Very creepy episode, but it wasn't too difficult to guess the ending. Didn't she read the story of Rumpelstiltskin? Never ever agree to some sort of blank check favor to a witch! Supernatural thriller.

Weird and creepy. I found it almost difficult to listen to. You just know that it is not going to end well, but the young woman is too desperate for a baby to see it herself.

I heard this when I was a kid and never forgot it..scared the C--- out of me! so great they left the commercials in...one of the best RMT's I remember..enjoy!!

I LOVE this one, I too heard many of these growing up as a young boy, and this was my fav. Weird, creepy, and strange like they are supposed to be, I dont understand just the 2.5 rating. My father was crazy about these, and had a large # he taped himself on cassettes. We listened to them traveling on vacation,and at night, out in the country, that intro was OMG SO scary, those were some of my fav memories growing up in the 70's. Thanks DAD,(r.i.p.) for introducing me, and thanks to this website for keeping them alive!!

I don't remember hearing this particular episode as a child, but I too was a childhood fan of this series and cassette recorded them to enjoy in various contexts . . . I am so grateful for this site. Thank you so much!

I love the Mother Love character in this episode, she has a very creepy voice. I love when the commercials are left in, it really helps take you back to when the episode aired. Great website, thanks!

You could see the ending of this one a mile away! The actress, Vinette Carroll, played a Jamaician or West Indian doctor a couple of times on "All in the Family" when Archie had to have an operation and had to have a blood transfusion. She provided the blood.

Wow Kristen! Thanks so much for the fun fact about Vinette Carroll. My Father loved All in The Family, and I remember that episode well. Yes the story was predictable, but I loved the scary, weird, nature of the Mother Love character. Reminds me of the Stygian Witches from the original, "Clash of the Titans". Thanks again Kristen!

Truly amazing episode in my opinion... terrifyingly sad. The woman's heartbreaking desperation combined with the creepy Mother Love (and her strange deep voice) make for an episode that stuck with me for days after hearing it.

Even though I knew what the ending was going to be, I neglected to say I couldn't stop listening to this episode,"Mother Love". I agree with the others that it is sad, terrifying and creepy. Vinette Carroll is terrific in this role. She doesn't ham it up like another actress might have. Mother Love knows that she will get what she's after and is almost terrifying calm and patient. I loved the original "Clash of the Titans" too!! 5 Stars

A woman is unable to conceive a child so she turns to alternate means. Unfortunately, the seer she seeks counsel from has a sinister agenda.

So creepy and with an ineluctable conclusion that is real horror.

Thanks for the comment Marcie, I have never, EVER seen the word ineluctable, spoken written, anywhere!! Thank you, and I am so glad you enjoyed the episode.It really takes me back to great times with my Father, thanks also to everyone who commented as well! :)

A young woman, unable to conceive, seeks out a fortune teller who says she can help her have a baby for $6000 and a strange favor.

Creepy with an ending reminiscent of "Rosemary's Baby"

Ooooh, this one creeped me out!!! :shock: A barren woman seeks help in order to conceive a child from a fortune teller/herbologist named Mother Love. Now you KNOW that's just asking for trouble in the CBSRMT world!! And hasn't homeopathy gained much more respect and acceptance in the world since then.

This one is definately creepy. Especially, the ending. Had a "Rosemary's Baby" feel to it, don't you think? (Actually "Rosemary's Baby" which is a rather fun little horror movie, would have made a good RMT episode when you think of it). I've often thought about how much better certain movies would have been had they been done as radio dramas. Imagine "The Shining" or "The Excorcist" as radio features (Mercedes McCambridge provided the voice of the demon in "The Excorcist", afterall). One's imagination can always create a more fearful "world" than any amount of special effects can provide. That's why, I've always enjoyed the first "Blair Witch Project". You're right about this episode being reminiscent of "BlacK Widow". This one has more chilling overtures ,though, I think. The voice of the child calling from the back room to his mother (And then, especially at the end) and the mental image conjured up by the crow's cawking. Can you imagine sleeping with that in your bedroom? Invokes a little Edgar Allan Poe ( "And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door"). e mental image conjured up by the crow's cawking. Can you imagine sleeping with that in your bedroom? Invokes a little Edgar Allan Poe ( "And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door").

