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--SYNOPSIS--
Spoiler Warning:
The following text is
printed in the background colour. If you want to read it, highlight
it with your mouse and it will appear as if by magic...
Albert Weatherspoon is made
knight for a day, to defend the realm against a marauding dragon.
Unexpectedly, the dragon turns out to be Pongo's mother, and actually
belongs to King Boris of Borsovia.
If you can't play the
video, here's an audio teaser:
(Runtime: 3:50)
This clip was recorded from BBC2's ?DEF II? (Babylon 2 segment),
introduced by Stephen Fry, 8th May 1988.
? BBC
King Rufus: Derek Nimmo
Queen Caroline: Violet Lamb
Lord Chamberlain: Roy Skelton
Sir Albert Weatherspoon: James Beattie
King Boris: Roy Skelton
Villager in shirt: James Beattie(?)
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--TRANSCRIPT OF CLIP--
--start of clip--
Rufus: (a sort of sing-song voice) Good luck, Sir Albert
Weatherspoon: (dressed in shining armoured vest and helmet, holding a spear) Thankyou, Sire.
Caroline: They're ready to start, Rufus.
Caroline: (a
sort of sing-song voice) Off we go, Chamberlain.
Chamberlain: (bowing) Very good,
Ma'am.
Weatherspoon: (grunts with the
effort of hopping up onto his steam-powered chariot)
Villagers: (loud, rowdy chatter)
Chamberlain: Citizens of Rubovia.
Villagers: (loud, raucous cheering)
Chamberlain: Quiet, please!
Villagers: (a few villagers "shush" the others)
Chamberlain: By order of his gracious majesty, King Rufus of Rubovia.
Villagers: (interjections and almost heckling)
Chamberlain: (shouting) Hush! Hush!
Chamberlain: A grand tournament between Sir Albert Weatherspoon...
Villagers: (shouting) Oh, Albert...Albert...(and more)
Weatherspoon: (speaking to himself,
over) That's me, that's me. (to villagers, over) Too kind,...you're
very kind.
Chamberlain: ...and a marauding dragon. (more noise from villagers) Quiet please! Should Sir Albert win the fight, the dragon must return to the place from whence he came.
Villagers: (some shouting and cheering)
Villager in shirt: (loud voice) What happens if he ben't be the winner?
Chamberlain: Ah...In the event of Sir Albert being vanquished, the dragon must be allowed to stay. I will now summon the beast in the traditional
way (blows three notes on hunting horn).
Silence, with everyone waiting expectantly. All that can be heard is the sound of the birds singing in the trees. Then we hear a very heavy footfall from outside the castle entrance. Pongo the queen's baby dragon comes into view to see what's happening, as if he knows something. Puss pops up beside the Queen, to get a better look.
More heavy, crashing, footfalls are heard.
Rufus: (turning to Caroline, semi-whisper) Now, what do we do?
Caroline: (heavily whispered) Hush, Rufus!
More heavy footfalls, followed by smoke or dust, and a loud roar.
Villagers: (breath suddenly drawn in, in fear)
More roaring, and foot crashing, only now much louder.
Villagers: (nervous chattering)
Smoke is seen coming into the entrance! Still no sign of its source.
Everyone: Ohhhhhhhhhhh! (Puss faints and drops down out of sight)
Rufus and
Caroline:
(together) Here he comes.
A large scary-looking dragon comes around the corner and into view, apparently sniffing the ground as if looking for something. The dragon roars some more, and shakes its head. Albert starts the motor on his chariot, which makes a putt-putt sound. Smoke comes from its chimney. Camera zooms in for a better look at the motor. This seems to excite the dragon, who stamps, shakes, roars, etc., in front of the chariot. Weatherspoon retreats backwards, trying to stay clear of the dragon, then making a decision, runs the chariot
forwards. The villagers cheer. More loud roaring and foot stamping from the dragon. Weatherspoon pauses again, motor going, waiting for the right moment to attack. The dragon does not let up its stamping,
roaring, shaking, etc.
Rufus: It's going to attack!
As well as roaring, the dragon now blows smoke from its nose. Weatherspoon retreats a little. And then the unthinkable happens. The motor in his chariot stops!
Everyone: (sharp intake of breath)
Villagers: Ohhhhhh...
Rufus: The engine's stopped.
Puss pops her head up again.
Weatherspoon: Ohhh dear!
The dragon pounces forwards. Fearful cries come from the villagers. Weatherspoon, who had been attending to the stopped engine, turns around.
Weatherspoon: Ohhhh!
Unexpectedly, the dragon gallops right past Mr. Weatherspoon on his chariot, finally stopping in front of Pongo. No more stamping and roaring and smoke. They rub noses, obviously very happy to see each other. The villagers laugh, if only to ease the tension. No one is more relieved than Weatherspoon. The King and Queen and the villagers stare in amazement as the meeting between the large dragon and Pongo remains very animated, but very friendly. The big dragon appears to kiss Pongo under his right ear!
Boris: (appearing unannounced) I say!
Rufus: Why, it's King Boris of Borsovia!
Boris: (walking towards King Rufus) What are you doing with Doris, Rubovia?
Rufus: D,d,d,d,d,doris?
Boris: Y-e-s! My pet dragon! Had her for years. I sent you a telegramme telling you that she was probably on her way here.
Rufus: T,t,t,t,terrygramme?
Boris: Yes! When I missed her, I suspected that she'd come over here to see her youngest son.
Boris: (placing his hand on Doris) Hello, old lady, are you pleased to see your baby again?
(Doris wags her head up and down several times in agreement)
Boris: Well, that's all very charming, mother love and all that, eh?
Caroline: (to Rufus, in a piqued tone) I think, Rufus, we'd better retire before the crowd gets annoyed.
Rufus: (to Caroline) Yes, my love.
--end of clip--
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