 It's dark, fantasy, eating from the darkness. It's a telephone. The first chance a man gets sleep in his country, and the dead blame telephone has to wake me up. I should let it ring till Doomsday. Yes. Yes, this is San Canyon Airport. Who is Don Thurman speaking? There's a plane here. Where? Mantella. I don't care much for that trip across the desert, but if you need the plane, they're willing to pay me for flying it to you. It will make it 600, and it's a deal. All right, I'll make the arrangements. Yeah, you can expect me in about seven hours if everything goes all right. Yeah, fine. And I have that 600 waiting for me. I'll need it at Mantella. North, northeast, 13 degrees. And Mantella lies in that direction. I'm gonna buck a headwind most of the way, I'm afraid. The mountains worry me. They're dangerous. And see now, this way is... Sanctea. No, not that way for me. If I ever ended up in Sanctea, I wouldn't want to bet anything on my chances of getting to that place and coming out to tell about it. I can't stay up here much longer. That sandstorm over the desert's getting worse every minute. I can't see a thing down there. Thick as pea soup. Oh, con, found it. There goes the motor. Choked up with sand. Well, here it goes. I can't see where I'm heading, but maybe I can bring her in on her belly. Wardrums. Trouble. I've been pounding in my ears for hours. Oh, my eyes blinded, but I'd awful sandstorm. I can't see. I don't know whether it's day or night. All I know is that someone found me out there on that desert and brought me here. Is that someone? Someone there. I have come to take you to the king. We will be placed in the den of the Leopards. Leopards? It is our custom here to feed uninvited guests as a sacrifice to the Leopards of the pit. What is this? It nears the time of the full moon. When the moon is full, its rays affect our leopards, maddens them, makes them vicious beyond control. Only the flesh of man will quiet them, and only the king can perform the ceremony to sacrifice. King? What king? King of Sanctea. Am I at Sanctea? Yes, you have come where white man is forbidden. But my plane was forced down on the desert. I was purposely avoiding Sanctea. I was trying to reach Mantella. You were 500 miles from Mantella. But I can't be. I was only in that storm for a few hours. The storm has been raging for three days. Three days? Why, I've been only two hours on the desert. The storm came up only a few hours ago. The entire desert has been covered with the storm for three days. I don't understand. You were discovered only because the honor has once again displayed her temper towards her father. The honor? Daughter of King Genasi. It has been arranged that the honor is duerred within the changing of the moon. And the honor has prevailed. She attempted to flee Sanctea from the desert storm. She was followed. She was discovered there with you. Then she found me. Yes. But two of you were returned here to tear to the village. I'll... you will come with me. My eyes. I can't see a thing. It is the justice of Sanctea. What do you mean? Come. You will have to guide me. Then take my arm. Now. All right. Let's go. This way. How far? Right. Tenama Hasi. What's the matter? Tenama Hasi. Tenama Hasi. What are you talking about? Look. They're in a sand. Tenama Hasi. Big foot. I told you I can't see. Big foot. Tenama Hasi. Big leopard foot. Followed by man. Leopard foot. Yes. They're in a sand. Leopard tracks. Followed by man tracks. Come. Hurry. Wait a minute. We must hurry. We must come. We hurry. I have brought you the prisoner, wise one. Prisoner? Look here. What is this? You have come, Mr. Thurman. Very or not. Welcome. I tried to tell you flunky here that I didn't come to Sanctea purposely. I was headed for Mantella. You are not a very wise man, Mr. Thurman, to make such an unwise statement. Mantella is half a thousand miles from here. No. Of course. I ran into a sandstorm. My plane was forced down. Delacrate. But it's true. I was blinded by the sand. I'm still blind. If you have a doctor, I... You say you are blind? I am. I need medical attention right away. Blinded. It is the justice of Sanctea. What are you talking about? It is a law that should a white man look upon the countenance of Princess Yanna. His eye shall be blinded. I don't know what you're talking about, Tenasi. I've never seen your princess. We found you with her on the desk. Well, I was unconscious when you found me. But she was with you. Then she found the same spot where I took refuge. We are not fools here, Mr. Thurman, fools. I don't understand. It is so ridiculously evident. What's so evident? I have made complete arrangements for my daughter to wed. She has refused to marry as I wish her to. And last night, she fled from