Life & Adventures of Santa Claus, The (1985)

[bunniefuu]

In all this world

there is nothing so beautiful

as a happy child.

The forest of Burzee

an age ago.

They are coming!

The leaders of the immortals
are coming.

Great Ak, they are here!

You Sound Imps always forget
who you are talking to.

It's me, Tingler.

Speak my language, please.

Uh, sorry.
So much to remember.

The other day, I spoke in
Alligator to a wood nymph.

Uh, it's them,
they've arrived.

The leaders of the immortals,
Great Ak!

Good, hurry and bring them
to the council table.

Si, pronto,
tout suite, hai, dozo.

Do svidaniya.

Bueno, si, d'accord,
bye.

jingle jingle

'Ah, good Queen Zurline .'

It will be
a truly unusual night.

Yes, Great Ak.

I wish you success.

I must convince them

or tonight..

...will be Santa Claus'..

...last sleigh ride.

The immortals.

Her Majesty, the Queen
of the Water Spirits.

'The Lord of the Sleep Fays.'

The Master of the Sound Imps.

The Commander
of the Wind Demons.

'The Grand Duke
of the Light Elves'

'with their royal highnesses'

'The Princes
Flash and Twilight.'

The Protector of the Knooks.

'The King of the Ryls.'

I bid you welcome.

We are called here to discuss
the man known as Santa Claus.

A mortal who has won
the love of the entire world.

Tonight, when he returns
from his final ride

'he will be visited
by the Spirit of Death.'

Of all men who have
inhabited the Earth

no other so well
deserves to live on.

A mortal? Live on?

Nonsense.

whoosh

We have come, so we will
hear you out, Great Ak

although your cause
seems hopeless.

But come to the point.

What is your desire?

That Santa Claus
be allowed to continue

his yearly rides,
his good work.

But that would mean
only one thing.

Yes.

To bestow upon Santa Claus

the Mantle of Immortality.

How shall I begin
this story of the life

and adventures of Santa Claus?

At the beginning,
Master Woodsman.

Yes, the beginning.

We live so happily here
in the forest

that we know nothing
of the sorrow and misery

that falls to the lot
of those poor mortals

who inhabit the open spaces
of the Earth.

It was a short
60 years or so ago..

...an instant
in immortal time..

...that I came upon the babe

abandoned in the snowy woods at the very edge of the forest.

I left the child
with the Lioness Shiegra.

I ordered her
to lie close to the babe

and to give it her milk

and to send word
throughout the forest

that the child should
not be harmed.

Otherwise, he would have
been Shiegra's evening meal.

Great Ak, what is a child?

You were always
as you are now, Necile

as immortals will always be.

'And you know nothing
of children'

'because there are none
among us.'

And there will never be.

It is so decreed by our laws.

Children.

It would be nice to see one

to hold one, just once.

A child of man.
A baby.

The Lioness Shiegra
guards the babe.

I must wait and be silent.

growl

Surely, I can look
after my young trees

and the babe as well.

What is it that has
disturbed you, Great Ak?

I feel a strange presence.

Something that has never been
in the Forest of Burzee before.

Uh, Great Ak.

'It is the Lioness Shiegra.'

She is beyond my control.

growl

I thought no animal was beyond
your control, Peter Knook.

'Are you not the master
of all animals in the world?'

It has never happened before.

Oh, Great Ak.

Find room in your heart
to forgive me.

I have broken
the law of the forest

but please,
let me keep the man-child.

Let me know the joy
and warmth of having..

...this baby.

roar

Shiegra! Here!

growl

It's alright, Shiegra.

roar

Yes, I know what I told you.

You are right to be angry.

Please, let the babe remain.

Here?

In the Forest of Burzee?

Where the human race
has never yet penetrated?

roar

But the law, child.
The law.

The law's the law.

Or it wouldn't mean
anything, right?

The law is made
by the Great Ak.

If he bids me
care for the babe

he himself has saved
from certain death

'who else in the forest
would oppose me?'

I'd say you are fairly
trapped, Great Ak.

roar

Agreed.

She shall keep the babe,
and the Lioness Shiegra

will stay to protect them.

growl

What shall we name
the babe, Necile?

I will call him Claus.

For in the language
of our forest

it means little one.

