1 00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:09,000 Speaker 1: Hey, and welcome to the Spooky Halloween Podcast. I'm yeah 2 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:13,319 Speaker 1: very nice. I'm Joshua Lander and Clark. There's Bride of 3 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:18,840 Speaker 1: Chucky Bryant, and there's Jarifying Roland. Jerry said she has 4 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:20,439 Speaker 1: no time for us this year, so we have to 5 00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:22,479 Speaker 1: make all our own sound effects with our own mouths. 6 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:25,919 Speaker 1: That sounds good, that's cool, we can do that. Watch this. 7 00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:33,600 Speaker 1: That was terrifying. Yeah. All the spit, I think is 8 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:38,159 Speaker 1: what made it so terrifying. Um so, chuck, this is 9 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:40,880 Speaker 1: our annual Halloween episode. I don't know if anyone told 10 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:44,599 Speaker 1: you this yet. Are spook tacular? Yes, it's right. And 11 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 1: uh for those of you who have just found the 12 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:50,480 Speaker 1: podcast recently and this is your first time, every Christmas 13 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:54,080 Speaker 1: and Halloween we present an ad free episode for your enjoyment. 14 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 1: This has nothing to do with explaining anything. It's just 15 00:00:57,480 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 1: some spooky stories that we like to read and then 16 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 1: Jerry adds a little sound design. But apparently this year 17 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:05,840 Speaker 1: it's up to us. That's right, So do you want 18 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:09,199 Speaker 1: to do it? Let's do it? Okay, So I say 19 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:13,160 Speaker 1: that we start with my pick, the Algerin in Blackwood 20 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:19,319 Speaker 1: um story ancient lights, great dim the lights? Everybody get 21 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:24,600 Speaker 1: whatever you do to get into the spooky mood. Um. 22 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:26,320 Speaker 1: I don't know how you play it in your houses, 23 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:30,440 Speaker 1: but dim the lights you do. Maybe get a cat 24 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 1: let it stare at you for a little while. It's 25 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 1: pretty creepy. That's the sweetest thing ever, a cat staring 26 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:46,679 Speaker 1: at you. Sure. Maybe take the your witch's broom out 27 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:49,880 Speaker 1: of the closet. Oh yeah, then that'll set a mood. Um. 28 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:53,800 Speaker 1: Put up your cobwebs. Don't clean those out and put 29 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 1: them up. Yeah, what are you doing cleaning them out? 30 00:01:56,080 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 1: You need spiders to keep pesky bugs away, that's right, 31 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:03,160 Speaker 1: and then you keep lizards to eat the spiders. That's right. See, 32 00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:06,880 Speaker 1: you did learn something today. I did. Okay, you're ready, 33 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:16,520 Speaker 1: allow me to start, please, Jerry, if you please, thank you, Jerry. 34 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:21,520 Speaker 1: Jerry's already asleep. This is ancient lights by Elgin and Blackwood. 35 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:28,799 Speaker 1: From South Water where he left the train. The road 36 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:32,720 Speaker 1: led due west that he knew for the rest he 37 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:36,440 Speaker 1: trusted to luck, being one of those born walkers who 38 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:40,600 Speaker 1: dislikes asking the way. He had that instinct, and as 39 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:43,520 Speaker 1: a rule it served him well. A mile or so 40 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:46,320 Speaker 1: due west along the Sandy Road till you come to 41 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:49,720 Speaker 1: a style on the right, then across the fields, you'll 42 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:53,040 Speaker 1: see the red house straight before you. He glanced at 43 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 1: the postcard's instructions once again, and once again he tried 44 00:02:56,919 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 1: to decipher the scratched out sentence, without success. It had 45 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:06,000 Speaker 1: been so elaborately inked over that no word was legible. 46 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:10,240 Speaker 1: Inked Out sentences in a letter were always enticing. He 47 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 1: wondered what it was that had to be so very 48 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:19,160 Speaker 1: carefully obliterated. The afternoon was boisterous, with a tearing, shouting 49 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:23,080 Speaker 1: wind that blew from the sea across the Sussex wheeld 50 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 1: have no idea what a wield This massive clouds with 51 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:31,320 Speaker 1: round had piled up edges cannoned across gaping spaces of 52 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 1: blue sky far away. The line of downs swept the 53 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:40,480 Speaker 1: horizon like an arriving wave. Chuck, dumberry ring which I 54 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:43,720 Speaker 1: looked up. It's an old hill fort from years ago 55 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 1: and a Celtic temple. Okay, bear that in mind. So 56 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:52,200 Speaker 1: this old hill fort, he's saying, rode the crest of 57 00:03:52,320 --> 00:03:57,960 Speaker 1: the horizon like a wave. Okay, a scudding ship holed 58 00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 1: down before the wind. He took his hat off and 59 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 1: walked rapidly, breathing great drafts of air with delight and exhilaration. 60 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:09,160 Speaker 1: This guy really liked walking. Man, he's the opposite of me. 61 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:13,280 Speaker 1: You would this would be chucking a segway this whole 62 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 1: time right the road was deserted, no horseman, bicycles or motors, 63 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 1: not even a tradesman's cart, no single walker. But anyhow, 64 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:26,520 Speaker 1: he would never have asked the way, keeping a sharp 65 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:28,680 Speaker 1: eye for the style. And by the way, chuck, his 66 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 1: style is like a little thing that humans can use 67 00:04:31,839 --> 00:04:35,640 Speaker 1: to get over, like a cattle fence, but like cattle 68 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:38,000 Speaker 1: can't get through, so like maybe steps on either side 69 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:42,719 Speaker 1: of a fence style. Okay, m hmm, stupid cows. I 70 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:46,920 Speaker 1: know I can't walk up steps. Keeping a sharp eye 71 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:49,880 Speaker 1: for the style, he pounded along while the wind tossed 72 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:52,359 Speaker 1: the cloak against his face and made waves across the 73 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 1: blue puddles and the yellow road. The trees showed their 74 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:58,839 Speaker 1: under leaves of white, the bracken and the high new 75 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:02,680 Speaker 1: grass bent all one way. Great life was in the day, 76 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:07,039 Speaker 1: high spirits and dancing everywhere, And for a Croydon surveyor's 77 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:09,440 Speaker 1: clerk just out of an office, this was like a 78 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 1: holiday at the sea. It was a day for high adventure, 79 00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:15,760 Speaker 1: and his heart rose up to meet the mood of nature. 80 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 1: His umbrella with the silver ring ought to have been 81 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:21,200 Speaker 1: a sword, and his brown shoes should have been top 82 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:24,760 Speaker 1: boots with spurs on the heels. Where hid the enchanted 83 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:27,160 Speaker 1: castle in the princess with the hair of sunny gold. 84 00:05:27,680 --> 00:05:31,480 Speaker 1: His horse, the Style, suddenly came into view and nipped 85 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:35,159 Speaker 1: adventure in the bud. Everyday clothes took him prisoner again. 