Not so long ago, and just on the edge of town, there was a wonderful farm.
And on the farm was a friendly white house with two trees that looked like they'd be good for climbing in.
And there were lots of animals, chickens and pigs.
And there was a big barn with a tall silo and a lot more animals, horses and cows.
And there was a big boot, you know, a boot.
Now, what would a boot be doing in a farm yard?
And such a big boot.
That's a giant sized boot.
And it looked like there's a giant wearing it.
Look up. Who is this giant?
Well, it's me.
And that's a good thing because I'm a friendly giant.
I wouldn't hurt a fly.
Oh, hello there.
Now, why are you perched on my nose?
Well, just resting.
Off you go.
And come back again sometime.
This is the first time you've been to my farm, isn't it?
Did you know that I can reach way down, way down over my farm?
And play with the horses and cows, just the way you play with puppies and kittens.
See, I can pet this horse.
I just like toys to me because I'm a giant.
And the animals like me because I'm a friendly giant.
You like my farm.
And you like my castle too.
You haven't seen my castle, have you?
That's a good place.
I have lots of books and records and lots of pictures and some friends.
Shall we go to my castle?
All right.
Now, I'll hurry over and go in the back door so that I can open the front doors and let down the drawbridge for you.
You ready?
Here is my castle.
Here we are, and this is my castle.
But this isn't my furniture.
This is too small for me.
It's for you.
There's a little chair for one of you and a bigger chair for two more to curl up in.
Pull them right up by the fire.
I don't think we need a fire today though, do we?
No.
And here's the book.
Here's the book we're going to read.
It's called Timothy about a kitten.
Would you like to look at it?
Well, look up.
Look way up.
Remember, I'm a giant.
A friendly one, but a big one.
And this is the book.
But it's too small for us, isn't it?
Hardly make out the pictures and can't read the writing at all.
Look, see?
We need one that's a giant size.
And we have one that's giant size.
The same book, Timothy, giant size.
And I keep those books in my book bag.
Of course, I keep a lot of other things in my book bag too.
There's any number of things in here in my telescope.
Hello, friendly.
Oh, hello, Rusty.
Did I wake you up?
Well, yes.
Oh, excuse me, just a minute.
Rusty, these visitors haven't met you.
This is Rusty.
And he's the little rooster who wakes us up every morning.
And he lives in the book bag.
He sleeps there every night because it's quiet and dark.
And that's a good place to sleep.
And because he has to get up early every morning, he needs his sleep.
Don't you, Rusty?
Well, yes, I do.
And that is a good place to sleep, isn't it?
Oh, it's a very good place to sleep.
But, well, sometimes there's a lot of things down here.
Well, I know.
I keep lots of things in the book bag because when I go on a long trip around the world,
there's no telling what I'll need.
Well, there are so many books and so many different things like roller skates.
Oh, there.
And there's milk.
There is a glass of milk down there, I remember.
Yeah, peanut butter and grape jelly sandwiches.
That's why I had the glass of milk for that peanut butter sandwich.
Well, I know you have to have those.
Sure.
And the fish pools.
Yes.
Well, it's crowded.
You're so crowded that you don't sleep?
Well, high sleep, but not too well sometimes.
Well, what would you like me to take out of the book bag?
Well, you mean what bothers me more?
What bothers you the most?
Most.
Mm-hmm.
Well, I think the fish pool.
The fish pool?
Yes.
Well, that's a slim little pool.
It isn't very big fits in the book bag.
Well, it's the hook.
Oh, the hook bothers you.
Yes.
Mm-hmm.
Well, I have it stuck in a piece of cork, don't I?
Well, I think I lost the cork.
Oh, well, then let's get that fish pool out of there.
All right.
I certainly wouldn't want you to get caught on the hook.
This is my giant's pipe.
Here it comes.
Push it.
Push it up.
It's a long one, isn't it?
Is the hook there?
Careful.
Careful, Rusty.
I think so.
Just a minute.