This episode was one of the creepier RMT's. I particularly liked the actress who portrayed Mother Love. She had a spooky delivery of her lines. Do you think she ML let the other woman raise the child? Or for that matter, would the mother have wanted to raise that....thing.

Yeah, good one. Nice and scary.

I've gotta chime in as NOT a fan of this episode in parts. Run me out of town on a rail, but the Mother Love character (voiced flatly by Vinette Carroll) kept grating on my nerves. Her voice didn't seem mysterious, it sounded colorless. Her tone, her pauses/timing, it was all just "off"--it sounded like it was recorded with her reading the script for the first time. I'm listening to all of the episodes straight through, and this is the worst voice acting I've heard to this point. She should have stuck with directing stage plays. The episode itself has a fine story with good writing. But part of enjoying a drama--movie, play, radio, whatever the medium--is suspending disbelief enough to be drawn into the story. Mother Love's voice, along with EVERYone in the play mispronouncing "herb," kept startling me out of the story and I just had to tolerate the rest. That's not saying everyone else reviewing this is "wrong;" it's just interesting how widely different opinions can arise from the same experience.

Mike, your comment is as pale as your negativity towards Vinette Carroll

When Joan Hackett says, "Let's get out of here." One can hear the terror in her voice! I am with you, "Let's get out of here."

Literally such a great episode. This is by far one of thee best! It had me thinking about it the rest of the day and the next^_^

Very strange ending - the son was able to telepathically speak? If so, why did he still sound the same if he was in a "fixed" body? It does make you wonder why the lady wouldn't just take the baby away from Mother Love and never come back. Kristin - thanks for pointing out the All in the Family episode, that is one that I remember quite clearly and I was likely around 8 when I saw it.

This is a good one. Very well done by all. Mother love is superb with her solid steely voice. These shows bring back bittersweet memories growing up as youngster in the '70's. When I listen to each story I get a little sad because sometimes they remind me of the loved ones who are no longer here- and sadly that list is getting larger. :(

I really liked this one, but I thought "Mother" was a a man (named "Mother"). I thought this was a take-off on Psycho and since old radio plays usually portray homosexuals as psychopaths, that "Mother" was one of those. I'd better listen more carefully! George, she was probably reading the script for the second time. These were produced in a day at CBS New York. The Wiki article on CBS Mystery Theatre is enlightening.

This episode is truly macabre, to quote EG Marshall! The "visitor" was truly creepy. Thank you, Hyman Brown for your vision of amazing radio, and thank you to this Website for allowing us to enjoy Mystery Theater today on our IPads, when we used to listen on our old radio with knobs that couldn't quite get the exact frequency! I can't imagine my childhood without my radio and Mystery Theater.

Its One of my all time favorite.

I just don't understand the appeal of this episode at all. It's very creepy and the eerie atmosphere is well created, but it's predictable. Vinette Carroll was very talented, but simply did not have a voice for radio. It's quite off-putting, to say the least. The only good thing about this episode is Joan Hackett, who left us far too soon. I HATE the ear-splitting bird noises! I almost had to bail the first time I ever heard this one. I've only listened to it again for Ms. Hackett.

I have a question. There is, at least to my knowledge, only one way physiologically for a woman to become pregnant by her husband (CBSRMT aired in the days before artificial insemination). So why didn't George notice the amulet around his wife's waist? He noticed the bird just fine, but the weirdo amulet he just ignores? Does that make a lick of sense to anybody?

Yes, I wondered about that too, Lee, LOL! :D

Yes, the ending was predictable but I thought Vinette Carroll's reading was great. She was so creepy!

I love CBSRMT and as long as the recording is clean/clear and it's not truncated, I'm happy. Yes, this story was fairly predictable; reminded me of Rapunzel a bit. That said, I did NOT like the voicing by Vinnette Carrol. She may have been great in other aspects of her career, but she sounded like a man to me, and had this been TV, that might have been ok, but when it's a radio show where your imagination fills in the visual, it was a fail in my book.

