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The Walrus and the Carpenter by James Archer

Drama based on the parable of the houses on the rock and sand from Matthew7:24-28.

 

The words are spoken by a narrator; three actors mime the parts of the Walrus, the Carpenter and the Architect.

Printable and editable Word version

The Walrus and the Carpenter

Were walking hand in hand;

The Carpenter admired the view

Of miles and miles of sand;

“If I could build a mansion here,

It would be very grand.”

​

No sooner had he had this thought,

Before he’d thought it through,

Than he decided it would be

A glorious thing to do,

And in the sand his foolish plan

To build a house he drew.

​

The Walrus was a wiser chap;

He went to ask a man,

An Architect, a man of brains,

To come and check the plan,

To see if it were sensible

To build a house on sand.

​

The Carpenter had lost no time;

He’d got his nails and wood,

And when the Architect arrived,

The house already stood,

Just waiting for the Carpenter

To move in when he would.

​

The Architect was horrified,

But all that he could say

Was, “Let us hope it still survives

After a rainy day,”

And manfully he tried to hide

His worry and dismay.

​

The Walrus and the Architect

Walked on a mile or so,

And rested on a rock that was

Conveniently low,

Wondering what would happen

When the wind began to blow.

​

The Architect said, “Build your house

Upon a solid rock;

Dig deep foundations underneath,

Build on them block by block.

Don’t copy from your foolish friend;

He’ll get a dreadful shock.”

​

The Walrus did as he was told,

Despite the toil and cost;

He dug six feet into the rock

To stop his house being lost.

The Carpenter just laughed at him,

And kept his fingers crossed.

​

At last the Walrus’ house was built,

A humble little place.

His puffed-up neighbour looked at it,

And snorted to his face,

“It’s dark and poky; next to mine

That house is a disgrace.”

​

The summer calm was soon behind,

The winds came on to blow;

The rain came pouring downwards

On the rock and sand below,

And in no time streams and rivers

Had begun to overflow.

​

The gale blows unabated,

And the rains the mansion lash;

The rivers flow right through it,

And the roof falls with a splash;

The timbers start to splinter,

And they tumble with a crash.

​

The Walrus was relaxed,

And stroked his long and ugly tooth;

He didn’t have to worry,

As he’d built a proper roof,

And listened to the Architect,

Whose wise words were the truth.

​

©2018 James Archer. May be copied and used for free performance.  For performance with a paying audience please make an appropriate donation to Church Army (www.churcharmy.org.uk).

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