THE ADVENTURES OF SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON I EPISODES
BOOK 4 - THE PRINCESS FROM THE SEA

FULL EPISODE SYNOPSIS (spoiler!)

Almost six months have passed since the Robinsons were shipwrecked. David and Elisabeth have decided that seeking rescue with the raft on the vast ocean would be too dangerous. Instead, David has another idea. He wants the family to built a fort on top of a hill to give them a place of refuge should they again come under attack from pirates or natives. When David shows the site to his wife, Ernst and Joanna, Elisabeth spots another native canoe approaching the island.

This time the natives bring their dead King to the burial chamber where he ceremoniously is laid to rest. After that they leave the island again.

The Robinsons start building the fort. Everyone is helping, even Emily, and fairly quickly their work is finished. Elisabeth also discovers flax and hopes to be able to make linen from it.

One day Billy believes to have seen a mermaid in a cove. When Ernst goes to investigate the cove in the morning, secretly followed by Billy and Christina, he discovers a native girl coming out of the ocean and entering the holy cave. Ernst follows her inside. Unnoticed, again the canoe approaches carrying the medicine man and a group of warriors. They take Ernst and the girl prisoner. While Billy keeps watch, Christina runs back to the treehouse to tell her father what has happened. David sends his wife and daughters and Emily up to the fort where they will be safe. He himself goes down to the beach to see if he can possibly rescue his son. He meets with Billy to find out what has happened and then goes down into the cave by the other entrance.

Meanwhile down at the beach the medicine man pours a milky liquid down the girl's throat. He tries the same with Ernst but the boy manages to knock it out of his hands. The girl looses consciousness. The warriors take their prisoners back into the cave. David has hidden himself away inside the sarcophagus. He comes up and shoots at the medicine man hitting him at the shoulder. The warriors flee, taking the medicine man with them. They put him onto the canoe but when they furiously row away he slips from it unnoticed and remains floating unmoving in the water. In time he is washed ashore, weak but alive.

David and Ernst take the girl to the treehouse. The others have returned from the fort after seeing the canoe leave and tend to the girl. When she regains consciousness she tells them her story. Her name is Moya. She is the king's daughter and has learned a little English from him. He has died and the new king, who is an old man, wishes to marry Moya. But she is in love with a young man called Adu and has fled to the Island of the Gods to speak to her father's spirit. It is clear that Moya cannot return to her people. Elisabeth offers her to stay with them. Moya gladly accepts.

Moya settles in quickly. Everyone likes her and she has some influence over the family. Christina is quite fascinated by the deity Moya's people believe in, the Sea God. And since Moya's clothing is much more suitable for the climate than the long dresses the girls have been wearing Elisabeth sews them trousers. Only Emily is envious of Moya's popularity with the others. Moya also brings around her small canoe with a sail on which she has come over to the island. The family plans to use it to go out to the wreck and dive down to salvage some badly needed canon balls and powder.

After he has recovered somewhat from his injury the medicine man begins to watch Moya and the Robinsons. One evening he cuts loose Moya's canoe and lets it float out to sea. That same evening Emily has another argument with the family and runs into the dark woods, followed by Bruno. In the darkness she runs into a swamp hole. Bruno starts barking. He is heard at the treehouse and David, Ernst, Joanna and Moya come to Emily's rescue. The medicine man watches them, but they do not see him.

The next day they discover that Moya's canoe is gone. She suggests to build a new and bigger one. Later, when Billy returns from fishing with a shell Moya is shocked as she recognises the Devil Shell that is known to her people as being dangerous. Elisabeth asks Billy to throw it back into the sea which he does.

In the days that follow they build a raft and Moya teaches everyone, except Elisabeth and Emily, how to swim and dive properly. Ernst is beginning to be infatuated with Moya.

One evening Moya suddenly suffers from an attack of excruciating headache that passes after a few minutes like it had never happened. What she does not know is that it has been caused by the medicine man.

The next morning David, Joanna, Moya and Ernst take the raft out to where the wreck of the Fury has sunk. Moya dives down to see if it is possible to salvage something from the depth. While she is diving another enchantment of the medicine man again causes her a terrible headache. When she surfaces again she warns the family off. She says it is too dangerous down there and not much left of the wreck.

