Guard: Who goes there?
Arthur: It is I, Arthur, son of Uther Pendragon, from the castle of Camelot. King of the Britons, Defeater of the Saxons, Sovereign of all England!
Guard: Pull the other one!
Arthur: I am. And this is my trusty servant Patsy. We have ridden the length and breadth of the land in search of Knights who will join me in my court at Camelot. I must speak with your lord and master.
Guard: What, ridden on a horse?
Arthur: Yes.
Guard: You're using coconuts!
Arthur: What?
Guard: You've got two empty halves of coconut and you're banging 'em together.
Arthur: So? We have ridden since the snows of winter covered this land, through the kingdom of Mercia, through —
Guard: Where'd you get the coconuts?
Arthur: We found them.
Guard: Found them? In Mercia?! The coconut's tropical!
Arthur: What do you mean?
Guard: Well, Mercia's a temperate zone!
Arthur: The swallow may fly south with the sun, and the house martin or the plover may seek warmer climes in winter, yet these are not strangers to our land.
Guard: ... Are you suggesting that coconuts migrate?
Arthur: Not at all. They could be carried.
Guard: What?! A swallow carrying a coconut?!
Arthur: He could grip it by the husk!
Guard: It's not a question of where he grips it! It's a simple matter of weight ratios! A five-ounce bird could not carry a one-pound coconut!
Arthur: Well it doesn't matter! Will you go and tell your master that Arthur from the Court of Camelot is here?
Guard: Listen, in order to maintain air-speed velocity, a swallow needs to beat its wings forty-three times every second, right?
Arthur: PLEASE!
Guard: Am I right?
Arthur: I'm not interested!
2nd Guard: It could be carried by an African swallow!
Guard: Oh, yeah, an African swallow maybe, but not a European swallow, that's my point.
2nd Guard: Oh, yeah, I agree with that.
Arthur: Will you ask your master if he wants to join my Court at Camelot?!
Guard: But then, of course, the African swallow is non-migratory, so they wouldn't be carrying a coconut anywhere.
2nd Guard: Wait a minute! Supposing two European swallows carried it together?
Guard: No, they'd have to have it on a line.
2nd Guard: Simple! They'd just use a strand of creeper!
Guard: Held under the dorsal guidance feathers?
2nd Guard: Well why not?!
[By now, Arthur and Patsy have walked away.]
Dead Collector: Bring out yer dead. [Hits gong]
Large Man: Here's one.
Dead Collector: Ninepence.
Old Man: I'm not dead!
Dead Collector: What?
Large Man: Nothing. Here's your ninepence.
Old Man: I'm not dead!
Dead Collector: 'Ere, he says he's not dead.
Large Man: Yes he is.
________________________________________
Large Man: Well, he will be soon, he's very ill.
Old Man: I'm getting better!
Large Man: No you're not, you'll be stone dead in a moment.
Dead Collector: Well, I can't take him like that. It's against regulations.
Old Man: I don't want to go on the cart!
Large Man: Oh, don't be such a baby.
________________________________________
Large Man: Well, when's your next round?
Dead Collector: Thursday.
Old Man: I think I'll go for a walk.
Large Man: You're not fooling anyone, you know. Isn't there anything you could do?
Old Man: I feel happy. I feel happy.
[The Dead Collector glances up and down the street furtively, then silences the Old Man with a whack of his club]
Large Man: Ah, thanks very much.
Dead Collector: Not at all. See you on Thursday.
Arthur: Old woman!
Dennis: MAN!
Arthur: Old man, sorry. What knight lives in that castle over there?
Dennis: I'm 37.
Arthur: What?
Dennis: I'm 37, I'm not old!
Arthur: Well, I can't just call you "man".
Dennis: You could say "Dennis".
Arthur: I didn't know you were called Dennis.
Dennis: Well you didn't bother to find out, did you?
Arthur: I did say I'm sorry about the "old woman" thing, but from behind you looked...
Dennis: What I object to is you automatically treatin' me like an inferior.
Arthur: Well, I am king.
Dennis: Oh, king, eh? Very nice. And how'd you get that, then? By exploiting the workers! By hanging on to outdated imperialist dogma which perpetuates the economic and social differences in our society! If there's ever going to be any progress...
________________________________________
Arthur: How do you do, good lady? I am Arthur, king of the Britons. Whose castle is that?
Dennis' Mother: King of the who?
Arthur: The Britons.
Dennis' Mother: Who are the Britons?