86 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:39,320 Speaker 1: He was a surveyor's clerk, middle aged, earning three pounds 87 00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:42,440 Speaker 1: a week, coming from Croydon to see about a client's 88 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:46,039 Speaker 1: proposed alterations in a wood, something to ensure a better 89 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:49,520 Speaker 1: view from the dining room window. Across the fields, perhaps 90 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:52,279 Speaker 1: a mile away. He saw the red house gleaming in 91 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:55,159 Speaker 1: the sunshine, and resting on the Style a moment to 92 00:05:55,200 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 1: get his breath, he noticed the copes of oak and 93 00:05:57,839 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 1: horn beam on the right. Aha, he told himself, so 94 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:03,360 Speaker 1: that must be the wood he wants to cut down 95 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:05,840 Speaker 1: to improve the view. I'll have a look at it. 96 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:09,080 Speaker 1: There were boards up, of course, but there was an 97 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:12,840 Speaker 1: inviting little path as well. I'm not a trespasser, he said, 98 00:06:13,120 --> 00:06:16,520 Speaker 1: It's part of my business. This is he scrambled awkwardly 99 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:19,799 Speaker 1: over the gate and entered the copes. A little round 100 00:06:19,839 --> 00:06:23,560 Speaker 1: would bring him to the field again. My turn, take 101 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:26,240 Speaker 1: it away, chuckers. All right, here we go. Should we 102 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:28,240 Speaker 1: catch people up? What's this guy doing? He's walking a lot, 103 00:06:28,480 --> 00:06:31,240 Speaker 1: he's walking. He's walking, and he's going to be a 104 00:06:31,279 --> 00:06:33,400 Speaker 1: client who wants to cut down some woods. And he 105 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:36,919 Speaker 1: thinks he's just now found the woods. All but the 106 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:39,520 Speaker 1: moment he passed among the trees, the wind ceased shouting, 107 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 1: and a stillness dropped upon the world. So dense was 108 00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:46,080 Speaker 1: the growth that the sunshine only came through and isolated patches. 109 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:50,080 Speaker 1: The air was close. He mopped his forehead, but his 110 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 1: green felt hat on, but a low branch knocked it 111 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:56,120 Speaker 1: off again at once, and as he stooped, an elastic 112 00:06:56,120 --> 00:07:04,200 Speaker 1: twig swung back and stung his face. There were flowers along, sorry, 113 00:07:04,520 --> 00:07:07,000 Speaker 1: there were flowers along both edges of the little path, 114 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 1: glades open on either side, Ferns curved about in damper corners, 115 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:16,080 Speaker 1: and the smell of earth and foliage was rich and sweet. 116 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:20,840 Speaker 1: It was cooler here. What an enchanting little wood, he thought, 117 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:23,960 Speaker 1: turning down a small green glade where the sunshine flickered 118 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:28,080 Speaker 1: like silver wings. How it danced and fluttered and moved about. 119 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:30,680 Speaker 1: He put a dark blue flower in his button hole. 120 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:37,119 Speaker 1: M whatever floats your boat foal again? His hat caught 121 00:07:37,160 --> 00:07:40,280 Speaker 1: by an oak branch as he rose, was knocked from 122 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:44,040 Speaker 1: his head, falling across his eyes. This guy's a mess, 123 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:47,000 Speaker 1: and this time he did not put it on again. 124 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 1: Swinging his umbrella, he walked on with uncovered head, whistling 125 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:54,120 Speaker 1: rather loudly as he went. But the thickness of the 126 00:07:54,160 --> 00:07:57,920 Speaker 1: trees hardly encouraged whistling, and something of his gaiety and 127 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:01,400 Speaker 1: high spirit seemed to leave him. He suddenly found himself 128 00:08:01,400 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 1: treading circumspectly and with caution. The stillness in the wood 129 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:09,320 Speaker 1: was so peculiar. There was a rustle among the ferns 130 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:12,120 Speaker 1: and leaves, and something shot across the path ten yards ahead. 131 00:08:12,560 --> 00:08:16,440 Speaker 1: Stopped abruptly. An instant with head cocked sideways to stare, 132 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 1: then dived again beneath the underbrush with the speed of 133 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:23,320 Speaker 1: a shadow. He started like a frightened child, laughing the 134 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:25,840 Speaker 1: next second that a mere pheasant could have made him jump. 135 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:28,920 Speaker 1: In the distance, he heard wheels upon the road and 136 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 1: wondered why the sound was pleasant good Old Butcher's Cot, 137 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:36,559 Speaker 1: he said to himself, his accent changed. I guess I 138 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:42,280 Speaker 1: like it. I'm not. I'm not sure where he's from. 139 00:08:42,440 --> 00:08:45,840 Speaker 1: Good Old Butcher's Cot, he said to himself. Then realized 140 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:48,120 Speaker 1: that he was going in the wrong direction and had 141 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:51,280 Speaker 1: somehow got turned round, for the road should be behind him, 142 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:54,080 Speaker 1: not in front, and he hurriedly took another narrow glade 143 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:57,560 Speaker 1: that lost itself in greenness to the right. That's my direction, 144 00:08:57,600 --> 00:09:01,160 Speaker 1: of course, he said. How he's show connor. I think 145 00:09:01,240 --> 00:09:04,880 Speaker 1: so all right. The trees has mixed me up a bit, 146 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 1: it seems. Then found himself abruptly by the gate he 147 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:11,680 Speaker 1: had first climbed over. He had merely made a circle. 148 00:09:12,559 --> 00:09:17,280 Speaker 1: Surprise became almost discomfiture. Then it's a new one for me. 149 00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 1: And a man dressed like a gamekeeper in brownie green 150 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:24,520 Speaker 1: leaned against the gate, hitting his legs with a switch. 151 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:29,560 Speaker 1: I'm making for Mr Lumley's farm, explained the walker. This 152 00:09:29,760 --> 00:09:33,400 Speaker 1: is his wood, I believe, then stopped dead because it 153 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:36,160 Speaker 1: was no man at all, but merely an effect of 154 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 1: light and shade and foliage. He stepped back to reconstruct 155 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:43,280 Speaker 1: the singular illusion, but the wind shook the branches roughly 156 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:45,680 Speaker 1: here on the edge of the wood. The foliage refused 157 00:09:45,679 --> 00:09:49,959 Speaker 1: to reconstruct the figure, leaves all rustled strangely. Just then 158 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:52,240 Speaker 1: the sun went behind a cloud, making the whole would 159 00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:55,760 Speaker 1: look otherwise. Yet how the mind could be thus doubly 160 00:09:55,840 --> 00:09:59,160 Speaker 1: deceived was indeed remarkable, for it almost seemed to him 161 00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:02,960 Speaker 1: the man had sward spoken, or was this the shuffling 162 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:06,680 Speaker 1: noise the branches made, and had pointed with this switch 163 00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:11,240 Speaker 1: to the notice board upon the nearest tree. The words 164 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:13,440 Speaker 1: rang on in his head, but of course he had 165 00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:19,160 Speaker 1: imagined them. No, it's not his wood, it's ours. That's 166 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:23,360 Speaker 1: good stuff. And some village wit moreover had changed the 167 00:10:23,440 --> 00:10:26,400 Speaker 1: lettering on the weather beaten board, for it read quite plainly, 168 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:34,440 Speaker 1: trespassers will be persecuted. Teenagers no skateboarding either. And while 169 00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:36,960 Speaker 1: the astonished clerk read the words and chuckled, he said 170 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:39,480 Speaker 1: to himself, thinking what a tale he'd have to tell 171 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:42,319 Speaker 1: his wife and children later. The blooming wood has tried 172 00:10:42,360 --> 00:10:45,520 Speaker 1: to chuck me out. But I'll go in again. Why 173 00:10:45,559 --> 00:10:47,880 Speaker 1: it's only a matter of a square acre at most. 174 00:10:48,320 --> 00:10:50,120 Speaker 1: I'm bound to reach the fields on the other side 175 00:10:50,160 --> 00:10:53,560 Speaker 1: if I keep straight on here This guy's really all 176 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:55,480 Speaker 1: over the place of ny. I feel like he's kind 177 00:10:55,480 --> 00:10:59,199 Speaker 1: of settled into a real weird accent. But I like it. 178 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:02,280 Speaker 1: He remembered his position in the office. He had a 179 00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:07,360 Speaker 1: certain dignity to maintain. So he's he's freaking out a 180 00:11:07,360 --> 00:11:10,520 Speaker 1: little bit, like the woods are like playing tricks on him. 181 00:11:10,520 --> 00:11:13,440 Speaker 1: It seems like the lst is kicking in for sure. 182 00:11:14,200 --> 00:11:16,360 Speaker 1: He's like, I shouldn't have plucked that weird mushroom from 183 00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:22,360 Speaker 1: that cow poop, okay, m The cloud passed from below 184 00:11:22,400 --> 00:11:25,040 Speaker 1: the sun and light splashed suddenly in all manner of 185 00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:29,080 Speaker 1: unlikely places. The man went straight on. He felt a 186 00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:32,959 Speaker 1: touch of puzzling confusion somewhere this way the copes had 187 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:36,880 Speaker 1: of shifting from sunshine into shadow doubtless troubled site a little. 