The delightful "The Sky-Blue Whistling Spark" - part 1 of "The Edge of Evening" (1977) by Nicholas Stuart Gray. The other 4 parts are believed lost. Jackanory (2 BAFTA nominations) was a popular children's series which was originally broadcast between 1965 and 1996. It was designed to stimulate an interest in reading. Jackanory continued to be broadcast until 1996, with around 3,500 episodes in its 30-year run. The stories were made for children, read by actors, with illustrations in the background. A celebrity reads a story, enhancing it in ways that will entice the most restless of children.
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00:30A witch called Huddle lived in a wood in a very damp cottage.
00:38She spent most of her time trying to bring off some strong magic.
00:41She was not bad at working small spells for this and that, mostly slightly nastily,
00:46such as giving people coals or turning milk sour or making horses cast their shoes.
00:51But the really big stuff was beyond her. Mostly she couldn't even get it started.
00:55On the very few occasions she did, the results were unexpected.
00:59A love potion became a shower of bad cabbage water,
01:02a spell for youth and beauty for herself merely turned her hair green.
01:06She was a failure at sorcery and she got crosser and crosser.
01:10What I need, she told herself one day, is a demon,
01:14a nice tame one to be my slave and tell me what to do and how to do it.
01:18Then I'll take my rightful place in the world as a great and evil witch.
01:22She drew a deep breath, unlocked a cupboard and took out her grandmother's book of black magic.
01:28It looked horrible, covered with mould and cobwebs and smelling peculiar.
01:33She had never touched it before. It made her feel faint just to look at it.
01:37But having set her mind on a demon, she gritted her teeth, shuddered a few times and opened it.
01:42She found a chapter on demons. It was frightful.
01:45The book gave a deep groan and made her scream.
01:48But she nerved herself to look again and found a simple sort of spell that she thought she could handle.
01:53Boldness now, said Huddle, egging herself on.
01:56It looks an easy little spell. Let's see how it goes.
01:59If you want a demon slave who will never misbehave,
02:03one as gentle as a mouse, clean and quiet about the house,
02:06efficacious without fuss, you must go about it thus.
02:10And then followed a list of curious things to be used in calling the demon.
02:14Things like soot, salt, seaweed and sesame oil.
02:18There were complicated instructions for preparing these
02:21and a rhymed spell to say for each as it went into the pot.
02:24Lovely, easy, child's play, ha ha ha, said Huddle.
02:28This time it's going to work without any surprises.
02:31But she should have read the rhymes more carefully.
02:34When she'd collected all the components and set them to hand on the table,
02:38she put her biggest pot on the fire.
02:40Carefully consulting the book, she poured, added and mixed in the ingredients,
02:45saying for each its little rhyme as it went in.
02:48This took quite a time.
02:50At last the room began to fill with evil-smelling steam.
02:54Thick, oily little bubbles were forming and popping in the cauldron.
02:58Huddle was too excited to notice how sinister it all looked.
03:01She had a big wooden spoon, and after giving her cooking a good stir,
03:05she licked a splash from her finger.
03:07Although it was steaming and frothing, the stuff seemed as cold as ice.
03:11And the taste!
03:12Eh! cried the witch and fainted.
03:15When she recovered, she sat up and looked about her for a good, quiet demon slave.
03:20She couldn't see across the room for steam,
03:23but from somewhere came a soft laugh.
03:25Huddle nearly fainted again.
03:27Oh, my word! she gasped.
03:29I've done it! I've got one!
03:31The laugh came again. It sounded spiteful.
03:34Some wisps of steam eddied aside,
03:37and there, in the centre of the table, sat a yellow cat.
03:41Who? said Huddle.
03:43Are you, uh, uh, oh, Law?
03:46Cold shivers were running up and down her spine.
03:49The yellow cat was huge, and its eyes shone like green stones, and it laughed.
03:54Don't laugh at me! said Huddle, feebly.
03:57Why not? said the cat.
03:59Who? You can talk?
04:01Naturally, said the cat.
04:03My name is Victor, and when I see something comical, I laugh.
04:08Do you indeed? said the witch, trying to seem bold.
04:11Well, if you're going to be my slave, I won't allow...
04:14Just a moment, interrupted Victor.
04:17Do I look like a slave?
04:19You look like a cat.
04:21And are cats easily enslaved?
04:24I suppose not.
04:26But you're a demon, said Huddle, not a real cat.
04:29I've just done a very strong spell to summon a demon, and you're it.
04:32I'm it, but you've got everything back to front, as usual.
04:37I'm not your slave, dear, said Victor.
04:40You are mine.
04:43Read the first line of the first part of that spell again.
04:46Especially note the position of the first comma.
04:49Hurrying to the book on the table, Huddle looked.
04:53If you want a demon, slave, who will?
04:57She tried to say something and failed.