Arthur: Well, we are. You are all Britons and I am your king.
Dennis' Mother: I didn't know we had a king. I thought we were an autonomous collective.
Dennis: You're fooling yourself. We're living in a dictatorship! A self-perpetuating autocracy in which the working class...
Dennis' Mother: Oh there you go, bringing class into it again!
Dennis: But that's what it's all about! If only people would realise...
Arthur: Please, please, good people. I am in haste. Who lives in that castle?
Dennis' Mother: No one lives there.
Arthur: Then who is your lord?
Dennis' Mother: We don't have a lord.
________________________________________
Dennis: I told you. We're an anarcho-syndicalist commune. We take it in turns to act as sort-of-executive officer for the week...
Arthur: Yes.
Dennis: ... But all the decisions of that officer have to be ratified at a special biweekly meeting...
Arthur: Yes, I see.
Dennis:... by a simple majority, in the case of purely internal affairs...
Arthur: [getting bored] Be quiet.
________________________________________
Arthur: Be quiet! I order you to be quiet!
Dennis' Mother: Order, eh? Who does he think he is?
Arthur: I am your king!
Dennis' Mother: Well I didn't vote for you.
________________________________________
Arthur: The Lady of the Lake,... [Angel chorus begins singing in background] her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite, held aloft Excalibur from the bosom of the water signifying by Divine Providence that I, Arthur, was to carry Excalibur. [Angel chorus ends] THAT is why I am your king!
Dennis: Listen. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.
Arthur: Be QUIET!
Dennis: You can't expect to wield supreme executive power just 'cause some watery tart threw a sword at you!
________________________________________
Arthur: Shut up, will you?! SHUT UP! [Grabs Dennis and shakes him]
Dennis: Ah, now we see the violence inherent in the system!
Arthur: Shut up!
Dennis: Oh! Come and see the violence inherent in the system! HELP, HELP, I'M BEING REPRESSED!
Arthur: BLOODY PEASANT!!
Dennis: Oh, what a giveaway. Did you hear that? Did you hear that, eh? That's what I'm on about! Did you see him repressing me? You saw it, didn't you?
Bedevere: What makes you think that she is a witch?
Mr Newt: What, she turned me into a newt!
Bedevere: A newt?
[pause]
Mr Newt: I got better.
Bedevere: And that, my liege, is how we now know the Earth to be banana-shaped.
Arthur: This new learning amazes me, Sir Bedevere! Explain again how sheep's bladders may be employed to prevent earthquakes...
Bedevere: Certainly, sir.
Lancelot: Look, my liege!!!
[A magnificent castle stands before them.]
Arthur: Camelot....
Galahad: Camelot!
Lancelot: Camelot...
Patsy: It's only a model.
Arthur: Shh! Knights, I welcome you to your new home. Let us ride... to... Camelot!
________________________________________
Knights: We're knights of the round table
We dance whene'er we're able
We do routines
And chorus scenes
With footwork im-pec-able
We dine well here in Camelot
We eat ham and jam and spam-a-lot.
We're Knights of the Round Table
Our shows are for-mid-able
Though many times
We're given rhymes
That are quite un-sing-able
We're opera-mad in Camelot
We sing from the diaphragm-a-lot!
In war we're tough and able
Quite in-de-fat-i-gable
Between our quests
We sequin vests
And impersonate Clark Gable
It's a busy life in Camelot.
Solo Knight: I have to push the pram-a-lot.
________________________________________
Arthur: No, on second thought, let's not go to Camelot. 'Tis a silly place.
All: Right.
[Arthur and the Knights arrive at a castle.]
Arthur: Hello? [long silence] Hello!
[A guard appears. He speaks with a French accent.]
Frenchman: 'Allo! Whoo ez eet?
Arthur: It is King Arthur, and these are my Knights of the Round Table. Whose castle is this?
Frenchman: Zis is the castle of my master, Guy de Loembard.
Arthur: Go and tell your master that we have been charged by God with a sacred quest. If he will give us food and shelter for this night, he can join us in our Quest for the Holy Grail.
Frenchman: Well, I'll ask him, but I don't zink he'll be very keen... Uh, he's already got one, you see.
Arthur: What?
Galahad: He says they've already got one!
Arthur: Are you sure he's got one?
Frenchman: Oh, yes, it's very nice-a. [to other Frenchmen] I told him we already got one. [they snicker in a very French manner]
Arthur: Well, uh... Can we come up and have a look?
Frenchman: Of course not! You are English types.
