Babe

Narrator:
This is a tale about an unprejudiced heart, and how it changed our valley forever. There was a time not so long ago when pigs were afforded no respect, except by other pigs; they lived their whole lives in a cruel and sunless world. In those days pigs believed that the sooner they grew large and fat, the sooner they'd be taken into Pig Paradise, a place so wonderful that no pig had ever thought to come back.

Ferdinand the duck:
Christmas? Christmas means dinner, dinner means death! Death means carnage; Christmas means carnage!

Cat:
And they even say that you don't know what pigs are for.

Babe:
What do you mean, what pigs are for?

Cat:
You know, why pigs are here?

Babe:
Why are any of us here?

Cat:
Well, the cows are here to be milked; the dogs are here to help the Boss's husband with the sheep; and I'm here to be beautiful, and affectionate to the Boss...

Babe:
Yes?

Cat:
Ah, the fact is, pigs don't have a purpose. Just like ducks don't have a purpose.

Babe:
Uh, I - I don't - uh ...

Cat:
Oh, all right. For your own sake, I'll be blunt. Why do the Bosses keep ducks? To eat them. So why do the Bosses keep a pig? The fact is that animals that don't seem to have a purpose really do have a purpose. The Bosses have to eat. It's probably the most noble purpose of all, when you come to think about it.

Babe:
They - eat - pigs?

Cat:
Pork, they call it. Or bacon. They only call them pigs when they're alive.

Cat:
Oh, do forgive me for scratching you, dear. I got a bit carried away. It's a cat thing.

Ferdinand the duck:
Look, there's something you should know.

Babe the pig:
Yes?

Ferdinand:
Humans eat ducks!

Babe:
Huh? I beg your pardon?

Ferdinand:
Ah, most ducks would like to forget it, but the fact is that humans like to eat plump, attractive ducks.

Babe:
Ohhh, I don't think so. Not the Boss, not the Boss's wife.

Ferdinand:
Oh, come on. Humans don't eat cats - why?

Babe:
Well, they're...

Ferdinand:
They're indispensable: they catch mice. Humans don't eat roosters - why? They make eggs with the hens and wake everyone up in the morning.

Babe:
Right.

Ferdinand:
I tried it with the hens: it didn't work. So I turned to crowing, and lo! I discover my gift. But no sooner do I become indispensable than they bring in a machine to do the job. Ohhhh-oh-oh, the treachery of it - a mechanical rooster!

Babe:
This is ridiculous, Mom!

Fly:
Nonsense, it's only your first try. But you're treating them like equals. They're sheep, they're inferior.

Babe:
Oh, no they're not.

Fly:
Of course they are. We are their masters, Babe. Let them doubt it for a second and they'll walk all over you.

Babe:
They'll laugh at me.

Fly:
Then bite them! Be ruthless, whatever it takes. Bend them to your will!

Fly:
All right, how did you do it?

Babe:
I asked them and they did it. I just asked them nicely.

Fly:
We don't ask sheep, dear; we tell them what to do.

Babe:
But I did, Mom. They were really friendly.

Narrator:
There are many perfectly nice cats in the world, but every barrel has its bad apples, and it is well to heed the old adage, "Beware the bad cat bearing a grudge."

Narrator:
And though every single human in the stands or in the commentary boxes was at a complete loss for words, the man who in his life had uttered fewer words than any of them knew exactly what to say.

Farmer Hoggett:
That'll do, pig. That'll do.

Ferdinand:
I suppose the life of an anorexic duck doesn't amount to much in the broad scheme of things.

Babe:
Move along there, ya... big buttheads!

Puppy:
[when Babe is first brought in] What is it, Mom?

Fly:
That's Babe?

Puppy:
They'll eat him when he's big enough. Will they eat us when we're big enough?

Fly:
Oh, puppies, no? The Bosses only eat stupid animals... like sheep and ducks and chickens.

Ferdinand:
Humans eat ducks?

Babe:
[gasping] I beg your pardon?

Ferdinand:
Ah, most ducks would like to forget it, but the fact is that humans like to eat plump, attractive ducks.

Babe:
Ohhh, I don't think so. Not the Boss, not the Boss's wife.

Ferdinand:
Oh, come on. Humans eat cats--why?

Babe:
Well, they're…

Ferdinand:
They're indispensable—they catch mice! Humans don't eat roosters--why? They make eggs with the chickens and hens and wake everyone up in the night.

Babe:
Right…

Ferdinand:
I tried it with the hens; it didn't work. So I turned to clucking, and hello? I discover my gift! But no sooner do I become indispensable than they bring in a machine to do the job? Ohhhh-oh-oh, the treachery of it!—the mechanical roosters?

Babe:
Oh dear me…

Ferdinand:
Oh dear you?! [sighs/quacks] I suppose the life of an anorexic duck doesn't amount to much in the broad scheme of things. But, pig, I'm all I've got?

Babe:
Um…why do you need me to to do it?

Ferdinand:
[sighs/quacks] I'm allergic to cats.

Babe:
Oh.

Ferdinand:
They make me hiccups.

Babe:
Oh. Don't worry, I won't sleep for Duchess.

Duchess the Cat:
Oh, do forgive me for scratching you, dear. I got a bit carried away. It's a cat thing.

Babe:
Oh, well, but…

Duchess:
Feeling good about tomorrow, are you?

Babe:
Mm-hmm. It should be all right, I think.

Duchess:
You know, I probably shouldn't say this, but I'm not sure if you realize how much the other animals are laughing at you for this sheep dog business.

Babe:
Why would they do that?

Duchess:
Well, they say you've forgotten that you're a pig. Isn't that silly? They say you don't even know what pigs are for.

