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The Children of Green Knowe - Episode 3 shown Wednesday 10th December 1986 at 17:05 on BBC1 and repeated on Sunday 14th December 1986 12:20 BBC2
Back at house Tolly is playing with the toys when the dominos fall over. Tolly tries to stop a marble but is pushed away. Whilst looking at an old book, a pair of hands cover his eyes but when he tries to look, the hands have gone. Tolly is really upset that no one will play with him and runs off to get Gran. She tells him that she too has seen them from time to time.
Granny asks if he would like a bedtime story. She begins the tale of a time when some horse thieves tried to steal Feste from the stables. During a very cloudy and dark night some gypsies arrived on the estate and went in search of horses. The gypsy man was called Black Ferdie (he also went by the name of Tom) and his mother was called Petronella. Black Ferdie claimed to be the best horse breaker in the land as well as boasting to be the best horse rider. The two gypsies had been spying on the house for some time. They found Feste and The Chestnut in their stables but got a little more than they bargained for as the horses went beserk and kicked out at the intruders. All the noise alerted the House staff to the problem and they came out to see what was wrong. The gypsies were caught. Black Ferdie was found guilty and sent to Australia. Mrs. Oldknow refuses to tell Tolly what happened to the mother gypsy.
Tolly is awakened by an owl at his bedroom window. He sees a small child go towards the window the try and get the owl. For the first time Tolly has seen one of the ghost children. He wakes up the next morning only to find that it has been snowing. Everywhere is covered in a white blanket. Tolly goes outside and out into the woods. He moves through the woods to a small enclosure. There he finally meets Toby, Alexander and Linnet who are sat on the ground with some animals. Alexander is playing the flute, whilst Toby is playing with a small mouse. Linnet has a rabbit called Watt which she hands to Tolly.
As the children play with the animals, a nosey peacock arrives which makes them all laugh. When Tolly turns around, the children have vanished. He then heads back to Grans for tea. Gran is playing the old wooden flute of Toby's. He tells her about the deer, the Peacock and the other animals. She gives him the flute to play and even though he has never played one, he instantly plays a tune. she remarks that Tolly certainly has Alexander's music in him. She asks if he would like a story. He asks for one about Alexander - this is different to the order in the book as Linnet should have her story here instead.
The Oldknows are visiting friends and stop off at Greatchurch to enjoy the sights. Alexander is quite taken back by the size and of the music being played. He starts to sing and his voice resonates around the building.
I call, I call, I call
Gabriel, Gabriel, Gabriel
Suddenly a man appears and shouts after Alexander and then runs after him. The man thinks Alexander has the voice of an angel and wants Alexander to take the place of one of his singers who is sick. The man introduces himself as Gabriel Mctavish and he was to produce the masque Cupid and Death, which was to be presented before the King. Captain and Mother Oldknow cannot refuse as they would get free tickets to the play and a chance to see / meet the King. At the Palace, Alexander sings beautifully as Mercury in a small play. The King asks for him to come forward. The King wants to give him a reward. Alexander asks for a flute. the King grants his request and gives him a flute. The King then asks him to play, Alexander is reluctant as he has never been taught. however he suddenly starts to play a tune.
The story ends and Tolly is again awake. He leaves the grounds and into the woods looking for the children. He again heads for the small enclosure to find the three children. All three of them are there again. Tolly asks about their mother but the children say she is in heaven and does not mind them coming down to play. Tolly asks if they have seen the old tall tree near the boating lake. Linnet thinks Toby means Old Green Knowe but Toby warns her to stay away from Tolly. Linnet then starts to sing a little rhyme
Green Noah
Demon Tree
Evil fingers
Can't catch me
Tolly then looks away for a split second and the children are gone again. He sees a small chain on the ground and picks it up. He walks away repeating Linnet's little song about the demon tree.
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