188 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:40,280 Speaker 1: To his relief, at last a new glade open through 189 00:11:40,320 --> 00:11:43,040 Speaker 1: the trees and just closed the fields with the glimpse 190 00:11:43,080 --> 00:11:45,320 Speaker 1: of the red house in the distance at the far end. 191 00:11:46,160 --> 00:11:48,760 Speaker 1: But a little wicked gate that stood across the path 192 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:51,800 Speaker 1: had to first be climbed, and as he scrambled heavily 193 00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:54,320 Speaker 1: over it for it would not open, he got the 194 00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 1: astonishing feeling that it slid off sideways beneath his weight 195 00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:02,520 Speaker 1: toward the wood like the moving staircases at Herod's in 196 00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:06,600 Speaker 1: Earl's Court, and I think he's talking about escalators. It 197 00:12:06,679 --> 00:12:09,960 Speaker 1: began to glide off with him. It was quite horrible, 198 00:12:10,320 --> 00:12:12,640 Speaker 1: and he made a violent effort to get down before 199 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:15,640 Speaker 1: it carried him into the trees. But his feet became 200 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:18,360 Speaker 1: entangled with the bars and umbrella, so that he fell 201 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:21,960 Speaker 1: heavily upon the farther side. Arms spread across the grass, 202 00:12:21,960 --> 00:12:25,920 Speaker 1: and nettles boots clutched between the first and second bars. Suddenly, 203 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:29,600 Speaker 1: Benny Hill came around the corner. Maybe Jerry will add 204 00:12:29,679 --> 00:12:34,240 Speaker 1: yakety sacks to that part. Oh, that'd be great. He 205 00:12:34,320 --> 00:12:36,960 Speaker 1: lay there a moment like a man crucified upside down, 206 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:41,000 Speaker 1: and while he struggled to get disentangled, feet, bars and 207 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:44,079 Speaker 1: umbrella formed a regular net. He saw the little man 208 00:12:44,160 --> 00:12:47,680 Speaker 1: in Brownie Green go past him with extreme rapidity through 209 00:12:47,679 --> 00:12:51,240 Speaker 1: the wood. The man was laughing. He passed across the 210 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:54,080 Speaker 1: glades some fifty yards away, and he was not alone 211 00:12:54,120 --> 00:12:58,000 Speaker 1: this time. A companion like himself went with him. The clerk, 212 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:01,040 Speaker 1: now upon his feet again, watched them disappear into the 213 00:13:01,040 --> 00:13:04,280 Speaker 1: gloom of green beyond. You want to take this quote 214 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:10,880 Speaker 1: that tramps not gamekeepers. He said to himself, half mortified, 215 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:16,000 Speaker 1: half angry, apparently half deranged. But his heart was thumping dreadfully, 216 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:19,960 Speaker 1: and he dared not utter all his thought. He examined 217 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:23,000 Speaker 1: the wicket gate, convinced it was a trick gate somehow, 218 00:13:23,440 --> 00:13:26,840 Speaker 1: then went hurriedly on again, disturbed beyond belief to see 219 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:29,680 Speaker 1: that the glade no longer opened into the fields, but 220 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:32,800 Speaker 1: curved away to the right. What in the world had 221 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:36,760 Speaker 1: happened to him? His sight was so utterly at fault again. 222 00:13:36,800 --> 00:13:39,360 Speaker 1: The sun flamed out abruptly and lit the floor of 223 00:13:39,400 --> 00:13:42,240 Speaker 1: woods with pools of silver, And at the same moment 224 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:46,080 Speaker 1: a violent gust of wind passed, shouting overhead. Drops fell 225 00:13:46,120 --> 00:13:49,959 Speaker 1: clattering everywhere upon, the leaves making a sharp pattering as 226 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:53,360 Speaker 1: of many footsteps. The whole coat shuddered and went moving 227 00:13:54,480 --> 00:13:58,160 Speaker 1: chuck brain by. George thought the clerk, and, feeling for 228 00:13:58,200 --> 00:14:01,480 Speaker 1: his umbrella, discovered he had lost it. He turned back 229 00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:03,720 Speaker 1: to the gate and found it lying on the farther side. 230 00:14:04,280 --> 00:14:06,520 Speaker 1: To his amazement, he saw the fields at the far 231 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:09,199 Speaker 1: end of the glade. The red house too, shine in 232 00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:12,680 Speaker 1: the sunset. He laughed, then, for of course and his 233 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:15,600 Speaker 1: struggles with the gate, he had somehow got turned around, 234 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:20,160 Speaker 1: had fallen back instead of forwards. Climbing over this time 235 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 1: quite easily, he retraced his steps. The silver band he 236 00:14:23,800 --> 00:14:26,440 Speaker 1: saw had been torn off of the umbrella, no doubt, 237 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:29,120 Speaker 1: his foot, a nail or something had caught in it 238 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:32,400 Speaker 1: and ripped it off. The clerk began to run. He 239 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:37,080 Speaker 1: felt extraordinarily dismayed. But while he ran, the entire wood 240 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 1: ran with him round him, to and fro, trees shifting 241 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:45,560 Speaker 1: like living things, leaves folding and unfolding, trunks darting backwards 242 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:49,120 Speaker 1: and forwards, and branches disclosing enormous empty spaces and then 243 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:51,760 Speaker 1: closing up again before he could look into them. There 244 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:55,760 Speaker 1: were footsteps everywhere, and laughing, crying voices, and crowds of 245 00:14:55,800 --> 00:14:58,720 Speaker 1: figures gathering just behind his back, till the glade he 246 00:14:58,800 --> 00:15:02,480 Speaker 1: knew was thick with moving life. The wind in his ears, 247 00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:05,320 Speaker 1: of course, produced the voices in the laughter, while the 248 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:08,800 Speaker 1: sun and clouds plunging the copes alternately in shadow and 249 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:12,120 Speaker 1: bright dazzling light, created the figures. But he did not 250 00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:14,720 Speaker 1: like it. And when as fast as ever his sturdy 251 00:15:14,760 --> 00:15:18,000 Speaker 1: legs could take it, he was frightened. Now this was 252 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:20,720 Speaker 1: no story for his wife and children. He ran like 253 00:15:20,760 --> 00:15:23,800 Speaker 1: the wind, but his feet made no sound upon the soft, 254 00:15:23,880 --> 00:15:32,080 Speaker 1: mossy turf. Oh boy, it's getting real. It's getting surreal. Then, 255 00:15:32,160 --> 00:15:35,040 Speaker 1: to his horror, he saw that the glade grew narrow, 256 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:38,680 Speaker 1: nettles and weeds stood thick across it. It dwindled down 257 00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:41,920 Speaker 1: into a tiny path, and twenty yards ahead it stopped 258 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:45,840 Speaker 1: finally and melted off among the trees. What the trick 259 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:49,600 Speaker 1: gate had failed to achieve, this twisting glade accomplished easily 260 00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:53,280 Speaker 1: carried him in bodily among the dense and crowding tree 261 00:15:56,840 --> 00:16:00,960 Speaker 1: You you wanna take his home? It s get freaky, Chuck. 262 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:04,200 Speaker 1: There was only one thing to do. Turned sharply and 263 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:07,200 Speaker 1: dash back again, run headlong into the life that followed 264 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:10,760 Speaker 1: at his back, followed so closely too, that now it 265 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:14,040 Speaker 1: almost touched him, pushing him in. And with reckless courage, 266 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:17,400 Speaker 1: that was what he did. It seemed a fearful thing 267 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:20,000 Speaker 1: to do. He turned with a sort of violent spring, 268 00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:23,440 Speaker 1: head down and shoulders forward, hands stretched before his face. 269 00:16:23,920 --> 00:16:27,000 Speaker 1: He made the plunge like a hunted creature. He charged 270 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:29,480 Speaker 1: full tilt the other way, meeting the wind, and now 271 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:32,080 Speaker 1: in his face. Good Lord, the glade behind him and 272 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:34,800 Speaker 1: closed up as well. There was no longer any path 273 00:16:34,880 --> 00:16:37,760 Speaker 1: at all, Turning round and round like an animal at bay. 274 00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:42,200 Speaker 1: He searched for an opening, a way of escape, searched frantically, breathlessly, 275 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:45,920 Speaker 1: terrified now in his bones. But foll leyad surrounded him. 276 00:16:46,120 --> 00:16:49,440 Speaker 1: Branches blocked the way. The tree stood close and still, 277 00:16:49,840 --> 00:16:52,720 Speaker 1: unshaken by a breath of wind, and the sun dipped 278 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:56,520 Speaker 1: that moment behind a great black cloud. The entire wood 279 00:16:56,560 --> 00:17:00,600 Speaker 1: turned dark and silent, had watched him. Is not good 280 00:17:01,360 --> 00:17:03,640 Speaker 1: when the woods are watching you. That's bad news. It's 281 00:17:03,640 --> 00:17:06,680 Speaker 1: worse than a cat. That's like that Jodie Foster movie 282 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:09,239 Speaker 1: from the seventies, The Watcher in the Woods. Was that 283 00:17:09,440 --> 00:17:12,360 Speaker 1: Jodie Foster? Yeah, I was so scary. I remember that one, 284 00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:15,520 Speaker 1: and Betty Davis I think too. That's right, we should 285 00:17:15,560 --> 00:17:18,119 Speaker 1: have just played that instead of doing this. I feel 286 00:17:18,119 --> 00:17:21,000 Speaker 