- 2 days ago
Jim Henson's The Storyteller S01E03 The Luck Child
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CreativityTranscript
00:00When people told themselves their past with stories,
00:13explained their present with stories,
00:16foretold the future with stories,
00:19the best place by the fire was kept for the storyteller.
00:30Sometimes people are born lucky.
00:45You imagine if they opened their hands,
00:47there'd be a little piece of sunshine.
00:51A personal piece.
00:53It lights them up.
00:55Everyone loves these people.
00:57They're lit up.
00:58Well, cats sit on their laps.
01:01What?
01:02It's luck. It's a gift. It's a blessing.
01:05And therefore can't be undone.
01:08This is also true of prophecies.
01:11So when one night a boy is born blessed with luck
01:16and it is foretold he will one day be king,
01:20well, no matter how poor the child,
01:23no matter how wicked the king in power,
01:27no matter how monstrous the monster...
01:29not so long ago in the deep north,
01:44where it is so cold that just very cold is considered quite warm,
01:50two cold hearts rule the land.
01:51The one beat cold in a cruel king,
01:53the other in a terrible beast, the griffin.
01:57And it happened in a week with two Fridays
01:58that the cruel king heard of a prophecy.
02:00A child had been born reported his spies.
02:03A luck child, poor as penance, rich as snow,
02:05the seventh son of a seventh son.
02:07Wise men prophesied this child would one day be king.
02:13Superstition, Majesty, folklore said his evil chancellor.
02:16Old wives' tales, rubbish.
02:17How could a peasant's child not worth a spit?
02:19How could a brat become king?
02:33But the cruel king choked on the news,
02:36felt it sharpen and pierce his heart.
02:40So he set out with his evil chancellor to find this luck child and do him in.
02:47Let the night protect us, and the Lord watch over us. Amen.
02:56We've come in search of the luck child. Is he here?
02:59Well, yes or no? Have we come to the wrong hut?
03:03He's called the luck child, sir, but what luck can he have, born with nothing?
03:08Oh, dear me.
03:11My friend here, a holy man, brings seven pieces like this.
03:15He seeks a child to patron and to care for.
03:18As if he were my own son.
03:19Oh, yes, a luck child indeed. It's a bargain, I take it?
03:23Yes or no?
03:25He's my little boy, sir.
03:27You have six others, mother, and now they'll be plump as pigs.
03:31He's my little lover.
03:33Well, of course, you need more gold to comfort yourself.
03:37There's not more gold, my missus. Once you can't put gold to your breast, you can't hear its heart beat.
03:44Please yourself.
03:45You've had your chance.
03:48I'll send in men on the morrow. We'll turn the snow bloody.
03:52We'll hand over our little boy to your safe keeping.
03:57Yes, good.
03:59Good.
04:00Take care of him.
04:02Yeah.
04:03Because he's a little precious.
04:04Mm-hm.
04:05He's the seventh son of the seventh son.
04:07He's a luck child.
04:09Oh, yes.
04:10Terribly lucky.
04:11And that was it.
04:20They couldn't speak.
04:22They couldn't believe it.
04:25Their baby was gone.
04:28Right.
04:39It's a nice smile.
04:41Ah!
04:42A nice smile given your kingdom, given your gold, given all that is rightfully yours.
04:47That's right.
04:49Would you?
04:50Well, I wouldn't try, and he would. I speak of him.
04:56Dreadful drop, as luck would have it.
04:58The fall will finish him.
05:00Or the icy waves.
05:01The shock will do him in.
05:03I can't look.
05:04How far down is it?
05:06Too bad.
05:09That's it.
05:10You go too, sir.
05:11Good night.
05:13No one shall wear my crown.
05:16Terrible.
05:17That's a terrible story.
05:20What?
05:21The baby died.
05:22What do you mean, what?
05:24Who said the baby died?
05:27I didn't.
05:29This is a luck child.
05:30Oh.
05:31No, no.
05:32The baby fell.
05:33Plummeting down, dropping into the blackness.
05:36The rocks beckoning.
05:37Oh, yes.
05:38Plunge downwards.
05:39But the binding catches on a jutting branch and winds round, pulling the baby up short.
05:45Before letting him down, gently onto the shore with a plop.
05:50Sand.
05:51Soft.
05:52Safe.
05:54The evil chanceler fared less well.
05:57The sea had him.
05:58Then the next morning, the griffin had a feast.
06:02As for the cold king, from time to time he felt a little bad.
06:07A fleeting bad.
06:08But soon he quite forgot what he'd done out of fear of a prophecy.