Sanctea. And when we found her, she was with you. But what you think isn't true. You had the rendezvous there with her. No. How many times you have met, I do not know. But each meeting has been in complete defiance of the laws of Sanctea. But no white man may look upon the countenance of the prince. I deny it. I don't know your princess. The evidence speaks for itself. You are blind. Run the sandstone. No. Because the gods are vengeful. I tell you, the sand blinded me. It's only temporary. It was written ages ago. That whatever white man looks upon the countenance of Sanctea princess will be doomed forever to eternal blindness. It's not eternal. It's sand blindness. It happens to lots of men who get caught in sandstorms. All I need is a doctor. No, doctor. I can cure the blindness sent down by the gods. Give me a chance. I may be blind permanently if you don't let a doctor look at my eyes. King Genasi. Your daughter approaches Kamin, my daughter. My father. My father. Have you heard? Heard what? My child. Tani Mahasi. Tani Mahasi? Yes. He was in the camp again last night. Leopard footprints are near your house, followed by man-feet. Tani Mahasi. It's the Hebrew spirit again in the full of the moon. I saw them too. Many tracks. Big. We must tell the wise ones. They will work a charm to protect us. At first, we must dispose of the prisoners. Look here. Silence. My daughter. Come here. Yes, father. He's a white man. Look you at his face. And tell me, where have you seen him before? Where is my child? I do not know him. I have never seen him before. But my king, I saw them together. Silence, Ivan. You are most wise, my daughter. You are most wise to deny your foreign love. I'm not her lover. I've never seen her. I can't even see her now. The American is blind, Diana. Blind? Because she has broken the law. Because she is looked upon in the face of the princes of Santia. The gods have blinded him. It's not true. I've never seen her face. Ask her. She'll tell you. It's not true. Take her back to the prison hut. And let her wait there until the body of wise swans sit in charge of his crime. The night is a night. We haunt. Those drums. Still pounding. My eye is burning in my head. I hope I could only find a little cool water. I wonder where I am. The king told Ivan to take me to the prison hut. He brought me here. Somewhere out in the open. Bushes, shrubbery all around it. Wait a minute. What's that? A light up there through the trees. A light. Why, it's a star I can see. I can see again. One lonely single little star in a sky of heavy clouds. And there. Coming over the ridge. The full moon. What's that? Something there in those bushes. Is someone there? Who is it? Diana. Princess Diana? Do not speak so loudly. Why are you here? I came to see you. I went first to the prison. But it was empty. Then I knew there had been trickery. Ivan did not do what my father ordered. No. He brought me here instead. Where are we? On the edge of Dekana. Dekana? The precipice. Yes. It's hundreds of feet over the side of Dekana. Listen. It's rock. I will show you. Ivan knew you were blind. He left you here alone. Knowing you would eventually wander over the edge and be crushed on the jagged rocks down there. He could not wait for the sacrifice. Sacrifice? Yes. With each fullness of the moon, the leopards in the pit of Sanctea become madly enraged. The wise men say the moon rays affect them. They must be appeased by the flesh of a human. And the moon will soon be full again. Yes, Donaldo. A pleasant thought. But Ivan could not wait. He fears all Americanos. So he brought you here to be a victim of Dekana. A nice fellow. He despises him. My father says I must marry him. You mean... You don't mean you're supposed to marry him. Do you blame me for running away? I certainly don't. Even death on the desert would have been better than him. Princess, why have you come here? Because I would not have you die as Ivan wishes. How did you find me? I have ways. Tell me. Ivan said the storm on the desert had been blowing for three days. Is that true? Yes, it is true. But I was only an hour and a half journey from San Felidor. I ran into the storm suddenly. I cannot say about that. Donaldo, your eyes... You look upon me as though... as though you see me. I do see you. My sight has come back. Oh, no. You're not glad I can see again? No. I mean... Oh, yes, I... But Donaldo, to look upon my face... No nonsense. It's all a lot of tribe. Oh, what's that? Tanimahasi. What? Tanimahasi, evil leopard spirit. Oh, look here. What is this evil spirit business? No, Tanimahasi. Leopard, wherever it goes, tracks always followed by those of man. They kill it the full of mourn. A leopard man. Oh, Donaldo, they look... Why? Because he is a leopard man. Have you ever