1: like we just broke all the tension we'd built over 287 00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:23,800 Speaker 1: the last ten minutes. Okay, here we go, Everyone al right, 288 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:27,200 Speaker 1: the woods are watching. Perhaps it was this final touch 289 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:30,159 Speaker 1: of sudden blackness that made him act so foolishly, as 290 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:32,720 Speaker 1: though he had really lost his head at any rate. 291 00:17:32,920 --> 00:17:35,960 Speaker 1: Without pausing to think, he dashed headlong in among the trees. Again, 292 00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:39,840 Speaker 1: there was a sensation of being stifling lye surrounded and entangled, 293 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:42,840 Speaker 1: and that he must break out at all costs, out 294 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:44,840 Speaker 1: in a way into the open of the blessed fields 295 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:48,120 Speaker 1: and air. He did this ill considered thing, and apparently 296 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:51,240 Speaker 1: charged straight into an oak that deliberately moved into his 297 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:53,919 Speaker 1: path to stop him. He saw it shift across a 298 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:57,199 Speaker 1: good full yard, and being a measuring man accustomed to 299 00:17:57,400 --> 00:18:01,080 Speaker 1: theodolite and chain, he ought to know, do you know 300 00:18:01,119 --> 00:18:03,440 Speaker 1: what that is? No? Do you the chain? I think 301 00:18:03,480 --> 00:18:05,280 Speaker 1: I mean he's a surveyor, says gut has something to 302 00:18:05,280 --> 00:18:07,240 Speaker 1: do with that. But who knows what the light is? 303 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:10,960 Speaker 1: And I think it's a measuring compound. Sure he fell, 304 00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:14,479 Speaker 1: saw stars and felt a thousand tiny fingers tugging and 305 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:18,360 Speaker 1: pulling in his hands and neck and ankles. The stinging nettles, 306 00:18:18,359 --> 00:18:21,560 Speaker 1: no doubt, were responsible for this, he thought of it later. 307 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:26,720 Speaker 1: At the moment it felt diabolically calculated. But another remarkable 308 00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:29,960 Speaker 1: illusion was not so easily explained. For all, in a moment, 309 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:32,760 Speaker 1: it seemed the entire wood went sliding past him with 310 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:36,600 Speaker 1: a thick, deep rustling of leaves and laughter, myriad footsteps 311 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:41,080 Speaker 1: and tiny little active energetic shapes. Two men in brownie 312 00:18:41,160 --> 00:18:43,800 Speaker 1: green gave him a mighty hoist, and he opened his 313 00:18:43,840 --> 00:18:46,639 Speaker 1: eyes to find himself lying in the meadow beside the 314 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:50,720 Speaker 1: style where first his incredible adventure had begun. The wood 315 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:53,760 Speaker 1: stood in its usual place and stared down upon him 316 00:18:53,760 --> 00:18:56,199 Speaker 1: in the sunlight. There was the red house in the 317 00:18:56,280 --> 00:19:00,000 Speaker 1: distance as before above him grinned the weather beaten noticeable 318 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:04,600 Speaker 1: word trespassers will be prosecuted, disheveled in mind and body, 319 00:19:04,920 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 1: and a good deal shaken in his official soul. The 320 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:10,720 Speaker 1: clerk walked slowly across the fields, but on the way 321 00:19:10,760 --> 00:19:14,399 Speaker 1: he glanced once more at the postcard of instructions and 322 00:19:14,440 --> 00:19:17,879 Speaker 1: saw with dull amazement that the inked out sentence was 323 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:21,159 Speaker 1: quite legible after all. Beneath the scratches made across it, 324 00:19:22,040 --> 00:19:24,679 Speaker 1: there is a shortcut through the wood. The would I 325 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:26,920 Speaker 1: want to cut down if you care to take it? 326 00:19:27,320 --> 00:19:30,639 Speaker 1: Only care was so badly written it looked more like 327 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:35,840 Speaker 1: another word. The sea was uncommonly like d. That's the 328 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:38,480 Speaker 1: copes that spoils my view of the downs. You see, 329 00:19:38,920 --> 00:19:41,720 Speaker 1: His client explained, to him, later, pointing across the fields 330 00:19:42,080 --> 00:19:44,880 Speaker 1: and referring to the ordinance map beside him. I want 331 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:47,240 Speaker 1: to cut down in a path made so and so 332 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:52,960 Speaker 1: it's precise. His finger indicated direction on the map. The 333 00:19:53,040 --> 00:19:56,480 Speaker 1: fairy Wood, it's still called, and it's far older than 334 00:19:56,520 --> 00:19:59,679 Speaker 1: this house. Come now, if you're ready, Mr Thomas, we 335 00:19:59,760 --> 00:20:03,640 Speaker 1: might go out and have a look at it. Oh boy. 336 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:07,480 Speaker 1: So basically the shot, Oh yeah, there you got the end. 337 00:20:08,240 --> 00:20:10,600 Speaker 1: So basically the upshot of this one, Chuck, is that 338 00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:14,919 Speaker 1: this guy is very lucky that the possessed would spit 339 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:19,040 Speaker 1: him out and didn't keep him in there forever like 340 00:20:19,119 --> 00:20:23,320 Speaker 1: that island did it too, Amelia Earhart, that's right? And 341 00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:27,240 Speaker 1: Rowse Beers man bringing the civil engineering horror that was 342 00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:31,640 Speaker 1: Algernon Blackwood. Would I say, Ambrose Beers, that's a common mistake, 343 00:20:31,960 --> 00:20:38,160 Speaker 1: it really. I like I like the I like Algernon Blackwood. Yeah, 344 00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:40,880 Speaker 1: he's great. He did the Empty House, which we read 345 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:45,280 Speaker 1: once a few years back. So there you go. How 346 00:20:45,359 --> 00:20:48,520 Speaker 1: scared is everybody? Raise your hand if you're scared me. 347 00:20:49,200 --> 00:20:51,879 Speaker 1: That's not bad, not bad. Two out of three people 348 00:20:52,080 --> 00:20:54,560 Speaker 1: isn't bad. All right, So we're gonna move on to 349 00:20:55,320 --> 00:20:59,800 Speaker 1: Ed Garland Poe and uh, because it's in the public 350 00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:05,679 Speaker 1: don't main, dude, there's there. It's true, it is true, 351 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:09,960 Speaker 1: it's in the public domain. I'm gonna get started in 352 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:13,760 Speaker 1: my searching earlier next year. Yeah, or we could just 353 00:21:13,800 --> 00:21:17,879 Speaker 1: start saving up um and just like buy the rights 354 00:21:17,920 --> 00:21:20,679 Speaker 1: to read one. Yeah, I mean there are there are stories. 355 00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:22,600 Speaker 1: It's about getting in touch with the authors that are 356 00:21:22,760 --> 00:21:25,240 Speaker 1: still living. Sure, it's like I found a good Joyce 357 00:21:25,280 --> 00:21:29,199 Speaker 1: Carol oateswin and all she all she writes is the 358 00:21:29,240 --> 00:21:32,000 Speaker 1: best horror ever. For my money, I would say that 359 00:21:32,040 --> 00:21:34,920 Speaker 1: she's probably my favorite author in general, but I would 360 00:21:34,920 --> 00:21:39,320 Speaker 1: say she's probably the greatest horror writer of all time. Too. Well, 361 00:21:39,520 --> 00:21:41,160 Speaker 1: I'm gonna get in touch with her. We're gonna buddy 362 00:21:41,240 --> 00:21:43,600 Speaker 1: up over the next year. Oh good, we'll loot me 363 00:21:43,640 --> 00:21:45,720 Speaker 1: into that. Yeah, for sure, we're gonna bring the oats 364 00:21:45,760 --> 00:21:49,119 Speaker 1: next year. Okay, Yeah. I tweeted to her wants to 365 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:52,280 Speaker 1: ask her, and she just ignored it. Really Yeah that 366 00:21:52,359 --> 00:21:55,240 Speaker 1: was before your big shot. No, this is like last year, 367 00:21:57,359 --> 00:22:00,760 Speaker 1: which I guess that that's the hole's true. So yes, 368 00:22:00,800 --> 00:22:02,960 Speaker 1: you're right. All right. Here we go with a story 369 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:07,240 Speaker 1: by Edgar Allen Poe. Uh, noted drunk and drug addict 370 00:22:08,280 --> 00:22:13,800 Speaker 1: died in the street. Really, Oh yeah, Baltimore, right in 371 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:20,480 Speaker 1: front of Powers Station Live. Yeah, is there a marker? Yes, 372 00:22:20,560 --> 00:22:22,359 Speaker 1: it's actually not right in front of it. It's like 373 00:22:22,359 --> 00:22:24,439 Speaker 1: a street or so over. And I don't remember if 374 00:22:24,480 --> 00:22:26,560 Speaker 1: it's this house or if it is the place where 375 00:22:26,560 --> 00:22:28,360 Speaker 1: he died. I think it is the spot where he died. 376 00:22:28,359 --> 00:22:31,359 Speaker 1: It's like a street or two over in Baltimore. Yeah, 377 00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:33,600 Speaker 1: it's worth visiting for sure. All right. So this is 378 00:22:33,640 --> 00:22:40,320 Speaker 1: a post short story called hop Frog silly name, ghoulish content. 379 00:22:41,240 --> 00:22:45,840 Speaker 1: Yes you ready? Do you want to start? You go ahead? No? 380 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:50,800 Speaker 1: I finished that one. Don't you start this one? Okay? Uh, okay, 381 00:22:50,920 --> 00:22:53,639 Speaker 1: I don't have my imparstell either. We'll just wing it. Okay, 382 00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:57,520 Speaker 1: just uh just go coco cocoa or wink or something. 383 00:22:57,560 --> 00:23:08,520 Speaker 1: I don't know. All right, you're ready. H I never 384 00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:11,679 Speaker 1: knew anyone so keenly alive to a joke as the 385 00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:16,320 Speaker 1: King was. He seemed to live only for joking. To 386 00:23:16,440 --> 00:23:19,119 Speaker 1: tell a good story of the joke kind, and to 387 00:23:19,200 --> 00:23:22,040 Speaker 1: tell it well, was the surest road to his favor. 