04:59The cat watched her, smiling.
05:01And suddenly she was overcome by terror.
05:04She rushed to the door, wrenched it open and fled into the night.
05:07Oh, come back, called the cat.
05:10No, never! I won't be a demon, slave, shrieked Huddle.
05:13She ran even faster.
05:15Then came a swirl of wind around her,
05:17and she was back inside the cottage with the door slammed shut.
05:20Let's not be silly, said Victor.
05:23You can never escape.
05:25Now, get me my supper.
05:27Some filleted sole, a bowl of cream.
05:30I'm not fussy about my food as long as it's delicious.
05:33There's nothing like that in my larder, said Huddle.
05:36There is now, said the cat, and there was.
05:39Huddle got his supper.
05:41From then on, she was forced to work very hard.
05:44The cat insisted that she should scrub and dust and wipe-wash the cottage.
05:48He wanted the floors polished and the windows washed.
05:51He demanded new curtains, new cushion covers.
05:53He made Huddle knit him a green and white rug for his bed.
05:56He was fussy about the way his food was served.
05:58He nearly drove the witch into a nervous breakdown.
06:01When he decided the place looked reasonably habitable,
06:04he brought some friends to stay.
06:06There was a white owl called, for some reason, Poodle,
06:09a black rat with red eyes and white whiskers whose name was Avis,
06:13an enormous thin dog with silvery fur
06:15and an iron collar with the name Bertie engraved on it,
06:18and a big beetle who did not seem to be called anything.
06:22Poodle, Bertie, Avis, Victor and the beetle all ate hugely.
06:27The witch really had to slave to look after them.
06:30They all had curious fads and fancies about the methods of cooking and dishing up.
06:34Huddle was tired and miserable.
06:36She was absolutely fed up with a lot of them.
06:39One night, as they lay on the green and white rug,
06:42gorged with food, Huddle put her hands on her hips,
06:45scowled at them and said,
06:47Is there no way to get rid of you?
06:49Get rid of us, they said. Don't you like us?
06:52She gritted her teeth.
06:53I adore you, she said, untruthfully.
06:56But I'd rather live alone, as I used to do. I prefer it.
07:00Really, drawled Victor.
07:02Then why did you summon a demon?
07:04It was a mistake.
07:06The cat looked at her thoughtfully.
07:08Then he said,
07:10There's only one way to free yourself, Draggle.
07:13Huddle, snapped the witch.
07:15Whatever your name is,
07:17your only chance is to find the sky-blue whistling spark, said Victor.
07:22Produce that, and I and all my friends will go like lambs.
07:27Then, would you mind repeating?
07:30Find the sky-blue whistling spark.
07:33The spark for living, the blue for happiness, the whistle for hope.
07:37Not difficult, said the cat, if you know where to look.
07:41But I don't, cried Huddle.
07:43You'll have to tell me where to search for it.
07:46Why should we help, asked Poodle, stretching his wings.
07:48We're happy enough with things as they are, said Avis.
07:51I dare say, snarled the witch, but it won't be that easy for me,
07:54searching the wide world for this sky-blue whatever-it-is.
07:57You won't be searching, smiled Victor.
08:01You'll be staying at home here, looking after us.
08:04You must find another to do your searching, dear.
08:07Her mouth and eyes round with horror, Huddle cried.
08:11Who? Who would do anything for me?
08:13Everyone in the neighbourhood hates me.
08:15They call me a nasty cross old witch.
08:17And aren't you, said the cat.
08:19Huddle gave a sob of despair.
08:21I wanted to be one, she wailed.
08:23I wanted to make people frightened of me.
08:25But now, when I need help so badly...
08:28That's when you need friends, Mrs, said the rat.
08:31The others nudged one another rapturously.
08:34I'll tell you what, said Victor.
08:37I'll give you half an hour to go out and find somebody to help you.
08:41That's a fair offer. A whole half hour.
08:44It's now seven o'clock.
08:46If you're not back by half past to get our supper,
08:49I'll send something utterly horrible to fetch you.
08:52How's that? Oh, dearie, dearie me, wailed Huddle.
08:55And off she went, into the pouring rain and the dark, wet woods,
08:58to find someone, anyone, to help her rid herself of her demon masters.
09:03It was hopeless.
09:05First the woodcutter turned her away, then the gypsies laughed at her,
09:08and women going home glared angrily when she spoke to them.
09:11Keep away from us, you grouchy, quarrelsome thing, shouted one.
09:14The witch sat down on a muddy bank and burst into tears.
09:18She thought of that bunch of demons waiting in her cottage for their food,
09:21about the cooking, the washing up.
09:24She thought how tired and lonely she was, with no friends to pity her.
09:28She cried and cried.
09:30In her misery and through her tears,
09:33she didn't hear the sound of footsteps on the wet ground.