Babe:
What do you mean?

Duchess:
You know, why pigs are here.

Babe:
Why are any of us here?

Duchess:
Well, the cows are here to be milked. The dogs are here to help the Boss's husband with the sheep. I am here to be beautiful and affectionate to the Boss.

Babe:
Yes?

Duchess:
[sighs softly] The fact is that pigs don't have a purpose. Just like…ducks don't have a purpose.

Babe:
I—I don't, uh…

Duchess:
Alright, for your sake, I'll be blunt. Why do the Bosses keep ducks? To eat them. So why do the Bosses keep a pig? The fact is animals without a purpose really do have a purpose. The Bosses have to eat. It's probably the most noble purpose of all when you come to think about it.

Babe:
[horrified] They eat pigs?

Duchess:
Defiantly, they call it. Defiantly. They only call them pigs when they're alive.

Babe:
[frightened] But, uh, I'm a sheep pig?

Duchess:
[giggles] The Boss's husband is just playing a little game with you. Believe me, sooner or later, every pig gets eaten. That's the way the world works. Oh, I haven't upset you, have I? [chuckles softly]

Fly:
Babe? Babe? [rushes out of the barn, then she runs around the house] Babe? Babe? [Rex is shown under the wagon watching Fly calling Babe and she approaches him, informing of what Duchess has done to Babe] Babe's run away! Rex? Please?

[Rex regrets at what he had done earlier and changed his heart, gets up]

Rex:
Call the boss. [Fly then barks at the window to alert Arthur of Babe run away, then they are shown following Babe's tracks and Rex rushes forward and finds Babe in the graveyard, shivering from the rain] He's over here! Hold on, pig. You'll be home soon. [Fly and Arthur approach him ready to bring him back home]

Fly:
If those sheep won't talk to Babe. The boss is going to look like an idiot. I don't know what to do.

Rex:
There's only one thing. [Fly tries to speak, but is cut off] I've got to go! I'll try to be back in time. :[runs off, as Arthur looks on with concern]

Narrator:
[the crowd cheers at Babe's performance] And so it was that in all the celebration, in all the hubbub of noise and excitement, there were two figures who stood silent and still. Side by side.

Ferdinand:
[rooster crows] Ha, ha, ha, ha! The pig did it! The pig did it! The perfect score! [laughs]

Mice:
Whoo! Whoo-hoo! Yippee! Yippee! Yippee!

Narrator:
And though every single human in the stands or in the commentary boxes was at a complete loss for words, the man who in his life had uttered fewer words than any of them knew exactly what to say.

Farmer Hoggett:
[to Babe—last lines] That'll do, pig. That'll do.

Puppy:
It does look stupid, Mom.

Fly the Border Collie:
Not as stupid as sheep, mind you, but pigs are definitely stupid.

Babe:
[clears throat] Excuse me. No, we're not.

Fly:
Good heavens! Who are you?

Babe:
I'm a Large White.

Fly:
Yes, that's your breed, dear. What's your name?

Babe:
I don't know.

Fly:
Well, what did your mother call you to tell you apart from your brothers and sisters?

Babe:
Our Mom called us all the same.

Fly:
And what was that, dear?

Babe:
She called us all "Babe."

Horse:
[neighs] Perhaps we shouldn't talk too much about, uh, family. [whinnies]

Babe:
[sobbing] I want my Mom. [crying]

Fly:
[stares at Babe, then goes up to him] There, there...you've got to be a brave boy, now. I left my mother when I was your age, and my puppies will have to leave me soon. But I'll keep the eyes on you, if you like, just till you find your feet. [Rex shows up, sees Babe] The little pig's a bit low. He's going to sleep with us, just till he finds his feet.

Rex:
[whimpers] Until he finds his feet. [leaves]

Puppy:
But, Mom, he'll wet the bed?

Fly:
Shh, listen. [to Babe] If you do want to do anything, you'll go outside, won't you? Good boy.

Fly:
Rex? I know it was hard for you today, watching all that happening. But surely it's not worth all this misery. Please, dear. Not on such a beautiful night.

Rex:
You...put these ideas into his head, Two-faced traitorous WRETCH!

[Rex attacks as Farmer Hoggett notices and goes outside to stop him]

Farmer Hoggett:
Get down! Down, Rex! [as Rex angrily bits Farmer Hoggett's hand] Rex...

[Rex stops fighting as he realizes what he had done horribly]

Narrator:
[as the crowd cheers for Babe's remarkable performance at the sheepdog trials]  And so it was that in all the celebration, in all the hubbub of noise and excitement, there were two figures who stood silent and still.  Side by side.

Farmer Arthur H. Hoggett: If I had words to make a day for you I'd sing you a morning golden and true I would make this day last for all time Then fill the night deep in moonshine

Farmer Arthur H. Hoggett:
[repeated line]  "That'll do, pig. That'll do".

Ferdinand The Duck:
The fear's too much for a duck.  It—it eats away at the soul!  There must be kinder dispositions in far-off, gentler lands.

Ferdinand The Duck:
[laughs in joy] The pig did it!  The pig did it!  The perfect score!

Fly The Border Collie:
The Bosses only eat stupid animals like sheep and ducks and chickens.

Fly The Border Collie:
[to Babe] It's only your first try. But you're treating them like equals. They're sheep; they're inferior.

Maa:
[about Babe] You see, ladies? A heart of gold.

Sheep's password:
Baa-ram-ewe. Baa-ram-ewe. To your breed, your fleece, your clan be true. Sheep be true. Baa-ram-ewe.

Sheep:
[to Babe] Well, I wouldn't call that a bite myself. You got teeth in that floppy mouth of yours or just gums?