The NeverEnding Story

Falcor:
Never give up and good luck will find you.

Engywook:
The sphinx's eyes stay closed, until someone who does not feel his own worth tries to pass by.

Mr. Koreander:
The video arcade is down the street. Here we just sell small rectangular objects. They're called books. They require a little effort on your part, and make no bee-bee-bee-bee-beeps. On your way please.

The Southern Oracle:
If you want to save our world, you must hurry. We don't know how much longer we can withstand the nothing.

The Childlike Empress:
Bastian? Why don't you do what you dream Bastian?

Bastian:
But I can't, I have to keep my feet on the ground.

The Childlike Empress:
Call my name... please... save us!

Bastian:
All right! I'll save you! I will do what I dream!

Bastian:
MOONCHILD!

Bastian:
What is that?

The Childlike Empress:
One grain of sand. That is all that remains of my vast empire.

Bastian:
Fantasia is totally disappeared?

The Childlike Empress:
Yes.

Bastian:
Then, everything's been in vain.

The Childlike Empress:
No. It hasn't. Fantasia can arise in you, in your dreams and wishes, Bastian.

Bastian:
How many wishes do I get?

The Childlike Empress:
As many as you want. And the more wishes you make, the more magnificent Fantasia will become.

Bastian:
Really?

The Childlike Empress:
Try it.

Bastian:
Then my first wish is...

Bastian's Father:
Your teacher said you were drawing horses in your mathbook.

Bastian:
Unicorns. They were unicorns.

Bastian's Father:
What?

Bastian:
Nothing.

Night Hob:
What is he, a nutcase?

Teeny Weeny:
No, he's a Rock Biter.

Night Hob:
Oh, a Rock Biter... A ROCK BITER?

Night Hob:
I know how it happened.

Night Hob:
Oh, heck no!

Engywook:
To the winch, wench!

The Childlike Empress:
It was the only way to get in touch with an earthling.

Atreyu:
But I didn't in touch with an earthling!

The Childlike Empress:
YES YOU DID! He has suffered with you. He went through everything you went through, and now he has come here with you. He is very close, listening to every word, we say.

Bastian:
WHAT?

Engywook:
Next is the Magic Mirror Gate. Atreyu will have to look his true self in the face.

Falcor:
So? That shouldn't be so hard.

Engywook:
Oh, that's what everyone thinks! But kind people find out that they are cruel. Brave men find out that they are really cowards! Confronted by their true selves, most men run away, screaming!

Bastian:
No, not again. No, not again!

Bastian:
No, not again. No, not again!

Bastian:
MOONCHILD!

Falcor:
Never give up and good luck will find you.

Mr. Koreander:
The video arcade is down the street. Here we just sell small rectangular objects. They're called books. They require a little effort on your part, and make no bee-beep-beeps. On your way please.

Bastian:
I know books. I have 186 of them at home.

Mr. Koreander:
Nah, comic books.

Bastian:
No, I've read Treasure Island, Last of the Mohicans, Wizard of Oz, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Lord of the Rings, Tarzan, ...

Mr. Koreander:
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa...

Bastian:
What's that book about?

Mr. Koreander:
Oh, this is something special.

Bastian:
Well, what is it?

Mr. Koreander:
Look, your books are safe. While you're reading them you get to become Tarzan, or Robinson Crusoe.

Bastian:
But that's what I like about 'em.

Mr. Koreander:
Ahh, but afterwards you get to be a little boy again.

Bastian:
What do you mean?

Mr. Koreander:
Listen. Have you ever been Captain Nemo, trapped inside your submarine, while the giant squid is attacking you?

Bastian:
Yes.

Mr. Koreander:
Weren't you afraid you couldn't escape?

Bastian:
But it's only a story.

Mr. Koreander:
That's what I'm taking about. The ones your read are safe.

Bastian:
And that one isn't?

Mr. Koreander:
Don't worry about it.

Bastian:
But you just said it was... [phone rings]

Mr. Koreander:
Forget about it. This book is not for you.

Southern Oracle:
Do not be afraid. We will not harm you. We have been waiting for you a long time, Atreyu.

Atreyu:
Are you the Southern Oracle?

Southern Oracle:
Yes, we are.

Atreyu:
Then you must know what can save Fantasia!

Southern Oracle:
Yes, we do.

Atreyu:
Well? What is it? I have to know!

Southern Oracle:
The Empress needs a new name.

Atreyu:
A new name? That's all? But that's easy! I can give her any name she wants!

Southern Oracle:
No one from Fantasia can do it. Only a human child can give her this new name.

Atreyu:
A human child? Where can I find one?

