The Firework-Maker's Daughter Read Online Free PDF Page A

ground.
    CHULAK: She’s dead.
    HAMLET puts a friendly trunk around CHULAK.
    HAMLET: We came as fast as we could.
    CHULAK: I’ve killed my friend. What a horrible death. What have I done?
    HAMLET: You couldn’t have known...
    CHULAK: It’s my fault! It’s me that’s done this... Lila! I’m so sorry!
    HAMLET: Come away. She wouldn’t want you to perish too.
    Slowly, LILA rises from the burning crevice. She’s unhurt and appears to be bathing in the flames.
    CHULAK: Lila?
    LILA looks at them and smiles. There’s an explosion. The fire goes out. LILA steps out.
    CHULAK: Are you all right?
    LILA’s stunned.
    LILA: I’m fine, I think.
    CHULAK: We thought you’d been killed.
    LILA: Where’s Razvani?
    CHULAK: Who?
    LILA: The Fire-Fiend? He was here.
    HAMLET: We didn’t see anyone.
    LILA: But... He’s got my Royal Sulphur. Razvani! I walked into the flames! Give me my Royal Sulphur!
    CHULAK nudges HAMLET.
    CHULAK: Tell her.
    LILA: You’ve cheated me!
    HAMLET: Lila, we’ve brought bad news. We’ve had a message from the city...
    CHULAK: Lalchand was seen helping Hamlet escape.
    HAMLET: The King’s placed him under arrest.
    CHULAK: He’s going to be executed.

ACT 2
1 - THE KING’S PALACE
    CHULAK and LILA are lying on the floor in the King’s palace with HAMLET behind them. The SPECIAL AND PARTICULAR BODYGUARD has his foot on CHULAK’s neck.
    LILA: Will the King be long?
    SPECIAL AND PARTICULAR BODYGUARD: Why? Is he keeping you waiting? Have you got another appointment?
    LILA: No...
    CHULAK: It’s just the old... Argh. Foot on the neck thing. Beginning to hurt.
    SPECIAL AND PARTICULAR BODYGUARD: Good.
    LILA: We’ve come on a long and dangerous journey at great speed.
    CHULAK: By elephant. Not a comfortable way to travel. Sorry Hamlet. Couldn’t we have some water? Or some food even?
    SPECIAL AND PARTICULAR BODYGUARD: Shut up, boy! I hope the King’s in an imaginative mood when it comes to punishing you. I’ll look forward to that.
    Trumpets announce the KING’s imminent arrival.
    SPECIAL AND PARTICULAR BODYGUARD: Silence for the King!
    The KING enters. LILA can’t contain herself.
    LILA: Have you killed my father?
    SPECIAL AND PARTICULAR BODYGUARD: Speak to the King only when he speaks to you!
    The SPECIAL AND PARTICULAR BODYGUARD cracks a whip by LILA’s head.
    SPECIAL AND PARTICULAR BODYGUARD: Faces to the ground! Especially you, boy.
    CHULAK: Lower than this? Ahh...
    The SPECIAL AND PARTICULAR BODYGUARD applies more pressure to CHULAK’s neck.
    KING: Your father will die tomorrow morning. There is only one penalty for what he has done.
    LILA: Please spare him! It was my fault! I ran away without telling him...
    SPECIAL AND PARTICULAR BODYGUARD: The King has spoken.
    The SPECIAL AND PARTICULAR BODYGUARD cracks the whip again.
    KING: Who’s that?
    CHULAK: Chulak, your Majesty... Ahhh!
    The SPECIAL AND PARTICULAR BODYGUARD applies pressure.
    SPECIAL AND PARTICULAR BODYGUARD: He’s the Royal White Elephant’s Special and Particular Groom, your Majesty.
    KING: Let him speak.
    CHULAK: Can I look up? It’s not easy to talk with a foot on your neck.
    The KING waves a hand. CHULAK climbs to his feet.
    CHULAK: Your Majesty, as soon as I found out he’d escaped I swam across the river and I climbed mountains and fought my way through the jungle and, ow...
    HAMLET whacks CHULAK out of the way with his trunk.
    CHULAK: Stop that Hamlet...
    Suddenly, HAMLET rushes forward, picks the SPECIAL AND PARTICULAR BODYGUARD up and throws him out of the window.
    HAMLET: Your Majesty, could I possibly have a private word?
    The KING is astonished.
    KING: It’s talking!
    HAMLET: I appreciate it might be a shock, but not many people know. For a talking elephant I’m far from loquacious.
    KING: And it’s using big words!
    The KING recovers his composure. HAMLET bows low.
    HAMLET: Your Majesty... Forgive