Pippi Goes to School

ByAstridLindgren
AdaptedforreaderstheaterfromPippiLongstocking,Viking,1950
GENRE:Humor
CULTURE:Sweden
THEME:Strongwoman
GRADELEVEL:36
ROLES:6+
TIME:10min.
ROLES:Narrator1,Narrator2,Pippi,Tommy,Annika,Teacher,(Students)
NOTE:Villekullaispronounced"VILluhKOOluh."Annikaispronounced"AHnik
kuh."

NARRATOR1:InalittletowninSweden,therewasatumbledownhousecalledVilla
Villekulla.Andinthishouselivedagirlwithcarrotcoloredpigtailsandshoestwiceas
longasherfeet.
NARRATOR2:Thiswasnoordinarygirl.Shewasthestrongestgirlintheworld,and
hernamewasPippiLongstocking.
NARRATOR1:PippilivedthereallbyherselfexceptforamonkeynamedMr.Nilsson
andahorseontheporch.Therewasnoonetotellherwhattodo,soPippididjustwhat
sheliked.
NARRATOR2:OneofthethingsPippilikedbestwastoplaywithherfriendsTommy
andAnnika.Andmorethananythingintheworld,TommyandAnnikalikedtoplaywith
Pippi.Ofcourse,TommyandAnnikahadtogotoschool.
ANNIKA:(toTommy)IfonlyPippiwouldgotoo,howmuchfunwecouldhave!
NARRATOR1:Theydecidedtotrytopersuadeher.OneafternooninPippiskitchen,
Tommysaid,
TOMMY:Youcantimaginewhataniceteacherwehave.

ANNIKA:Ifyouonlyknewwhatfunitisinschool!IddieifIcouldntgotoschool.
NARRATOR2:Pippisatsoakingherfeetinatub.Shesaidnothing,butjustwiggledher
toessothewatersplashedaroundeverywhere.
TOMMY:Youdonthavetostaysolong.Justuntiltwooclock.
ANNIKA:Yes,andbesides,wegetChristmasvacationandEastervacationandsummer
vacation.
NARRATOR1:Suddenly,Pippipouredallthewateroutonthekitchenfloor.
PIPPI:Itisabsolutelyunfair!Iwontstandforit!
TOMMY:Whatsthematter?
PIPPI:Infourmonths,itwillbeChristmas,andthenyoullhaveChristmasvacation!But
whatllIget?NoChristmasvacationnoteventhetiniestbitofone.Somethingwill
havetobedoneaboutthat.Tomorrowmorning,Illbeginschool!
ANNIKA:Hurray!
TOMMY:Wellwaitforyououtsideourgateateightoclock.
PIPPI:Oh,no,Icantbeginasearlyasthat!Andbesides,Imgoingtoridetoschool.
NARRATOR2:Andrideshedid!
NARRATOR1:Thenextday,atexactlytenoclock,Pippiliftedherhorseofftheporch.
Thenshegallopedwildlythroughthetown.
NARRATOR2:Whenshereachedtheschoolyard,shejumpedoffthehorse,tiedhimto
atree,andburstintotheschoolroom.
PIPPI:Hithere!DidIgethereintimeforpluttification?
NARRATOR1:TommyandAnnikahadtoldtheirteacherthatPippiwascoming.She
haddecidedtodoallshecouldtomakePippihappyinschool.
TEACHER:Welcometoschool,Pippi.Ihopeyouwillenjoyyourselfhereandlearna
greatdeal.
PIPPI:Yes,andIhopeIllgetsomeChristmasvacation.ThatisthereasonIvecome.
Itsonlyfair,youknow.

