STORYTELLING SCRIPT

Assalamualaikum and good day to the honourable judges. On this fine day, I would like to tell a
story titled “The Clever Shoemaker”.

This is a story of a poor shoemaker who used to stay in a small village with his wife. He had no
work in the village. So, he told his wife that he need to go to the big city. He reached the big city. The
shoemaker got no work on the first day. The next day, he roamed the streets again calling out, “Get new
shoes made! Get new shoes made!”

A woman called out to him. She asked him to mend her shoes. She paid him one copper coin. He
took the money and left. The shoemaker was satisfied. He had made some money on that day. If he kept
working like this, he shall have enough money to buy a donkey.

He worked very hard and after a few days, he earned four gold coins. He bought a donkey with
two gold coins and decided to return home. The next day, he packed all his stuff and left for home. On
his way, he passed through a jungle where he saw a band of thieves. The shoemaker was very clever. He
did not lose heart and thought of a plan. He tied one gold coin to the neck of the donkey and walked
ahead.

The thieves caught him. “Out with all your money. Come on! Quick!” one of the thieves
demanded. “I am a poor cobbler. I have nothing other than this donkey. Please let me go,” begged the
shoemaker. As soon as the donkey heard this, it brayed and the gold coin fell from its neck to the ground.
“Really? Then where did you get this gold coin from? How dare you lie to us!” shouted the thief.

“This donkey creates gold. This is how I get all my money,” said the shoemaker. “Sell us this
donkey and we shall let you go,” said the thief. “No, not at all. If I sell it, I shall be left with nothing,”
said the shoemaker. “We shall give you fifty gold coins for this,” said the thief. “Mmm.. Fine. But be
careful to keep the donkey with each of you one day in turn or else you will end up fighting for the
money,” said the shoemaker.

The shoemaker sold the donkey and returned home. He was very happy to have got the gold coins.
With the money, he bought a poultry farm. Meanwhile, the thieves reached their hideout with the donkey.
That night, the chief slept in the stable with the donkey. The next morning when he awoke, he saw there
was nothing in the stable. He searched the entire stable but found nothing. He realized that the shoemaker
had fooled them. They reached the shoemaker’s house. They put him in a sack and left to teach him a
lesson. On their way, they passed by a church. One of the thieves suggested that they needed rest for a
while in the church.
 A man was passing by. When the shoemaker heard this, an idea struck him. He started shouting
loudly, “Leave me! Let me go! Let me go!” The man heard the shoemaker’s voice. He came towards
him. He asked the shoemaker what happened. The shoemaker told him that he was forced to marry the
king’s daughter. “If I’ve been in your place, I would definitely married to the princess,” said the man. “If
that the case, I shall put you in the sack and you could marry the princess,” suggested the shoemaker. He
let the shoemaker out of the sack and he himself got inside it. The shoemaker tied him up. Then, the
shoemaker got away from there. Thereafter, lived peacefully and happily with his wife.

From the story, we have learnt that wisdom is better than strength. Thank you for listening.