Forgotten Television: Peter and the Magic Egg

This review got posted a little too late for Easter, but that is exactly what Peter and the Magic Egg revolves around. Coming from the same people who sold the egg-dying kits for children (PAWS; do you remember them?), the half-hour special sought to bring a little personality to the characters featured on their product covers: a rabbit, lamb, duck, and turtle.

As shows went, Peter and the Magic Egg was odd--but it came during the classic Rankin-Bass films that gave mostly secular explanations to major holidays like Christmas or Easter.

The story takes place on a farm in the countryside, with characters embodying a stereotypical view of amish community. This is made only a little more tragic by the fact the writers warped the language of the farmers. But moving on--the wife and husband are in dire traits because a neighboring farmer named Tobias Tinwhiskers received a mechanical tractor with some inheritance money and used his profits to control the valley where he lived. He owns everything, and nothing pleases him more than teasing other people with his wealth.
So these two farmers ask for help, and a fey woman who is either Titania or Artemis leaves her child (Peter Paws) in their chicken coop.

Peter Paws grows one year per month and uses his magical abilities to help the farmers earn enough money to keep their farm--and to make the farm animals talk and walk like people (another strange feature). They even arrange what is known as the "egg contract" to give eggs to the Easter Rabbit (portrayed as a powerful spirit) in exchange for their monthly land payment.

But eventually, Tinwhiskers grows tired of Peter Paws denying him the satisfaction of watching the farmers suffer, so he carries out a plot that results in Peter Paws falling down a long well.

Peter Paws is alive when they get him out, but lost in a deep coma.

The talking animals go to Titania/Artemis and ask what they can do to awaken Peter, and rather than do it herself (she must have the power), she gives them an egg to hatch and tells them that whatever comes out will cure Peter.

So the animals do just that, and when the egg cracks a stand-up comedian parrot appears--and it turns out that laughter was the only thing that could wake up Peter. Somehow, this also makes Tinwhiskers laugh so much,  he reforms and gives back everyone's farms.

That is pretty much it.