Southern Oracle:
You can only find one beyond the boundaries of Fantasia. [the Southern Oracle begins to crumble] If you want to save our world, you must hurry! We don't know how much longer we can withstand the Nothing.

G'mork:
If you come any closer, I will rip you to shreds.

Atreyu:
Who are you?

G'mork:
I am G'mork. And you, whoever you are, can have the honor of being my last victim.

Atreyu:
I will not die easily. I am a warrior.

G'mork:
Ha! Warrior. Then fight the Nothing.

Atreyu:
But I can't! I can't get beyond the bounaries of Fantasia! [G'mork laughs mockingly] What's so funny about that?

G'mork:
Fantasia has no boundaries.

Atreyu:
That's not true. You're lying!

G'mork:
Foolish boy. Don't you know anything about Fantasia? It's the world of human fantasy. Every part, every creature of it, is a piece of the dreams and hopes of mankind. Therefore, it has no boundaries.

Atreyu:
But why is Fantasia dying, then?

G'mork:
Because people have begun to lose their hopes and forget their dreams. So the Nothing grows stronger.

Atreyu:
What is the Nothing?

G'mork:
It's the emptiness that's left. It's like a despair, destroying this world. And I have been trying to help it.

Atreyu:
But why?

G'mork:
Because people who have no hopes are easy to control. And whoever has control has the Power.

Atreyu:
Who are you really?

G'mork:
I am the servant of the Power behind the Nothing. I was sent to kill the only one who could have stopped the Nothing. I lost him in the Swamps of Sadness. His name was Atreyu.

Engywook:
Get out of my light wench!! You're disturbing my scientific work!!!

Urgl:
You and you're SCIENTIFIC WORK!!!! What the boy needs now...is one of my potions!!

Engywook:
The Boy will need my scientific advice much more!

Atreyu:
Ahem..Engywook: Ahhhhhh!!! He's Well!!! Now it's MY turn with him!

Urgl:
Oh no! It's your turn when I say it's your turn.....Well little man...still in pain??

Atreyu:
A little....but it's alright.

Urgl:
I LIKE THAT!!! The patient telling the doctor it's alright?? It has to HURT if it's to HEAL!!!! Drink that....that's my batwing broth!! There's eye of newt in there, old tree mold....lizard brains...scales from a rancid sea serpent!!!

Atreyu:
Is that the Southern Oracle?

Engwwook:
Oh, no. It's the first of the two gates you must pass through, before you reach the Southern Oracle, and get me the final information for my book. Of course, most people never get that far.

Atreyu:
Why?

Engywook:
The sphinxes' eyes stay closed, until someone who does not feel his own worth tries to pass by.

Engywook:
Next is the Magic Mirror Gate. Atreyu will have to look his true self in the face.

Falcor:
So? That shouldn't be so hard.

Engywook:
Oh, that's what everyone thinks! But kind people find out that they are cruel. Brave men find out that they are really cowards! Confronted by their true selves, most men run away, screaming!

The Childlike Empress:
Atreyu, why do you look so sad?

Atreyu:
I have failed you, Empress.

The Childlike Empress:
No, you haven't. You brought him with you.

Atreyu:
Who?

The Childlike Empress:
The earthling child. The one who can save us all.

Atreyu:
You knew about the earthling child?

The Childlike Empress:
Of course. I knew everything.

Atreyu:
My horse died! I nearly drowned, I just barely got away from the Nothing! For what?! To find out what you already knew?!

The Childlike Empress:
It was the only way to get in touch with an earthling.

Atreyu:
But I didn't get in touch with an earthling!

The Childlike Empress:
Yes, you did. He has suffered with you. He went through everything you went through, and now he has come here with you. He is very close, listening to every word, we say.

Bastian:
What?!

Atreyu:
Where is he? If he's so close, why doesn't he appear?

The Childlike Empress:
He doesn't realize he's already a part of The NeverEnding Story.

Atreyu:
"The NeverEnding Story"? What's that?

The Childlike Empress:
Just as he is sharing all your adventures, others are sharing his. They were with him when he hid from the boys in the bookstore.

Bastian:
But that's impossible!

The Childlike Empress:
They were with him when he took the book with the Auryn symbol on the cover, in which he's reading his own story, right now.

The Childlike Empress:
One grain of sand. That is all that remains of my once vast empire.

Bastian:
How many wishes do I get?

The Childlike Empress:
As many as you want. And the more wishes you make, the more magnificent Fantasia will become.

Narrator:
Bastian made many other wishes, and had many amazing adventures - until he came back to the real world. But that's... another story.

Rockbiter:
Where I come from, in the North, we used to have exquisite gourmet rocks. Only now... now, they're all gone.

Nighthob:
I know how it happened. [chuckles]

Rockbiter:
Oh, I-- I swear it wasn't me!