As Andy mentioned above, it's amazing that Paula hadn't heard the story of Rumpelstiltskin before, lol! For those familiar with fairy tales, it was pretty obvious what was going to happen, and one could kind of see it coming, but the Mother Love character is so mesmerizing that one is still on the edge of their seat anyway. She is truly one of the most interesting characters on CBSRMT! Am I the only one that thinks Paula is one STUPID, selfish, thoughtless woman?!?!? First, she spends the last of her savings because she is so desperate she's not thinking straight. One could forgive her for that, but she seems impulsive and does things without thinking. Then she tries to borrow another 5,000 from a very nice lender, who dies, so now Paula can't borrow the money. But Paula shows her truly immoral character and dishonesty when she STEALS money from her workplace and the missing funds are discovered through an audit. She committed a serious crime, but her boss is a total SAINT! He forgives her, doesn't press charges, and he gives her time to pay it back! Wow! This man is WONDERFUL, (or could one say he is an accessory to the crime?) he seemed very nice to me though. In fact, Paula is surrounded by such kind, good people, and she doesn't seem to appreciate it fully. She seems to expect them to help bail her out all the time, no matter what she does. The lender was very nice, her boss is truly remarkable and kind, always understanding and putting up with Paula's instability and forgiving her for all kinds of things, including theft. ANY other boss would fire her and call the police and send her to jail if he discovered his 5,000 missing!. Her husband is also very patient, but is it limitless, lol? It's amazing that their romance didn't die, due to a screeching bird in the bedroom every night. She never thinks of him or how he feels about weird stuff like that. Yet he puts up with her and doesn't get mad and divorce her! Paula is SO LUCKY.....until the end, when Mother Love takes their baby. I am left wondering, what happens next? Does Paula even get to keep their baby now that Mother Love has him? I personally don't think Paula will get to keep the baby because the "favor" ML wanted was for Paula to give her the child. Is this the final straw that breaks Paula's marriage? Does Paula's husband finally get get fed up and leave her when he finds out that Paula spent thousands of dollars, (without consulting him, including stealing most of the money), and THEN they have to give their child away to Mother Love? How is he going to take all the bad news, lol?

This episode has such a different vibe than the other CBSRMT episodes. The music is different too. Creepy. And the kid calling for his mother. Creepy.

Some of the worst voices ever on radio. I was convinced that Mother Love was a man and his son sounded even older, like Jonathan Winters. Awful

It's always interesting to see how out of a group of people some will hear things a certain way and others a different way. The comments about Mother's flat voice strike me as curious. I think of the several early Hollywood actors and some current ones with similar flat voices who are fabulously famous in great part due to the flat delivery. To each his own - I personally enjoyed this very much! And enjoyed the extra information about Vinette Carroll. Very accomplished lady!

'Mother Love's' voice was really creepy, but that's what makes her enjoyable in this episode, lol! Did anyone else think Paula (the wife) was kind of bratty? She seemed spoiled, like she expected everyone to do her favors, not to mention that she stole money and her saintly boss looked the other way. (I don't want to give too much away.)

LuAnne, I'll agree with your statement ! Paula character is a prude. Ripping off her boss and friend to pay Mother Love is just down right despicable. LOL I know its just a radio theater episode. But who goes to such lengths to have a baby ?

I loved this one!A new favorite!

The storyline was good and leaves one wondering, which is what a mystery should do. It stays with you long after the telling. The voodoo woman, Mother Love, was a good character. Some say her voice was flat but i think it fit the character, someone who knows things they shouldn't. There were some things such as the amulet which were out of place, why not tuck it under the pillow? But overall it was creepy and enjoyable.

