PEACE IN SCHOOL
The Peace Flower
Write by: Julian Herrero Santiago
Translation by: Jenny Bromley
Act one
Narrator: A long, long time ago, there was a group of boys and girls who lived in a small village, they were tired of the older people going to so many wars and as a result, these children became abandoned by their parents that went to go fight so they decided to go and visit a wise man that lived at the top of a mountain, his name was Froilán.
Boy 1: Oh wise Froilán!
Boy 2: Wise Froilán!
Boy 3: Ohhhh, wise Froilán!!
Wise Froilán: Whose voices are those? Why do you wake me up? Can´t you see that I was resting? Being a wise man makes me tired. Tell me what you want.
Girl 1: We want to ask you a question.
Wise Froilán: What is it?
Girl 1: What do children have to do so there aren´t any more wars?
Girl 2: And so our parents’ don´t abandon us?
Narrator: The wise man was very very wise and he also looked liked a wise man and as he was listening to the question carefully, he scratched his head and stroked his beard, and then he said…
Wise Froilán: Well, I don´t know. I don´t have any idea.
Narrator: The children insisted and got angry because they thought that the wise man
didn´t want to help them.
Girl 1: But if you are a wise man, you should know! This is unbearable! Why do people think they are wise and then in the end they don´t know anything! I can´t stand it!
Wise Froilán: I´m sorry, you should understand that sometimes wise men don´t know everything.
Girl 2: Wise men don´t know everything, wise men don´t know everything (repeating it in an insulting way) This is baffling! I don´t understand, why are you a wise man then?
Wise Froilán: Maybe it´s because I woke up this morning and was hungry and since I don´t have anything to eat, my mind is blank. Boy, can you please give me a piece of your apple?
Boy 3: (eating his apple) No, buy one yourself!
Wise Froilán: I can´t, I´m poor.
Boy 3: So then go work.
Wise Froilán: Don´t get angry because I don´t know how to answer your question. Let´s be friends.
Boy 4: Why? I don´t want to be your friend. Let´s go.
Wise Froilán: Don´t go, wait! (He scratches his head) I´m going to tell you something that my father once told me, a story that he heard from his father. The only thing that stops war is the peace flower. So, if you don´t want any more war, you will have to look for the peace flower.
All the children: The peace flower!
Wise Froilán: Yes, the peace flower. It´s the only solution to stop war. (he is very angry)
Boy 4: How is the peace flower? We´ve never seen one before.
Wise Froilán: The peace flower is the most beautiful flower that exists; you will recognize it when you see it. There is not one similar to it; it has the seven colours of the rainbow.
Boy 5: And where can you find it? Where do we look?
Wise Froilán: I don´t know.
Boy 5: You don´t know again? You have to tell us. Think about it and tell us.
Wise Froilán: I don´t think so. Look around the world, maybe you will find it.
Boy 6: Maybe we will find it? How are we suppose to find it if we don´t know where to look? You are a useless old man, clumsy and are not worth anything. We are all leaving.
Wise Froilán: When you find it, please come and bring it back to me so I can see it. (He says the last sentence when all the children have left except the youngest girl who is looking at him in silence)
And you? You don´t understand either? Say something, please.
Girl 7: You are ugly and bad, I hate you, I hate you. (She leaves running)
Act two
Narrator: Wise Froilán was very sad and depressed by what he told the children. That day, they each left to look for the peace flower in different places. Ten years passed and one day, the children who were no longer children but adults came to the wise man and each one of them brought him a flower so he could see them.
The first child arrived who had found the flower in the mountains.
Boy 1: Wise Froilán! wise Froilán! wise Froilán!
Wise Froilán: Who´s calling me? Oh it´s you. I just finished eating and I was washing the dishes. What do you want? Have you found the peace flower?
Boy 1: No, I went looking for it in the mountains. I climbed all the mountains and ranges of the world and I brought the most beautiful flower that I have found. It´s yellow and it´s called ´tolerance´.
During this time, I have learnt to be tolerant. Sorry that I was intolerant with you. But I didn´t find the peace flower.
Wise Froilán: It´s true that this flower isn´ t the peace flower even though it looks like it. We will plant it in my garden so it can grow.
Narrator: Next the second girl arrived. She was the one who had tried to find the peace flower in the countryside and the plains.
Girl 2: Wise Froilán, wise Froilán!
Wise Froilán: What voices! You have woken me up. I was taking a nap.
What do you want? Have you found the peace flower?
Girl 2: I went to go look for the peace flower in the countryside and the extensive plains and I haven´t found it. I brought you the most beautiful flower, it´s red and it´s called ´understanding´. This flower taught me how to understand. Now, I have realized that ten years ago, I wasn´t understanding with you.
Wise Froilán: Don´t worry, we will put it in my garden. Yes, it´s a very beautiful flower.
