The Ghost of the Arlesdale Land

Characters

 * Benny the Ball (from Top Cat) as Bert (small railway)
 * Fancy-Fancy (from Top Cat) as Rex
 * Top Cat (from Top Cat) as Mike
 * Chicken (from Cow and Chicken) as Frank
 * Spook (from Top Cat) as Jock
 * Choo-Choo and Brian (from Top Cat) as Blister I and Blister II
 * Cow (from Cow and Chicken) as Sigrid of Arlesdale
 * Flowers (from Alec in Wonderland) as Small Railway Coaches
 * Ernest (from Budgie the Little Helicopter) as Ted (Willie's Tractor)
 * Oscar Kokoshka (from Hey Arnold) as Willie

Transcript
Narrator: It was fall on the Small Land. Benny was delivering some passengers along the line. And Top Cat had to take some ballast to Arlesbrugh.

Top Cat: Hello Benny.

Benny: Hello Top Cat.

Top Cat: Chicken tells me the trees look spooky with no leaves.

Flower 1: Honestly Top Cat.

Flower 2: Yes why do you think so many things are spooky at this time of year?

Top Cat: But they are. Sometimes they look like big hands, reaching over the path to grab you.

Benny: And pick you up like a toy cat, right?

Top Cat: Yes.

Benny: (laughs) Yes, well you do have a big imagination you know.

Top Cat: I do?

Benny: Yes, they're only trees.

Top Cat: Well then if you're sure.

Narrator: A little further along the line, Benny noticed that one of Oscar's fences was broken.

Benny: Oh dear.

Flower Coach 3: (gasps) Careful Benny, there could be a runaway animal on the path.

Narrator: Bert didn't see any animals on the track, but he did see Oscar and his tractor Ernest, working close by.

Oscar: Hello Benny.

Benny: Hello Oscar. Hello Ernest. There's a broken fance by the path by there.

Ernest: Oh is there? Well we'll go and tell the farmlands.

Oscar: Yeah, they'll want to get that repaired before an animal escapes.

Narrator: That night in the shed, Benny told Fancy-Fancy about the broken fence.

Fancy-Fancy: That sounds spooky.

Benny: (giggles) Don't get us started.

Chicken: Yeah, Benny's already had Top Cat telling him about those spooky-looking trees.

Fancy-Fancy: But think about it Benny. What or who could it had been that broke that fence? It could had been anything.

(Choo-Choo, Brian, Spook and Cow gasp)

Benny: It was probably just an animal Fancy-Fancy. Now go to sleep.

Cow: I quite agree. Go to sleep.

Fancy-Fancy: I wish I could, but I've got a night-time job to do tonight.

Narrator: Poor Fancy had frightened himself. But the others didn't think there was really anything to be frightened of.

Fancy-Fancy: (nervously) Hello? Is someone there? Ahhh!

(Other animals are asleep, until Fancy-Fancy comes whistling back and bumps right into Spook)

Spook: Oh gracious! Where on earth am I?

Cow: Honestly Fancy, what is the matter with you?

Brian: Yeah, why are you racing in and bashing into Spook in the middle of the night?

Fancy-Fancy: Sorry everyone. But I heard something very spooky out in the woods.

Chicken: Dither, I've heard quite enough of this spookiness.

Choo-Choo: So have I. Just deliver the mail.

Brian: That's right. And let the rest of us go back to sleep.

Narrator: The next morning, it was bright and sunny.

Fancy-Fancy: And then as I crossed the bridge outside the woods, Benny, I heard this strange moaning sound. (imitates ghost) It was like nothing I've ever heard before you see. It was very very spooky.

Benny: Well Fancy, it's daytime now. And the sun is shining, and I'm sure whatever it was will be long gone away.

Top Cat: I hope so. I had to take the workers across the bridge to get them to the quarry.

Fancy-Fancy: I have to go over that bridge today too.

Benny: So do I. We all have to go over that bridge. But I'm quite sure there's nothing to worry about.

Narrator: Benny wasn't worrying at all, as he puffed along the line with some flowers.

Ernest: Hello Benny.

Narrator: But then he came to the bridge outside the forest.

Flower 1: Benny, what's the matter?

Flower 2: Why are we slowing down?

Flower 3: Is there an animal on the line?

Benny: No, it's just... Well Top Cat said he heard something spooky last night as he went over this bridge, but I'm sure there's nothing to...

(Ghostly baa)

Benny: Ahhh!

Flowers: Ahhh!

Top Cat: Did you hear it, Benny?

Flower 2: You mean that terrible moaning and groaning?

Flower 3: Under the bridge?

Fancy-Fancy: It must be a ghost.

Benny: A ghost?

Fancy-Fancy: I saw something white at the bottom of the ravine.

Top Cat: Fancy is right. There may be something creepy-looking under the bridge.

Fancy-Fancy: Forget it. I can't take this much longer.

Top Cat: I'm going first.

Fancy-Fancy: Second.

Changeling: Honestly Top Cat, slow down. What are you racing for?

Fancy-Fancy: Go on Top Cat.

Benny: We can't wait here forever.

Flower 1: We can't hear anything now.

Flower 3: Maybe that silly old ghost's gone away now.

Goomba: There's probably nothing to worry about.

Changeling: Yeah, whatever it was has probably gone... Oh!

Top Cat: Don't eat me! Don't eat me! Don't eat me.

Fancy-Fancy: It's still here. Don't eat me! Don't eat me! Don't eat me! The third one has to be brave Benny. The third one has to make the troll go away.

Benny: What are you talking about Fancy?

Top Cat: What do you think this is, the Three Billy Goats Gruff or something?

Fancy-Fancy: That's right Top Cat. You're the smallest goat, I'm the middle one, and Benny is the biggest one, I think.

Top Cat: And does that mean, the ghost is playing the part of the troll.

Fancy-Fancy: Yes, and Benny had to make it go away. Oh Benny, he's very hungry now!

Flower 2: You know, I don't think that's a ghost after all.

Flower 3: I do believe you're right.

Flower 1: Yeah, it sounds more like a sheep to me.

Benny: (stops) A sheep?

Fancy-Fancy and Top Cat: A sheep?

(Then Benny can't help laughing)

Narrator: One of the farmland's sheep had broken through the fence and wandered down into the river, where it got stuck in the mud. Oscar and Ernest brought a winch to help, and left the stranded sheep back up again. And Benny carried the small frightened sheep back to the farm. That night back at the sheds, Benny, Fancy and Top Cat told the others about their big adventure.

Chicken: A sheep you say? You were frightened of nothing but a sheep?

Top Cat: It's not that funny.

Benny: You can laugh Chicken, but the farmlands were glad when we found her.

Spook: Imagine thinking a sheep was a ghost.

(All except Fancy and Top Cat laugh)

Fancy-Fancy: It's not that funny. It was really scary.

Benny: It's just a little baa, alright everyone?

(This time all the animals really do laugh)