Oh, I've got it.
I just got it caught in your night shirt there.
There.
There we are.
Well, that's my fish pool.
Well, I'll sleep much better now.
It's a little crooked.
Maybe it's a good thing we took it out of the book bag, Rusty, because it was getting just a little bent in there.
Yes.
Well, I hope you're comfortable now and can sleep.
Well, I am now.
I think I'll be all right.
All right.
Oh, Rusty, before you go down, what I wanted was a big copy of this book, Tim and Timothy.
Oh, well, that's done.
Yeah.
Would you get it, please?
Yes.
Well, I'll find it.
Good.
Oh, I have to be careful, though.
I don't get peanut butter on it.
Yes, don't get peanut butter on it.
We do keep lots of things down there.
You find it, Rusty?
Oh, that's it.
Okay.
Tim and Timothy.
There you are.
Mm-hmm.
Have you read it?
Yes.
Oh, you read it.
Oh, I thought it was a very, very nice book.
Have you read it lately?
Just today?
Yes.
Do you want to hear it again if we read it again?
Well, I think I should take a nap.
Oh.
Well, all right.
Is that right with you?
Sure.
If you want to take a nap, you're just ducked down in the bag.
Well, it'll be so comfortable now that the fish is gone.
What?
It'll be so comfortable now that the fish is gone.
He has.
Well, I'm glad you're happy.
I'll take a nap.
All right.
Night, Rusty.
There goes a good rooster.
And this is about a 10-year-old.
And this is about a timid kitten.
A very timid kitten.
Mm-hmm.
And we're all alone here now, aren't we, in a big castle?
And if giants were timid, I might be a little scared.
But, of course, giants, even friendly ones, are never timid, are they?
No.
Well, now, this book is about a little kitten named...
Oh.
Oh, hello there.
You know, I was just telling everyone that I wasn't timid.
And then you two little kittens popped up and almost scared me.
What's your name?
Mio.
Mio.
And what's your name?
Mio.
Your name is Mio, too.
Mm-hmm.
Mio and Mio, too.
Well, those are good names for two little kittens.
Did you come to hear the story?
Good.
It's about a kitten.
Did you know that?
Well, you knew that.
It's about a timid kitten named Timothy.
Are you timid?
No, you're not timid, are you?
No.
How about you, Mio, too?
Are you timid?
Oh, and you are timid a little bit.
Well, let's read the book and see why Timothy was timid.
You can look at the pictures.
You can look at the pictures, too.
All right.
Once there was a little kitten named Timothy.
He was black all over except for his four white paws and a little white bib under his chin.
And he had two sets of black whiskers that stuck out fiercely from his face.
He looked like a big, brave, bold kitten.
But he wasn't.
He was afraid of the rain on the roof.
He was afraid of footsteps on the stairs.
He was afraid of little mice.
And he was afraid of dogs.
So everyone called him Fradycat, except his mother.
One day, his mother said, Timothy, you must learn to be a big, brave, bold kitten.
And we shall go to the zoo.
Why?
Ask Timothy, troubling.
So I can teach you not to be afraid of other animals, said his mother, looking for the wrong way over his eye.
So they went to the zoo.
Now look at the lion, said his mother.
He won't hurt you.
He's a cousin.
But Timothy shook with fright when the lion roared.
He's got big whiskers, he said.
Bigger than mine.
Look at the bear, said his mother.
He's nice.
He won't hurt you.
But Timothy shook with fright when the bear stood up on his hind legs.
He's got big claws, he said.
Bigger than mine.
Well look at the elephant, said his mother.
He's big, but he's afraid of kittens.
But Timothy shook with fright when the elephant waved his trunk.
He's got a big nose, he said.
Bigger than mine.
Well look at the rabbit, said his mother.
He's just a little bunny.
He can't hurt you.
But Timothy shook with fright when the rabbit thumped his foot.
He's got big ears, he said.
Bigger than mine.
And Timothy ran all the way home.
Now would you have run all the way home, Miao?
