Rikki Tikki Tavi: Roles Open

This is the story of the great war that Rikki Tikki Tavi fought, single-handed, through the bathrooms of the big bungalow in Segowlee, in India. Darzee, the tailor bird, helped him and Chuchundra, the muskrat who never comes out in the middle of the floor, but always creeps around by the wall, gave him advice. But Rikki did the real fighting...

(excitedly) There are more things to learn about this house and yard than all my family could learn in all their lives!

(playfully) You think a snake-killer kills musk rats?

(seriously) Turn around, Nagaina. Turn and FIGHT.

Who is Nag? I am Nag...

The great god, Brahm, put his mark upon all our people when the first cobra spread his hood to keep the sun off Brahm. Look and be afraid...

I will go and I will kill the big man and his wife and the child, if I can, then the bungalow will be empty...and Rikki Tikki will go.

Wicked, wicked bird!

When the house is empty of people, the mongoose will go away.

You warned Rikki Tikki when I would have killed him. Indeed and truly, you've chosen a bad place to be lame in.

D-don't kill me, great mongoose, don't kill me.

My cousin, Chua the Rat, told me (halts abruptly).

(sniffles) I'm a very poor and humble man, I never have spirit to go out in the middle of the room. I mustn't tell you anything. Can't you hear, Rikki Tikki?

We are very miserable. One of our babies fell out of the nest yesterday...and Nag ate him.

(terrified) BEHIND YOU! NAG'S WIFE! LOOK BEHIND YOU!

In the melon bed on the end nearest the wall.

I don't think he's quite dead, he's just half-choked with water.

As long as Teddy doesn't try to grab him by the tail or try to put him in a cage, he'll run in and out all day.

(hushed tone) He'll do no such thing. Teddy's safer with that little beast than if he had a blood hound to watch him. If a snake came into the nursery now..."

There, that should warm him up. Poor little chap...

(laugh) I suppose he's so tame because we've been kind to him.

(hushed tone) Oh, please don't. I don't want to think of anything so awful.

Be careful, I am death.

(happily) For the great, the beautiful Rikki's sake, I will stop!

(singing) Who has delivered us, who? Tell me his nest and his name! Rikki the valiant, the true! Tikki with eyeballs aflame!

(saddened) It's all over for Rikki Tikki. We must sing his death song.

Here's a dead mongoose. Let's have a funeral.

(snickers) He's tickling under my chin!

Rikki! Where've you been? I bet you've been playing!