P-R-E-S-T-O Spells Disaster

Infobox Television episode
Title = P-R-E-S-T-O Spells Disaster
Series = Dungeons and Dragons


Caption = A giant holds both the kids and his slime beast "Willy."
Season = 1
Episode = 13
Airdate = December 10, 1983
Writer = Jeffrey Scott
Episode list = List of Dungeons & Dragons episodes
Prev = The Lost Children
Next = The Girl Who Dreamed Tomorrow

"P-R-E-S-T-O Spells Disaster" is the thirteenth episode of "Dungeons & Dragons." The gang is attacked by a group of Orcs. In a desperate attempt to help them escape, Presto casts a spell and accidentally teleports everyone save himself and Uni to a strange land in the clouds. Here they are pestered by a giant and his slime beast. Now Presto must find a way to find and rescue them with only Uni to help him.

Plot

The adventure starts with the kids being chased by a stegosaurus. Hank claims that they may have to stop and fight but they manage to make it into a cave. Unfortunately, they discover that the cave is filled with Orcs. The kids manage to fight but after a brief time they are all captured and nearly cooked. Presto, who is still free, casts a spell but only manages to call one out. His hat creates a huge tornado that scares off the Orcs but heads for his friends. Uni runs away from the tornado but the rest of the group is caught up in the tornado and disappears. Uni and Presto find themselves alone in the cave.

Meanwhile the gang finds itself in a jungle area. They wonder about where Presto and Uni happen to be but can't worry about him as they hear a strange creature nearby. They attempt to run but find themselves blocked by a barrier that feels like glass.

Back in the cave, Presto meets up with Dungeon Master and learns that his friends are in danger. Dungeon Master gives him a cryptic clue about how to find his friends stating that he has to meet three strangers and lose something important to him. Before Presto can ask more, Dungeon Master disappears.

The gang manages to break free from the glass by having Bobby smash it with his club. They escape just as a slime beast attacks them. Unfortunately, before they get far, they run into a giant. The giant captures them and accuses them of wanting his golden eggs. As punishment they are forced to play a game of "hide and eat." Basically, they hide and Willy comes to eat them. They are released so that they can run from Willy who is instantly after them.

Presto continues his search for the three strangers and comes across a sleazy tavern. He doesn't want to go in but Uni jumps in. She runs into a three-headed "man" who wants to keep her to sell. Presto is dragged into the tavern and is offered three magic marbles for Uni. Presto refuses but is forced to play the skull game: a ball is placed under one of three skulls and he has to guess which one it's under. Presto makes his guess but finds that the strangers cheated: they somehow removed the ball from the skulls and put it in on of their heads. Presto is given the "worthless" marbles and forced out.

Angered by his situation Presto tosses the marbles and grows a giant petrified tree. At first he is reluctant to climb the tree but Uni escapes and runs to him. The strangers are after her and the only way to escape is to run into the hollow tree. Presto and Uni are sealed inside and find a staircase. They also hear the roars of a distant creature inside the tree.

Back in the giant's castle the gang emerge from a broom only to find that Willy has been waiting for them. Willy captures Bobby but the gang manages to save him. Diana then manages to stop Willy by knocking the top of a giant lantern onto him. Unfortunately, the giant captures them. A clock chimes and the giant sends Willy to get a golden egg while he has fun with the kids. Fortunately, they manage to distract him and escape.

While his friends run from the giant, Presto finds a baby dragon hanging perilously from a branch of the tree. Presto tries to save it but falls himself. While he manages to grab the branch, it starts to break and he can't cast a spell. Fortunately, Uni grabs his hat and casts a spell to make a flying carpet that saves them. Unfortunately, Presto comes across a gold dragon, the mother of the baby dragon. She is unpleased with Presto being with her baby and attacks. She almost gets the pair until Willy steals her egg. Presto then hears Eric scream and runs into the castle.

In the castle, Willy gives the giant the egg is given the kids as reward. Presto shows up just in time and casts a spell to capture Willy. The giant continues his pursuit but only loses the egg as a result. The group runs and find themselves into the golden dragon. Eric returns the newly hatched dragon to its mother and finds her to be very affectionate.

But things aren't over yet. The giant continues his pursuit but Presto casts a spell that gets rid of both the giant and the tree. Dungeon Master then informs the group that they saved the last of the golden dragons: one of the few remaining good dragons in the realm.

Trivia

* This episode is an obvious spoof of Jack and the Beanstalk.

* Presto supposedly kills the giant with his final spell. This is the only time a character is shown to have been killed off.

* Though gold dragons are said to have wings in the game, the one in this episode is wingless.

Presto Spells

Spell: "Hocus Delerium, hocus inferium, spell me a spell to get us out of hereium!"
Result: Creates a tornado that teleports his friends away.

Spell: Alakashin, Shalkashan give me a spell to get them out of their jam!
Result: A cage is created around Willy.

Spell: I'll fiddle with my twiddle, and diddle with the middle and make a magic riddle, that'll turn the giant little!
Result: The giant and petrified tree are destroyed.

Quotes

Eric: "What kind of jerk leaves a giant fork laying sic around where people can trip on it?!"

Diana "I think a giant jerk Eric...look!"

Giant "Yeaahhh! A giant jerk, who eats little jerks like you for breakfast....Errric!!"

Uni: (With Presto's Hat) "Abri Cadabri" (chants an unknown spell).

Eric (after hearing Presto's final spell) "Oh great, now he's doing nursery rhymes!"

See also

Dungeons & Dragons