Virgo's Journey: The Radio Screenplay

Thank you Leah for providing us with a great ending to our story of Virgo’s Journey.  The following is a first draft of our radio screenplay version:


NARRATOR:
A long time ago in a land far away there lived a beautiful young maiden named Virgo. One evening around sunset she was sitting and picking flowers on top of a big hill. The maiden looked far away to the eastern horizon where it was very dark.

VIRGO:
Wait!  I think I see something way down there.  It's a man.  And, I think I see him fighting with a big snake.  I better find out if he needs help!

NARRATOR:
Virgo ran down the hill to help the old man. He was a long way down. It took four long hours to reach him. Yup. It was a big hill. Finally, she got to the man and he was surprised to see such a beautiful maiden running toward him and calling out to him.

VIRGO:
Hey...  Old Man.  Are you okay?

OPHIUCUS:
What?!

NARRATOR:
The old man dropped the snake. The snake slithered toward the maiden, hissed, and bit her on the ankle.

SERPENS:
HSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

VIRGO:
Ouch!

OPHIUCUS:
I am so sorry about that miss. By the way, my name is Ophiucus. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you’re dying. My snake was venomous!

VIRGO:
 What can I do?”

AQUILA:
[distant screech]

OPHIUCUS:
Not to worry.  Did you hear that screech in the distance?  I know that eagle. By the way, I don't even know your name.

VIRGO:

Oh.  I'm Virgo.

OPHIUCUS:

Pleased to meet you, Virgo.  Maybe my friend Aquila the eagle can help us. Let me carry you on my back and we will go to meet him.

NARRATOR:

They walked and they walked for two hours. The old man was very tired. And, the young maiden was growing weak from the poison. Finally, the eagle saw them and flew to meet them.

AQUILA:
Hi Ophiucus. Why are you carrying that young lady on your back. Aren’t you tired?

OPHIUCUS:
Aquila, this young maiden was bitten by my pet snake, Serpens.

AQUILA:
I think I can help after all. I know a water-bearer name Aquarius. He could pour some of his magical water on her snake bite. Go ahead and climb on my back. I will fly you there.

NARRATOR:
So, the old man tied the young maiden onto the eagle’s back and then climbed on, himself. The eagle gave a great screech and launched himself into the starry sky. He flew and he flew. Finally, after two hours Aquila and his two passengers reach a beach next to a big lake. The sun had risen and they see in the early morning light that they landed next to a house on the beach. Ophiucus crawled off with a groan. He walked over to the house and knocked three times. The door opened and there stood a young man carrying two large clay pots of water. Seeing the old man and the eagle with the young maiden tied on his back, the young man was alarmed.

AQUARIUS:
What happened?”




Ophiucus replied, “Can you help us, Aquarius? Serpens, my pet snake, bit poor Virgo here. Now we need to find a cure for the snake venom.” Aquarius said, “Maybe we should try a few splashes of my magical water.” Aquarius quickly made a soft warm sand castle on the beach and Ophiucus untied Virgo and laid her down in the castle. Aquila perked up his head for a moment. Then he squacked, “I think I hear my darling wife calling me home for breakfast. Will Virgo be ok? Ophiucus and Aquarius both nodded and the eagle flew off toward home. Then the water-bearer opened one of his jugs and drenched Virgo in her cozy sand castle with his magical water. To their great surprise, this did nothing for her. She didn’t even wake up. Aquarius said with disappointment, “Oh bummer. We need to do something else. Wait, I know a whale that could carry us across the great lake. Aquarius pulled a silver whistle from around his neck, place it to his mouth, and gave a long blast. Then he said, “Make yourself cozy. This may take a little while.” Eventually, after four long hours, the two men saw a great whale swim close to shore. Aquarius greeted the whale, “Hello great Cetus.” The whale replied, “Hello Aquarius. Why did you whistle for me?” Aquarius explained, “Well this young maiden was bitten by Ophiucus’ pet snake and was poisoned. My magical water didn’t help. Can you carry us across the lake?” “Why of course.” Said Cetus. “Walk into my mouth and I will swim across. I think I know a hunter who could help us.” Aquarius offered to sling the still unconscious and slowly dying Virgo over his shoulder. The old man and the young man walked into Cetus’ open mouth. He closed it and swam into deeper water. It was rather uncomfortable riding on a giant whale’s tongue. Although, to be honest, it was rather warm and coushiony soft. The whale mumbled a question about something he thought Ohiucus may have stepped in. It didn’t taste very good. Virgo didn’t notice. She was still not with it. After another four hours, Cetus landed on the opposite beach near a hunting shack. There stood a grizzled big man with a belt slung around his waist at an angle. Mounted on the front of the belt were three large jewels and a long sword hung from it. After the travelers waved to the man, he called out “Hello there. Who are you and why didn’t Cetus eat you?” “Cetus offered to carry us here to meet you. We have a young maiden with a snake bite. Can you help us?” “Well of course I can! I’m Orion, a mighty hunter. I carry some extra anti-venom around my dog’s neck. But there’s a problem.” The two travelling men both said, “Of course there is!”

Orion said, "The problem is that I can't find my little dog. He ran away to find his magic bone just now, but I know he would want to help heal the young maiden. Once I am able to find him, I know he will help and give her the anti-venom. Can you help me find him?" The three looked for two hours and finally found Orion's dog. When they found him, Orion introduced Ophiucus and Aquarius to Canis Minor. He was a little brown puppy dog. His little voice went "yip - yip!" He liked to explore a lot so Orion had a lot of trouble keeping track of him. Canis Minor was a very bouncy puppy so Orion had a lot of trouble getting the anti-venom off of his neck. It was in a little bottle tied around his neck. Canis Minor jerked his neck and the bottle flew off into the ocean. Orion said, "Oh, shucks! I can't help you now." Orion, Ophiucus, and Aquarius waded into the ocean and looked for the bottle for two whole hours. Finally, Ophiucus decided to call Hydra the water serpent to help them look. He took out a special red flute and he played three long musical notes. Then he played one more note. Hydra instantly showed up. She looked like a very long sea serpent with all sorts of different colors. The men described the bottle to her. They asked her to look for it. She said, "Oops! That's what I just swallowed. I thought it was a piece of seaweed." She burped, and out came the bottle. Orion grabbed it before it fell back into the ocean. They took Virgo to Orion's shack. He put her on a little bed. With the help of Ophiucus and Aquarius, Orion tilted Virgo's head up very gently and poured the anti-venom slowly into her mouth. Canis Minor frantically licked Virgo in the face. After 10 very long minutes, Virgo woke up. She said, "Where am I? Who are you all? And who is that noisy dog?" She was very hungry so asked them for chocolate chip muffins to eat. Luckily Canis Minor had some tied around his neck too. Orion got them off better than he had gotten the bottle off, and they all ate until they were full. Ophiucus said, "Let me take a look at that snakebite to make sure it isn't infected and it is healing." They all went to the park and played. They all went home and decided to take a nap. They lived happily ever after. The end.