Episode Summary: Harold's Old Time Radio

Episode: Cinnamon Bear 37-11-27 02 Weary Willie
Air Date: December 4, 2025
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio

Overview

This episode of Harold's Old Time Radio presents the enchanting children's adventure "The Cinnamon Bear," specifically Episode 2: "Weary Willie" (original air date: November 27, 1937). Siblings Judy and Jimmy, with their magical companion, the Cinnamon Bear, shrink themselves so they can pursue the mischievous Crazy Quilt Dragon, who has stolen their precious silver star Christmas ornament. Their magical journey takes them to Maybeland, a land of wonder, where shrinking, flying, and run-ins with quirky characters including a comical stork, Weary Willie, provide a mix of suspense, whimsy, and humor.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Degrowing with the Cinnamon Bear

• Setting: The twins are in their attic, desperate to recover the missing silver star and eager to shrink to Cinnamon Bear’s size to chase Crazy Quilt Dragon.
• Magic Explained:
  • Cinnamon Bear: "It's all in the way you look at it. We're only as big as we see we are." (03:19)
  • The 'degrowing' magic happens by looking at oneself through the big end of a telescope into a mirror.
  • Judy: "Isn't it fun, Jimmy? Regular magic." (04:34)
• Transformation: Judy and Jimmy become four inches high.
  • Jimmy: "Oh gee willikers." (05:14)
  • Judy: "Awful funny." (05:17)

2. Entering Maybeland and Taking Flight

• Miniature World:
  • The ordinary attic now appears massive.
  • Jimmy: "The trunk seems as big as a mountain." (05:32)
• Magical Transportation:
  • The Cinnamon Bear flies them down from the dresser in his "gold glass aeroplane," a Christmas tree ornament that turns real and large when the children are small.
    • Cinnamon Bear: "That happens to be me very own extra private airplane. And it flies beautifully." (06:43)
    • "All the motors in Maybeland run on Soda Pop." (07:05)
• Destination: They enter a tunnel (previously a hole in the wall), headed to Maybeland and the Lollipop Mountains.

3. A Tour of Maybeland

• Scenery:
  • Maybeland is full of dolls, animals, and wonders.
  • Judy: "Oh, it's just like a dream." (08:33)
  • Cinnamon Bear: "Those are the Lollipop Mountains, Judy. All those different colors you see down there are lollipop trees." (08:37)

4. Spotting Crazy Quilt Dragon

• Antagonist Identified:
  • They spy the Crazy Quilt Dragon preening atop a cliff.
  • Cinnamon Bear: "He's very vain." (08:49)

5. The Comical Interlude: Weary Willie

• Heckling from Above:
  • Weary Willie, a loquacious, overdressed stork, appears.
  • Cinnamon Bear: "Yes, Weary Willy. And he's a terrible nuisance. Always going around in short pants and bragging about his wonderful travels." (09:31)
• Classic Humor:
  • Weary Willie requests to board the airplane, then drains it of soda pop fuel before departing.
  • Weary Willie: "Delectable. Of what flavor?" (11:14); "Raspberry? Oh, that will do admirably." (11:18)
  • Judy: "Oh, he's flying away. Cinnamon Bear, you bad old stork. Shame on you." (11:42)
• Sabotage:
  • After Weary Willie drinks the airplane’s soda pop fuel, the friends crash land into Looking Glass Valley.
  • Jimmy: "We're beginning to drop." (11:46)

6. Peril in Looking Glass Valley

• Trapped: The heroes are stranded on the shining, mirror-like valley floor, surrounded by unclimbable, vertical looking glass walls.
  • Cinnamon Bear: "Unless you have an aeroplane or can fly, there is absolutely, positively no way to get out." (12:49)
• Tension: Their chase is delayed and they face new danger, with Crazy Quilt and the silver star still out of reach.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Magic & Perspective
  • "We're only as big as we see we are." – Cinnamon Bear (03:19)
• Describing Miniature Transformation
  • "Oh my goodness. But you're little. Why, you're no bigger than Cinnamon Bear." – Jimmy (03:49)
• On Maybeland
  • "Scads and scads of them. All kinds of dolls and little animals and funny creatures you probably never even heard of." – Cinnamon Bear (08:16)
• On Weary Willie the Stork
  • "He's wearing short pants like a mountain climber or something." – Jimmy (10:14)
  • "Of course, I cannot always expect people to be magnanimous or sensible of the extreme honor I am conferring on them..." – Weary Willie (10:22)
• On Soda Pop Fuel
  • "All the motors in Maybeland run on Soda Pop." – Cinnamon Bear (07:05)
  • "He's drinking up all the soda pop gas!" – Jimmy (11:23)
• Cliffhanger Peril
  • "Unless you have an aeroplane or can fly, there is absolutely, positively no way to get out." – Cinnamon Bear (12:49)

Important Timestamps

• 02:45: Judy begs Cinnamon Bear to explain how to get small.
• 03:19: Cinnamon Bear explains the magic method of 'degrowing.'
• 05:32: Realization of their tiny size as the attic transforms into a giant landscape.
• 06:30: Discovery and boarding of the glass airplane.
• 08:10: First glimpse of Maybeland.
• 09:31: Weary Willie, the stork, enters the story.
• 11:23: Soda pop fuel is drunk by Weary Willie.
• 11:46–12:08: The group's crash landing in Looking Glass Valley.
• 12:26–12:49: Cinnamon Bear warns that there's no way out without flight.

Episode Flow & Tone

• Language & Atmosphere: Playful, imaginative, whimsical. The dialogue sparkles with rhymes, puns, and gentle comedic misunderstandings.
• Audience: Delightful for children (and the young at heart), brimming with 1930s charm and clever use of imagination and everyday objects (telescope, toys).
• Cliffhanger Ending: The episode concludes with the trio's predicament unresolved, encouraging listeners to return for the next adventure.

This summary covers all main narrative threads from this vintage fantasy audio drama, spotlighting its rich, imaginative plot, playful tone, and classic radio serial pacing. Enjoy the magic and mayhem of Maybeland!