Narrator: After some time had passed, a third child came from the seas and oceans.
Boy 3: Wise Froilán!
Wise Froilán: What do you want? You are lucky that you found me at home because I was going to go hunting for frogs. You are one of those children who went looking for the peace flower. Have you found it?
Boy 3: I was the boy who wasn´t generous with you, ten years ago. I didn´t want to give you a piece of my apple when you asked me. Do you remember?
Wise Froilán: Don´t worry, now I eat frogs.
Boy 3: In this time, I have looked for the flower in all the seas and oceans of the world. I have looked through its immensity, I have felt alone and I have suffered through many hardships and I have needed help from others. I have brought you this blue flower that is called ´solidarity´, it has taught me to be supportive and to share with others.
Wise Froilán: It´s a beautiful flower and I´m happy that you have found it. We will put it in the garden next to the others, thank you for bringing it to me.
Narrator: Immediately after, another boy arrived who had looked for the peace flower in all the forests.
Boy 4: Wise Froilán!
Wise Froilán: Hey boy, what you do want?
Boy 4: First of all, I want to tell you that I was the boy, ten years ago who didn´t want to be your friend. I have been searching for the peace flower.
Wise Froilán: Have you found it?
Boy 4: No, I have looked for the flower in impenetrable jungles and forests. I have seen many beautiful flowers but I didn´t find it. I have brought this green flower that´s called ´friendship´. So for now, I give you my friendship and I want you to consider me as your friend.
Wise Froilán: Very well, give me a hug. Now we are friends and we can put the friendship flower next to the others. Thank you for bringing it to me.
Narrator: After some time had passed, another boy had arrived who had found the peace flower in towns and cities.
Boy 5: Wise Froilán, can you give me a minute of your time please?
Wise Froilán: You have asked me very nicely so it´s impossible to say no to you. What do you want precious boy?
Boy 5: Wise Froilán, do you remember me? I was that boy, ten years ago with bad manners. I made you tell me how to stop war. After that day, I visited thousands of towns and cities and I have talked with a million of people. I have not found the peace flower but I have brought you the most beautiful flower I have seen, this flower is indigo and it´s called ´conversation´. In this time it has taught me to talk with others.
Wise Froilán: Thank you, we will put it beside the others. I have to tell you that it has been a pleasure talking with you.
Narrator: Some time had passed and another boy arrived, he had found his flower in the sky.
Boy 6: Wise Froilán!
Wise Froilán: I´m here, tell me what you want.
Boy 6: First of all, I want to ask you for forgiveness.
Wise Froilán: Very well, why do I have to forgive you?
Boy 6: I´m the boy who insulted you ten years ago, I called you an old and useless and I offended you when you told us that you didn´t know where to find the peace flower. Sorry to have behaved so badly.
Wise Froilán: Okay, as your punishment, you must write one thousand lines that you won´t insult people anymore and it´ll be okay.
Continue, have you found the peace flower?
Boy 6: No, that day, I decided to look for the peace flower in the skies, in the clouds, between the stars and even further, in the whole universe. But it was useless, I brought you a flower that has impressed me the most, it´s violet and it´s called ´forgiveness´. In these years, I have learnt to forgive and to ask for forgiveness.
Wise Froilán: Please put your flower next to the others. Don´t insult me again, ok boy?
Narrator: And lastly, the last girl arrived, the one who said that the wise man was ugly and that she hated him. This girl went to go look for the peace flower in parks and gardens.
Girl 7: Wise Froilán, wise Froilán!
Wise Froilán: Another one! I am getting tired, what do you want?
Girl 7: I am the girl, ten years ago who told you I hated you. Do you remember?
Wise Froilán: Yes, I remember. It hurt me a lot that you said that. You were the nicest of all the children and I was fond of you.
Girl 7: Please, forget those words I said to you. I said them without thinking. That day, I left to go find the peace flower in all the parks and gardens in the world. I thought that the peace flower would be in the most beautiful gardens but I didn´t find it. I have brought you this orange flower.
It´s the flower of love and it has taught me to love, it´s a sign of my love. Will you let me kiss you? (She gives him a kiss)
Wise Froilán: Thank you, it has been the nicest kiss that somebody has given me today. The truth is, it is the only kiss I have ever received in my life. Put your flower in my garden.
Act three
Narrator: When the last girl gave the wise man the flower of love, they put it next to the others and among all the other flowers; a new flower appeared with petals of every colour, the seven colours of the rainbow. It was the peace flower. The wise man became nervous and started shouting to everyone.
Wise Froilán: Look, look, look what happened!
All the children: What has happened? Why are you shouting?
Wise Froilán: Look, you have all succeeded. From all the flowers you have brought me, peace was created. It´s beautiful, now you know what you all must do, you must go back to your towns and cultivate all of your flowers and this will always bring you peace.
THE END