 Family Theatre presents Jane Wyatt and Charles Davis. It presents Charles Davis in Hayward-Broon's classic, The Fifty-First Dragon, who introduced the drama, Your Hostess, Jane Wyatt. Thank you, Gene Baker. Self-confidence is a priceless gift. Unfortunately, we're not all born with just the right amount. Some people are blessed with an overabundance of this rare virtue, and almost all of us possess it in some degree. However, the hero of Hayward-Broon's story, poor Gawain Lecair Hardy, had none at all. Oh, he had muscles, a plenty, and while he wasn't exactly bright, he wasn't stupid either. He just didn't have any self-confidence. On the other hand, Hayward-Broon, the author of our story, was considered one of the few men with no inhibitions whatsoever. His one great weakness was his inability to retain information. Everything he knew, everything he heard, was passed on to the world, usually in the form of delightful short stories coloured with his wise philosophisings. Perhaps that's why he's regarded as one of the best-loved figures of American journalism. Family theatre, through the cooperation of the Hayward-Broon estate, has found a perfect example of his tongue-in-cheek writing in The Fifty-First Dragon, starring Charles Davis. In the days before the flower of knighthood withered on the vine, the forests and hills of England were fairly overrun with dragons, not the charming bashful kind of dragon, but the huffing-puffing blowtorch type that specializes in roast peasant for breakfast, lunch, and of course dinner. You might think that with so many knight errands clanking around that the dragon population would be pretty scarce, but such was not the case. One just didn't rush out and knock off a couple of dragons before breakfast. A dragon exterminating knight had to take a very special course in the Academy of Knight Errantry. And such a school was the Old Academy of Knight Fighting, located in Northern England. Class is now in session. Now, sir, dear boys, when you charge your opponent, you must remember to keep your lance up and strike his shield squarely. Or else you might break his neck. Yes, sir. About yesterday, sir. I'm sorry. I slipped up there, sir. Will he be all right, sir? Oh, he isn't hurt very much. He only broke five ribs, a collarbone, and one leg. Think nothing of it. Accidents will happen, you know. Yes, sir. Who's to be my opponent today? I think today you will joust with Guain Le Cojardi. Ah! Of all our students, I can spare him most. Good. I've been saving something for him for a long time. But where is he? Guain? Guain Le Cojardi. Oh, that boy will be death of me yet. I think I saw him sneaking into the woodshed, Professor. Ah, yes, of course. His favorite retreat. Guain, come out here this instant and break your neck like a man. What, sir? Come out here. I was only looking for a woodchuck, sir. You can look for them. Embarrand your boy's shield. Now get on that horse. Yes, sir. The wise horse looks bigger than mine, sir. Nonsense. It's only a pony. Now come on. Take your place. Yes, sir. One more thing, sir. All right. What is it? No, and that's final. Are you ready, dear boys? Ready, sir! Then charge. Did I do something wrong, sir? Sir Guain, in this school we wait until we're knocked down. We don't drop our lance and shield, jump up our horse and lie down. What's the difference, sir? I knew I'd wind up down there anyway. Sir Guain, you will report to the principal in the morning. And until that time you're confined to quarters on bread and water. Bout face. Forward, up. Sitting outside, sir. Yes, yes. Before you haven't come in, I'd like to ask you a few questions. Would you please close that door? Yes, sir. Guain, I've been looking over your report on Ker-Hade. Must say it isn't very flattering. I only put down about half the things I could. I run out of paper. Yes, yes. Must do something about the paper shortage. You said he has a very poor memory. What seems to be the trouble? Well, for example, he's the only pupil I have that forgets to put on his armour before it's sword practice. As a result, he spends most of his time in surgeon's office. He misses more classes that way. Must be tough on the head, too. Not only that, but he forgets his own name sometimes. The only thing he doesn't forget is mealtime. How is he with a sword and battle axe? Oh, he's pretty good with them. He's big enough and strong enough to lick his weight in dragons if only at stand and fight. I suppose he'll have to be expelled. Oh, dragons, eh? That gives me an idea. I think I'll train him to slay dragons. He might be killed. So he might, but we must consider the greater good. We are responsible for the formation of this lad's character. Are the dragons particularly bad this year? I've never known them worse. Up in the hills to the south, last week, they killed a number of peasants. What's worse, they killed two cows and a prized pig. And if this dry spell holds, there's no telling when they may start a forest fire by weaving around indiscriminately. Would there be any refund on the tuition fee in case of an accident to Young Carhardy? No, no, that's all covered in the contract. As a matter of