seen him? Yes! Oh, listen! Come on. That's right over here someplace. Donaldo, have care. It is an evil spirit. A spirit that kills. You have any kind of a weapon? Only a small dare. Oh, give it to me. Oh, no weapon will harm Tanimahasi. We'll see. Oh, wait. The clouds are... Oh, there he is. Over there. It's Ivan. Oh, oh, look at him. He will die. We must take him back to the village. He's unconscious. Jungle. No. Do not touch him. Who's that? Father. Diana. Go at once to your hut. And remain there. I fear the gods even now hide their faces from you. Oh, but Father, Ivan is badly hurt. Go at once. Mr. Darman. This man needs attention. Put him down. What? I said put him down. But he's badly wounded. By the claws of an animal. Yes. We heard the animal screaming. The princess tells me it's a leopard man. It is true. Tanimahasi. The evil spirit. A spirit which takes possession of a man and changes him into a leopard. Yes, but what man? Who? We have not known up to now. Up to now? Look. Blood. Deep beneath your nails. It is an evil disease, Mr. Darman. To bring it here among us is still more evil. But I... I say look here. Do you think I did this? I repeat. Look at your hands. Oh, no, you're wrong. It's Ivan's blood. So it is. But I got it on my hands when I tried to help him. Put him down. Mr. Darman, I do not try to escape. Ivan will be returned to the camp. Our medicine men will heal him. You will go with me now. Where? Your spirit must be destroyed. I have heard the wisdom of our elders, Mr. Darman. You are guilty of the most power seen against us. You must pay the penalty. And you, unfortunate daughter, are equally guilty with him. I cannot plead for you. The law is so written. You have seen two wayara. Tomorrow night, the two of you shall perish. This strong stairway leads to the leopard pit. The two of you go first. Come, Donaldo. Be brave. I'm thinking of you, Ian. Pit is a hundred feet into the earth. We are halfway down now. Look up above us. Good Lord, this pit is immense, huge and round. Yes. Look up there. All the tribespeople of Santilla perched around its ridge, peering down. Yeah, to watch this sacrifice. But how can they see down here? It's pitch dark. We can hardly make our way in the blackness. Soon the full moon will be directly above the pit. It is only when the moon is full that its rays reach here into the pit. And it beans maddened the leopards. Ian, I see the beast now. Two of them. There's a man down there with them, petting them. Look, your father. No. He's a white man. I too am white. But I am not his daughter. He has been king of Santilla for many years. He stole me when I was an infant at Montella. Because he wanted a white princess. Ian, the moon. It's coming over the edge of the pit. The people up there can see us now. You see, the moon rays affect the beasts quickly. Move on down to the pit's bottom. Come, Donado. Ian, there must be some escape for you. I am not afraid, Donado. Oh, isn't there any way to escape? Only one. An impossible one. What does he mean? It has always been a belief that if the prisoners are not truly guilty, the leopards will not harm them. There. The full moon is directly over the pit. I remain here. You too, through this iron gate. Donado. There is only one more gate now. The one that separates us from the animals. Come. Look how that man controls those animals. It is the power of the full moon. Then there is another way out. If we can keep away from the animals until the moon has crossed the pit. Oh no, that would be ours. The leopards will be released upon us any moment. This is as far as we go. I am not afraid. I am not afraid. I am not afraid. Donado, if I could only save you. There is no way. Courage, Donado. No, I am not afraid for myself. Now you die. Now I offer you to the gods. Open the gate. No. Wait, Donado. Look, the moon. Donado. It is gone. Donado. The moon crossed the pit. It is behind the clouds. Oh, Donado. Benefits. My father. They will kill you. Oh, oh, she does. No. No. Donado. Donado. Get back. You have heard the thing from the darkness. Tonight's original tale of dark fantasy by Scott Bishop. Originating in the studios of WKY. Ben Morris was heard tonight as Donald Thurman. Eleanor Naylor-Corin was Princess Iana. Fred Wayne played King Tannasi. And Mure Hype was Yvonne. Next Friday night at the same time, listen to the 21st tale in this series of weird and unusual dark fantasy adventures created for you by Scott Bishop. Next week's story is called The Edge of the Shadow, which tells of a dairy farmer in Vermont of a strange dream that is all too real. And of what this dream finally means in the scheme of his destiny. Tom Paxton speaking, dark fantasy comes to you from Oklahoma City. This is the national broadcasting company.