'Chicken' by Oliver Postgate

The Clangers have made a rocket. They set it off and, as all the best rockets do, it bursts in a cloud of beautiful coloured stars. They let off another but this one hits something and of load of assorted metal debris falls on their planet. The Clangers take cover. Then they come out and look at the odd objects. They are obviously all parts of the same thing so they carry the pieces below and assemble it. It assembles into an iron chicken which thanks them cordially and walks away through the caves. Tiny Clanger and Small Clanger take the pole-car to fetch soup. On the way they see the chicken eating the leaves of the copper-trees. They run to tell the Soup-dragon about this. The chicken comes to the soup-wells and with amazing disregard for elementary etiquette starts to drink the soup straight from the soup-well. The soup-dragon beats it clangourously with her wooden spoon but it takes no notice. It rises, thanks them cordially, turns and walks away through the wall.

Small Clanger and Tiny Clanger take home the soup. While they are telling Mother Clanger what they have seen the ceiling cracks and the iron chicken falls in. It lands on their table block and starts to eat their meal of blue string pudding. Major Clanger is angry. He addresses the chicken sternly. It is upset and goes broody. Tiny Clanger brings it a necklace and speaks kind words to it. The chicken is happier. It lays an iron egg and presents it to Tiny Clanger. They walk outside together where the chicken says goodbye and flaps away towards its spiky nest somewhere in the sky.

Original Conception:
Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin

Scenery and Puppets:
Peter Firmin

Music:
Composed by Vernon Elliott

Filming and Editing:
Oliver Postgate

Film Company:
Smallfilms

TX:
30th November 1969 @ 5.55pm

Notes:
*This synopsis is the original outline written by Oliver Postgate for the BBC prior to production, and may differ slightly from the transmitted version.

*The Clangers voices were played on swannee whistles by Oliver Postgate and Stephen Sylvester.