Adventures in Odyssey

Chris: Hi, this is Chris. Welcome to Adventures in Odyssey.

John Avery Whittaker: Hi there, I'm John Avery Whittaker, but you can call me Whit. My friends and I are about to set off for a time of wonder and excitement. You want to come along? We'd love to have you join us for today's Adventure in Odyssey.

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): What is your name, boy?

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Cristóbal.

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): What is your name, boy?

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Don Rodrigo.

Guest (Male, Columbus): To boldly go where no man has gone before.

Guest (Male, Luis): Oh, that's good. I like that.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Ow. Wait a minute, this can't be right. This is a monastery.

Guest (Male, Friar Diego): Yes, it is. Now be quiet.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): But you don't understand. I'm not supposed to be here.

Guest (Male, Friar Diego): And is that why you were hiding in the closet? You'll not get out of your work that way, I can assure you.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): I wasn't hiding. That's where the imagination station dropped me.

Guest (Male, Friar Diego): Imagination? The devil's playground. I can see my first order of business is to give you a good beating to rid you of such nonsense.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Beating? Now, but wait a minute.

Guest (Male, Friar Diego): Stand still, Friar Diego.

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): What is going on out here?

Guest (Male, Friar Diego): Oh, señor, I'm sorry we disturbed you. This urchin is doing his best to disrupt the entire church.

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): What is your name, boy?

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Lawrence Hedges. Who are you? Ow!

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): This is Don Rodrigo de la Vega, chief advisor to the king.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): How was I supposed to know?

Guest (Male, Friar Diego): Forgive him, Don Rodrigo. He has a demon. I was just about to beat it out of him.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): I don't have a demon. Look, I came here to meet somebody.

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): Oh? What is the name of this unfortunate person?

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Columbus, Christopher Columbus.

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): Friar Diego, the boy is right. He does not have a demon.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): See? I told you.

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): However, he is impertinent and a beating will take care of that. Proceed, good friar.

Guest (Male, Friar Diego): Come here, my son.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): No way!

Guest (Male, Friar Diego): Stand still, boy. Keep still! Ow! My foot.

Guest (Male, Friar Diego): Stop that boy!

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): Stop that boy! You there, quickly go get that boy. Stop him!

Guest (Female, Queen Isabella): What is the meaning of this?

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Huh? Oh, please hide me, lady. They want to beat me.

Guest (Female, Queen Isabella): Beat you? Who wants to beat you?

Guest (Male, Friar Diego): Come back here, boy.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): He does.

Guest (Male, Friar Diego): Come back here, you little. Oh, Queen Isabella.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Isabella.

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): Demon boy, you have disrupted the Queen's prayers.

Guest (Female, Queen Isabella): He is not alone, Don Rodrigo. Am I to understand that your duties as my husband's advisor includes chasing youngsters around monasteries?

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): No, Your Majesty.

Guest (Female, Queen Isabella): What is your name, boy?

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Lawrence.

Guest (Female, Queen Isabella): What did you do to deserve such harsh treatment?

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): To start with, he has injured a friar.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): He wanted to beat me. I was just protecting myself.

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): And as you can see, he is quite impertinent.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): All I did was ask you to help me find Columbus.

Guest (Female, Queen Isabella): Who?

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Christopher Columbus, Majesty, the great explorer. Doesn't anybody around here know him?

Guest (Female, Queen Isabella): Explorer? Christopher? Do you mean Cristóbal Colón?

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Cristóbal?

Guest (Female, Queen Isabella): Cristóbal. Columbus is his Italian name. You knew that, Don Rodrigo.

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): It must have slipped my mind, Majesty.

Guest (Female, Queen Isabella): Why do you want to meet Colón?

Guest (Male, Lawrence): I want to go with him on his voyage across the sea.

Guest (Female, Queen Isabella): You know of his voyage?

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Sure, when he discovers the New World, he'll be the greatest explorer in history, and I want to be there. He hasn't left yet, has he?

Guest (Female, Queen Isabella): Not to my knowledge.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Good.

Guest (Female, Queen Isabella): Your confidence in him does you credit. Very well, let us get you both started on your journey. I hereby appoint you Royal Messenger to Cristóbal Colón. Journey to his home at La Rábida Cloister and inform him that the Crown desires his presence immediately.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Yes, ma'am.

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): Congratulations to the waif who becomes a messenger for the Queen.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Thanks.

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): Since you have risen to such an important position, perhaps you will deliver a message for me as well?

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Message?

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): Yes. Tell Columbus that I wish to counsel him prior to his meeting with the sovereigns.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Counsel him?

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): The Crown is in a generous mood. He should strike while the iron is hot. A man who completes a journey such as his could and should command great rewards. And the Crown would be willing to give him almost anything he asks for, titles, land, money. If he will only ask.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Yeah, but but why should you care about what Columbus gets?

