The Adventures of Yumi. Theatre play for children. Maxim Titovets

titmouse comes flying.

      Titmouse. They took your mother to the animal control center.

      Yin. My, my!

      Yang. Yes, Greta got the short straw.

      Titmouse. It’s a spine-chilling place. No one has ever returned from there alive.

      Yin. Stop scaring him.

      Yumi. It’s my fault.

      Yang. There is no telling, Yumi.

      Yumi. I didn’t obey my mom. I left the yard and we got into trouble.

      Titmouse. When it’s done, it’s done.

      Yumi. What am I supposed to do? Where am I supposed to go?

      Titmouse. Crying will not mend matters.

      Yang. We better do something! Here, help me.

      The little mice, Titmouse and Yumi bring all their weight to bear on the stone, try to budge it and clear the entrance to Yumi’s home.

      Yin. Oh.

      Yang. It’s heavy.

      Titmouse. We will never be able to budge it.

      Yumi. I have no home any longer. And I have no mother.

      Titmouse. Stop crying.

      Yang. We can’t give up for nothing!

      Yin. We will work it out somehow, Yumi.

      Yang. I have an idea!

      Titmouse. Go ahead, little mouse.

      Yang. We should tunnel our way.

      Yin. Tunnel our way! That is a great idea.

      Yumi. What is a tunnel?

      Yang. Let me show you.

      Yang digs up the ground under the stone, Yin helps him, and then Yumi joins them too.

      Yumi. It’s no go.

      Yin. Yes, what an upset.

      Titmouse. The reason is that the ground is all frozen and hard in winter.

      Yumi. What are we supposed to do now?

      Toy comes in, the little mice run a safe distance off, the titmouse flies to the thickets of bushes. Toy steps up to Yumi.

      Yumi. So… They took my mom. I was left alone on the street.

      Toy. You are not alone, Yumi. You have friends.

      Yumi. Friends?

      Toy (to the little mice). Hey, tadpoles! Come here.

      The little mice come a little bit closer.

      Yumi. Yin, Yang, don’t be afraid. It’s Toy. He knows where meat nuts grow.

      The mice come even closer. The titmouse flies up to them.

      Toy. Don’t be afraid. A soldier will never hurt a child.

      Yang. What kind of soldier are you? You are a cat burglar.

      Yin. You steal food from supermarkets for Lord.

      Yumi. Ah, now I see! So you wanted to teach me how to steal too?

      Toy. Cards on the table. Yes, been there, done that. Guilty.

      Pause.

      Toy. I planned to rob the supermarket and then shift all the blame on you, Yumi.

      Yin. I called it. Such a rascal.

      Toy. Though I mend my ways.

      Titmouse. A leopard cannot change its spots. Don’t you get mixed up with him, Yumi! He has some bad genetics.

      Yang. Now get out of here! We are not afraid of you.

      Yin. Yes, Yumi! Kick him away. You are stronger.