A completely illogical story. The fillers in this tale — a woman embezzling money from work because the person she’d asked to borrow from dies — lent nothing to the development; it simply filled the time. And the premise was wrong from the beginning. As a listener I expect the characters to keep their word, even if it is misleading. The title character asks for a small favor and it is neither small nor a favor. The writer should have worded it differently so that the expectant mother would be tricked into giving her word, not lied to. And the obnoxious Claude-bird was just too much. How on earth are we expected to believe that this couple could possibly have a love life and conceive anything but a headache with that damn bird in the bedroom?

his, IMHO, is quintessential CBSRMT. Even though you may have an inkling of the ending, the build up is classically done; I've listened to it a number of times. A few years back, on a rode trip with my stepdaughters, I played half of it. When I stopped it in the middle of act 2, they raised quite the ruckus! Their running joke was my love of what they called "story radio"; after prolonged protest, I played the rest of the episode, and got nowhere near the heckling I once received.

I love this one! It has special, personal meaning to me.

I rate this episode ★★★★☆ for GOOD. The best part in this, was the cast: Joan Hackett (as Paula Richards), Vinnette Carroll (as Mother Love), Mason Adams (as George Richards and Mr. Jordan), Leon Janney (as Claude and Mr. Martin), Evie Juster (as Edna Lacey), and Roger DeKoven (as Dr. Morton). All 6 performers did outstanding jobs and 2 them stole the show. Joan Hackett with her delicate, yet eager voice. And Vinnette Carroll with an uncanny, yet unforgettable voice that brought mystery to life. Bravo to these actresses! I'd give Bob Juhren props on this episode since this was his very first one to write for CBSMRT. His mystery tale with a supernatural feel was entertaining, however, the ending was predictable. Plus, if the main character, Paula Richards, was so desperate to have a child, wouldn't it be easier if she and her husband George just did an adoption? Adopt a child from an orphanage or something? If they did that, it would save the main character a lot of trouble and she wouldn't have to go through the process of herb remedies, raising a bird, big money withdrawals, and certainly not to watch what her baby would turn out to be. The music they used had great dramatic tunes. Using a track from the 51st episode of THE TWILIGHT ZONE ("The Invaders") was a good element, however, it was overlapping. Sound effects of footsteps, dialing of the rotary phone, car engine running, traffic noise, people murmuring in the background, tableware clinking, bird pecking the window, buzzer, and champagne glasses clinking worked well. But the sound effect of the bird cawing was too much. And finally, our Host. E.G. Marshall says his classic phrases, followed by introducing our leading lady. In ACT-1, the story begins in the Doctor's waiting room. After the first plot point, we know that Paula has a $6,000 gamble with no guarantee. In ACT-2, things go according to plan as long as no one tampers with the unknown. In ACT-3, Paula's plight goes up. In the end, after the shocking realization of who the baby really is, E.G. Marshall's moral of the story is simply "Let the buyer beware." In his Epilogue, it was very short; a simple mention of ingredients for Mystery Theater. But no Resolution was mentioned after our Climax. No one knows if the 2 main women in this story have to raise the baby together, nor how to explain this situation to the other male characters. The episode's title is good because it speaks for itself on what the story is about and it has the name of a character. But another way to title this tale, would be "Baby Bargain," "The $6,000 Promise," or "Paula's Plight." For those that are fans of Vinnette Carol and/or Joan Hackett, would enjoy their performances in this. BONUS: This has classic commercials of Budweiser, Shop Right, Kellogg's Special K cereal, Suburban Savings, Himan Brown's announcement of Mystery Theater's Address (Box 5152, Radio City Station, New York 10019), John Wingate's News Digest, Commander Neville Putney from "Anxiety" hosted by Bob & Ray, the Patricia Macon Program, a preview of #0026-THE MAN WHO ASKED FOR YESTERDAY, and the Sheryl Henry Program. Until next time…pleasant dreams.

One of my favorites. Mother Love’s voice is so unique.

Excellent performances by all voice over thespians in this episode of potions and charms.

This episode in a word was spellbinding. Literally and figuratively.

This episode ended and I started it over to listen again. Creepy and everything you could want. Love the entire cast. Vinette's delivery is flat but it works. Shop Rite ads are always a plus

A creepy story with a scary ending.