Nighthob:
Oh, heck, no!

Teeny Weeny:
I think I know what it was. Tell us more.

Rockbiter:
Near my home, there used to be a beautiful lake. But then... then it... it was gone.

Teeny Weeny:
Did the lake dry up?

Rockbiter:
No. It just wasn't there anymore. Nothing was there anymore. Not even a dried up lake.

Teeny Weeny:
A hole?

Rockbiter:
A hole would be something. No, it was... nothing. And it got bigger, and bigger. First there was no lake anymore, and then finally... no rocks.

[He starts chewing a rock, and the pieces nearly fall onto the Nighthob]

Nighthob:
If he keeps stuffing his face like that, soon there won't be any rocks here either!

Bastian:
I had another dream, Dad. About Mom.

Bastian's Father:
I understand, son. But we have to get on with things, right? [Bastian doesn't reply] Bastian, we each have responsibilities. We can't let Mom's death be an excuse for not getting the old job done, right?

Bastian:
Yeah.

Bastian's Father:
Son, I think it's time you and I had a little talk. I got a call from your math teacher yesterday. She says that you were drawing horses in your math book.

Bastian:
Unicorns. They were unicorns.

Bastian's Father:
What?

Bastian:
Nothing.

Bastian's Father:
She also says that you haven't been turning in your homework on time. And I'm very disappointed that you didn't even try out for the swimming team. As to those riding lessons you wanted, you say you love horses and yet you seem to be afraid to get on a real one. Now Bastian, you're old enough to get your head down out of the clouds and start keeping both feet on the ground, right?

Bastian:
Okay.

Bastian's Father:
[smiles] Stop daydreaming. Start facing your problems, okay?

Bastian:
Okay.

Cairon:
I'm sorry, but this is not the time nor place for children. I must ask you to leave.

Atreyu:
If you don't want me here, you shouldn't have sent for me.

Cairon:
It was not you we sent for. We wanted Atreyu.

Atreyu:
I am Atreyu.

Cairon:
[laughs] Not Atreyu the Child! Atreyu the Warrior.

Atreyu:
I am the only Atreyu of the Plains People. But I'll be happy to go back hunting the purple buffalo. [turns to leave]

Cairon:
No, wait! Come back, please. If you really are the Atreyu we sent for, you would be willing to go on a quest?

Atreyu:
Yes, of course. What kind of a quest?

Cairon:
To find a cure for the Empress, and to save our world. No one can give you any advice except this. You must go alone, you must leave all your weapons behind. It will be very dangerous.

Atreyu:
Is there any chance of success?

Cairon:
I do not know. But if you fail, the Empress will surely die, and our whole world will be utterly destroyed.

[Atreyu takes off his bow and quiver of arrows and lays them on the ground]

Atreyu:
When do I begin?

Cairon:
Now. And you must hurry, Atreyu. The Nothing grows stronger every day. Take this. [Cairon places the Auryn necklace around Atreyu's neck] He who wears the Auryn speaks for the Empress. It will guide and protect you.

(in the Swamps of Sadness, Atreyu pulls his horse along saying reassuring things the whole time.)

Atreyu:
That's it. You're doing fine, Artax. [Suddenly Artax stops and Atreyu pulls on the reigns. Artax doesn't budge] Come on Artax, what's the matter? What's wrong? Come on, boy! I understand, it's too difficult for you. [He tries pulling him in a different direction and steps into a puddle up to his waist. Suddenly he notices that Artax is sinking!] Artax! You're sinking! Come on! Turn around! You have to! NOW! COME ON! ARTAX! Fight against the Sadness, Artax! Artax, please. You're letting the sadness of the swamps get to you. You have to try. You have to care. For me. You're my friend. I love you. ARTAX! STUPID HORSE! You've gotta move, or you'll die! Move, please! I won't give up! Come, quick! ARTAX! PLEASE!

Atreyu:
Are you Morla, the Ancient One?

Morla:
[yawns] Not that it matters, but yes.

Atreyu:
Please help me, Morla! Do you recognize this? [holds out the Auryn]

Morla:
Well... we haven't seen the Auryn in a long time.

Atreyu:
We? Is there someone else here too?

Morla:
We haven't spoken to anyone else for thousands of years, so we started talking to ourselves.

[Morla lets out an enormous sneeze, knocking Atreyu out of the tree, he climbs back up]

Atreyu:
Morla! I bring terrible news! Did you know that the Empress is very ill?

Morla:
Not that it matters, but yes. Actually, we don't care.

Atreyu:
If I don't save her, she'll die! There's a terrible Nothing sweeping over the land! Don't you care about that?