06:13Besides, it's not long and he's got a baby of his own.
06:18A little girl.
06:20She seeks out the one soft part in his heart and touches it.
06:25How he loves his little darling.
06:27And years go by, ten, twelve, fifteen, sixteen, the daughter turns out a lovely.
06:36A princess talked of, longed for, and the offers, hundreds.
06:42But the king doesn't want her married.
06:44Oh dear me, no.
06:45He's not going to lose her in a hurry.
06:48Hands off is what the king thinks.
06:50Hands off all my lovelies.
06:52Four.
06:55Good.
06:59That's four for Nicholas.
07:01Right.
07:02Four for you then, Nick.
07:03Right.
07:05All names for his majesty the king.
07:12Your majesty.
07:14I'm in your region inspecting harvests.
07:16How goes it?
07:17Fair tire.
07:18Good.
07:19And the records?
07:20Show his majesty the book, son.
07:23All entered, sir.
07:24Your people sweat for each ear of wheat and each cob of corn.
07:28And your majesty also needs his tithes, of course.
07:31Of course.
07:32Otherwise we'd all be lords and no king.
07:34And then what?
07:36Exactly.
07:37Then what indeed?
07:41How come the boy is fair when you two are da?
07:43Oh, well, I'm foundling, sire.
07:45He was a gift from God, sire.
07:46We had no child of our own.
07:48Found when?
07:50Found where?
07:51By the Black Cliffs, sire.
07:52Seventeen years since.
07:53Washed up.
07:54Without a scrap on his little body.
07:57I see.
07:58You're a lucky one then.
07:59But that's what we call him, sire.
08:01Lucky.
08:02Lucky?
08:03A boy like you would do well at court.
08:05Well, I'm needed here, sire.
08:07Then you'll be missed.
08:09Paper and pen.
08:11I'll take the boy.
08:12See?
08:13I'll write him a royal warrant.
08:14You take this letter to the queen.
08:16She will welcome you into our royal care.
08:19This boy will want for nothing from this day forth.
08:25Hurrah for the king.
08:26Hurrah!
08:27Hurrah!
08:28Hurrah!
08:29Hurrah!
08:30Oh, happy day indeed.
08:33The king can hardly breathe for his thumping heart.
08:37For this bright spark must be the boy born to claim his throne.
08:42The luck child.
08:44Kill him!
08:45Thumps his heart.
08:46Kill him!
08:47Kill him!
08:48Kill him!
08:49Kill him!
08:50Kill him!
08:51Kill him!
08:52Now, between the mill and the palace is a forest.
08:55A man on foot cannot fathom it.
08:57Folk go in, few come out.
09:00Foul things live there.
09:02And Lucky has no map.
09:03He's lost.
09:04He's been lost for hours.
09:06And it's dark and he can't see a thing.
09:08Not even the hole he's walking towards.
09:11Oh!
09:17Where am I?
09:20oh dear oh dear you've fallen in among thieves I'm afraid this is a robbers
09:26cave a terrible place well I must get out I'm on royal business see I have a
09:35letter from the king see oh dear but the problem is when my sisters get back
09:41they're wild very violent oh dear now are you hungry
09:45can I climb out dear me no you'd better eat something while I think of what to do
09:50with you I'm a cook well the cook that's my it's goulash oh thank you oh dear me no
10:03you can't leave now I'm supposed to be lucky that's my name lucky oh this is
10:11very good thank you marvelous that's it I'm the cook also with a poisoner also the
10:26nastiest now let's see what's in your pockets lucky boy the sausage a letter
10:34from the king eh well this will never reach the palace oh no your luck's run
10:40out oh dear me yes but listen the little man can't believe his eyes terrible what a
10:47terrible letter this is terrible wife it says when you read this letter order the
10:55bearer of it a youth named lucky to be chopped into a thousand pieces do this
11:00without delay now he's also a forger this little man and full of fair play sits
11:16down to write a new letter before his sisters wild women get home and slit the
11:21throat of their sleeping guest and so it was the next morning the luck child wakes
11:28refreshed and restored with the castle straight ahead of him very odd he thinks
11:32but off he sets without more ado I have a letter from his majesty he cries at the
11:37drawbridge a letter from his majesty at the entrance to the court in he goes to
11:42find the Queen sitting with her daughter
11:49and a thing happens straight off oh the princess looks lucky and lucky looks at the
11:55princess and boom that's it love the Queen meanwhile astonished reads and rereads the letter
12:03well gracious me
12:04a boo to the king boo and a hiss hiss picture him on his journey home he gloats a sneer thins his lips
12:19he's savoring his cruel deed the luck child in a thousand pieces his letter ordered by now it would
12:26be done he's cheated fate he's cheated the prophecy a mile from the palace he hears bells and more bells and
12:34then looking up to the battlements the wicked king sees something he can't believe it how
12:40he howl howl howl howl howl howl howl he howled but no one could hear him howl you ordered it marriage your letter said on pain of death I ordered him to be chopped into a thousand pieces
12:56I have the letter.
