VT - The Wind in the Willows (Part 6)

[Scene switches to back at Toad Hall, where the Weasels and the Stoats are still partying and making a mess of the
place. Outside, Mole peeks in the window, horrified at what he's seeing.]

Mole: I must tell Rat!

[Mole leaves Toad Hall after that, while the Weasels and the Stoats still resume partying. Scene switches to Mole
meeting up with Rat.]

Rat: Mole, did you find any sign of Toad?

Mole: I haven't, Rat, but I've got more bad news. The Weasels are still occupying Toad Hall.

Rat: This is dreadful. There must be an explanation as to how those Weasels took control of Toad Hall, but what?

[Badger comes up to Rat and Mole after that.]

Rat: Oh, Badger, thank goodness you've come! Did you find Toad?

Badger: I'm sorry, you two, but I haven't. But I did find out the reason for the Weasels living in Toad Hall.

Rat: Well, don't hold out on us, Badger. Tell us!

Badger: I'm going to! Don't rush me! (sighs) This is what I saw.

[A flashback starts up from earlier, showing Badger still looking for Toad, after having split up from Rat
and Mole.]

Badger: (V/O) When we were still looking for Toad, I looked to see those sneaky weasels come by.

[Badger looks up to see one of the Weasels come by, towards the direction of Toad Hall.]

Badger: That's strange. Why is that weasel heading towards Toad Hall?

Badger: (V/O) I went to follow after one of the Weasels, but I was careful not to be spotted.

[Badger continues covertly following Weasel # 3, until Weasel # 3 arrives at Toad Hall and comes in through
the door, while Badger covertly comes up to the window, which is slightly open. Badger looks in the window
to see Weasel # 3 meet up with the Lead Weasel and Weasel # 2.]

Weasel # 3: You're gonna be happy when I tell you this, boss. Toad is still in prison.

Lead Weasel: (chuckles) I knew that my plan to get Toad out of the way would work. By tricking him into signing
this deed to Toad Hall by disguising it as a lease form for that motorcar that we stole, then the police will
mistake him for being the motorcar thief and throw him in prison, while we're free to live in Toad Hall for
however long that we like!

[Badger has heard everything, surprised when he realizes that the Weasels tricked Toad into buying a stolen
motorcar.]

Badger: (quietly) Oh dear, I knew that Toad would get into trouble if he didn't stop his reckless ways. Rat
and Mole have to know about this.

[Badger leaves Toad Hall after that, so that he can find Rat and Mole. The flashback then ends after that as
Badger finishes his explanation.]

Badger: So, you see, the Weasels tricked Toad into buying a stolen motorcar, and that caused him to get
thrown into prison. This is what I was trying to tell him about the dangers of recklessness, but he didn't
listen.

Rat: Oh dear, that's quite dreadful indeed, Badger. Hopefully, the time that Toad spent in prison made him
realize just how bad his recklessness is.

Toad: (Off-screen) You bet it did, Rat!

[Rat, Mole, and Badger become surprised when they hear Toad's voice, before they turn to see Toad coming up
to them.]

All: Toad!

[The trio run up to Toad, happy that he's alright.]

Rat: Oh, Toad, thank goodness you're alright!

Mole: But how did you escape from prison?

Toad: Fortunately for me, the Jailer's Daughter was able to help me escape from prison, because get this,
she actually knew the identity of the thieves that stole the motorcar, it was the Weasels!

Rat: We know, Toad, Badger told us.

Badger: Yep, I heard everything that the Weasels said, about how they tricked you into signing a lease form
that was actually a deed in disguise to get you to hand over Toad Hall to them. I hope you now understand
why being reckless is not a good thing, Toad.

[Toad bows his head in shame after that.]

Toad: I'm sorry for not listening to you, Badger, and I'm especially sorry for my reckless ways. You were
right all along, recklessness is one of the many bad things that God frowns upon.

Mole: I can bet.

Toad: I didn't understand why being reckless is not good, but now I do. The only thing I ask for now is
your forgiveness.

[Rat, Mole, and Badger look at each other, knowing that this time, Toad really is being sincere about
not being reckless anymore.]

Badger: Well, Toad, after hearing your words renouncing your recklessness, we are inclined to forgive you.

Rat: Most assuredly.

Mole: You got it, Toad.

Toad: (sighs happily) Thank you, good friends. You have no idea how happy it makes me feel to be forgiven
for my recklessness.

[Toad then gives his friends a hug, as they also hug him back. After Toad has finished hugging, Badger
then realizes something.]

Badger: Wait a minute, Toad. Since you escaped from prison, wouldn't the guards notice that you're gone?

Toad: Don't worry about a thing, Badger. The Jailer's Daughter was able to make a pillow dummy of me to
fool the guards until the true thieves are caught.

[Scene switches to back at the prison cell, where the pillow dummy of Toad is still sitting on the prison
bunk, at the same time that the Jailer approaches the cell.]

Jailer: Well, Toad, I hope you're thinking about what you've done, because you've got a whole twenty years
to do that.

[The dummy doesn't respond.]

Jailer: Didn't you hear what I said?

[The dummy still doesn't respond. The Jailer then opens the prison cell after unlocking it to approach the
dummy.]

Jailer: Toad, when I ask you a question, I expect you to answer it!

[The dummy suddenly falls over, landing on a bowl of water that was on the floor, causing the paint to wash
off the dummy, revealing it as a pillow.]

Jailer: This isn't Toad! This is a pillow! Toad has escaped!

[Down the hall, the Jailer's Daughter stops when she hears the Jailer say this.]

Jailer's Daughter: Oh no, father has discovered the dummy.

[Scene switches to back with Toad, Badger, Rat, and Mole.]

Toad: The dummy should fool the guards long enough. But enough talk, I've come back to take back Toad Hall
from those weasels!

Badger: That's what we also intend to do, Toad, but recklessly charging into battle without a second thought
is not the way to do it.

Rat: Most definitely not. It involves a plan of cunning, careful thinking, and strategic tactics.

Mole: I'm in, I guess. Stealth is my thing, being a mole, after all.

Toad: Thank you, good friends. With all of us together, there is no way that those Weasels will stand a chance
against us now!

Badger: Exactly, Toad. Now listen closely, friends. If we are to fight back against the Weasels for possession
of Toad Hall, we need to find a way in without the Weasels knowing. Fortunately, there is a secret entrance
that leads to one of the outer halls of the mansion.

[The four friends then gather together to discuss the plan to take back Toad Hall from the Weasels.]