It appears Bagpuss has been voted the favourite children’s TV animal of all time in an online poll. The lovely fat candy striped cat beat other creatures such as Tom and Jerry, Winnie the Pooh and the magic Roundabout. Bagpuss has always been my favourite despite being just “an old saggy cloth cat and a bit loose at the seams.” Only 13 episodes of Bagpuss were ever made with each episode beginning with Emily saying the words:
Bagpuss, dear Bagpuss
Old Fat Furry Catpuss
Wake up and look at this thing that I bring
Wake up, be bright, be golden and light
Bagpuss, oh hear what I sing
to the old stuffed toy in the window who would awake when she left the shop and investigate the broken object Emily had left him. Bagpuss, Madeline, Professor Yaffle and the mice would then proceed to fix the object and tell a story about it, with much high pitched singing by the mice.
I love Bagpuss.
