The Adventures of Paddy the Pelican/Swania Foiled Again

by Sam Singer

The
ADVENTURES
of
PADDY the
PELICAN
IN

Narrator
Hi there, boys and girls! Pelicanland owes a big debt of fifty bushels of corn to the neighboring land of Swania. The corn is all collected, and this is the big payoff day.

"SWANIA
FOILED
AGAIN"

Grandpa Perrywinkle
Oh, our newest shipment of corn has disappeared. It was put in the vault this morning. Oh, why, this could ruin Pelicanland if we don't find it! Oh, we owe fifty bushels of corn to the neighboring state of Swania. And if we don't pay that debt by midnight tonight, the swans will take over our country. Oh, I'd better summon the Lord High Chancellor at once. Oh, if we don't find that corn, Pelicanland is ruined!

Lord High Chancellor
This is dreadful, Your Excellency! We might as well turn everything over to the king of Swania right now! He won't accept any excuses! If you wish, Your Excellency, I can deliver the papers to the king of Swania right now, before there's any trouble.

Paddy Pelican
No! No, no! What we have to do is to find that fifty bushels of corn, and pay the debt. Grandpa Perrywinkle, you mustn't let Swania rule Pelicanland.

Grandpa Perrywinkle
What else can we do? We borrowed the corn from Swania, and we have to pay it back. You know, we pelicans have a reputation for honesty.

Paddy Pelican
I've done a little detective work, Grandpa, and I'm gonna see if I can't find that corn that vanished.

Lord High Chancellor
And I'll help you, young man. Why, with my knowledge of this country, I can show you every place where to look.

Paddy Pelican
Lord High Chancellor, who besides Grandpa Perrywinkle has the key to this vault?

VAULT

Lord High Chancellor
Why, His Excellency and I have the only keys that I know of, young man. Whoever took the corn must be extremely clever.

Paddy Pelican
Ah, it would take more than cleverness to break into the vault. And, besides, the vault door wasn't broken. The vault was locked when Grandpa showed it to me.

Lord High Chancellor
Say, I just remembered, there is one other key to the vault. The keeper of the dungeon has kept that key, and I'm pretty sure he may have it. I'll take you to him. Perhaps he can explain where he was when the corn disappeared. If he can't, we'll have him.

Lord High Chancellor
Hmm... That's odd. He doesn't seem to be here. You stay here and I'll look.

Lord High Chancellor
Oh! Oh, I slipped! I'm afraid I locked the door. Oh, I'll have to go get the keeper of the dungeon so he can let you out.

Grandpa Perrywinkle
Why, Paddy, what in the world are you doing down here? I thought you were out trying to find the bushels of corn.

Paddy Pelican
I got locked in here by accident, and the Lord High Chancellor went to find the keeper of the dungeon to get the key to unlock the door.

Grandpa Perrywinkle
Why, there is no keeper of the dungeon, Paddy. Why, we haven't kept anybody down here for years. But the Lord Chancellor has the key.

Paddy Pelican
Grandpa Perrywinkle, I have an idea that the Chancellor did something with that corn, and I'm gonna find out. I'm gonna stay in this cell for now, and you give me your key so I can unlock the door and come upstairs anytime I want to.

Lord High Chancellor
Hey, I'm sorry, young man, but I hadn't been able to find the keeper of the dungeon yet. But, don't worry. He'll be back before long. And, whatever you do, now, don't let Grandfather know that you got locked in the dungeon. Hehe! Just keep quiet and wait.

Paddy Pelican
He doesn't know I'm following him, and I believe he's heading towards the river. Maybe the corn is hidden at the river's edge.

Paddy Pelican
It is! And he's loading it into the boat! Oh, I've gotta do something about this in a hurry!

Paddy Pelican
Hey! Stop that! Stop that! You're the one who took the corn! No wonder you wanted me to stay in the dungeon! You won't get away! Come back here! Stay away from that boat! I'll get you if I have to chase you clear to the end of the river!

Lord High Chancellor
Whew, that was a close call. I don't think he can catch me. But I had to leave without the corn. That makes me mad.

Paddy Pelican
The only way to catch him is to fly! Maybe if I camouflage myself, it'll work. I'll take this cloth—it's the same color as the sky. That'll do it—he'll never be able to see me! I'll swoop down on him.

Lord High Chancellor
I guess he's given up. I don't see any sign of him.

Lord High Chancellor
Oh my! You! What? How did you get here? How did you get here?

Paddy Pelican
Never mind how I got here! Just give me those oars! I'm taking you back to Pelicanland. You have a lot of explaining to do.

Paddy Pelican
Why, why, you're not a pelican at all! You're a swan! You've been wearing an imitation beak. You're nothing but a spy!

Lord High Chancellor
Oh, please, please don't be too harsh with me, young man. I was just trying to help Swania get the better of Pelicanland.

Paddy Pelican
You're gonna carry back every sack of this corn to the vault, and don't complain about being too tired either!

Paddy Pelican
Because now that you have this sack in the vault, here, you're gonna carry all of it down to the Pelicanland ship to be delivered to Swania!

Grandpa Perrywinkle
Paddy, I'm mighty proud of you, son. If it hadn't been for your quick thinking, why, why, there's no telling what might have happened to us!

The End
—A
MEDALLION
PRODUCTION

COPYRIGHT MCMLIV