The Mystery of the Four Dragons
skit starring a Storyteller, The Emperor (both Jerry Nelson),
The Prince (Jim Henson),
and The Prime Minister (Frank Oz)
[Next to a huge gong is the Storyteller, a Japanese Muppet man with black hair. He strikes the gong and bows.]
Storyteller: Presenting “The Mystery of the Four Dragons”!
[Lights up on the room of a palace.]
Storyteller: Once upon a time, in Japan, there lived an emperor.
[The Emperor, a lavender Muppet with white hair, enters and bows.]
Emperor: Ah so. Greetings.
Storyteller: The Emperor had a son who was almost old enough to take over his father’s empire.
[The Prince, a green Muppet with black hair, enters.]
Prince: Gee, Dad, I’m almost old enough to take over your empire!
Storyteller: Before he could take over his father’s empire, the Prince had to pass a certain test.
Prince: Gee, Dad, what’s the test?
Emperor: You must find the four mysterious dragons, who are hidden somewhere in this room.
Storyteller: Now, also living in the palace was an evil prime minister, who wanted to rule the empire himself.
[The Prime Minister, a blue Muppet with black hair, enters.]
Storyteller: The Prime Minister hoped the Prince would fail the test, for then he would be Emperor.
Prince: Don’t worry, Dad. I’ll pass the test.
Prime Minister [with an evil laugh]: He will never pass the test!
[The gong sounds, signaling the beginning of the test. We see a clock that shows a quarter to twelve.]
Storyteller: The Prince had until midnight, when the two hands of the clock came together.
[The Prince is looking around the room.]
Storyteller: He looked up, and he looked down.
Prince: No, not there ...
Storyteller: He looked high, and he looked low. But he could not find the four mysterious dragons.
The evil prime minister was overjoyed, for if he could not find them by midnight, the Prince would fail the test.
And the two hands of the clock were almost touching.
[The Prime Minister, chortling with glee, is standing by the clock, which reads just a minute or two before midnight.]
Storyteller: Suddenly, the Prince looked up.
Prince: Look, Dad, look!
[The Emperor and the Prime Minister rush over.]
Prince: A dragon!
Prime Minister: Where?
Prince: Right here, in this painting!
Storyteller: The evil prime minister was furious.
Prime Minister: There is no dragon in this painting!
Prince: Sure there is! Look!
[In the painting, a dragon lights up as the Prince points to it, and the gong sounds.]
Emperor: Oh, my son! It is true! But hurry! You must find the other three dragons by midnight!
[Suddenly, the clock begins to strike.]
Prime Minister [laughs]: It is too late! Your son has failed the test, and now I will rule the empire!
Prince: No, Prime Minister, because the clock hasn’t finished striking yet, and I’ve found the other three dragons! See, there’s another one there ...
[Gong sounds as another dragon in the painting lights up.]
Prince: ... and one there ...
[Another dragon in the painting lights up as the gong sounds.]
Prince: ... and one there ...
[Gong sounds again as the fourth dragon lights up in the painting.]
Prince: ... and that’s all four dragons!
[The last chime of the clock sounds.]
Emperor: Oh, my son, you have passed the test and are ready to take my place.
Prince: Gee, thanks, Dad. And it’s a nice place you’ve got here, too!
Prime Minister [sourly]: I’ve always hated this place! [Stalks off.]
Storyteller: And so the Prince became Emperor in his father’s place. And they lived happily in the palace, along with the four mysterious dragons, who were no longer so mysterious.
[He strikes the gong and bows.]
Transcribed by SilveryShoe@aol.com, who also supplied the pics