12:57One thousand pieces, it said.
12:59I have savoured them the long journey home.
13:01Look.
13:03He seems a lovely boy.
13:06Look, they're so happy.
13:09I thought you'd been to a fortune teller.
13:13The luck child will one day be king.
13:16Father, we're so happy.
13:22Your Majesty.
13:23Forgive me.
13:27I thought you were cruel tyrant, a blight on the poor.
13:30But now you make me, the humble peasant, your son and heir.
13:34And the happiest husband there ever was.
13:39And the golden feather?
13:41Oh, pardon?
13:42The golden feather from the griffin.
13:44Do you have it?
13:45No, sir.
13:46Then you must fetch it.
13:48Was it not understood that my daughter could not marry without it?
13:52Father, that's impossible.
13:54Why?
13:55Because the griffin is a monster.
13:57It eats people.
13:58Yes, it won't be easy.
14:00But then not every man is fit to marry my daughter.
14:03Very well.
14:04No.
14:05Don't worry.
14:05I'll come back.
14:06No, no one has ever come back.
14:08She's right, I'm afraid.
14:10We'll see.
14:13And so he sets off the luck child.
14:17To the griffin, he tells himself.
14:18To the griffin.
14:20It becomes a direction when he has none.
14:22A distance when he knows none.
14:24He strides on.
14:26With each mile, the land gets poorer.
14:28Green gives way to dust.
14:30The black deserts of the griffin.
14:32On and on he trudges until one day he comes to a lake in which no fish swim.
14:40Hey, ferryman!
14:42Will you take me across?
14:43I go across forward and back ceaselessly, whether you or without you.
14:49Then I'll join you.
14:51As you like.
14:59I seek the griffin.
15:01Yes.
15:03Am I near?
15:05Over there.
15:07What are those lights on the shore?
15:08Jewels, riches, no one brings them back.
15:15I shall.
15:16I shall come back.
15:19If you do, perhaps you may discover why I must continue this weary way back and forth without ending.
15:28I am weary and sick to the soul.
15:32I'll remember.
15:32Each one who came, the same tale.
15:37The griffin, please.
15:39For love, for justice, for fame, for fortune.
15:43But always in the end, for the griffin's supper.
15:46Always in the end, terrible cries.
15:50Splintering bones.
15:52The suck, suck, suck of juices.
15:57What's there?
15:58Oh, dear.
15:59Oh, dear.
16:00What are you doing here?
16:02What about your sisters?
16:04Oh, they're here, too.
16:06Eh?
16:06Where?
16:07Well, it's hard to be absolutely certain.
16:11What happened?
16:12Well, the griffin flew by the cave.
16:14He was hungry.
16:15Well, luckily, my cooking saved me.
16:17But listen, you must hide, dear boy.
16:19He'll be here, sir.
16:19I need a feather from his back, the golden one.
16:21This gold feather?
16:23Thank God if you walk out of here in a single pause and forget the gold feather.
16:26But I made a solemn promise to me wife.
16:28You did?
16:29Oh, dear, oh, dear, oh, dear.
16:30And I must also find out when the ferryman can cease his ceaseless crossing.
16:34Well, hide under the table and I'll do what I can.
16:37Dear friend.
16:38I will.
16:40Quick, quick.
16:41Mike, snuff, snuff, snuff, man, wait.
17:00Of course you can smell a man.
17:01That's me.
17:02No.
17:03Snuffle, snuff, other assholes.
17:05But there's no one else here.
17:07Now, are you hungry?
17:07Oh, I could eat a house.
17:10Of course you could.
17:12Ah!
17:13Stop, yap, yap.
17:15Stink, stench, stank of mad bits.
17:19Why not lie?
17:23Okay.
17:24Food now.
17:24From underneath the griffin's table, the boy listens, trying to smell of nothing but bone,
17:36of things rotted.
17:38Oh, dear, oh, dear, oh, dear.
17:41Oh, God.
17:44Cheers.
17:48Finished.
17:49Good, good.
17:51And now a little scratch.