388 00:23:22,920 --> 00:23:25,879 Speaker 1: Thus it happened that his seven ministers were all noted 389 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:29,320 Speaker 1: for their accomplishments as jokers. They all took after the 390 00:23:29,400 --> 00:23:34,000 Speaker 1: King too, in being large, corpulent, oily men, as well 391 00:23:34,040 --> 00:23:38,480 Speaker 1: as inimitable jokers. Whether people grow fat by joking, or 392 00:23:38,520 --> 00:23:41,240 Speaker 1: whether there is something in fat itself which p disposes 393 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:44,639 Speaker 1: to joke, I've never been quite able to determine, But 394 00:23:44,800 --> 00:23:47,600 Speaker 1: certainly it is that a lean joker is a rara 395 00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:53,840 Speaker 1: avis in terrorists, said the heroin addict about the refinements, or, 396 00:23:53,920 --> 00:23:56,520 Speaker 1: as he called them, the ghost of wit. The King 397 00:23:56,600 --> 00:24:00,439 Speaker 1: troubled himself very little. He had an especial admiration for 398 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:03,720 Speaker 1: breadth in a jest, and would often put up with 399 00:24:03,840 --> 00:24:08,080 Speaker 1: length for the sake of it. Over niceties wearied him. 400 00:24:08,080 --> 00:24:11,520 Speaker 1: He would have preferred, Man, this is gonna make zero 401 00:24:11,560 --> 00:24:14,240 Speaker 1: sense to anybody, but here we go. He would have 402 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:19,320 Speaker 1: preferred Rabelais Gargantua to the Zadig of Voltaire, and upon 403 00:24:19,400 --> 00:24:22,800 Speaker 1: the whole, practical jokes suited his taste far better than 404 00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:26,320 Speaker 1: verbal ones. Getting a bit of a picture of this king, 405 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:31,399 Speaker 1: he's a pull finger guy. Yeah, oh man, that's a 406 00:24:31,400 --> 00:24:35,120 Speaker 1: good one. At the date of my narrative, professing jesters 407 00:24:35,160 --> 00:24:38,560 Speaker 1: had not altogether gone out of fashion at court several 408 00:24:38,600 --> 00:24:41,880 Speaker 1: of the great continental powers still retain their fools, who 409 00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:45,080 Speaker 1: were motley with caps and bells, and who were expected 410 00:24:45,119 --> 00:24:48,439 Speaker 1: to be always ready with sharp witticisms at a moment's notice. 411 00:24:48,880 --> 00:24:52,119 Speaker 1: In consideration of the crumbs that fell from the royal table. 412 00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:55,919 Speaker 1: Our king, as a matter of course, retained his fool. 413 00:24:56,640 --> 00:24:59,280 Speaker 1: The fact is he required something in the way of folly, 414 00:24:59,520 --> 00:25:02,520 Speaker 1: if only to counterbalance the heavy wisdom of the seven 415 00:25:02,560 --> 00:25:06,000 Speaker 1: wise men, who were as ministers. Not to mention himself 416 00:25:06,280 --> 00:25:10,280 Speaker 1: his fool or professional jester. Was not only a fool, however, 417 00:25:10,920 --> 00:25:13,840 Speaker 1: his value was trebled in the eyes of the king 418 00:25:14,320 --> 00:25:16,800 Speaker 1: by the fact of his also being a dwarf and 419 00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:19,600 Speaker 1: a cripple. And it's about here they wanted to just 420 00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:22,919 Speaker 1: apologize on behalf of Beggar Allan Poe for some of 421 00:25:22,960 --> 00:25:25,879 Speaker 1: the descriptive terms that he uses throughout the short story. 422 00:25:25,920 --> 00:25:28,359 Speaker 1: But please bear with him and us. Yes, what he 423 00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:30,639 Speaker 1: meant to say was he was also a little person 424 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:37,040 Speaker 1: who was handy, capable. That's right, nice nicely put again. Sorry, 425 00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:40,240 Speaker 1: Dwarfs were as common at court in those days as fools, 426 00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:42,880 Speaker 1: and many monarchs would have found it difficult to get 427 00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:45,960 Speaker 1: through their days. Days are rather long at court than elsewhere, 428 00:25:46,359 --> 00:25:49,040 Speaker 1: without both the jester to laugh with and a dwarf 429 00:25:49,119 --> 00:25:53,359 Speaker 1: to laugh at. But as I have already observed, your jesters, 430 00:25:53,400 --> 00:25:57,919 Speaker 1: in cases out of a hundred, are fat, round and unwieldy, 431 00:25:57,960 --> 00:26:00,960 Speaker 1: so that it was no small source of self congratulation 432 00:26:01,280 --> 00:26:04,240 Speaker 1: with our King that in hop Frog this was the 433 00:26:04,280 --> 00:26:08,080 Speaker 1: fool's name. He possessed a triplicate treasure in one person. 434 00:26:08,760 --> 00:26:11,600 Speaker 1: All right, me, let's do it, all right. I believe 435 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:14,040 Speaker 1: the name hop Frog was not that given to the 436 00:26:14,080 --> 00:26:17,600 Speaker 1: doroth by his sponsors of baptism. That's probably a good guess. 437 00:26:17,800 --> 00:26:20,800 Speaker 1: I think that's a weird way to put parents. But 438 00:26:20,880 --> 00:26:24,000 Speaker 1: it was conferred upon him by general consent of the 439 00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:27,400 Speaker 1: several ministers on account of his inability to walk as 440 00:26:27,400 --> 00:26:31,000 Speaker 1: other men do. In fact, hop Frog could only get 441 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:34,920 Speaker 1: along by a sort of interjectional gait, something between a 442 00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:39,040 Speaker 1: leap and a wriggle, a movement that afforded man that 443 00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:46,000 Speaker 1: word illimitable. I think he nailed it illimitable. Amusement, and 444 00:26:46,080 --> 00:26:51,560 Speaker 1: of course consolation to the king, for notwithstanding the protuberance 445 00:26:51,560 --> 00:26:54,160 Speaker 1: of his stomach and a constitutional swelling of the head, 446 00:26:54,720 --> 00:26:57,960 Speaker 1: the King, by his whole court was accounted a capital figure, 447 00:26:58,720 --> 00:27:02,960 Speaker 1: and galant Poe is super judge. Oh yeah, he had 448 00:27:03,080 --> 00:27:06,199 Speaker 1: so great looking he didn't Oh no, that's true. No 449 00:27:06,359 --> 00:27:10,960 Speaker 1: he wasn't, but he wasn't oily, I don't think. Okay, 450 00:27:11,560 --> 00:27:14,160 Speaker 1: But although hop Frog, through the distortion of his legs, 451 00:27:14,160 --> 00:27:16,679 Speaker 1: could move only with great pain and difficulty along a 452 00:27:16,760 --> 00:27:21,600 Speaker 1: road or floor, the prodigious muscular power which nature seemed 453 00:27:21,640 --> 00:27:24,720 Speaker 1: to have bestowed upon his arms by way of compensation 454 00:27:25,160 --> 00:27:28,639 Speaker 1: for deficiency in the lower limbs, enabled him to perform 455 00:27:28,640 --> 00:27:32,119 Speaker 1: many feats of wonderful dexterity where trees or ropes were 456 00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:35,680 Speaker 1: in question, or anything else to climb. At such exercises, 457 00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:38,840 Speaker 1: he certainly much more resembled a squirrel or a small 458 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:45,000 Speaker 1: monkey than a frog. Alright, so this this guy uh 459 00:27:45,720 --> 00:27:49,360 Speaker 1: is h His legs don't work as well, but he's 460 00:27:49,359 --> 00:27:51,840 Speaker 1: got super strong upper body. Is that right? That's what 461 00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:54,639 Speaker 1: I'm getting, And he's a great climber as a result. 462 00:27:54,720 --> 00:27:57,520 Speaker 1: That's right. Here we go. I am not able to 463 00:27:57,520 --> 00:28:00,800 Speaker 1: say with precision from what country hop Frog originally came. 464 00:28:01,480 --> 00:28:04,800 Speaker 1: It was from some barbarous region. However, that no person 465 00:28:04,920 --> 00:28:07,480 Speaker 1: ever heard of a vast distance from the court of 466 00:28:07,520 --> 00:28:11,200 Speaker 1: our king, hop Frog and a young girl very little 467 00:28:11,280 --> 00:28:15,720 Speaker 1: less dwarfish than himself, although of exquisite proportions and a 468 00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:20,360 Speaker 1: marvelous dancer, had been forcibly carried off from their respective 469 00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:24,080 Speaker 1: homes in adjoining provinces and sent as presents to the 470 00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:29,160 Speaker 1: King by one of his ever victorious generals. Boy, this 471 00:28:29,200 --> 00:28:32,200 Speaker 1: is terrible. It's pretty dark. But I mean again, we're 472 00:28:32,200 --> 00:28:35,119 Speaker 1: talking Poe here. Yeah, that's right, and just wait, just 473 00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:39,040 Speaker 1: wait for it, everyone, just just wait. Under these circumstances, 474 00:28:39,080 --> 00:28:41,200 Speaker 1: it is not to be wondered at that a close 475 00:28:41,240 --> 00:28:45,640 Speaker 1: intimacy arose between the two little captives. Indeed, they soon 476 00:28:45,680 --> 00:28:49,400 Speaker 1: became sworn friends. Hop Frog, who, although he made a 477 00:28:49,400 --> 00:28:53,200 Speaker 1: great deal of sport, was by no means popular, had 478 00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:56,880 Speaker 1: it not in his power to render Trippetta many services. 479 00:28:57,760 --> 00:29:00,520 Speaker 1: Is that is that the lady Trippetta? Yeah, that's that's 480 00:29:00,560 --> 00:29:03,240 Speaker 1: the lady Okay. But she, on account of her grace 481 00:29:03,280 --> 00:29:12,160 Speaker 1: and exquisite beauty, although a dwarf, don't forget, just completely unnecessary. Oh, 482 00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:17,880 Speaker 1: her grace and exquisite was universally admired and petted. So 483 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:20,920 Speaker 1: she possessed much influence and never failed to use it 484 00:29:21,080 --> 00:29:23,800 Speaker 1: whenever she could for the benefit of hop Frog. So 485 00:29:23,880 --> 00:29:26,480 Speaker 1: she's still a good friend. I like that. Oh yeah, 486 00:29:26,880 --> 00:29:29,080 Speaker 1: And and he to her even though he didn't really 487 00:29:29,080 --> 00:29:31,640 Speaker 1: have any power, that's right, which is surprising because a 488 00:29:31,720 --> 00:29:34,760 Speaker 1: lot of jesters were very powerful in the court. Yeah, 489 00:29:34,800 --> 00:29:38,480 Speaker 1: that's true. Didn't we do one on jesters? I think? So? Okay, 490 00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:41,880 Speaker 1: all right, on some grand state occasion, I forget what 491 00:29:42,160 --> 00:29:44,360 Speaker 1: the king determined to have a masquerade, And whenever a 492 00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:47,280 Speaker 1: masquerade or anything of that kind occurred at our court, 493 00:29:47,720 --> 00:29:51,040 Speaker 1: then the talents both of hop Frog and Trippetta were 494 00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:53,680 Speaker 1: sure to be called into play. Hot Frog, in a 495 00:29:53,760 --> 00:29:57,520 Speaker 1: special was so inventive in the way of getting up pageants, 496 00:29:57,800 --> 00:30:02,160 Speaker 1: suggesting novel characters and ray costumes for masked balls that 497 00:30:02,240 --> 00:30:05,640 Speaker 1: nothing could be done, it seems, without his assistance. So 498 00:30:05,800 --> 00:30:08,080 Speaker 1: hot Bro can throw a great party, he can't, and 499 00:30:08,080 --> 00:30:10,880 Speaker 1: apparently so cantrapet it too. All right, let me, I'll 500 00:30:10,920 --> 00:30:15,880 Speaker 1: do this one more. Ohh, I see. The night appointed 501 00:30:15,880 --> 00:30:18,480 Speaker 1: for the fete had arrived, A gorgeous hall had been 502 00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:22,120 Speaker 1: fitted up, under Trepetta's eye with every kind of device 503 00:30:22,160 --> 00:30:26,760 Speaker 1: which could possibly give eclat to a masquerade. The whole 504 00:30:26,760 --> 00:30:30,480 Speaker 1: court was in a fever of expectation, for costumes and characters. 