fact, he won't be killed. Before I send him up in the hills, I'm going to give him a magic word. That's a good idea. Sometimes they work wonders. But you better make it strong. If he isn't any better at slaying dragons than he is just at jousting. He's going to need a string of magic words as long as you're armed. From that day on, Gawain specialized in dragons. His course included both theory and practice. In the morning, there were long lectures on the history and anatomy and manners and customs of dragons. Gawain did not distinguish himself in these studies. Instead, he merely proved again that he had a marvelous talent for forgetting things. In the afternoon, he showed a better advantage. For then, he'd go to the south meadow and practice with sword and battle axe. Harry! Yes, Young Carhardy seems to be coming along that way. He chopped the head off that wooden dragon in one strike. He looks positively ferocious when he charges. Oh, he's developed quite a temper. Well, there's one thing I can't understand. Oh, Young Carhardy, what is it? I've noticed that when it starts to get dark, he doesn't charge quite as fast, nor shout quite as loudly. You don't suppose those long shudders scare him, do you? Yeah, nonsense. It's just that he can't see as well in the dark. Anyway, I think he's about ready for the crucial test. Last night, a dragon actually ate some of the prize letters from the school garden. Is that right? I think you'd better bring him to my office tomorrow and I'll present him with a diploma and a new battle axe. Don't forget the magic word. Oh, yes, yes, yes. And a new magic word. Young Carhardy to see you, sir. Oh, yes, yes, show him in and close the door as you leave. Yes, sir. Come in, Carhardy. Sit down, sit down, my boy. Here, have a cigarette. I know it is, but after all, you've received your preliminary degree. You're no longer a boy, my boy. You're a man. Tomorrow you will go out into the world, the great world of achievement. Besides, I get them for nothing. Thank you, sir. Match? I have one. You have? I must check up on those rules. However, here you have learned the theories of life. But after all, life is not a matter of theories. Life is a matter of facts. Your problem, for example, is to slay dragons. Oh, they say those dragons down in the south would have 500 feet long. Stephen Lonson's, the curate sawman last week from the top of Arthur's Hill. He didn't have an opportunity to look at him very long. He felt it was his duty to make a report to me. He said the monster, or shall I say, the big lizard, wasn't an inch over 200 feet. Only 200 feet? But the size has nothing at all to do with it. Oh, it hasn't. You'll find the big ones even easier than the little ones. They're far slower on their feet and less aggressive, I'm told. Well, I still don't know that. Besides, before you go, I'm going to equip you in such fashion that you need to have no fear of all the dragons in the world. I'd like an enchanted cap, sir. A what? An enchanted cap. What is an enchanted cap? A cap to make me disappear. You mustn't believe in all those old wives' stories. There isn't any such thing. Well, I read some with... A cap to make you disappear, indeed. What would you do with it? Well, I... You haven't even appeared yet. Why, my boy, you could walk from here to London and nobody would so much as look at you. You're nobody. You couldn't be more invisible than that. But the dragons have got real good eyes. They'll see me. Don't worry, my boy. I'll give you something much better than an enchanted cap. I'm going to give you a magic word. A magic word? That's right. All you have to do is repeat this magic charm once, and no dragon can possibly harm a hair of your head. You can cut off his head at your leisure. Can one little old word do that? A word I'll give you can. Now, let's see now. I've got a book of magic charms here somewhere. Oh, there it is. Give me a hand here, my boy. Yes. It's kind of heavy, isn't it? Kind of dusty, too. We haven't had to use it much lately. What kind of a word will it be? Sometimes the charm is a whole phrase or even a sentence. But I think a single word would be best for dragons. A short word? It can't be too short or it wouldn't be potent. There isn't so much hurry as all that. Heh, as she now. Heh, here's a splendid word. Rumpelsnitz. Rumpelsnitz? Rumpelsnitz. Rumpelsnitz. Do you think you can learn it? Well, I'm not so sure. It's a pretty tough word. Heh, you go ahead and say it over a few dimes to yourself. Rumpelsnitz. Rumpelsnitz. What did you say I was? Rumpelsnitz. Oh, yes, yes. Rumpelsnitz. Rumpelsnitz. Are you sure that if I say Rumpelsnitz, the dragon can't possibly hurt me? Heh, if you only say Rumpelsnitz, the dragon can't possibly touch you? Rumpelsnitz. Rumpelsnitz. Rumpelsnitz. Rumpelsnitz. Hard morning, Wayne seemed resigned to his career. After repeating the magic word several thousand times, he seemed to have it firmly entrenched in his vocabulary, if not in his brain. There were, of course, short relapses when he had to be reprimed by the headmaster. But at daybreak, he was led somewhat reluctantly to the edge of the forest. Be that cloud of steam