Peter in Magicland 1990

On a quiet night, siblings Peter André Schmidtsdorf and Annabelle Nathalie del Castillo are awakened by a sound in their bedroom that resembles music. They discover the source: a beetle playing a violin. The beetle calls himself Mr. Buzzworthy, the fifth descendant of the ancient Buzzworthy lineage, and he unveils an old, sorrowful tale. Centuries ago, on a Sunday morning, his great-great-great-grandfather rested on a birch tree when a cruel woodcutter chopped the trunk down and carried away the beetle’s sixth leg (his lower left arm). Since then, every generation has been born with only five legs. Not long after, a Night Fairy visits and reveals that she punished the woodcutter by banishing him to the Moon along with the tree, thus creating the Moon Man. When Mr. Buzzworthy realizes his leg is missing, the Fairy advises him to search for two kind and brave children who would be willing to undertake a dangerous journey to the Moon.

Hearing the tale, the children decide to help. They learn to fly and earn flying licenses from three beetles who serve as the Flight Commission. With wings ready and hearts hopeful, the trio begins their ascent toward the sky. Along the way, they dodge the mischief of the Weather Makers and press onward toward their unlikely ally’s destiny. Their first major aid comes from Sandmann [Friedrich W. Bauschulte], a wizened wizard whose job is to lull children into sleep. He listens to their plea and agrees to ferry them to the Night Fairy’s castle in a coach pulled by butterflies. The trip is a blend of whimsy and peril as they outmaneuver the Weather Makers again and free their coach from a binding snarl high among the Milky Way.

When they reach the Night Fairy’s castle, a festive gathering of the Makers is underway. The Fairy, reminded of her promise, grants them a powerful ally—the Great Bear [Bill Ramsey]—to help them reach the Moon. She explains that the Makers will lend their aid only when the travelers show true courage in the face of danger. Empowered by this test and the bear’s steadfast strength, the children push onward, undaunted by the vastness of space and the unfamiliar worlds they must cross.

Their path takes them through the Christmas Kingdom and the Easter Nest as they search for provisions for their colossal companion. They ward off hostile wolves and press toward their goal, guided by a mix of childlike wonder and stubborn resolve. At last, a cannon appears, and it propels Peter, Annabelle, and Mr. Buzzworthy to the pinnacle of a mountain where the beetle’s missing leg grows on a tree. There, they confront the Moon Man himself, and the Makers come to their aid, freezing the villain in place. In a careful and hopeful moment, Peter frees the leg and reattaches it to Mr. Buzzworthy, who beams with joy at this long-awaited restoration.

dawn casts its pale light as the ice begins to thaw, and the Moon Man stirs once more, threatening the group. They flee by flying up a chimney, waking to the sight of their mother—who bears a striking resemblance to the Night Fairy—checking on them. The morning reveals a twist: everything they endured was part dream, a night-long odyssey. Yet when they look to the windowsill, a beetle sits there with all six legs intact, poised to take flight again. The beetle glances back and then glides away, leaving Peter and Annabelle to wonder if they will ever share another voyage with him.

In the end, what began as a bedtime fable becomes a catalyst for memory and imagination. The siblings wake to the gentle reality of their home, but the mysterious visitor’s presence lingers in their room—a reminder that even ordinary nights can harbor extraordinary possibilities. The tale leaves them with a sense of wonder about the bonds they share, about courage tested and friendship proven, and about the small beetle who, for one magical night, carried them beyond the stars and back.