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): As you said, Columbus may become a great explorer. Like you, I desire to be a part of that history. Could any true Spaniard not render aid to the man who would exert Spain's influence around the world?

Guest (Male, Lawrence): No, I guess not.

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): You will take my message to him at La Rábida Cloister then?

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Well, okay. Uh, how do I get there?

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): Travel down this road five miles until you come to a building similar to this one. That is La Rábida Cloister.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Five miles? I guess you guys don't have buses now, do you?

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): Buses?

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Never mind. Thanks.

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): No, thank you.

Guest (Male, Luis: I am selling all, all! My heart grows tired. I have waited and waited.

Guest (Male, Luis: Here is Señor Colón's room.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Sounds like he's got company.

Guest (Male, Columbus): Yes, Luis de Santangel, my patience is exhausted.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Thanks.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Mr. Columbus, uh, Señor Colón?

Guest (Male, Columbus): Yes?

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Christopher Columbus?

Guest (Male, Columbus): Yes, what do you want?

Guest (Male, Lawrence): I'm Lawrence Hedges, Royal Messenger from Queen Isabella. The Crown has summoned you. You are to appear before them immediately.

Guest (Male, Columbus): Oh, did you hear that, Luis?

Guest (Male, Luis: I did. It's wonderful news.

Guest (Male, Columbus): You came all the way here from the Queen to deliver this message?

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Yes, sir.

Guest (Male, Columbus): Well, you can take this message back to the Queen. I am not appearing before the Crown immediately or any other time. I am going to France.

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Guest (Male, Lawrence): You're going to France?

Guest (Male, Luis: Cristóbal, be reasonable.

Guest (Male, Columbus): Reasonable? By San Fernando, I have been reasonable. Eight years have I waited patiently, and had my hopes raised again and again, only to have them dashed each time. Eight years of scorn, ridicule, poverty, hoping in vain for these monarchs to make up their minds?

Guest (Male, Luis: Cristóbal, they were fighting a war, trying to drive the Moors out of Spain. But now the war is won and they want to see you.

Guest (Male, Columbus): Oh yes, so they can turn me down again.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): No, you've got it all wrong. The Queen really wants to help you.

Guest (Male, Columbus): How would you know?

Guest (Male, Lawrence): She told me. She said she wanted to get you started on your journey.

Guest (Male, Columbus): Why would the Queen confide in a messenger boy?

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Cause I told her I want to go with you.

Guest (Male, Columbus): Go with me? You don't even know where I'm going.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Sure I do, to the New World. I mean, that's your plan, isn't it?

Guest (Male, Columbus): What do you know of my plans?

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Everything. You want to sail across the Atlantic Ocean, right? To discover strange new lands and new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.

Guest (Male, Luis: Oh, that's good. I like that.

Guest (Male, Columbus): How do you know of such things?

Guest (Male, Lawrence): I'm an explorer too. Well, when my mom lets me out of the backyard that is. I love looking for new things.

Guest (Male, Luis: Cristóbal, listen to this boy. He echoes your heart, your own boyhood. Don't let pride stand in the way of your lifelong desires.

Guest (Male, Columbus): I just don't want to suffer another humiliation.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): You won't. The Crown is in a generous mood. You should strike while the iron is hot, because if you do, you can get anything you ask for. Titles, lands, money.

Guest (Male, Columbus): Did the Queen tell you that too?

Guest (Male, Lawrence): No, but the King's chief advisor did. In fact, he wants to meet with you just before you see the King and Queen to tell you how to do it.

Guest (Male, Columbus): What is the name of this advisor?

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Um, Don Rodrigo. He has a Vega.

Guest (Male, Columbus): Don Rodrigo de la Vega?

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Yeah, him.

Guest (Male, Columbus): If De la Vega is on my side, perhaps there is hope after all.

Guest (Male, Luis: I would not trust anything he says.

Guest (Male, Columbus): And I should trust what you say? I have listened to you for four years, and where has it gotten me? I'm sorry, my friend. I should not have said that.

Guest (Male, Luis: You are a passionate man, Cristóbal. It makes you a good explorer, but a poor judge of character.

Guest (Male, Columbus): I have no intention of seeing De la Vega, Luis. But I would be a fool not to consider what I have heard.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): So does that mean you're going to meet with the King and Queen or what?

Guest (Male, Columbus): Yes, messenger boy. I'm going to meet with the King and Queen. I'm going to give Spain one last chance.

Guest (Male, Columbus): Our Lord found this desire very proper. He opened my understanding and set fire to my will to carry this out. And it is with this fire that I come to your Highnesses, God's servants, Ferdinand and Isabella.

Guest (Female, Queen Isabella): You've made your case well, good sailor.

Guest (Male, King Ferdinand): I am still not entirely convinced.

