As noted earlier, AppleScript isn't something you can master in a day or two. Fortunately, few Mac technologies have more ardent fans than AppleScript, and free beginners' (and experts') tutorials are available all over the Web. It may be a while before this material is updated for Mac OS X, but in the meantime, you can study the Mac OS 9 material; most of it is applicable in Mac OS X.
Begin your quest at Apple's AppleScript Web site, www.apple.com/applescript. There you'll find a link to an excellent, step-by-step tutorial in hand-coding scripts, as well as links to these outstanding online AppleScript guides: