The Jinni in the Clock

The Jinni in the Clock

 

A Children’s Play

Cast of Characters

Duwairig the storyteller

The peddler

The peddler’s donkey (female or male, adjust the script accordingly)

The Cordovan clock-maker

Laborers working on the old Roman bridge

Elderly passer-by

Innkeeper

Imam of the Mosque

Chief-of-Police

Chief-of-Police’s wife

Town Qadi (i.e. Magistrate, Judge)

Various pedestrians

A few policemen

Man in the crowd (during courtroom scene)

 

• Some actors may play more than one role, at director’s discretion
• note on word ‘jinn’—this story was first published using the word ‘jinn’ for both plural and singular, although in fact jinn is the Arabic plural for jinni (singular).

 

Act I

Scene I. A street in Muslim Cordoba

[Stage set—a sun should be posted, to indicate that it is daytime. A door of a shop or house should also be onstage. A bridge prop should be to one side of the stage—either as a picture, or in the form of a miniature bridge—not necessarily to be walked over. Notes on stage props follows play, for directors.]

 

 Enter Duwairig the storyteller, center stage. He is an older man who transports water from wells into people’s homes for a living, so he carries a large water jug over his shoulder. He should wear a gray beard, and be a smiling, kindly person.

 

Duwairig:  Assalam Alaikum. My name is Duwairig and I am a humble water carrier. When I am not carrying water to make my living, I like to tell stories. Today [tonight] I will tell you, Allah willing, the story of the jinni in the clock. You will have to pay close attention to find out how a jinni got into a clock, and what that did to people.

 

This story takes place in the Muslim land of Al-Andalus, today known as Spain. Cordoba was the capital city of Al-Andalus. At its height of glory, Cordoba had—among  other wonders—thirteen  thousand weavers, the most beautiful leather goods in Europe, great numbers of men and women called scribes whose job it was to copy books, and at least nine hundred public baths.

 

In this marvelous city, a beautiful mechanical clock made by a master craftsman one day came into the hands of a humble peddler.

 

This peddler used to travel around with a flea-bitten donkey. The donkey pulled his cart so long as he kept shouting at her. The peddler bought all manner of things, and piled them in his cart. He would walk around the streets and call out the names of the things he had to sell, and what their prices were. Of all the things he ever had to offer, nothing was ever as beautiful or magical or as dangerous as that fabulous mechanical clock. But you will see for yourselves . . . if you are quiet, and take careful notice of all before you. . . .

(Free to any who wish to stage the play; you need but ask.)