505 00:30:30,880 --> 00:30:33,080 Speaker 1: Might well be supposed that everybody had come to a 506 00:30:33,120 --> 00:30:36,040 Speaker 1: decision on such points. Many had made up their minds 507 00:30:36,320 --> 00:30:38,760 Speaker 1: as to what roles they should assume a week or 508 00:30:38,800 --> 00:30:41,240 Speaker 1: even a month in advance. And in fact there was 509 00:30:41,280 --> 00:30:44,720 Speaker 1: not a particle of indecision anywhere except in the case 510 00:30:44,760 --> 00:30:48,800 Speaker 1: of the King and his seven ministers. Why they hesitated 511 00:30:48,920 --> 00:30:51,080 Speaker 1: I could never tell, unless they did it by way 512 00:30:51,080 --> 00:30:54,160 Speaker 1: of a joke. More probably, they found it difficult, on 513 00:30:54,200 --> 00:30:57,360 Speaker 1: account of being so fat to make up their minds 514 00:30:57,960 --> 00:31:01,440 Speaker 1: at all events. Time flew and as a last resort 515 00:31:01,760 --> 00:31:05,719 Speaker 1: they sent for Trippetta and hop Frog. Oh boy, all right, 516 00:31:05,760 --> 00:31:08,640 Speaker 1: so the deal is they're throwing this big ball. Everyone's 517 00:31:08,720 --> 00:31:11,480 Speaker 1: dressed up, everyone put a lot into it, except for 518 00:31:11,560 --> 00:31:15,360 Speaker 1: the King's seven ministers and his seven ministers, right right. 519 00:31:15,840 --> 00:31:19,280 Speaker 1: So they sent for Trippetta and hop Frog to say, 520 00:31:19,440 --> 00:31:21,680 Speaker 1: what should we do? Guys? We need some help here, 521 00:31:22,960 --> 00:31:29,080 Speaker 1: So can I start again? Okay? Mm hmmm mm hmm. 522 00:31:29,720 --> 00:31:32,240 Speaker 1: When the two little friends obeyed the summons of the King, 523 00:31:32,320 --> 00:31:35,200 Speaker 1: they found him sitting at his wine with the seven 524 00:31:35,240 --> 00:31:38,520 Speaker 1: members of his cabinet council. But the monarch appeared to 525 00:31:38,520 --> 00:31:41,720 Speaker 1: be in very ill humor. He knew that hop Frog 526 00:31:41,840 --> 00:31:44,160 Speaker 1: was not fond of wine, for it excited the poor 527 00:31:44,200 --> 00:31:48,120 Speaker 1: cripple almost to madness, and madness is no comfortable feeling. 528 00:31:48,720 --> 00:31:52,000 Speaker 1: But the King loved his practical jokes and took pleasure 529 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:54,960 Speaker 1: in forcing hop Frog to drink. And as the King 530 00:31:55,040 --> 00:31:59,000 Speaker 1: called it to be merry and I just made air quotes. Everybody, 531 00:32:00,120 --> 00:32:03,360 Speaker 1: come here, hop Frog, said he as the jester and 532 00:32:03,440 --> 00:32:06,160 Speaker 1: his friend entered the room. Swallow this bumper to the 533 00:32:06,240 --> 00:32:09,960 Speaker 1: health of your abs and friends here hop Frog's side, 534 00:32:10,120 --> 00:32:12,520 Speaker 1: and then let us have the benefit of your invention. 535 00:32:12,880 --> 00:32:17,120 Speaker 1: We want characters, characters, man something novel out of the way. 536 00:32:17,720 --> 00:32:21,760 Speaker 1: We are wearied with this everlasting sameness. Come drink the 537 00:32:21,840 --> 00:32:25,120 Speaker 1: wine will brighten your wits. How's that for a king? 538 00:32:25,160 --> 00:32:29,760 Speaker 1: I mean, I'm no Chuck Bryant. That's okay. Hop Frog endeavored, 539 00:32:29,800 --> 00:32:32,320 Speaker 1: as usual to get up a jest in reply to 540 00:32:32,360 --> 00:32:35,640 Speaker 1: these advances from the king, but the effort was too much. 541 00:32:36,320 --> 00:32:39,240 Speaker 1: It happened to be the poor dwarf's birthday, and the 542 00:32:39,280 --> 00:32:42,880 Speaker 1: command to drink to his absent friends forced tears to 543 00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:46,720 Speaker 1: his eyes. Many large bitter drops fell into the goblet 544 00:32:46,760 --> 00:32:49,800 Speaker 1: as he took it humbly from the hand of the tyrant. 545 00:32:50,520 --> 00:32:54,120 Speaker 1: Ha ha ha, roared the ladder, as the dwarf reluctantly 546 00:32:54,200 --> 00:32:56,800 Speaker 1: drained the beaker. See what a glass of good wine 547 00:32:56,840 --> 00:33:01,360 Speaker 1: can do while your eyes are shining already, poor fellow, 548 00:33:01,920 --> 00:33:05,800 Speaker 1: his large eyes gleamed rather than shown, for the effective 549 00:33:05,880 --> 00:33:10,320 Speaker 1: wine on his excitable brain was not more powerful than instantaneous. 550 00:33:11,040 --> 00:33:13,920 Speaker 1: He placed the goblet nervously on the table and looked 551 00:33:13,960 --> 00:33:17,960 Speaker 1: around upon the company with a half insane stare. They 552 00:33:17,960 --> 00:33:21,000 Speaker 1: all seemed highly amused at the success of the King's joke. 553 00:33:22,360 --> 00:33:26,360 Speaker 1: You want me keep going, keep going? And now to business, 554 00:33:26,560 --> 00:33:29,680 Speaker 1: said the prime Minister of very fat man. Yes, said 555 00:33:29,720 --> 00:33:34,080 Speaker 1: the King, Come lend us your assistants characters, My fine fellow, 556 00:33:34,080 --> 00:33:36,640 Speaker 1: we stand in need of characters, all of us. Ha 557 00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:40,280 Speaker 1: ha ha. And as this was seriously meant for a joke, 558 00:33:40,680 --> 00:33:45,360 Speaker 1: his laugh was coursed by the seven nice hot frog 559 00:33:45,400 --> 00:33:51,480 Speaker 1: also laughed, although feebly and somewhat vacantly. I think he 560 00:33:51,640 --> 00:33:55,680 Speaker 1: did that, calm calm, said the king impatiently. Are you 561 00:33:55,840 --> 00:34:00,680 Speaker 1: nothing to suggest? I am endeavoring to think of something novel, 562 00:34:01,040 --> 00:34:05,080 Speaker 1: replied the dwarf abstractedly, for he was quite bewildered by 563 00:34:05,080 --> 00:34:09,560 Speaker 1: the wine. I know how I know what that's about. Yeah, alright, 564 00:34:09,600 --> 00:34:14,960 Speaker 1: go King Endeavoring, cried the tyrant fiercely, What do you 565 00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:20,560 Speaker 1: mean by that? I perceive your sulky and one more wine? Here, 566 00:34:20,719 --> 00:34:24,080 Speaker 1: drink this, And he poured out another gobletful and offered 567 00:34:24,080 --> 00:34:26,719 Speaker 1: it to the cripple, who merely gazed at it, gasping 568 00:34:26,719 --> 00:34:30,839 Speaker 1: for breath. Drink, I say, shouted the monster. Or by 569 00:34:30,920 --> 00:34:35,760 Speaker 1: the fiends, The dwarf hesitated. The king grew purple with rage. 570 00:34:36,239 --> 00:34:39,799 Speaker 1: The courtier smirked. Trippetta, pale as a corpse, advanced to 571 00:34:39,800 --> 00:34:42,239 Speaker 1: the monarch seat, and, falling on her knees before him, 572 00:34:42,239 --> 00:34:45,480 Speaker 1: implored and to spare her friend. The tyrant regarded her 573 00:34:45,719 --> 00:34:49,239 Speaker 1: for some moments, and evident wonder at her audacity. He 574 00:34:49,280 --> 00:34:51,320 Speaker 1: seemed quite at a loss what to do or say, 575 00:34:51,560 --> 00:34:55,560 Speaker 1: how most becomingly to express his indignation. At last, without 576 00:34:55,600 --> 00:34:58,840 Speaker 1: uttering a syllable, he pushed her violently from him, and 577 00:34:58,880 --> 00:35:01,240 Speaker 1: through the contents of the rimming goblet in her face. 578 00:35:01,840 --> 00:35:04,480 Speaker 1: The poor girl got up best she could, and, not 579 00:35:04,600 --> 00:35:06,959 Speaker 1: even daring to sigh, resumed her position at the foot 580 00:35:06,960 --> 00:35:10,960 Speaker 1: of the table. Man, I know it's hard out there 581 00:35:10,960 --> 00:35:14,360 Speaker 1: for a court minster. There was a dead silence for 582 00:35:14,400 --> 00:35:16,880 Speaker 1: about a half minute, during which the falling of a 583 00:35:16,960 --> 00:35:20,400 Speaker 1: leaf or of a feather might have been heard. It 584 00:35:20,560 --> 00:35:23,760 Speaker 1: was interrupted by a low, but harsh and protracted, grating sound, 585 00:35:23,760 --> 00:35:26,280 Speaker 1: which seemed to come out at once from every corner 586 00:35:26,280 --> 00:35:30,560 Speaker 1: of the room. What what what are you making that noise? 587 00:35:30,719 --> 00:35:37,160 Speaker 1: For the king? Michael Scott doing his weird voice. I 588 00:35:37,280 --> 00:35:41,360 Speaker 1: just realized that's great, demanded the King, turning furiously to 589 00:35:41,400 --> 00:35:44,719 Speaker 1: the dwarf. The latter seemed to have recovered in great 590 00:35:44,800 --> 00:35:49,160 Speaker 1: measure from his intoxication. That was quick and looking fixedly 591 00:35:49,239 --> 00:35:54,080 Speaker 1: but quietly into the tyrant's face, merely ejaculated. I I 592 00:35:55,760 --> 00:35:58,800 Speaker 1: how could it have been me? The sound appeared to 593 00:35:58,840 --> 00:36:01,960 Speaker 1: come from without, observed one of the courtiers. I fancy 594 00:36:02,160 --> 00:36:05,160 Speaker 1: it was the parrot at the window, whetting his bill 595 00:36:05,400 --> 00:36:10,319 Speaker 1: upon his cage wires. True, replied the monarch, as if 596 00:36:10,400 --> 00:36:13,799 Speaker 1: much relieved by the suggestion. But on the honor of 597 00:36:13,800 --> 00:36:16,000 Speaker 1: a night, I could have sworn that it was the 598 00:36:16,120 --> 00:36:21,920 Speaker 1: gritting of this vagabond's cheek. Here upon the dwarf laughed 599 00:36:23,960 --> 00:36:27,319 Speaker 1: the king. The king was too confirmed a joker to 600 00:36:27,360 --> 00:36:30,719 Speaker 1: object to anyone's laughing, and displayed a set of large, powerful, 601 00:36:30,800 --> 00:36:34,760 Speaker 1: and very repulsive teeth. Moreover, he avowed his perfect willingness 602 00:36:34,760 --> 00:36:38,440 Speaker 1: to swallow as much wine as desired. The monarch was pacified, 603 00:36:38,920 --> 00:36:42,920 Speaker 1: and having drained another bumper with no very perceptible ill effect, 604 00:36:43,360 --> 00:36:46,239 Speaker 1: hop Frog entered at once, and with spirit, and too 605 00:36:46,360 --> 00:36:51,279 Speaker 1: the plans for the masquerade. Take it away. Okay, well 606 00:36:51,280 --> 00:36:53,920 Speaker 1: this is a Hopfrog quote. Okay, you've been nailing it. 607 00:36:55,160 --> 00:36:58,960 Speaker 1: I cannot tell what the association of idea. More observed, 608 00:36:58,960 --> 00:37:02,120 Speaker 1: he very tranquil, and as if he had never tasted 609 00:37:02,160 --> 00:37:05,000 Speaker 1: wine in his life. But just after your majesty had 610 00:37:05,040 --> 00:37:07,040 Speaker 1: struck the girl and thrown the wine in her face, 611 00:37:07,360 --> 00:37:09,920 Speaker 1: just after your majesty had done this, and while the 612 00:37:09,920 --> 00:37:12,399 Speaker 1: parrot was making that odd noise out the window, there 613 00:37:12,400 --> 00:37:15,520 Speaker 1: came into my mind a capital diversion, one of my 614 00:37:15,640 --> 00:37:20,160 Speaker 1: own country frolics, often enacted among us at our masquerades. 