Arthur: Well, what are you then?
Frenchman: I'm French! Why do you zink I have zis outrageous accent, you silly king?!
Galahad: What are you doing in England?
Frenchman: Mind your own business!
Arthur: [sternly] If you do not show us the Grail, we shall take your castle by force!
Frenchman: You don't frighten us, English pig-dogs! Go and boil your bottoms, sons of a silly person! I blow my nose at you, so-called Ah-thoor Keeng, you and all your silly English K-nnnnnnnniggits! [makes taunting gestures at them]
Galahad: What a strange person.
Arthur: Now look here, my good man —
Frenchman: I don't want to talk to you no more, you empty-headed animal food trough wiper! I fart in your general direction! Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!
[pause]
Galahad: Is there someone else up there we could talk to?
Frenchman: A-no! Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time-a!
[slight pause]
Arthur: Now this is your last chance. I've been more than reasonable...
Frenchman: [speaks in French to another Frenchman] Fetchez la vache.
2nd Frenchman: Quoi?
Frenchman: Fetchez la vache!
[Yet another Frenchman is seen preparing a cow for something. Arthur is still speaking outside.]
Arthur: If you do not agree with my commands, then I shall —
[The cow whizzes through the air with a loud BOING!]
Arthur: JESUS CHRIST!
[The cow squashes one of the "horses".]
Arthur: Right! [draws sword] CHARGE!!!
[The Knights charge at the French castle. The French drop more animals on them, and a battle begins.]
Frenchman: Yeah, this one is for your mother! There you go! And this one's for your dad!
[The Knights quickly lose courage.]
Arthur: Run away!
Knights: Run away! Run away!...
[Arthur and the Knights retreat and hide behind a ridge of land near the woods. The French jeer after them.]
Lancelot: Fiends, I'll tear them apart!
Arthur: [stops him] No, no.
Bedevere: [to Arthur] Sir? I have a plan, sir...
[Fade to black.]
[edit] The French Rabbit
[The Frenchman is still on guard-duty. He hears a series of strange noises from the woods, including saws, bangs, drills and even a yowling cat and a whimpering dog. Unseen by him, Bors, Ector and Gawain, aided by the "horses", push a large wooden rabbit they have built to the door of the castle. Arthur and the others watch from behind the ridge.]
French Soldiers: [open the door and see the rabbit]
C'est un lapin, lapin de bois.
Quoi?
Un cadeau.
What?
A present.
Oh, un cadeau.
Oui, oui.
Allons-y
What?
Let's go.
[They come out and push the rabbit inside the castle.]
Arthur: [to Bedevere] What happens now?
Bedevere: Well, Lancelot, Galahad, and I wait until nightfall, and then leap out of the rabbit, taking the French by surprise. Not only by surprise, but totally unarmed!
Arthur: ... Who leaps out?
Bedevere: [slowly realises] ...Uh — uh, Lancelot, Galahad, and I, uh, leap out of the rabbit, uh, and uh...
Arthur: [in despair] Ohh...
Bedevere: Oh. Um, look, if we built this large wooden badger — [Arthur whacks him]
[Suddenly, the rabbit flies through the air with a BOING!]
Arthur/Knights: RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY!
[The rabbit squashes one of the "horses".]
Minstrel: Bravely brave Sir Robin rode forth from Camelot
He was not afraid to die, oh, brave Sir Robin
He was not at all afraid to be killed in nasty ways
Brave, brave, brave, brave Sir Robin
He was not in the least bit scared to be smashed into a pulp
Or to have his eyes gouged out, and his elbows broken
To have his kneecaps split, and his body burned away
And his limbs all hacked and mangled, brave Sir Robin
His head bashed in, and his heart cut out,
And his liver removed, and his bowels unplugged,
And his nostrils raped, and his bottom burned off,
And his penis split-
Robin: That's, er, that's enough music for now lads. Looks like there's dirty work afoot.
________________________________________
Minstrel: Brave Sir Robin ran away.
Robin: No!
Minstrel: Bravely ran away away.
Robin: I didn't!
Minstrel: When danger reared its ugly head, he bravely turned his tail and fled.
Robin: No!
Minstrel: Yes, brave Sir Robin turned about.
Robin: I didn't!
Minstrel: And gallantly he chickened out.
Robin: I never did!
Minstrel: Bravely taking to his feet, he beat a very brave retreat.
Robin: All lies!
Minstrel: Bravest of the brave, Sir Robin!
