Fair Trade

Land of the Lost
Season 2, Episode 3

Air date	September 20, 1975
Written by	Bill Keenan and Dick Morgan
Directed by	Bob Lally
Episode Guide
previous The Zarn	next One of Our Pylons Is Missing

Fair Trade was the Third Episode of the Second Season of the Land of the Lost.

Summary[]

When Rick stumbles into a pig trap with three Sleestak, Will and Holly turn to Enik for help rescuing him.

Plot[]

In their underground caves, three Sleestak have dug a tiny hole in the roof and insert a periscope to allow them to view the surface. Through it, they see an encounter between Ta and a wild pig. Ta attempts to drive the pig away but, with his characteristic cowardice, ultimately flees as the pig pursues.

Outside High Bluff, Will is putting the finishing touches on a knife he is crafting, while Holly searches for Rick with her pendant. Ta arrives, having eluded the pursuing pig. Ta is fascinated by Will's knife, even attempting to steal it, but returns it at Will's demand.

Scrying through her pendant, Holly sees Rick fall into a pit, then the image grows dark, indicating the Rick has lost consciousness. Will immediately gathers a coil of rope and he and Holly quickly go to rescue Rick, leaving Ta behind.

Rick Marshall has regained consciousness, and is suddenly attacked by three Sleestak. However, Rick is able to keep the Sleestak at bay by standing in the pool of sunlight entering through the pit's entrance above him. Will and Holly soon arrive, and Will prepares to lower a rope to pull Rick out. His efforts are interrupted, however, as a rumbling in the ground heralds the arrival of Spot, closely pursued by Grumpy, forcing Will to momentarily abandon the attempt. Will's second attempt is again aborted, as Spot and Grumpy return.

During the third attempt, again interrupted by Spot and Grumpy, Grumpy accidentally steps into the pit, and is apparently stuck, unable to free his leg from the pit.

With Grumpy blocking the entrance to the pit, the light that kept the Sleestak at bay is obstructed. The Sleestak are then able to take Rick Marshall, which Holly has ascertained with her pendant. Realizing that they wouldn't be able to rescue Rick by themselves, they decide to appeal to Enik for help.

Spot, in the meantime, has decided to take advantage of Grumpy's predicament and approaches him surreptitiously, then bites him on the tail. The sudden shock and pain of Spot's attack allows Grumpy to free himself, and renew his pursuit of Spot.

Enik, as usual, is aloof, resenting the Marshalls' intrusion and unconcerned for the fate of Rick Marshall. Will, however, appeals to Enik's beliefs on the importance of compassion to persuade Enik to help them. Enik agrees only to find out what fate is intended for Rick Marshall, but will not assist in the actual rescue.

Enik then visits the Library of Skulls and learns that Rick Marshall has been taken to the Sleestak nursery, to be used as nourishment for the Sleestak hatchlings. Although the Sleestak dug the pit intended to catch a pig to be used to feed the hatchlings, since Rick fell into the pit, he was to be used in place of the pig. He returns to Will and Holly Marshall and reveals the Sleestak's intentions for Rick. Enik also discloses that he, through much argumentation, was able to persuade the Sleestak to accept a large pig in exchange for Rick's freedom.

Will and Holly quickly run off to capture a large pig to rescue their father. Exhausted, they stop to rest near the pit where Rick was captured. Holly then realizes that they don't hear Grumpy, indicating that something must have happened to him, or he managed to escape the pit.

Seeing that Grumpy and Spot have departed, Will devises the idea of using the pit to capture a pig. Will and Holly quickly cover the pit with branches, and suspend a noose over the pit to suspend some bait for the pig. The problem arises with what to use for bait. Holly had gathered some melons that the pigs like, but Will points out that those melons are all over the jungle, and that they will need something less ubiquitous that the pigs would like.

It is then that Will notices the arrival of Ta, and tries to entice Ta to sit in the noose, which he calls a swing. Holly has reservations about using Ta as bait, but they are quickly overcome when Will points out the desperateness of their situation and that the risk to Ta will be minimal.

After much persuasion (and bribery, including Holly's hair ribbon and mirror, Will's vest, and most reluctantly, his knife), Ta is persuaded to sit in the noose. A pig finally arrives, and just as the Marshalls planned, charges at Ta, but falls down the pit.

Will and Holly quickly descend into the pit, and start urging the pig down the tunnel, trusting that the tunnel will eventually lead them to the Sleestak egg cave. While journeying down the tunnel, Will and Holly are captured by two Sleestak, who bring them to another Sleestak, outside the egg cave. Will demands the return of their father, as he and Holly have fulfilled their end of the bargain. And Rick is released after the pig is herded into the cave.

The Marshalls then flee. Out in the jungle again, as the Marshalls return home, Rick commends Will and Holly for their ingenuity and courage. Will jokes that their father should be disappointed in them, as the pig weighs 400 pounds while Rick only weighs 180 pounds, so Will and Holly got a bad bargain.

Message[]

"Some things are easier said than done."

Cast[]

Dinosaurs[]

Grumpy
Spot

Quotes[]

Coming Up

Trivia[]

This episode marks Ta's only appearance without Sa or Cha-Ka.
After Will and Holly capture the pig, they leave Ta suspended in the noose above the pit. It seems unlikely that Ta could get out of the noose by himself. Perhaps Sa and Cha-Ka came by and were able to help him get out of the noose.
Will claims that the pig weighed 400 pounds. This was obviously a gross exaggeration.
The Sleestak aren't generally depicted as honorable creatures. On the contrary, they're quite treacherous. For them to adhere to their bargain and release Rick Marshall, rather than claiming the pig and capturing all three of the Marshalls is out of character. But for whatever reason, they released Rick Marshall and allowed all three of them to depart without even attempting to stop them.
Emotionally, the Sleestak are unreadable. After seeing the confrontation between Ta and the pig, they had some kind of reaction. Perhaps amusement at Ta's cowardice, or, more likely, frustration that Ta lured the pig away from their trap.