A couch-back puppet show
The Lion Who Lost His Roar
Leopold’s mighty roar has run away, and only the smallest animal in the jungle knows where roars hide.
Tap any line to keep your place. Hands full? Auto-scroll is under Aa. This full-cast recording with sound effects plays free for everyone.
Tonight’s cast & their voices
Leopoldthe lionleft hand
Voice: Chest-deep, slow and regal — except the squeak. Commit completely to the squeak.
Maplethe mouse · any puppet can play this partright hand
Voice: Small, high, and quick — the calmest voice in the jungle, never impressed, always kind.
Props (raid the kitchen)
- A rug or doormat (the jungle clearing) (optional)
- A curtain or door to check behind (optional)
Scene 1
The Squeak
🎭 The jungle clearing. The rug is the clearing; the King practices his royal announcements here every morning.
Action
Leopold marches in, chest first, and takes a mighty royal stance.
Leopold(very grand)
Ahem. Animals of the jungle! Prepare for the royal morning ROAR!
Action
Leopold inhales hugely. Hold it. Hold it even longer.
Leopold
…squeak.
Action
Leopold freezes, then turns very slowly to look at the audience.
Leopold(tiny and outraged)
SQUEAK?! That is NOT a roar. That is a bath toy.
Leopold(even grander)
Again! Behold the thunderous roar of Leopold!
Action
Leopold stretches taller, spreads his paws, fills his cheeks completely.
Leopold(smaller, almost swallowed)
squeak…
Leopold(the grandest yet)
Once more! The greatest roar in ALL the jungle!
Action
The mightiest wind-up of all. Then the tiniest squeak of all. Leopold freezes; his mane droops; one paw quietly pats his tummy.
Leopold
WHERE IS MY ROAR?
Action
Maple pops up beside him, munching something calmly.
Maple(chirpy)
Morning, Your Majesty. Lovely squeak today.
Leopold
It is NOT lovely! It’s a disaster! My roar has run away!
Maple
Run away? Roars do that sometimes. When did you see it last?
Leopold
Last night! I roared at the moon. Very professional. Ten out of ten.
Maple
Hmm. And this morning: squeak. Curious. This calls for Roar Lookouts.
🎉 Everyone together
That’s you! Roar Lookouts have a chant. Learn it now: “Squeak by squeak, let the roar peek!”
Maple
“Squeak by squeak, let the roar peek.” Perfect. You’re hired.
Leopold
Search?! I am a KING. Kings don’t crawl about looking under things.
Maple
Kings who want their roars back crawl beautifully.
Leopold(grumbling)
…The king will help look.
🎉 Everyone together
Lookouts, help us hunt! Check under your legs. Under the cushions. Behind your ears. Shout “NOT HERE!” for every empty spot.
Action
Leopold and Maple peer under the rug, behind the curtain, under an audience member’s foot.
Maple(deadpan)
Not under the rug. Not behind the curtain. Not under that foot. Excellent checking, though.
Leopold
Perhaps it was STOLEN. By bandits. Roar bandits!
Maple(gentle)
Mm. Or perhaps… it’s hiding somewhere closer.
Leopold
Closer? There’s nothing closer. There’s only me.
Action
Maple looks at Leopold. Leopold looks at Maple. The Lookouts will get it first.
Maple
Leopold. Big question. Is anything happening today? Anything… important?
Leopold
Only the Big Jungle Assembly. Every animal watching. The king gives the great speech, and—
Action
Leopold stops. His whole mane droops.
Leopold(small voice)
—and my tummy has been doing flips since Tuesday.
Scene 2
The Whisper-Roar
🎭 Same clearing. Sit close for this bit — it starts very quiet on purpose, and ends very loud on purpose.
Maple
There it is. Roars hide when tummies get fluttery. It’s just what they do.
Leopold
Kings don’t GET fluttery tummies. It isn’t regal.
Maple
Everybody gets fluttery. Mice. Mountains. Even kings.
Leopold
…Even mountains?
Maple
The flutteriest. Why do you think they sit so still?
Leopold
So my roar is… scared? My own roar?
Maple
Nervous, more like. You can’t drag a roar out. You have to let it grow back.
Leopold
Grow it? From WHAT? All I’ve got is squeak!
Maple
A squeak is a roar seed. We’ll start with a whisper-roar. Lookouts, with him.
🎉 Everyone together
Whisper-roar with Leopold. Quiet as a secret: “roar…”
Leopold(whispered, uncertain)
roar…
Maple
There! Did you feel it? A little rumble. It knows your voices.
🎉 Everyone together
Medium roar now! Like you mean it, but the neighbors are asleep: “Roar!”
Leopold(growing)
Roar! ROAR-ish! It’s WORKING, Maple, it’s coming back!
Maple
One more. The real one. The whole jungle’s worth. Ready?
Leopold
Ready. Fluttery AND ready. Apparently that’s allowed.
Action
Leopold takes the deepest breath of the whole show — and holds perfectly still for one owl blink of silence.
🎉 Everyone together
The BIG one! Deep breath in… hold it… and ROOOAAAR!
Action
Everyone roars together. Leopold’s whole body roars with them, mane and all.
Leopold
ROOOAAAR! HA! There it is! The royal roar, back where it belongs!
Maple
Welcome back. It never really left, you know. It just needed company.
Leopold
Maple. You are the smallest animal in this jungle and the wisest.
Maple
I know. I keep it quiet. Like a whisper-roar.
Leopold
Animals of the jungle! Thank you for the loan of your roars. The king owes you each one favor.
Leopold
And at the Assembly today, if my tummy flips… I shall simply start with a whisper.
Action
Leopold takes an enormous royal bow. Maple takes a tiny one, exactly as proud.
🎉 Everyone together
One last chant, Lookouts — changed, and in your softest whisper: “Whisper by whisper, let the roar grow.”
Leopold(whispering, with a wink)
Goodnight, roar-lenders. Keep them somewhere safe. SQUEAK! …That one was on purpose.
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