Robin: I never!
Dingo: No, oh no! Bad, bad Zoot!
Galahad: What is it?
Dingo: Oh, wicked, bad, naughty Zoot! She has been setting a light to our beacon, which, I've just remembered, is Grail shaped. It's not the first time we've had this problem.
Galahad: It's not the real Grail?
Dingo: Oh, wicked, bad, naughty evil Zoot! Oh, she is a bad person, and she must pay the penalty! [facing camera] You think this scene should've been cut? We were so worried when the boys were writing it. But now we're glad! It's better than some of the previous scenes, I think.
________________________________________
Three Headed Knight: At least our scene had some dramatic views!
Dennis: And at least ours was committed! It wasn't just a string of pussy jokes.
Old Man/Bridgekeeper: Get on with it!
Tim: Yes! Get on with it!
Crowd: YEAH!! GET ON WITH IT!!
Dingo: Oh, I am enjoying this scene!
God: GET ON WITH IT!!!
Narrator: Sir Lancelot had saved Sir Galahad from almost certain temptation. But they were still no nearer the Grail. Meanwhile, King Arthur and Sir Bedevere, not more than a swallow's flight away, had discovered something. Oh, that's an unladen swallow's flight, obviously. I mean, they were more than two laden swallows' flights away. Four, really, if they had a coconut on a line between them. I mean, if the birds were walking--
Crowd: GET ON WITH IT!!!
Narrator: Anyway. On to Scene 24 - which is a smashing scene with some lovely acting - in which Arthur discovers a vital clue, and in which there aren't any swallows, although I think you can hear a starling-- [Someone thumps him.]
________________________________________
Head Knight: We shall say "Ni" again to you... if you do not appease us.
________________________________________
Head Knight: You must return here with a shrubbery... or else you will never pass through this wood... alive!
Arthur: O Knights of Ni, you are just and fair, and we will find you a shrubbery.
Head Knight: One that looks nice.
Arthur: Yes, of course.
Head Knight: And not too expensive.
Arthur: Of course not.
Head Knight: NOOOOOOOOW... GO!!!
Roger: Oh, what sad times are these when passing ruffians can say Ni at will to old ladies. There is a pestilence upon this land. Nothing is sacred. Even those who arrange and design shrubberies are under considerable economic stress at this period in history.
Tim: There he is!
[A little white rabbit emerges from the cave.]
Arthur: Where?
Tim: There.
Arthur: What, behind the rabbit?
Tim: It is the rabbit.
________________________________________
Tim: Well, that's no ordinary rabbit! That's the most foul, cruel, and bad-tempered rodent you ever set eyes on!
Robin: You tit! I soiled my armor, I was so scared!
Tim: Look, that rabbit's got a vicious streak a mile wide, it's a killer!
Galahad: Get stuffed!
Tim: He'll do you up a treat, mate.
________________________________________
Bors: Right! Silly little bleeder. One rabbit stew comin' right up!
Tim: Look!
[The rabbit squeaks and attacks Bors.]
Bors: AAAAAAUUGH!!
[Bors falls as his head rolls off his body from the rabbit's attack.]
Arthur: JESUS CHRIST!
Tim: I warned you, but did you listen to me? Oh, no, you knew, didn't you? it's
just a harmless little bunny , isn't it?
________________________________________
Arthur: [holding the Holy Hand Grenade] How does it, um — how does it work?
Lancelot: I know not, my liege.
Arthur: Consult the Book of Armaments!
Brother Maynard: Armaments, chapter two, verses nine to twenty-one.
Cleric: And Saint Attila raised the Hand Grenade up on high, saying, "O Lord, bless this Thy Hand Grenade that, with it, Thou mayest blow Thine enemies into tiny bits... in Thy mercy."
"And the Lord did grin, and the people did feast upon the lambs, and sloths, and carp, and anchovies, and orangutans, and breakfast cereals, and fruit bats, and large chu — "
Brother Maynard: Skip a bit, Brother.
Cleric: And the Lord spake, saying, "First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin. Then, shalt thou count to three. No more. No less. Three shalt be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once at the number three, being the third number be reached, then, lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who, being naughty in My sight, shall snuff it."
Brother Maynard: Amen.
Knights: Amen.
[Arthur and the Knights are travelling through a rocky valley. Up ahead they spot the Old Man from Scene 24, guarding a bridge which spans a scary-looking gorge.]
Sir Lancelot: There it is. The Bridge of Death!
