Play #8

Donkey Beating

__________________________

A short play written for

the 2018
31 Plays in 31 Days
Challenge

By Joseph Frost

Contact:
Joseph Frost
4550 Normandy Dr
Jackson, MS 39206
FrostJosephD@gmail.com
 Balaam sits by a river.

BALAAM
Balaam, son of Beor, sat by the Euphrates River. He is a prophet of some renown.

Balak enters on the other side.

BALAK
King Balak had a problem. The Israelites were passing through his land as they wandered
in the desert. He needed to get rid of them.

Servant enters

SERVANT
So Balak told his servant to summon Balaam to put a curse on these pesky Israelites.

Servant crosses to Balaam.

BALAAM
But Balaam wouldn’t do it. He was reluctant to curse anything that God had not cursed.

Servant turns to Balak.

BALAK
But if God would curse them, Balak wouldn’t need Balaam at all.

Servant turns to Balaam.

BALAAM
Balaam refused.

BALAK
Balak offered.... Money.

BALAAM
Money?

BALAK
Balak swore to pay handsomely, and all of Balaam’s instructions would be followed.

BALAAM
Balaam agreed.

Donkey enters.
 2.

DONKEY
Balaam packed up his donkey for the journey.

An angel appears in the road.

ANGEL
But an angel of the Lord appeared in the road.

DONKEY
And the donkey was having none of that angel. He wandered off into the field.

BALAAM
Balaam beat the donkey until it got back onto the road.

ANGEL
The angel again appeared in the path, near a stone wall by the vineyards.

DONKEY
The donkey still wanted none of that angel, so he pressed up against the wall.

BALAAM
Balaam’s foot was crushed between the donkey and the wall. So, again, he beat the
donkey.

DONKEY
The road narrowed to a place where there was no where to go, either to the right or to the
left.

ANGEL
Again, the angel stood in the path of the donkey.

DONKEY
And the donkey, having no where to turn, just lay down.

BALAAM
Balaam, furious, beat his donkey a third time.

ANGEL
Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey.

DONKEY
(to Balaam)
Hey! What have I done to make you beat me these three times?
 3.

BALAAM
(to Donkey)
You make a fool of me. If I had my sword in my hand instead of my staff, I would kill
you right now.

DONKEY
(to Balaam)
Am I not your donkey, which you have ridden each day? Am I in the habit of doing this
to you?

BALAAM
(to Donkey)
No.

The angel unsheathes a sword.

ANGEL
Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes.

BALAAM
And balaam saw the angel, with his sword drawn.

ANGEL
(to Balaam)
Why have you beaten your donkey three times? I have come to oppose you because your
path is a reckless one against me. If you donkey had not turned these three times, surely,
I would have killed you by now, though I would have spared the donkey.

BALAAM
(to Angel)
I didn’t know you were standing in the path to oppose me. I have sinned. If you are
displeased, I will return home.

ANGEL
The Angel sheathed his sword, and told Balaam to continue on to Balak, but only to say
and do as the Angel told him.

The angel lets Balaam and the Donkey go to

Balak.

BALAK
Balak told Balaam to curse the Israelites.
 4.

BALAAM
After Balaam built seven altars for seven sacrifices...
(angel whispers to Balaam)
Balaam told Balak that he cannot curse anything the Lord has not cursed, and that they
are the Lord’s blessed people, and they should be allowed to go their way.

BALAK
(to Balaam)
I paid you to curse these people, you show up late, and bless them instead?

BALAAM
(to Balak)
I bless them three times.

BALAK
(to Balaam)
Three times!

BALAAM
The people of Israel are a crouching lion who will not be stopped until you are devoured.

BALAK
That’s not good.

BALAAM
There will be ships that come to your shores on a Cyprus wind, and they will destroy you
as well.

BALAK
Go home. These prophecies have cost you your reward.

Balaam gets on the donkey.

BALAAM
These curses have cost you your kingdom.

Balaam rides away.

The angel strikes down Balak.

Balaam gets off of the Donkey.

 5.

BALAAM
(to Donkey)
There. Good donkey.

Donkey nuzzles into Balaam.