615 00:37:20,400 --> 00:37:24,000 Speaker 1: But here it will be new altogether. Unfortunately, however, it 616 00:37:24,040 --> 00:37:27,720 Speaker 1: requires a company of eight persons and war or here 617 00:37:27,760 --> 00:37:32,040 Speaker 1: we are, cried the king, laughing at his acute discovery 618 00:37:32,080 --> 00:37:35,759 Speaker 1: of the coincidence. Eight to a fraction, I and my 619 00:37:36,040 --> 00:37:40,040 Speaker 1: seven ministers, come, what is the diversion? We call it 620 00:37:40,360 --> 00:37:44,680 Speaker 1: the eight chained orangutangs, and it really is excellent sport 621 00:37:44,719 --> 00:37:49,000 Speaker 1: of well inactive work. We will enact it, remarked the King, 622 00:37:49,120 --> 00:37:53,360 Speaker 1: drawing himself up and lowering his eyelids. The beauty of 623 00:37:53,400 --> 00:37:57,480 Speaker 1: the game lies in the fright it occasions among the women, 624 00:37:58,120 --> 00:38:05,759 Speaker 1: capital roared in chorus. The monarch in his ministry, I 625 00:38:05,760 --> 00:38:09,520 Speaker 1: will equip you as a rangutangs, proceeded the dwarf. Leave 626 00:38:09,560 --> 00:38:12,560 Speaker 1: all that to me. The resemblance shall be so striking 627 00:38:12,880 --> 00:38:16,120 Speaker 1: that the company of masquerados will take you for real beasts, 628 00:38:16,400 --> 00:38:19,600 Speaker 1: and of course they will be as much terrified as astonished. 629 00:38:19,640 --> 00:38:25,280 Speaker 1: Boor Oh, this is exquisite, exclaimed the King hop Frog. 630 00:38:25,360 --> 00:38:31,080 Speaker 1: I will make a man of you. I don't know 631 00:38:31,120 --> 00:38:32,799 Speaker 1: what's going on with the king. This is just how 632 00:38:32,800 --> 00:38:37,160 Speaker 1: excited he is. He's speaking through me right now. It's 633 00:38:37,320 --> 00:38:39,759 Speaker 1: very interesting to see everyone. Josh's eyes roll back in 634 00:38:39,800 --> 00:38:43,080 Speaker 1: his head every time he does it. The change for 635 00:38:43,120 --> 00:38:46,160 Speaker 1: the purpose of increasing the confusion by their jangling. You 636 00:38:46,200 --> 00:38:49,560 Speaker 1: are supposed to have escaped on mass from your keepers, boys, 637 00:38:49,600 --> 00:38:53,000 Speaker 1: really setting us up. Your majesty cannot conceive the effect 638 00:38:53,000 --> 00:38:57,040 Speaker 1: produced at a masquerade by eight chang to rangutangs imagine 639 00:38:57,040 --> 00:38:59,239 Speaker 1: to be real ones by most of the company, and 640 00:38:59,320 --> 00:39:02,520 Speaker 1: rushing in with savage cries among the crowd of delicately 641 00:39:02,520 --> 00:39:08,120 Speaker 1: and gorgeously habited men and women. The contrast is inimitable, 642 00:39:09,160 --> 00:39:12,640 Speaker 1: it must be said. The King and the council arose hurriedly, 643 00:39:12,960 --> 00:39:15,560 Speaker 1: as it was growing late, to put in execution the 644 00:39:15,600 --> 00:39:20,920 Speaker 1: scheme of hop frog alright, my turn, your turn. His 645 00:39:21,040 --> 00:39:24,440 Speaker 1: mode of equipping the party as orangutanks was very simple, 646 00:39:24,640 --> 00:39:28,680 Speaker 1: but effective enough for his purposes. The animals in question had, 647 00:39:28,719 --> 00:39:31,719 Speaker 1: at the epoch of my story very rarely been seen 648 00:39:31,800 --> 00:39:34,480 Speaker 1: in any part of the civilized world, and as the 649 00:39:34,520 --> 00:39:37,520 Speaker 1: imitations made by the drawer force sufficiently beast like and 650 00:39:37,800 --> 00:39:41,680 Speaker 1: more than sufficiently hideous, their truthfulness to nature was thus 651 00:39:41,719 --> 00:39:45,200 Speaker 1: thought to be secured. The King and his ministers were 652 00:39:45,239 --> 00:39:48,960 Speaker 1: first encased in tight fitting stocking net, shirts and drawers 653 00:39:48,960 --> 00:39:54,920 Speaker 1: like um uh, what are those called onesies? They were 654 00:39:54,960 --> 00:39:57,879 Speaker 1: then saturated with tar. This is where it gets kind 655 00:39:57,880 --> 00:40:01,440 Speaker 1: of painful. Really. At this age of the process, someone 656 00:40:01,480 --> 00:40:04,719 Speaker 1: of the party suggested feathers, but the suggestion was at 657 00:40:04,760 --> 00:40:08,399 Speaker 1: once overruled by the dwarf, who soon convinced the eight 658 00:40:08,520 --> 00:40:11,720 Speaker 1: by ocular demonstration that the hair of such a brood 659 00:40:11,760 --> 00:40:15,680 Speaker 1: as the orangutank was much more efficiently represented by flax. 660 00:40:16,400 --> 00:40:19,279 Speaker 1: A thick coating of the ladder was accordingly plastered upon 661 00:40:19,360 --> 00:40:22,759 Speaker 1: the coating of tar. A long chain was now procured. 662 00:40:22,960 --> 00:40:24,960 Speaker 1: First it was passed about the waist of the king, 663 00:40:25,320 --> 00:40:28,280 Speaker 1: and tied then about another of the party, and also 664 00:40:28,360 --> 00:40:32,359 Speaker 1: tied then about all successively in the same manner. When 665 00:40:32,400 --> 00:40:35,440 Speaker 1: this chaining arrangement was complete, and the parties stood as 666 00:40:35,440 --> 00:40:38,480 Speaker 1: far apart from each other as possible, they formed a circle. 667 00:40:38,960 --> 00:40:42,640 Speaker 1: And to make all things appear natural, hot Frog passed 668 00:40:42,640 --> 00:40:45,839 Speaker 1: the residue of the chains in two diameters at right 669 00:40:45,880 --> 00:40:49,480 Speaker 1: angles across the circle, after the fashion adopted at the 670 00:40:49,520 --> 00:40:53,040 Speaker 1: present day by those who captured chimpanzees or other large 671 00:40:53,080 --> 00:40:57,120 Speaker 1: apes in borneo. The story just keeps on given, doesn't it. 672 00:40:57,760 --> 00:41:01,919 Speaker 1: He got weirdly specific there, like Captain that one time 673 00:41:03,640 --> 00:41:06,960 Speaker 1: should I keep going. The grand saloon in which the 674 00:41:06,960 --> 00:41:10,160 Speaker 1: masquerade was to take place was a circular room, very 675 00:41:10,239 --> 00:41:13,080 Speaker 1: lofty and receiving the light of the sun only through 676 00:41:13,120 --> 00:41:16,600 Speaker 1: a single window at top at night, the season for 677 00:41:16,680 --> 00:41:20,560 Speaker 1: which the apartment was especially designed. It was illuminated principally 678 00:41:20,719 --> 00:41:24,680 Speaker 1: by a large chandelier, depending by a chain from the 679 00:41:24,800 --> 00:41:28,560 Speaker 1: center of the skylight, and lowered or elevated by means 680 00:41:28,560 --> 00:41:32,000 Speaker 1: of a counterbalance as usual, but in order not to 681 00:41:32,040 --> 00:41:36,000 Speaker 1: look unsightly, this ladder passed outside the cupola and over 682 00:41:36,040 --> 00:41:40,759 Speaker 1: the roof. So he got that okay. The arrangement of 683 00:41:40,760 --> 00:41:43,799 Speaker 1: the room had been left to Treppeta's superintendence, but in 684 00:41:43,840 --> 00:41:46,680 Speaker 1: some particulars it seems she had been guided by the 685 00:41:46,719 --> 00:41:50,120 Speaker 1: calmer judgment of her friend the dwarf, at his suggestion. 686 00:41:50,200 --> 00:41:54,040 Speaker 1: It was that on this occasion the chandelier was removed 687 00:41:54,320 --> 00:41:57,160 Speaker 1: it's wax and drippings, which, in weather so warm it 688 00:41:57,239 --> 00:42:00,880 Speaker 1: was quite impossible to prevent, would have been seriously detrimental 689 00:42:00,920 --> 00:42:03,800 Speaker 1: to the rich dresses of the guests, who, on account 690 00:42:03,800 --> 00:42:06,000 Speaker 1: of the crowded state of the saloon, could not all 691 00:42:06,080 --> 00:42:09,080 Speaker 1: be expected to keep from out at center, that is 692 00:42:09,120 --> 00:42:13,120 Speaker 1: to say, from under the chandelier. Additional scouces were set 693 00:42:13,160 --> 00:42:15,480 Speaker 1: in various parts of the hall out of the war, 694 00:42:15,800 --> 00:42:18,840 Speaker 1: and a flambeaux emitting a sweet odor was placed in 695 00:42:18,880 --> 00:42:24,280 Speaker 1: the right hand of each of the caryatids carryat caryatids 696 00:42:25,080 --> 00:42:35,640 Speaker 1: Carrie car Caryatids. What do you think it is? Uh, Carriot, Caryatides, Caryatids. Okay, 697 00:42:35,680 --> 00:42:38,320 Speaker 1: there you go. That stood against the wall, some fifty 698 00:42:38,400 --> 00:42:41,200 Speaker 1: or sixty altogether. So they got rid of this giant 699 00:42:41,280 --> 00:42:44,279 Speaker 1: chandelier that hung from a chain in the center of 700 00:42:44,480 --> 00:42:46,919 Speaker 1: the place where the masquerade ball was going to be held. 701 00:42:47,360 --> 00:42:50,160 Speaker 1: And now there's basically just a hole in the center 702 00:42:50,239 --> 00:42:52,480 Speaker 1: of the roof where the chain that held up the 703 00:42:53,440 --> 00:42:56,440 Speaker 1: this chandelier would have been. Writing tells me the King 704 00:42:56,520 --> 00:43:00,160 Speaker 1: and his guys are in for a surprise. Yeah, think 705 00:43:00,239 --> 00:43:02,640 Speaker 1: you might be right? All right, I can take it 706 00:43:02,680 --> 00:43:07,840 Speaker 1: away here, please do. The eight orangutangs, taking hop Frog's advice, 707 00:43:07,920 --> 00:43:11,319 Speaker 1: waited patiently until midnight, when the room was thoroughly filled 708 00:43:11,360 --> 00:43:14,680 Speaker 1: with masqueraders, before making their appearance. No sooner had the 709 00:43:14,719 --> 00:43:18,120 Speaker 1: clock sea striking, however, than they rushed, or rather rolled 710 00:43:18,200 --> 00:43:21,720 Speaker 1: in all together, for the impediments of their chains caused 711 00:43:22,160 --> 00:43:24,880 Speaker 1: most of the party to fall and all to stumble 712 00:43:24,960 --> 00:43:29,440 Speaker 1: as they entered. The excitement among the masqueraders was prodigious 713 00:43:29,920 --> 00:43:32,719 Speaker 1: and filled the heart of the king with glee. As 714 00:43:32,760 --> 00:43:35,239 Speaker 1: had been anticipated, there were not a few of the 715 00:43:35,280 --> 00:43:37,879 Speaker 1: guests who supposed the ferocious looking creatures to be beast 716 00:43:37,960 --> 00:43:42,640 Speaker 1: of some kind in reality, if not precisely orangutangs. Many 717 00:43:42,680 --> 00:43:45,040 Speaker 1: of the women swooned with a fright, and had not 718 00:43:45,160 --> 00:43:47,640 Speaker 1: the king taken the precaution to exclude all weapons from 719 00:43:47,680 --> 00:43:51,680 Speaker 1: the saloon, his party might soon have expiated their frolic 720 00:43:51,719 --> 00:43:54,920 Speaker 1: in their blood. Wow, so they looked so much like 721 00:43:54,960 --> 00:43:58,440 Speaker 1: orangutang's he feared he would have been killed. People are 722 00:43:58,560 --> 00:44:03,239 Speaker 1: expiating their blood as it was. A general rush was 723 00:44:03,320 --> 00:44:05,839 Speaker 1: made for the doors, but the king had ordered them 724 00:44:05,880 --> 00:44:08,759 Speaker 1: to be locked immediately upon his entrance, and at the 725 00:44:08,840 --> 00:44:12,960 Speaker 1: dwarf suggestion, the keys had been deposited with him while 726 00:44:13,000 --> 00:44:16,120 Speaker 1: the tumult was at its height, and each masquerader attentive 727 00:44:16,200 --> 00:44:19,160 Speaker 1: only to his own safety, for in fact it was 728 00:44:19,280 --> 00:44:21,720 Speaker 1: much real danger from the pressure of the excited crowd. 