Morla:
We don't even care... whether or not we care. [Morla stifles a sneeze, Atreyu braces himself]

Atreyu:
Do you have a cold?

Morla:
No... we're allergic to youth. [Morla sneezes again]

Atreyu:
You know how I can help the Empress, don't you?

Morla:
Not that it matters, but... yes.

Atreyu:
If you don't tell me and the Nothing keeps coming, you'll die too! Both of you!

Morla:
Die? That, at least, would be something. [Morla starts to sneeze, Atreyu braces himself again]

Atreyu:
Please help me. You said you knew the answer--

[Morla sneezes again, knocking Atreyu out of the tree]

Morla:
We're tired of sneezing, go away! Nothing matters.

Atreyu:
That's not true! If it didn't really matter to you, you could tell me.

Morla:
[laughs] Ah ha ha! Clever boy!

Atreyu:
TELL ME, PLEASE!

Morla:
We don't know, but you can ask the Southern Oracle.

Atreyu:
How can I get there?

Morla:
You can't. It's 10,000 miles away.

Atreyu:
But that's so far.

Morla:
That's right. Forget it. Give up.

Falkor:
Leaving so soon? Hmm?

Atreyu:
Uh, I was just going to-- I-I-I have to... I was trying to--

Falkor:
Sneak away?

Atreyu:
Yeah...

[Falkor chuckles]

Atreyu:
I mean no, no!

Falkor:
I like children.

Atreyu:
For breakfast?

Falkor:
[laughs] Never! I'm a luckdragon. My name is Falkor.

Atreyu:
And my name is--

Falkor:
Atreyu. And you're on a quest.

Atreyu:
How'd you know that?

Falkor:
You were unconscious, and you talked in your sleep. [winks]

Atreyu:
Wha--?

Falkor:
[wiggles his right ear, and strains to reach it with his short leg] Could you... get round and scratch behind my right ear?

Atreyu:
[giggles]

Falkor:
I can never quite reach it!

Atreyu:
[approaches him and starts scratching] Here?

Falkor:
Oh... Yeah! [chuckles] That's so good. Thank you. So, little fella - you're on your way to the Southern Oracle?

Atreyu:
Yes. But it's hopeless. It's too far away!

Falkor:
Oh, I wouldn't necessarily say that.

Atreyu:
You... you know how to get there?

Falkor:
Why, sure. It's right around the corner.

Atreyu:
How'd all this happen?!

Falkor:
[chuckles] With luck! [winks again]

Atreyu:
You've already brought me the entire 10,000 miles?

Falkor:
No, only 9,891. As the dragon flies.

Atreyu:
You're amazing!

Falkor:
[chuckles] Having a luckdragon with you is the only way to go on a quest. Things will work out fine, Atreyu. Never give up, and good luck will find you.

Rockbiter:
[holding up his hands] They look like big, good, strong hands, don't they? I always thought that's what they were. Oh, my little friends... the little man with his racing snail, the Nighthob, even the stupid bat. I couldn't hold onto them. The Nothing pulled them right out of my hands. I failed.

Atreyu:
No, you didn't fail. I'm the one who failed. I'm the one who was chosen to stop the Nothing. But I lost the Auryn, I can't find my luckdragon, so I won't be able to get beyond the boundaries of Fantasia!

[A crash is heard]

Rockbiter:
Listen. The Nothing will be here any minute. I will just sit here, and let it take me away too. [holds up his hands again] They look like good, strong hands, don't they?

[Atreyu nods sadly]

Bastian:
Why is it so dark?

The Childlike Empress:
In the beginning, it is always dark.

Bastian:
What is that?

The Childlike Empress:
One grain of sand. It is all that remains of my vast empire.

Bastian:
Fantasia has totally disappeared?

The Childlike Empress:
Yes.

Bastian:
Then... everything's been in vain.

The Childlike Empress:
No, it hasn't. Fantasia can rise anew. From your dreams and wishes, Bastian.

Bastian:
How?

The Childlike Empress:
Open your hand. [places the grain in the palm of his hand] What are you going to wish for?

Bastian:
I don't know...

The Childlike Empress:
Then there will be no Fantasia anymore.

Bastian:
How many wishes do I get?

The Childlike Empress:
As many as you want. And the more wishes you make, the more magnificent Fantasia will become.

Bastian:
Really?

The Childlike Empress:
Try it.

Bastian:
[starting to smile] Then my first wish is...

[The Empress looks up and smiles too, and Bastian is shown riding on Falkor through the sky over a reviving Fantasia]

Bastian:
YEAH! Falkor, it's even more beautiful than I thought!

Falkor:
Like it?

Bastian:
Falkor, it's wonderful! Falkor, it's like the Nothing never was!

Do what you dream (The Empress)