17:52Screech, hitch, scratch.
18:03That was which watch?
18:06I know.
18:07Clumsy, I'm clumsy.
18:08I'll scratch too hard.
18:09I should stop.
18:10Now, hitch, screech, scratch.
18:13Right.
18:13Now.
18:16Ha, ha, ha.
18:16Ha, ha, ha.
18:18Ha, ha.
18:18Ha, ha, ha.
18:19Ha, ha, ha.
18:20Ha, ha, ha, ha.
18:22I'm sorry.
18:23Oh, dear, dear, dear, dear, dear.
18:25I'll be more careful.
18:26I'll be, you know, really careful.
18:28Ha, ha.
18:29My not right things pulled.
18:32Well, that's right.
18:32You're a sensitive monster.
18:34Ha, ha.
18:35My not monster.
18:36I mean a nice, misunderstood and brilliant beastie.
18:41Ha, ha, ha.
18:42Ha, ha, ha, ha.
18:44Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
18:46My bird.
18:48My misunderstood bird.
18:51My not beastie.
18:53Of course you are.
18:54A bird.
18:55A very nice bird.
18:57Well, I should go back to where I came from, to that dark horror cave.
19:00Serve me right.
19:01No.
19:02Don't try and stop me.
19:03I'll tell that old ferryman to row me across.
19:05Yeah, she's outside now.
19:06Expect waiting for a passenger.
19:08Poor old fella.
19:09I wonder why he's always there.
19:10Why can't he leave?
19:12His curse of the worst and stay the same.
19:14Less someone take pole, then someone curse of the same way as him.
19:20Simple.
19:20So if someone took his pole, they'd have to row and he'd be free?
19:25Ha, ha, ha, ha.
19:26So simple.
19:27I should go and tell the poor fella.
19:29I should take over.
19:30Really, I should go now and take over.
19:32Ha, ha, ha.
19:33Now, my like goulash and it's straight scratch, scratch.
19:38Ha, ha, ha, ha.
19:39Ha, ha, ha.
19:39Then you go to sleep now.
19:42Busy day ahead.
19:44Eating people and wreaking havoc.
19:46Ha, ha, ha.
19:47Snoozy, wolfie now.
19:51There's it.
19:53Snoozy, boozy.
20:02And off the luck child scurries, clutching the golden feathers, scooping up jewels, straight home he wants to go, straight home to happiness.
20:11I dare not think it possible you found the answer.
20:15But then you did come back.
20:17No one has ever come back.
20:19Well, I have come back.
20:21And I have the answer.
20:23The next passenger you have, give him your oar.
20:26Then your luck will be his.
20:28Is freedom yours?
20:31So simple.
20:37So simple.
20:39And for the first time in years, centuries, hope fires the ferryman.
20:45A smile is forming in his mind.
20:49A tiny smile growing, getting ready to be born.
20:52He's back.
20:53And he's got the golden feather.
21:07I've come back.
21:11And I've got the golden feather.
21:12I have done as you bid, he says.
21:16And the king can do nothing but agree and give his blessing.
21:19Then you have my blessing.
21:21Though it cost him in his bitter heart.
21:23Then out comes the treasure.
21:25Out popped the king's eyes.
21:27Gold, jewels.
21:29Oh, where are they from?
21:31And the boy answered him.
21:33I took a ferry across the lake to where the griffon lives.
21:35And on the other shore, gold lies where pebbles should.
21:39Emeralds where sand.
21:41And where the sea breaks, diamonds fall.
21:44Is that so?
21:46So lucky.
21:48And saying this, the poison swilling his eyes, souring his mouth,
21:53the king vowed to go himself.
21:56And that very night, he slipped away alone
21:58and set off in search of this magic shore across the lake.
22:03Come on, come on, come on.
22:05Can't we go any faster?
22:08Oh, yes, sir.
22:09There is a way.
22:12Take it, he says.
22:15Take it.
22:16Take it.
22:18So if you come one day to a lake
22:21and there's an island
22:22and a ferry goes back and forth
22:24rowed by an old sad man,
22:27turn around.
22:29Griffins live there.
22:30You may never get off the boat.
22:32For the ferryman was once a wicked king
22:36who ignored a prophecy,
22:38whose heart was cruel.
22:40And nature, my dears,
22:42is a wise woman who pays us back,
22:46tit for tat.
22:48The boy and the girl,
22:53did they live happily ever after?
22:56Oh, yes, yes.
22:57Wonderful.
22:58Very, very happy.
23:00The boy, you see,
23:03was a loved child.
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