Guest (Female, Queen Isabella): Why do you hesitate, my husband?

Guest (Male, King Ferdinand): We have just fought a long and costly war. We do not have money to spend on foolishness.

Guest (Female, Queen Isabella): Have you forgotten why we fought? To further the cause of Christ. Columbus will not simply bring back wealth for Spain. He will take the true light to the New World, as our Lord commanded.

Guest (Male, King Ferdinand): Isabella.

Guest (Female, Queen Isabella): I am so convinced of the rightness of this quest, I am willing to put up my crown jewels as collateral to fund the voyage.

Guest (Male, King Ferdinand): It would appear you have a champion in the Queen, Colón. If the Crown were to fund your voyage, what would you want in return?

Guest (Male, Columbus): Majesties, I pray your indulgence. Should I succeed in this quest, I desire to be made Admiral of the Ocean Sea, as well as the governor and viceroy of all the lands I might discover. These titles shall be passed on to my sons, and I and my heirs shall receive 10% of all wealth discovered on those lands.

Guest (Male, King Ferdinand): This is outrageous! What do you think you are, you foreigner? To come here and make such demands on this Crown!

Guest (Male, Columbus): I was led to believe that this would be agreeable.

Guest (Male, King Ferdinand): Agreeable? Isabella, do you now see this man for what he truly is?

Guest (Female, Queen Isabella): Colón, how could you let greed poison your soul this way?

Guest (Male, Columbus): Majesty, I feel my request are fair and equitable under the circumstances.

Guest (Male, King Ferdinand): We will decide what is fair and equitable! You are dismissed, Colón! Remove yourself from our presence before we have you thrown in a dungeon!

Guest (Male, Columbus): Majesties?

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Columbus, wait! You can't turn him down, Majesties!

Guest (Male, Luis: Lawrence!

Guest (Male, King Ferdinand): Quiet, boy, or I'll have you flogged!

Guest (Male, Luis: Majesty, I beg your patience with him. Lawrence, be quiet. Go to Cristóbal. Keep him here until I've had a chance to talk with the Crown. Perhaps I can salvage this catastrophe.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): But?

Guest (Male, Luis: Quickly now, go.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Oh, all right.

Guest (Male, Luis: Majesties, a word. I beg you reconsider.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Okay. Which way did you go? Columbus! Columbus! Columbus! Oh.

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): Hello, Lawrence.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Don Rodrigo. Boy, some advice giver you turned out to be. You got Columbus in big trouble.

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): Did I? Oh, that's too bad.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Where is he? Have you seen him?

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): He left the castle a few moments ago. Muttered something about France.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Oh no, not that again. I've got to stop him. Hey!

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): I'm afraid that won't be possible.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Let go of me!

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): You're going to be much too busy.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): What are you doing? Hey, hey, let go, let go.

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): Goodbye, Lawrence. It's been very nice knowing you. And do enjoy your trip.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Where am I?

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): The lower deck of the good ship Constance. Captain Muñoz is a friend of mine.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Why are you doing this? I haven't done anything to you.

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): No, but you might have if you'd retrieved Columbus. I want Columbus right where he is, France.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): You mean you planned this whole thing?

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): Why, yes.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): But but what happened to all that junk about true Spaniards helping Columbus?

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): True Spaniards should want to help Columbus. But I am not a Spaniard.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): What?

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): I am the loyal subject of King John II of Portugal. So I can't very well have Columbus handing over the wealth of the world to Spain, now can I?

Guest (Male, Captain Muñoz): Don Rodrigo, we are ready to sail.

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): Very good, Captain.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Sail? Where to?

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): The Canary Islands. But don't worry. Captain Muñoz informs me you will bring a handsome price.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Price?

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): Oh, didn't I tell you? The Constance is a slave ship.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Slave?

Guest (Male, Don Rodrigo): Oh, and Captain Muñoz has requested peace and quiet on this trip. So I'm afraid I'll have to gag you again.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): No, don't. Wait.

Guest (Male, Columbus): Scrap the deck, boy. It needs to be clean enough to eat off of.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Ew, gross.

Guest (Male, Columbus): Up to the lookout with you, Lawrence. Keep a sharp eye out for land.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Aye aye, sir.

Guest (Male, Columbus): You call that a sailor's knot, boy?

Guest (Male, Lawrence): No, I call that a tennis shoe knot.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Land ho! Land ho! Oh, it's just some clouds. Never mind, never mind.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Man, I never knew being a sailor was such hard work. Feels like I haven't sat down all month. I got to rest somewhere where nobody will find me. Yeah, behind those boxes.

Guest (Male, Columbus): Okay, no one is here.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Great, what now?

Guest (Male, Mutineer): Well, I cannot be certain. According to the log, we still haven't traveled far enough.