No, of course not.
Would you have run all the way home, Miao too?
Well you would.
That's because you're a Timothy.
Well now, let's see what happened to Timothy.
His mother was very sad.
You must learn to be a big, brave, bold kitten, she said,
linking her big, round eyes.
And Timothy began to cry.
How, he asked.
His mother said, when you're afraid of anything,
shoot out your whiskers like this.
Hump your back and make your fur stand up on end like this.
And wave your tail like this.
And say, loud as you can.
Like that.
See?
And Timothy stood up.
He shot out his whiskers.
He humped his back and made his fur stand up on end.
He said as loud as he could.
Well that's fine, said his mother,
licking the fur the wrong way over his eye.
Now go out and see how it works.
And Timothy ran out of the house.
Now, what are you supposed to be looking for, Miao?
Do you know?
You don't know?
Do you know Miao too?
You don't know either.
Well, I think he was looking for some animals.
And he was.
But he didn't meet a lion and he didn't meet a bear.
He didn't meet an elephant and he didn't even see a rabbit.
But after a while he came to a toy shop.
Perhaps he said to himself,
perhaps I can find something to be afraid of in here.
Well he walked right in.
And the shop was full of toy animals.
But Timothy thought they were real.
So he shot out his whiskers and humped his back.
He made his fur stand on end and he began to wave his tail.
Trembling all over, he went up to a stuffed lion.
He said in a whisper,
he expected the lion to roar.
But the lion didn't say anything.
So Timothy, trembling just a little,
went up to a toy teddy bear and said a little louder.
He expected the teddy bear to stand up on his hind legs.
But the bear sat still.
So Timothy, hardly trembling at all, went up to a toy elephant
and said much louder.
He expected the elephant to wave his big trunk.
But the elephant sat still.
So Timothy, not scared one bit,
caught him flannel bunny rabbit with pink ears
and said as loud as he could.
He expected the rabbit to thump his foot.
But the rabbit sat still and didn't do anything.
So Timothy strutted out of the toy shop and started to go home.
I'm a big brave, bold kitten, he said to himself.
And I'm not afraid of anything, anything, anything.
There.
Now, what do you think, Miao?
Do you think he should have been so brave?
You do?
Do you think so, Miao, too?
No, you're timid, and you.
Just then he met a dog.
A real live dog.
It wasn't a big dog.
It wasn't even a middle-sized dog.
It was just a little baby dog.
But Timothy was frightened just the same.
Said as loud as he could.
But he was so frightened he couldn't move.
And the dog didn't run away.
He walked right up to Timothy and sniffed at him.
All over.
His eyes got red and he began to growl.
And Timothy's whiskers almost fell off.
Timothy shut his eyes tight and called for his mother.
Miao.
And the dog suddenly stood still.
He looked scared to death.
His eyes stopped being red.
His tail went down between his legs.
And then he turned and ran away as fast as he could.
And Timothy was very surprised.
I scared a dog, he said.
And he stuck out his chest.
He waved his tail.
And he strutted along home to tell his mother.
Miao.
Do you think he's really brave?
Do you?
You do?
Miao, too.
Do you think that Timothy is a real brave kitten now?
He seems to be, doesn't he?
Well, he went home to see his mother.
And he met her on the path by the next door neighbor's garden.
I'm a big, brave, bold kitten, he told her.
I scared a lion and a bear and an elephant and a rabbit and a dog.
I'm not afraid of anything.
Well, that's fine, said his mother.
And then she stood still.
Very still.
They heard a humming noise, like a pop.
Or maybe a small lion.
It was very near.
Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...
Timothy's mother picked him up by the scruff of his neck and ran home as fast as she could.
And when she put Timothy down, he was very angry.
Why did you run?
He asked in a big voice.
If it was a lion, I could have scared him.
If it was a bear, I could have scared him.
If it was an elephant, I could have scared him.
Even if it was a dog, I could have scared him.
