: When the merchant saw the plate, it was truly black, but when he scratched it a little, he could see that it was a silver plate.
Merchant 1: This plate is worthless, old lady. If you want to, I can take the plate with me and give you a broom.
Grandma: Thank you, but we prefer to keep our plate.
Merchant 1: It´s your decision. I have wasted my time.
Narrator: But the merchant was thinking about going back the next day to try to convince her to give him the plate. Next day, merchant 2 was selling in the street.
Merchant 2: Pot, pans, brooms, clothes, everything you need, I have it! Just come and get it!
Girl: Grandma, look! I still want that beautiful bracelet!
Grandma: How much is it?
Merchant 2: More than what you can pay, old lady.
Grandma: At home we have an old black metal plate. Do you want it for the bracelet?
Merchant 2: I have to see it first.
Grandma: Let´s go home so you can see it.
Merchant 2 : I will follow you.
Narrator: When they arrived to the old lady´s house.
Grandma: Take a look at the plate.
Merchant 2: Mmmm,lady, this is a silver plate. It´s all black because it is dirty. The things I have to sell are not enough to pay you.
Grandma: Oh, we didn´t know. But we don´t have anything in this house! We don´t have any furniture, we are very poor. Can you give us the bracelet and something else?
Merchant 2: I will give you everything I have.
Grandma: Oh thank you, kind man.
Narrator: When the merchant left the home he went to see his friend.
Merchant 2: Take a look at this. It´s a silver plate I got it from an old woman. I gave her everything I had for this plate. What do you think?
Merchant 1: What? I saw that plate yesterday! I lost an opportunity to have it without giving her anything in return.
Narrator: Then he stopped to think for a while.
Merchant 1: I have thought about it. If we join your honesty and the beautiful things that I still have, we can do great businesses. Can we work together from now on?
Merchant 2: Sure!
Narrator: Both men cleaned the silver plate until it was sparkling. And both were the most successful merchants in the region.
The End
Author: Story based on a Buddhist legend
Moral Value: Honesty
- When we say the truth, we are being honest.
- We are being honest when we think and act the same way.
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Tags: Honesty, legend, merchant, merchants, Moral Values, The Black Plate