Guest (Male, Mutineer): Blast the log! We have been out here five weeks. Will we keep going until we fall off the face of the Earth? Certain things men were not meant to do. We do not belong here.

Guest (Male, Mutineer): But we can't just reverse course. Not while Colón is still in command.

Guest (Male, Mutineer): Then we should remove him from command. Push him overboard one night while he is stargazing.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): You're talking mutiny! Mutiny?

Guest (Male, Mutineer): Who is that? Come out, or we will come in after you.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Hi guys.

Guest (Male, Mutineer): The cabin boy, spying.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): No, I wasn't spying. Honest. Look, if you have a problem with the captain, you should talk to him about it. He'll listen.

Guest (Male, Mutineer): Quiet. What shall we do with him?

Guest (Male, Mutineer): Kill him.

Guest (Male, Mutineer): Don't be a fool. He's the captain's cabin boy. Don't you think he'll be missed on a ship as small as this?

Guest (Male, Mutineer): Then what shall we do? We do as he says. We go to the captain.

Guest (Male, Mutineer): Are you mad?

Guest (Male, Mutineer): What choice do we have? We can't hide him. And if we let him go, he'll tell the captain anyway. We go to Colón.

Guest (Male, Columbus): So, you want to turn back, eh?

Guest (Male, Mutineer): Yes. We want to turn back! We want to turn back!

Guest (Male, Columbus): I know how you feel. I miss Spain as well. But we have come so far and we are so close.

Guest (Male, Mutineer): You have been saying that for weeks. We want to go home!

Guest (Male, Mutineer): Yes, home!

Guest (Male, Mutineer): Captain, we may not be able to control our actions if these demands are not met.

Guest (Male, Columbus): I see. I am convinced we are very close to land. So convinced that I will make you a promise. If we are not successful within another day, I will turn the ships back for Spain. Agreed?

Guest (Male, Mutineer): Agreed, Captain. One more day. Back to work, everyone!

Guest (Male, Lawrence): One day? That's not very much time.

Guest (Male, Columbus): We must watch, Lawrence. Watch.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Mr. Columbus, it's getting dark. I can't see anything.

Guest (Male, Columbus): Keep watching. Keep watching. Lawrence, look, on the horizon.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): All I see are stars.

Guest (Male, Columbus): But there is one just above the waterline that does not flicker. It glows like a candle.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Do you think it's land?

Guest (Male, Columbus): I don't know. Watch.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): See anything yet?

Guest (Male, Columbus): No. Keep watching. Keep.

Guest (Male, Mutineer): Captain?

Guest (Male, Columbus): So soon? Very well.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): No! You can't go back. You'll find it, just keep looking.

Guest (Male, Columbus): My word is my word. Navigator, set course for-

Guest (Male, Mutineer): Land ho! Land ho! 10 degrees south by southwest!

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Can you see it?

Guest (Male, Columbus): I don't. Wait. Yes, there it is! A long shoreline of white sand. It is land!

Guest (Male, Columbus): Praise God for rewarding us after so long a journey. For His sake, I give this land the name of the Savior, San Salvador. In the name of the King and Queen of Castile, I take possession of these lands and dominions for Spain and the glory of God.

John Avery Whittaker: Lawrence?

Guest (Male): Hi Lawrence.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Hi Mr. Whittaker.

John Avery Whittaker: Did you like it?

Guest (Male, Lawrence): It was great. I don't know why my teacher said some people don't like Columbus. I thought he was cool.

John Avery Whittaker: Well, he has been the center of controversy, but whatever you may think, one fact is undeniable. Columbus was an incredibly brave adventurer and explorer, and his voyage across the Atlantic ranks as one of the great feats of history.

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Yeah. Are we still set up for the Columbus Adventure?

John Avery Whittaker: Yes, why?

Guest (Male, Lawrence): Cause I'm going to go again. See you.

John Avery Whittaker: Lawrence? Lawrence! Oh, Lawrence.

Focus on the Family: You know, as Americans, we owe a lot to Christopher Columbus, our whole history as a matter of fact. And whatever else he may have done during and after his voyages, good or bad, one of his greatest accomplishments was to make it possible for the gospel to be spread around the world.

Chris: And that's today's adventure. Do you have a favorite story about a great explorer or historical figure? Write and tell me about him or her. The address is Odyssey, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80995. In Canada the address is Odyssey, Box 9800, Vancouver BC V6C B4 G3. And when you write, be sure to ask about how you can get a copy of today's program, called Columbus: The Grand Voyage. Adventures in Odyssey is a presentation of Focus on the Family. Columbus: The Grand Voyage was written and directed by Phil Lawler. Our production engineer was Bob LaTraille. And our executive producer Chuck Bolte. And I'm Chris, hoping you'll join us again next time for more Adventures in Odyssey.