When she catches Moya alone Emily apologises to her for being jealous. Moya tells her she views her as a friend. Once again the medicine man has been watching hidden in the bushes. This time he plans to kill Moya. He aims a poisonous dart at her but Emily gets in the way and is hit by it.Moya carries Emily back to the ttreehouse. The native princess and Ernst once more go out to sea where Moya dives for a Devil Shell. She is certain that the poison has come from it and knows that the antidote can also be extracted from the shell. She has found a shell and starts back to the surface when yet another enchantment of the medicine man attacks her. She nearly drowns but Ernst manages to pull Moya up unto the raft and revive her. They return to the treehouse and prepare the antidote.

David and Ernst start looking for the medicine man when they spot another canoe approaching the island. They warn the others and retreat to the fort. Suddenly realise that Christina is not with them. David goes back down to the treehouse. He comes just in time to see his youngest daughter being rescued from the evil medicine man by a handsome young native warrior. He demands for Moya. It is Adu, Moya's loved one and, as it turns out, the new king.

Moya says her good-byes to the family and leaves with Adu to her new life as queen of her people.


Ernst's Journal

If my calculations are correct we have now been marooned on our tropical island for almost five months. Battling against the forces of Mother Nature and at times even ourselves. I have been keeping the beacon ready to light at a moment's notice. In the event that the dear Lord answers our prayers and we see a sail on the horizon. The sail of a ship to rescue us and return us home to Boston. Though we dare not keep the fires burning for fear of attracting pirates or hostile natives. And at times it feels as if in reality there is little or no hope of rescue. Emily rarely helps with the chores and is a source of frustration to us all.
Christina and Billy appear more concerned about the chickens. Especially Christina's favourite, Henrietta, who constantly seems to escape from the animal enclosure and runs away into the forest.

My father continues to inspire the entire family. And I doubt if we would have survived any of our adventures without his strong leadership and wise council. Especially one particular adventure which started quite unexpectedly when my father was out walking. And noticed something which gave him an idea. Which he revealed after summoning us all to the tree house for a meeting.

Father and I decided not to tell other members of the family about the strange and ominous presence we felt at the entrance of the cave. There was no point in worrying them unduly. The danger - or so we thought - had passed. And we settled back into our routine. Gathering materials to build our stronghold up at the Lookout Point. No one could have ever imagined how often we would use it as a form of refuge. For the moment, we were all heartened to see the framework almost complete. Even Bruno helped. And much to everyone's surprise Emily worked. Though we were sure her endeavours were in no way altruistic and more out of concern for her own survival. As the last remaining wall and the door were fixed firmly in place I wondered how long we would remain as castaways. And though I was unaware of the irony at the time, if we would ever see another human being again.

The following morning I decided to investigate the cove and Billy's tale of a mermaid while everyone else was still asleep. Or at least I though they were asleep. But Billy was just as intrigued. As was Christina. And while Billy followed me, Christina followed Billy in the search for the mermaid. The entire notion was absurd. But when I first noticed Moya she did indeed appear to come from the sea. Whoever she was she was certainly not a mermaid. But one of the most beautiful creatures I had ever seen.

Throughout the following days Moya settled in as if she was a member of the family. And life on the island seemed idyllic. No one was aware of the danger that was so close at hand.

As difficult as it is to accept now, there was a time when I didn't care or even think about being rescued. The only thought on my mind was Moya.

My father was right. I was fascinated. We all were. Except Emily whom I suspect resented Moya's presence. I also wondered if somehow I was falling in love. And if Moya shared the same sentiment. Before long I was to have my answer.

I was pleased that Moya was reunited with Adu. As I watched them sail away I realised that - for all my infatuation - they truly loved each other and belonged together. As I belonged on the island with my family. To whom I could always turn for love, support and understanding. Which were always there throughout my life and the family's adventures on the island. But I will never forget Moya. The Princess from the Sea.

© Cloud 9 Screen Entertainment & CLT-UFA International

THE ADVENTURES OF
SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON

BOOK 4 - THE PRINCESS FROM THE SEA
Original US Airdate: 15 - 17, September 1998
(each 75 minute episode was divided into 3 parts)

Screenplay by Anthony Read
Directed by Declan Eames

Guest Cast:
Miriama Smith (Princess Moya)
Pripi Waretine (Medicine Man)
Kaine Thompson (Prince Adu)

 

Swiss Family Robinson
FOOTNOTE
German Site
Kieren Hutchison