over there. You mean that great big cloud over to the southwest? Nonsense, it's only a small cloud, probably made by a very old dragon with rheumatism. What was that magic word again? Rumpelsnitz. That steam looks a little closer. Goodbye. Goodbye. I never get to a battle, X. That steam does look a little closer. I wonder if I should charge at him the way I did when I was practicing. No, no, I think I'm going to see him soon enough as it is. I guess the best thing would be for me to walk slowly, saying Rumpelsnitz, Rumpelsnitz all the way. Rumpelsnitz, Rumpelsnitz. Uh-oh. Here I go. What was that word? I did it. I did it. Say that was even easier than the wooden ones. That sure is a good word. If I had time to say it more than once, he probably would have dropped dead by himself. Boy, he sure is a big one. First I'll cut off his ears. Then I'll chop off his tail. He must be a mile long. Wait till the gang at school see this. At home, both the dragon's ears and a small section of the tail, his schoolmates and even the faculty were very much surprised, to say the least. They were all for throwing a big party, but the headmaster would have none of it. That's spoiled, the boy. And besides, he has work to do in the morning. A large dragon was seen today in the North Ridge. It isn't killed. It might steam up the whole countryside. It will be your job to keep the dragons out of our valley. Every clear day, Gwane rose at dawn and went out to slay dragons. The headmaster kept him at home when it rained because the woods were damp and unhealthy. After all, we don't want the boy to take needless risks. But few good days passed in which Gwane failed to slay a dragon. Here are some more ears, sir. Another tail, sir. Here's another metal, my boy. But don't bring me any more tails. Only the ears. Now, as Gwane's record of killings mounted higher, the headmaster found it impossible to keep him completely in hand. He fell into the habit of stealing out at night and engaging in long drinking bouts at the village tavern. Come on. Aren't you ever afraid? Me? Nah. Not even when a great big old dragon breathes fire and smoke at you? Nah. Not even when they charge about 100 miles an hour? Nah. My, but you must be brave. Are all those metals for bravery? Yup. What's this great big one for? Number 25. How many have you killed so far? Only about 49. You'll get number 50 tomorrow? Yup. Do you always wear your metals? Yup. Even when you're slaying dragons? Yup. But don't they weigh an awful lot? Oh, about eight pounds, I guess. Don't they get in the way when you swing your battle axe? Nah. Waiter, bring us another bottle of champagne. Oh, champagne? Yup. I like to hear the pork cup, uh, carp pork, uh, pork lop, uh, it tickles my nose. How long does it take to slay a dragon? I can knock off a dragon like, like, like... Well, quicker than you can say rumpers... rump, rump, rump. It ain't easy. Show me how you do it. Can't. Why not? No dragon. We can pretend that this, this is the dragon, and you can see him from, from over there in the corner. Okay. Where's my axe? I'm gonna get me another dragon. Here it is. Now you go over there and I'll make a noise like a dragon. Wait, he's gonna get another dragon. Which post is it? This big one in the middle of the floor. I'll cut that old dragon's head off with one whack. Here I come. For the cause of it, you and your dragons, someday you're going to miss, and then you'll be dragon soup, and I hopes it's soon. A little before dawn, Wayne Rose donned his medals and started after his 50th dragon. His head was heavy and his mind sluggish. His medals fell as though they weighed 80 pounds instead of 8. And just as he was beginning to wish he'd left them home, still pinned to himself, he spied a dragon in the very same medal where he killed the first one. I wonder if he sees me yet. Guess not, he isn't even looking. Must be an old dragon. I'll holler at him and when he charges, swap off goes his head. Hey, hey, you old dragon, come and get me. Well, if that's the way you feel about it, I come and get you. Why don't you charge like the other dragons? What's the use? You're going in the core heart, aren't you? Yep. These dragons know all about you. You do? We know it's no use to fight back. You've got an enchantment. Yep, I've got a magic word. Oh, so that's it. You know it doesn't seem quite sporting to me, all this magic stuff. It's not cricket. As I used to say when I was a little dragon. But after all, that's a matter of opinion. Would you mind sticking your neck out so I can get a good swing of my axe? Not at all. Not at all. How's this? Fine. Now for my magic word. Rump. Rump. Rump. Uh, uh. That seems to be the trouble. I've forgotten the magic word. Oh, no, that's too bad. Could I possibly be of any assistance to you? I don't know. Come, come, my boy. Don't be alarmed. What's the first letter of the magic word? It begins with an R. An R? Now let me see. It doesn't tell us much, does it? Is it an epa-fect, do you think? Uh, uh, uh, uh. Why, of course, reactionary Republican. Oh, that's not it. Well, now let me see. Let me see. How about a hippocamp epa-ma-fluss camellus? Oh, that should stop