Ship in a Bottle

Bagpuss, Episode 1

By: Oliver Postgate, John Faulkner, Alice Dyson, Sandra Kerr, Peter Firmin

Narrated by: Oliver Postgate

Bagpuss, dear Bagpuss, old fat furry cat-puss, wake up, wake up and look at this thing that I bring...

Bagpuss, created by Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin, is no ordinary cat. He is a saggy, baggy, lovable old cloth cat who lives in a magical shop owned by Emily, a little girl who brings lost or broken things for Bagpuss and his friends to "mend" or understand. When Emily leaves an item in front of Bagpuss, he wakes up, and so do all his friends: Professor Yaffle, the wise but skeptical wooden woodpecker; Madeleine, the kindly rag doll; Gabriel, the banjo-playing toad; and a group of lively, mischievous mice who live in the Marvellous Mechanical Mouse Organ. Together, they bring life to the shop, telling stories, fixing broken things, and uncovering the history of forgotten treasures. Bagpuss's world is a place where imagination, music, and gentle adventure intertwine.

Emily finds a beautiful ship in a bottle. When Bagpuss wakes up, the whole gang jumps in to uncover its mystery. Professor Yaffle explains the history of ships, while Madeleine and Gabriel sing about seafaring adventures. The mice, being their playful selves, imagine the ship sailing through wild seas with pirates and treasure. It's a fun and whimsical tale where imagination takes the crew on a high-seas journey full of excitement and wonder.

©1974 Small Films Ltd (P)2024 Framewood Media Ltd