But wasn't a lion, said his mother, and it wasn't a bear nor an elephant.
No, indeed, or I would have let you scare them.
It was bees, thousands of bees.
Why didn't you let me scare them, said Timothy?
Because, said his mother, licking the fur the wrong way over his eye.
Even if you are my big, brave, bold Timothy, you must learn not to go around.
Looking for trouble.
And that's the story of Timothy, the kitten who learned to be brave.
Did you like it, meow?
Oh, you did, meow too?
Oh, you both liked it.
Well, good, good.
Are you going to get down now?
Oh.
Good.
There.
You know, when you came, when you came tonight,
you surprised me so that I didn't even ask you how you got here.
How did, oh.
Oh, you climbed.
They climbed right up the Ivy leaves.
I'm glad I planted that vine there.
Mm-hmm.
And did you come just to hear the book?
Oh, you brought some music.
Oh, good.
Good.
Are you going to sing?
Not going to sing?
No.
Are you going to play a musical instrument?
No, not going to play a musical instrument.
Are you going to whistle?
Well, what are you going to do?
Oh, you're going to dance.
Well, good.
Fine.
All right.
Just a minute.
I'm going to put the book back in the book bag,
and I'll take the giant's pipe out.
And, uh, you didn't bring a music rack along, did you?
The music stand?
No, well, then I'll just pin the music up here.
All right.
Oh, the rust-
music
Very, very good.
Very good.
And, uh, the second one.
Yeah.
And you know there's something I want you to see,
and I want everyone else to see it, too,
above the castle.
What?
Lincoln, Lincoln, and not.
Oh.
Sailing in a wooden tube.
Have you ever seen them?
No.
You haven't?
No.
Right above the castle.
Well...
Would you like to see them?
I can't see them from here.
Oh, well, I'll take you over here and put you right outside.
All right.
All right.
And I'll say...
Easy there.
Oh, you...
Can you ruffle my feathers?
Did I rub in the wrong way?
All right.
Now, you just sit right down there.
Sit right on the edge.
That's good.
Okay.
That's fine.
No.
Good night, not.
Right up there.
Right up there.
Oh, you say good night to our friends, will you?
Yeah, good night.
Good night.
Good night.
And we'll just put this little book back down on the table.
Because it is time to go outside the castle.
This chair will be waiting for you the next time you come to my castle.
A bigger one for two more.
So now, you can go outside and through the double doors.
And watch and listen.
Lincoln, Lincoln, and not one night.
Sailed off in a wooden shoe.
Sailed on a river of crystal light into a sea of dew.
Where are you going and what do you wish?
The old moon asked the three.
We've come to fish for the herring fish that live in this beautiful sea.
Nets of silver and gold have we.
Said, Lincoln, Lincoln, and not.
The old moon laughed and sang a song as they rocked in the wooden shoe.
And the wind that sped them all night long ruffled the wave of dew.
The little stars were the herring fish that lived in that beautiful sea.
Now cast your nets wherever you wish, but never a feared are we.
So cried the stars to the fishermen three.
Lincoln, Lincoln, and not.
All night long their nets stay true to the stars in the twinkling foam.
Then down from the skies came the wooden shoe, bringing the fishermen home.
It was also pretty a sail it seemed as if it could not be.
And some folks thought it was a dream they dreamed of sailing that beautiful sea.
But I shall name you the fishermen three.
Lincoln, Lincoln, and not.
Lincoln and Blinken are two little eyes.
And not is a little head.
And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies is a wee one trundle bet.
So shut your eyes while mothers sing the wonderful sights with me.
And you shall see the beautiful thingies as you rock on the misty sea,
where the old shoe rocked the fishermen three.
Lincoln, Lincoln, and not.
And now good night.
Big front doors are closed and we'll pull up the drawbridge until you come back to the castle again.
Good night.
Thank you.
MUSIC
This broadcast was planned and produced by the Wisconsin State Broadcasting Service.
WHA-TV Channel 21, Madison, Wisconsin.