Arthur: It's the Old Man from Scene 24.
Sir Robin: What's he doing here?
Arthur: He is the Keeper of the Bridge of Death. He asks five questions —
Sir Galahad: Three questions.
Arthur: ... sorry, three questions to approaching travellers. Those who correctly answer the five questions —
Sir Galahad: Three questions.
Arthur: ... three questions may cross in safety.
Sir Robin: What if you get a question wrong?
Arthur: [glances at the gorge] Then you are cast into the Gorge of Eternal Peril!
________________________________________
Arthur: Brave Sir Robin. You go.
Sir Robin: Hey, wait a minute! I've got a great idea! Why doesn't Lancelot go?
Sir Lancelot: [to Arthur] Yes, my liege. I shall take him single-handed. I shall make a small U-turn to the Bridge —
Arthur: Whoa, hey, hey, HANG ON! Just answer the five questions —
Sir Galahad: Three questions.
Arthur: ... sorry, three questions as best you can. We shall watch, and pray. Good luck, Sir Lancelot! God be with you!
________________________________________
[Lancelot makes his way towards the Bridge.]
Bridgekeeper: STOP! Who would cross the Bridge of Death must answer me these questions three, ere the other side he see.
Sir Lancelot: Ask me the questions, Bridgekeeper. I am not afraid.
Bridgekeeper: What... is your name?
Sir Lancelot: My name is Sir Lancelot of Camelot.
Bridgekeeper: What... is your quest?
Sir Lancelot: To seek the Holy Grail.
Bridgekeeper: What... is your favourite colour?
Sir Lancelot: Blue.
Bridgekeeper: [Suddenly friendly] Right. Off you go.
Sir Lancelot: Oh, thank you. Thank you very much. [crosses the Bridge]
Sir Robin: That's easy! [He approaches the Bridge. The others follow him.]
Bridgekeeper: STOP! Whoever approacheth the Bridge of Death must answer me these questions three, ere the other side he see.
Sir Robin: Ask me the questions, Bridgekeeper. I'm not afraid.
Bridgekeeper: What... is your name?
Sir Robin: Sir Robin of Camelot.
Bridgekeeper: What... is your quest?
Sir Robin: To seek the Holy Grail.
Bridgekeeper: What... is the capital of Assyria?
Sir Robin: I don't know that! AAAAAAAAHHH! [is cast into the gorge by an invisible force]
________________________________________
Bridgekeeper: What... is your name?
Sir Galahad: Sir Galahad of Camelot.
Bridgekeeper: What... is your quest?
Sir Galahad: To seek the Holy Grail
Bridgekeeper:What ... is your favorite colour?
Sir Galahad': Blue. No, yell- AAAAAAAAHHH [is cast into the gorge by an
'invisible force]
Bridgekeeper: Hee hee heh. STOP! What... is your name?
Arthur: It is Arthur, King of the Britons.
Bridgekeeper: What... is your quest?
Arthur: To seek the Holy Grail.
Bridgekeeper: What... is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?
Arthur: What do you mean? An African or European swallow?
Bridgekeeper: Huh? I — I don't know that! EEEEEEAAAARRGH!!! [is cast into the gorge]
Sir Bedevere: [to Arthur] How do you know so much about swallows?
Arthur: Well, you have to know these things when you're a king, you know.
Arthur: The Castle Aaaaarrrgh. Our quest is at an end! God be praised! [kneels and prays] Almighty God, we thank Thee that Thou hast bought safe to us the most Holy — [loud BOING in the background] JESUS CHRIST!
[A sheep drops upon Arthur and Bedevere. The annoying Frenchman appears.]
Frenchman: 'Allo, little English K-niggits and Monsieur Ah-thoor Keeng who has the brain of a duck, you know! So, we French fellows outwit you a second time-a!
________________________________________
Arthur: If you do not open this door, we shall take this castle by force! [The French chuck their waste upon Arthur and Bedevere.] In the name of God and the glory of our — [They do it a second time.] Right! That settles it! [He and Bedevere start to storm off. The French continue to jeer at them.]
Frenchman: Yes, depart at this time and don't be approaching any more, or we fire arrows at the tops of your heads and make castanets out of your testicles already!
Arthur: [to Bedevere] Walk away. Just ignore them.
Frenchman: Yes! Go! And remain gone, illegitimate-faced bugger-folk! And if you zink you got nasty taunting ZIS time, you ain't heard nothing yet! Daffy English K-niggits! Thhhhhhppppph!