09:36She gasped in surprise when a voice spoke.
09:39What's the matter? it said.
09:41Standing beside her was a rough-looking fellow.
09:43His clothes were ragged, and one of his hands was wrapped in a dirty bandage.
09:47Are you hurt, old dear? said he.
09:49No, I'm not, snarled the witch.
09:51And if you're begging, save yourself the bother.
09:53I've no money for you, and no time to be listening to any lying, hard-luck story.
09:57Don't worry, said the man quietly.
10:00I'm not begging. I'm back from foreign wars, wounded and hungry, but not begging.
10:05I do small jobs at the farms I pass, just for a crust of bread and a glass of ale.
10:10No bread or ale from me, be off, said Huddle spitefully.
10:13No call to speak so unfriendly, said he.
10:16Thought you might be needing help, that's all.
10:19He limped off slowly down the path,
10:21and the witch suddenly realised just what he had said.
10:25She gave a great gasp and ran after him.
10:27Oh, please, oh, please, come back. Please, please stop, she cried.
10:31She caught up with him and whispered,
10:33I'm sorry, forgive me. I'm a nasty, horrible old woman.
10:37She tried to hate me, but I'm in so much trouble.
10:41The man looked at her white face, all streaked with tears and rain.
10:45He saw the marks of temper and pride and conceit round her mouth and eyes.
10:49He saw her thin grey hair and the shaking of skinny hands.
10:53Oh, well.
10:55Tell me all about it, then, he said.
10:58And she blurted out the whole terrible story.
11:01So there it is, she ended.
11:03Now I suppose you'll laugh at me.
11:06Not just because of all the stupid things I've done before,
11:09but for being unkind to you, who was gentle to me.
11:13You poor old woman, said the man.
11:15I'll take you home and see if I can sort things out a bit.
11:18So back they went together to the cottage.
11:21Once inside, the two of them stood and looked at the demons.
11:25The great cat narrowed his eyes at the man.
11:28Aren't you afraid? said Victor, softly.
11:31Yes, said the man.
11:33Of course I am. Demons are terrible things to face, but...
11:37Well, whatever the danger, I'm going to try and get you out of this house.
11:41And how? purred the yellow cat.
11:44There was a pause.
11:46According to Mistress Huddle, said the man, slowly,
11:49it seems there's only one way.
11:52And can you find the way? asked the cat.
11:55Do you know where to look for a sky-blue whistling spark?
11:58Do you, Thomas?
12:00The man looked surprised at the use of his name.
12:03Then he remembered that he was dealing with demons.
12:06He thought deeply for a few minutes while the others watched him.
12:09Then he said, I'm not clever or handsome or wise,
12:13but whatever I can do, that I will do to find this spark
12:17and free the old woman from your power.
12:20Victor laughed softly.
12:22There's only one way for you, Thomas, said he.
12:25You must become my slave, then I'll release Huddle.
12:29There followed a long silence in the cottage.
12:32The fire burned brightly on the hearth,
12:34though not as brightly as the eyes of the demons.
12:37And at last, Thomas nodded his head.
12:40Very well, said he.
12:42At this, Huddle stamped her foot and said she wouldn't allow it.
12:45She touched Thomas's hand gently and smiled at him.
12:48Thank you, my dear, she said, but you shan't do it, no.
12:51They'd run you off your poor feet waiting on them.
12:53I'd rather slave the rest of my life
12:55than have a decent, kind fellow like you saddled with these layabouts.
12:58She marched to the larder door, her head high and angry.
13:02I'll get some food for you, Thomas, lad, said she,
13:05and I'll give you my blessings for what they're worth and my true thanks,
13:08and you can be on your way and think no more of me and my silly problems.
13:12She opened the larder door.
13:14She opened the lid of the bread crock,
13:16and a great blue spark shot across the room,
13:19as blue as a summer sky.
13:21Twice round the room it went, whistling.
13:25And then it turned into a shower of rainbow spangles down the wall.
13:29And one by one, the animals turned into lambs and vanished.
13:34Only the yellow cat still sat on the table, smiling.
13:38Are you sure you want me to go, he said.
13:41Suppose I offer to stay and help you make magic.
13:44No, said Huddle, no more spells and sorcery for me.
13:48I don't want to be a witch.
13:50I'd rather be ordinary and live kindly and have friends.
13:53That's all I needed to know, said Victor.
13:56I'll be on my way.
13:58He turned into a lamb and then disappeared.
14:02Huddle heaved a great sigh of relief.
14:05She turned to Thomas.
14:07Sit by the fire, lad, she told him.
14:09I'll make a nice cup of tea.
14:11But first she got all her magic books, including her grand's,
14:15and dumped them in the middle of the fire.
14:17Then she went to fill the kettle.
14:19Goodbye.
14:23.