TEACHER:Ifyouwouldfirsttellmeyourwholename,Illregisteryouinschool.
PIPPI:MynameisPippilottaDelicatessaWindowshadeMackrelmintEfraimsDaughter
Longstocking,daughterofCaptainEfraimLongstocking,formerlytheTerroroftheSea,
nowacannibalking.Pippiisreallyonlyanickname,becausePapathoughtPippilotta
wastoolongtosay.
TEACHER:Well,then,weshallcallyouPippi,too.Butnowsupposewetestyoualittle
andseewhatyouknow.Pippi,canyoutellmewhatsevenandfiveare?
PIPPI:(shocked)Well,ifyoudontknowthatyourself,Imcertainlynotgoingtotell
you!
OTHERCHILDREN:(gasp)
NARRATOR2:AllthechildrenstaredatPippiinhorror.
TEACHER:(gently)Pippi,wedontanswerthatwayinschool.
PIPPI:(sincerely)Ibegyourpardon.Ididntknowthat.Iwontdoitagain.
TEACHER:No,letushopenot.AndnowIwilltellyouthatsevenandfivearetwelve.
PIPPI:Seethat!Youknewityourself!Sowhyareyouasking?
NARRATOR1:Theteacherdecidedtoactasifnothinghadhappened.
TEACHER:Well,now,Pippi,howmuchdoyouthinkeightandfourare?
PIPPI:Oh,aboutsixtyseven.
TEACHER:Ofcoursenot!Eightandfouraretwelve!
PIPPI:Wellnow,really,thatiscarryingthingstoofar!Youjustsaidthatsevenandfive
aretwelve.Thereshouldbesomerhymeandreasontothings,eveninschool!
NARRATOR2:TheteacherdecidedtherewasnopointtryingtoteachPippianymore
arithmetic.
TEACHER:Tommy,ifLisahassevenapplesandAxelhasnineapples,howmany
applesdotheyhavetogether?
PIPPI:Yes,youtellher,Tommy,andtellmetoo,ifLisagetsastomachacheandAxel
getsmoreofastomachache,whosefaultisit,andwheredidtheygetthoseapplesinthe
firstplace?

NARRATOR1:Theteacherdecidedtogiveuponarithmeticaltogether.
TEACHER:(gettingfrustrated)Pippi,maybeyouwouldprefertolearnreading.Hereis
apictureofawildgoatcalledanibex.Andtheletteryouseeinfrontoftheibexiscalled
"i".
PIPPI:ThatIllneverbelieve.Ithinkitlooksexactlylikeastraightlinewithalittlefly
speckoverit.ButwhatIdreallyliketoknowis,whatdoestheibexhavetodowiththe
flyspeck?
NARRATOR2:Theteachertookoutanothercard.
TEACHER:(tryingtostaycalm)Andhereisapictureofasnake,withtheletter"s".
PIPPI:Speakingofsnakes,IllnevereverforgetthetimeIhadafightwithahugesnake
inIndia.(actingoutherstory)Youcantimaginewhatadreadfulsnakeitwasfourteen
yardslongandmadasahornetandeverydayheateupfiveIndiansandthentwolittle
childrenfordessert,andonetimehecameandwantedmefordessert,andhewound
himselfaroundmeuhhh!butIvebeenaroundabit,Isaid,andhithiminthehead,
bang!,andthenhehisseduiuiuiuiuiuiuiuiuitch,andthenIhithimagain,andbingo!he
wasdead,andindeed,sothatistheletter"s"mostremarkable!
NARRATOR1:Theteacherspatiencehadcometoanend.
TEACHER:Children,gooutsidesoIcantalktoPippialone.
OTHERCHILDREN:(goout)
NARRATOR2:WhenPippiandtheteacherwerebythemselves,Pippicameovertoher.
PIPPI:Youknowwhat?Itwaslotsoffuntocometoschooltofindoutwhatitslike.But
IdontthinkIwanttocomeanymoreChristmasvacationornoChristmasvacation.
Therearealtogethertoomanyapplesandibexesandsnakesandthingslikethat.Itmakes
medizzyinthehead.Ihopeyouwontbeupset,Teacher.
TEACHER:Icertainlyamupset,Pippi,butImupsetthatyouwontbehaveproperly!
Anychildwhoactsasbadlyasyoudowouldntbeallowedtocometoschoolnomatter
howmuchshewantedto!
PIPPI:(astonished,almoststartingtocry)HaveIbehavedbadly?Goodness,Ididnt
knowthat.Youunderstand,Teacher,dontyou,thatwhenyouhaveamotherwhosan
angelinHeavenandafatherwhosacannibalking,youdontknowjusthowtobehave
inschool,withalltheapplesandibexes.

TEACHER:(calmingdown)Iunderstand,Pippi.Imnotannoyedanymore.Maybeyou
cancomebacktoschoolwhenyourealittleolder.
PIPPI:(happily)Ithinkyouareawfullynice,Teacher.Andhereissomethingforyou.
NARRATOR1:Pippitookfromherpocketalovelygoldwatch.
TEACHER:Pippi,Icantpossiblyacceptsuchavaluablegift!
PIPPI:Butyouhavetotakeit!Otherwise,Illcomebacktomorrow,andyouwouldnt
likethat,wouldyou?
NARRATOR2:ThenPippirushedouttotheschoolyardandjumpedonherhorse.All
thechildrenwavedgoodby.
PIPPI:(wavingandridingoff)Solong,kids.Iwontbebackforawhile.Butalways
rememberhowmanyapplesAxelhadoryoullbesorry!