anything cold. No? Well, then, well, then, we better get down to business. Will you surrender? Well, what will you do if I surrender? I'll eat you. And if I don't surrender, I'll eat you just as soon as possible. Doesn't make any difference, does it? Just me. I'd rather you didn't surrender. You'd taste much better if you didn't. Why? Because, you see, if you didn't surrender, you'd die game. Oh, you get that. You'd die game. Oh, it's not funny, eh? Well, you'd better think of that magic word and quick, because here I come. I've got it. Well, anyway. Oh, I didn't say it. I didn't say rumple-snitz and cut off his head anyway. I didn't say it. Oh, wait till I tell the headmaster about this. Why didn't you say the magic word? I forgot it. I don't suppose there's any doubt that you did kill that dragon. Oh, no, sir. His head sailed at least 100 yards. That's what's so funny. My best record before, even with the magic words, was only 25 yards. I'm glad you found out. It makes you ever so much more a hero. Don't you see that? No. Now you know that it was you that killed all those dragons and not that foolish word, rumple-snitz. There wasn't any magic word at all? Of course not. You ought to be too old for such foolishness. There isn't any such thing as a magic word. But you told me it was magic. You said it was magic and now you say it isn't. It isn't magic in a literal sense, but it's much more wonderful than that. Confidence. It took away your fears. Why, if I hadn't told you that, you might have been killed the very first time. It was your battle acts did the trick. If I hadn't hit up almighty hard and fast, any one of them might have crushed me like a... Egg shell? Like a egg shell. Yup, just like egg shell. Egg shell. Just like egg shell. Yup. Go in. Go in. Go in. Come back here. Come back here. What's the matter with Uncle Hardy? It passed me much in something about an egg shell. I just found out there isn't any magic word. You did? Poor boy. Is he going to quit? Of course not. He'll be all right once he gets a couple of more dragons under his belt. He's going out after dragons tomorrow if I have to drag him all the way. Or at least, most of the way. Next day was clear, but Wayne did not get up at dawn. Indeed, it was almost noon by the time the headmaster found him cowering in bed with the covers pulled over his head. He called the professor and together they dragged the boy toward the forest. There's one down there. Yes. Obviously only a small one judging by the small cloud of steam. Like egg shell. Can't you say something else? Like egg shell. No, no, never mind now. Here's your battle axe. It would be a shame to stop such a fine run. Why, counting that one yesterday, you've got 50 dragons. Now get down there and make it 51. Yes, sir. Number 51. Like egg shell. Yes, sir. Just like egg shell. No. You know that boy worries me. I think, oh, excuse me. Wait for me, wait for me. Wayne did not come back that night or the next. In fact, he never came back. Some weeks afterwards, brave spirits from the school explored the thicket. But they could find nothing to remind them of Wayne except the metal parts of his metals. Even the ribbons had been devoured. And accordingly, these were gathered up and with 50 pairs of dragons' ears were mounted on a great shield and hung in the Hall of Fame. Students, do take a good look. If you can do as well as the test. What did he do? Jane wired again. In tonight's fantasy, Hayward Broome showed what power faith, misplaced or unreal, though it was, can exert on a man's confidence. Until he forgot the magic word, the Wayne felt himself invincible. You might say, this is improbable. Magic words are for children and you would be right. But all of us need something real upon which we can rely. Something that will encourage us and give us strength. Something in which we have faith. And that is the purpose of this program. To convince you that the greatest encouragement, the greatest strengthener is faith in God. Faith in God expressed in prayer to him. This is faith that is not based upon our childish magic formula. Turning to God as a family prayer is the real way to achieve happiness and confidence. It's the true way to experience what we've experienced. A family that prays together, stays together. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. Howard McNeer and Daphne O'Callaghan. This adaptation of Hayward Brune's classic was written by Robert Hecker with music composed and conducted by Harry Zimmerman and was directed for Family Theater by Jaime Del Valle. Our Family Theater broadcasts are made possible by the thousands of you who felt the need for this type of program, by the mutual network which has responded to this need and by the hundreds of stars of stage, screen and radio who have so unselfishly given of their time and talent to the Family Theater stage. To them and to you, our humble thanks. This is Gene Baker expressing the wish of Family Theater that the blessing of God may be upon you and your home and inviting you to join us next week at this time when Family Theater will present Jimmy Gleason and Bobby Driscoll in Mahoney's Lucky Day. Join us, won't you?