CHESTER WHIGGET
Allright! I will-a tell the story of-a Ruth!
BUCK
Oh, no – not you!
CHESTER WHIGGET
Yes a-me! Chester Whigget! Master of the popsicle stick puppet! And now, the Story of Ruth!!
Once upon a time, there was a woman named Ruth! She wasn’t an Israelite – she was from Moab, a country Israel didn’t like-a very much. But Ruth – she MARRIED an Israelite! As our story begins, Ruth, her Israelite husband and her husband’s mother were all living in Moab because there was a famine in Israel.
BUCK
A “famine?” You mean, “no food?”
CHESTER WHIGGET
Right. No food. So there they are in Moab, when – oh no! – Ruth’s husband dies!
I don’t know what happened – maybe he got hit by a bus.
BUCK
I don’t think they had buses back then.
CHESTER WHIGGET
Okay… maybe he got hit by a cow.
BUCK
Chester…
CHESTER WHIGGET
A goat?
BUCK
Chester!
CHESTER WHIGGET
An ill-tempered iguana?
BUCK
Chester!
CHESTER WHIGGET
Anyway, he’s dead. He’s gone. No more husband. Now Ruth’s mother-in- law – her name is Naomi – she doesn’t have a husband either. He died a while back – probably another iguana…
BUCK
Chester!
CHESTER WHIGGET
… or something. Naomi doesn’t really belong in Moab. She’s an Israelite.
So as soon as the famine ends, she decides to go back to Israel. Of course, she is old and has no husband and no money. So she’ll have to beg for food. Her life will be sad.
Well guess what? Ruth doesn’t want that to happen! She loves Naomi! So even though Moab is her home, Ruth says to Naomi – “I will come with you! Your people will be my people! Your God will be my God!” Isn’t that beautiful? I’m telling you, that part makes me cry every time…
BUCK (sniffling)
Yeah, that’s really something.
CHESTER WHIGGET
It gets you right in the gut…
Anyway, this amazing Ruth, she leaves her home and goes to Israel with Naomi to take care of her! Every day she follows the workers in the fields to pick up little bits of grain to share with Naomi!
Oh, I’m losing it! But get this – this is the best part – so she’s picking up bits of grain in a field that belongs to a wealthy man named Boaz, who happens to be related to Naomi’s old husband – the one that died in the iguana accident…
BUCK
I don’t think he was killed by an iguana!!
CHESTER WHIGGET
Whatever. Anyway, Boaz sees Ruth in the field, and hears about what she’s done for Naomi. He hears about her great love for her mother- in-law. And get this! He falls in love with Ruth! Wonderful Ruth!
And – and – Ruth and Boaz end up getting married! And Boaz takes care of Ruth, AND takes care of Naomi, her mother-in-law! And EVERYONE is happy – and they burst into song –
(singing)
Ever since I saw you – I knew that I loved you – And we’ll be together! Always and forever! Always – always – always and –
BUCK
Uh, Chester – I don’t think they burst into song! The book of Ruth isn’t a musical!
CHESTER WHIGGET
Well it SHOULD be.