729 00:44:22,320 --> 00:44:25,919 Speaker 1: The chain by which the chandelier ordinarily hung, and which 730 00:44:25,960 --> 00:44:28,799 Speaker 1: had been drawn up on its removal, might have been 731 00:44:28,880 --> 00:44:33,560 Speaker 1: seen very gradually to descend until his hooked extremity came 732 00:44:33,600 --> 00:44:36,720 Speaker 1: within three feet of the floor. So there's a hubbub 733 00:44:36,800 --> 00:44:39,600 Speaker 1: going on, and no one notices this chain's being lowered 734 00:44:39,600 --> 00:44:41,600 Speaker 1: from the ceiling, right, Yeah, and it sounds like not 735 00:44:41,680 --> 00:44:44,120 Speaker 1: a lot of chivalry either, just a lot of pushing 736 00:44:44,160 --> 00:44:47,000 Speaker 1: and shoving, and every person for themselves. Okay, here we go. 737 00:44:47,520 --> 00:44:49,640 Speaker 1: Soon after this, the king and his seven friends, having 738 00:44:49,760 --> 00:44:53,000 Speaker 1: reeled about the hall in all directions, found themselves at 739 00:44:53,120 --> 00:44:57,040 Speaker 1: length in its center, and of course, in immediate contact 740 00:44:57,120 --> 00:44:59,839 Speaker 1: with the chain. While they were thus situated, the door, 741 00:45:00,280 --> 00:45:03,920 Speaker 1: who had followed noiselessly at their heels, inciting them to 742 00:45:04,000 --> 00:45:06,919 Speaker 1: keep up the commotion, took hold of their own chain 743 00:45:07,160 --> 00:45:10,960 Speaker 1: at the intersection of the two portions which crossed the 744 00:45:11,040 --> 00:45:15,840 Speaker 1: circle diametrically and at right angles. Here, with a rapidity 745 00:45:15,880 --> 00:45:18,719 Speaker 1: of thought, he inserted the hook from which the chandelier 746 00:45:18,800 --> 00:45:22,160 Speaker 1: had been wont to depend, and in an instant, by 747 00:45:22,280 --> 00:45:26,319 Speaker 1: some unseen agency, the chandelier chain was drawn so far 748 00:45:26,480 --> 00:45:29,480 Speaker 1: upward as to take the hook out of reach, and 749 00:45:29,840 --> 00:45:33,719 Speaker 1: as an inevitable consequence, to drag the orangutangs together in 750 00:45:33,840 --> 00:45:39,000 Speaker 1: close connection and face to face. The masqueraders, by this 751 00:45:39,120 --> 00:45:42,040 Speaker 1: time had recovered in some measure from their alarm, and 752 00:45:42,200 --> 00:45:46,000 Speaker 1: beginning to regard the whole matter as a well contrived pleasantry, 753 00:45:46,560 --> 00:45:49,520 Speaker 1: set up a loud shout of laughter. Predicament of the 754 00:45:49,600 --> 00:45:55,040 Speaker 1: apes lead them to me. Now, screamed hop Frog, his 755 00:45:55,160 --> 00:45:57,879 Speaker 1: shrill voice making itself easily heard through all the din 756 00:45:58,440 --> 00:46:01,719 Speaker 1: lead them to me. I fancy I know them. If 757 00:46:01,800 --> 00:46:03,920 Speaker 1: I can only get a good look at them, I 758 00:46:04,040 --> 00:46:08,080 Speaker 1: can soon tell who they are. Broad take us home. 759 00:46:08,920 --> 00:46:13,440 Speaker 1: Oh jeez, I was not expecting us here. Scrambling over 760 00:46:13,520 --> 00:46:15,360 Speaker 1: the heads of the crowd, he managed to get to 761 00:46:15,440 --> 00:46:18,600 Speaker 1: the wall when seizing a flambeaux. I think a torch 762 00:46:19,120 --> 00:46:23,880 Speaker 1: from from one of the let's just say torchy sconce 763 00:46:24,040 --> 00:46:27,319 Speaker 1: on the wall. Okay, he returned, and as he went 764 00:46:27,600 --> 00:46:30,320 Speaker 1: to the center of the room, leaping with the agility 765 00:46:30,360 --> 00:46:34,040 Speaker 1: of a monkey, upon the king's head, and thence clambered 766 00:46:34,080 --> 00:46:36,120 Speaker 1: a few feet up the chain, because remember he's got 767 00:46:36,200 --> 00:46:39,800 Speaker 1: that upper body strength, holding down the torch to examine 768 00:46:39,800 --> 00:46:42,879 Speaker 1: the group of orangutangs and still screaming, I shall soon 769 00:46:43,040 --> 00:46:46,120 Speaker 1: find out who they are, brock And now, while the 770 00:46:46,200 --> 00:46:50,080 Speaker 1: whole assembly, the apes included, were convulsed with laughter, the 771 00:46:50,280 --> 00:46:57,839 Speaker 1: jester suddenly uttered a shrill whistle when the chain flew 772 00:46:58,000 --> 00:47:01,600 Speaker 1: violently up for about thirty heat, dragging with it the 773 00:47:01,680 --> 00:47:05,440 Speaker 1: dismayed and struggling orangutanks and leaving them suspended in mid 774 00:47:05,520 --> 00:47:09,480 Speaker 1: air between the skylight and the floor. Hop Frog, clinging 775 00:47:09,560 --> 00:47:12,120 Speaker 1: to the chain as it rose, still maintained his relative 776 00:47:12,200 --> 00:47:15,759 Speaker 1: position in respect to the eight maskers, and, still, as 777 00:47:15,800 --> 00:47:18,840 Speaker 1: if nothing were the matter, continued to thrust his torch 778 00:47:18,960 --> 00:47:22,160 Speaker 1: down toward them, as though endeavoring to discover who they were. 779 00:47:23,640 --> 00:47:26,720 Speaker 1: So thoroughly astonished was the whole company at this ascent 780 00:47:27,080 --> 00:47:30,440 Speaker 1: that a dead silence of about a minute's duration ensued. 781 00:47:31,080 --> 00:47:34,360 Speaker 1: It was broken by just such a low, harsh, grating 782 00:47:34,440 --> 00:47:37,359 Speaker 1: sound as had before attracted the attention of the King 783 00:47:37,480 --> 00:47:40,400 Speaker 1: and his counselors when the former threw the wine in 784 00:47:40,440 --> 00:47:44,120 Speaker 1: the face of Trippetta. But on the present occasion there 785 00:47:44,160 --> 00:47:47,120 Speaker 1: could be no question as to whence the sound issued. 786 00:47:47,800 --> 00:47:50,759 Speaker 1: It came from the fanglike teeth of the dwarf, who 787 00:47:50,920 --> 00:47:53,880 Speaker 1: ground them and gnashed them as he foamed at the 788 00:47:54,000 --> 00:47:57,839 Speaker 1: mouth and glared with an expression of maniacal rage into 789 00:47:57,880 --> 00:48:01,600 Speaker 1: the upturned countenances of the King and his seven companions, 790 00:48:03,239 --> 00:48:07,279 Speaker 1: said at length, the infuriated jester, ah, I begin to 791 00:48:07,360 --> 00:48:11,279 Speaker 1: see who these people are now Here, pretending to scrutinize 792 00:48:11,320 --> 00:48:14,040 Speaker 1: the king more closely, he held the flambeau to the 793 00:48:14,160 --> 00:48:18,200 Speaker 1: flaxen coat, which enveloped him, and which instantly burst into 794 00:48:18,239 --> 00:48:21,680 Speaker 1: a sheet of vivid flat. In less than half a minute, 795 00:48:21,960 --> 00:48:26,120 Speaker 1: the whole eight orangutans were blazing fiercely amid the shrieks 796 00:48:26,200 --> 00:48:29,400 Speaker 1: of the multitude, who gazed at them from below, horror stricken, 797 00:48:29,680 --> 00:48:32,680 Speaker 1: and without the power to render them the slightest assistance 798 00:48:33,680 --> 00:48:37,440 Speaker 1: At length. The flames, suddenly increasing in virulence, forced the 799 00:48:37,520 --> 00:48:40,080 Speaker 1: jester to climb higher up the chain to be out 800 00:48:40,120 --> 00:48:43,120 Speaker 1: of their reach. And as he made this movement, the 801 00:48:43,200 --> 00:48:47,200 Speaker 1: crowd sank again for a brief instant into silence. The 802 00:48:47,320 --> 00:48:51,200 Speaker 1: dwarf seized this opportunity, and once more he spoke, And 803 00:48:51,360 --> 00:48:55,040 Speaker 1: now she distinctly, He said, what manner of people these 804 00:48:55,120 --> 00:48:58,040 Speaker 1: maskers are? They are a great king and his seven 805 00:48:58,120 --> 00:49:01,800 Speaker 1: privy councilors, the king who not scruple to strike a 806 00:49:01,880 --> 00:49:05,400 Speaker 1: defenseless girl, and his seven councilors who will bet him 807 00:49:05,440 --> 00:49:08,839 Speaker 1: in the outrage. As for myself, I am simply hot 808 00:49:08,880 --> 00:49:21,080 Speaker 1: frog the jesta, and this is my last guest fur Mike, Yeah, 809 00:49:21,160 --> 00:49:23,800 Speaker 1: he did. He dropped the mic while the king was 810 00:49:23,880 --> 00:49:27,600 Speaker 1: on fire. Owing to the high combustibility of both the 811 00:49:27,680 --> 00:49:30,720 Speaker 1: flax and the tar, to which it adhered. The dwarf 812 00:49:30,800 --> 00:49:33,760 Speaker 1: had scarcely made an end of his brief speech. Before 813 00:49:33,800 --> 00:49:37,440 Speaker 1: the work of vengeance was complete, the eight corpses swung 814 00:49:37,520 --> 00:49:41,800 Speaker 1: in their chains of fetid, black and hideous and indistinguishable 815 00:49:41,960 --> 00:49:45,239 Speaker 1: mass and leave it to Poe. He hurled his torch 816 00:49:45,360 --> 00:49:49,120 Speaker 1: at them, clambered leisurely to the ceiling, and disappeared through 817 00:49:49,200 --> 00:49:53,360 Speaker 1: the skylight. It is supposed that Trippetta, stationed on the 818 00:49:53,480 --> 00:49:56,120 Speaker 1: roof of the saloon, had been the accomplice of her 819 00:49:56,160 --> 00:49:59,640 Speaker 1: friend and his fiery revenge, and that together they affected 820 00:49:59,680 --> 00:50:03,000 Speaker 1: their a gape to their own country, for neither was 821 00:50:03,080 --> 00:50:09,160 Speaker 1: seen again. What get them? Hop Frog? Somebody needs to 822 00:50:09,239 --> 00:50:12,880 Speaker 1: name something hop Frog in honor of hop Frog and Tripetta. 823 00:50:13,480 --> 00:50:17,880 Speaker 1: I agree, because, uh boy, the king was a jerk. 824 00:50:18,120 --> 00:50:23,759 Speaker 1: He uh it was cruel. Don't forget oily oily, and 825 00:50:23,920 --> 00:50:26,319 Speaker 1: he got his come up and yeah, I would say 826 00:50:26,360 --> 00:50:30,080 Speaker 1: being burned alive is come up. And for sure in 827 00:50:30,200 --> 00:50:33,040 Speaker 1: a as an orangutang to say yeah, to say the 828 00:50:33,200 --> 00:50:38,200 Speaker 1: least insults injury. I want to say you got anything else, 829 00:50:38,280 --> 00:50:40,440 Speaker 1: but that would imply that you have like another short 830 00:50:40,520 --> 00:50:44,440 Speaker 1: story up your sleeve, do not? Well, that's it, everybody, 831 00:50:44,640 --> 00:50:48,000 Speaker 1: We want to wish you all a safe and happy Halloween. UM, 832 00:50:48,400 --> 00:50:50,520 Speaker 1: get scared, but not too scared, you know what I mean, 833 00:50:51,640 --> 00:50:55,239 Speaker 1: Like Algrian and Blackwood scared. How about that? Agreed? Uh 834 00:50:55,320 --> 00:50:58,200 Speaker 1: and we will see you next time with our regular 835 00:50:58,280 --> 00:51:02,440 Speaker 1: type of episode. But until the um so long Halloween, 836 00:51:02,480 --> 00:51:17,520 Speaker 1: everybody m