Little Claus.

Uh, it gets a bit chilly
in this forest at times.

Luck to you, child.

Claus it is, then.

toing

Claus?

Tingler is here
for your language lesson.

Hi, Tingler, uh,
what's it gonna be today?

Squirrel, bee songs,
wood flower poetry, or elephant?

All wrong, torto,
incorreto, falsch,all wrong.

Finch.

Oui, MonsieurTingler.

Not French. Finch!

Okay, let's practice
by the stream.

Are all children like Claus,
Queen Zurline?

No, he is a very
special child, Necile.

And I'm sure he will grow up
to be a very special mortal man.

I miss the babe I once had.

You must say goodbye for a time
to Necile and her sisters, Claus

for you are going
to accompany me

on a journey through the world.

- The world?
- 'Yes.'

Where mortals,
not unlike yourself, live.

We immortals are few,
but mortals are many.

I would like to see
the mortals very much.

Go then, and be back
by daybreak tomorrow.

'Great Ak called me a man.'

'What does that mean?'

It is the name
mortals use for a boy

who has grown, as you have.

Goodbye, Necile.

There is another word
the mortals use.

- Mother.
- Mother?

What does it mean?

One who has a child

a mortal child
who grows and becomes a man.

Are you my mother?

I would like very much
for you to call me that

if only for this one time.

Alright, then.

Goodbye, mother.

growl

Hold tightly to my belt

for we are going to journey

through the air
and circle the world.

Hold fast, Claus.

When we land, we shall become
invisible to all whom we meet.

'One measly cart?'

The Lord of the Manor
shall hear of this.

But, Squire Rushwell, it's been
raining for a fortnight

and this is the first day
we could harvest.

You'll work in the dark
tonight by torchlight

'and without your supper,
'til the quota's made!'

Put it back.

One more trick like that,
and you'll find yourself

back at the orphanage, you will.

Wait, it's only a turnip.

'A single, miserable turnip.'

Here, take it.

'It's no use, Claus.'

They cannot see us.

So, these are mortals?

Do they all act this way
towards one another?

It seems so cruel
compared to our world.

Man's inhumanity to man, Claus.

And I'll be back
when you least expect it.

So be warned!

Do all mortals live like this?

Come, you shall see.

Squire Rushwell tells me
the serfs are acting up again.

Hm.

One of the little brats tried
to steal one of my turnips.

- Imagine!
- Hm.

He only took it
because he was hungry.

'It's fine for you.
You've got everything you need.'

Surely, we can do something.

'And I hear that another scamp
wants to learn to read.'

- 'Imagine!'
- 'Hm.'

Next, they'll be wanting
to write.

You don't want to learn
to read or write

'do you, Jameson?'

Of course not, sir.

'Soon, they'll start dreaming'

'of another kind of life.'

And that would be the end
of all this.

We can't afford that now,
can we?

Hm.

Sooner or later,
they'd want what we have.

This business of being a mortal,
I don't think it's for me.

But you are a mortal, Claus

and you will remain one
until you are

just a memory to immortals
like Necile.

I don't understand.

'Come, you will understand
in time.'

Hey.

Hey.

- Hey.
- Hey.

Are they playing a game?

No, they are training
to be samurai

warriors who will fight and, if
necessary, die for their Lord.

'That man is their teacher.'

Hey.

Hey.

Yah!

Stop, don't hit him!

There is nothing
you can do, Claus.

He's just a little boy.

He is learning to be an adult.

To survive in the difficult
world of mortals.

But at his age,
he should be like I was

laughing and playing.

Ah, Claus.

If it were only that simple.

Everything is so different
from our forest.

Uh, show me more, Great Ak.

- I wanna learn.
- Come, then.

Where to now?

To a place of trade.

'Why are those children
holding out their hands?'

'They are homeless, Claus.'

They have no one
to care for them.

No Necile, no Shiegra.

And they have no money
to buy food.

'They depend on the generosity
of others.'

I would like to help them,
Great Ak.

There must be something
I can do.

Clank clank

And men go to w*r, Claus.

They fight amongst themselves
for what are known as causes.

- Good causes?
- Sometimes.

'More often, they are not.'

'w*r.'

Men k*ll each other
when they disagree?

What is man's use?

Why is he here?

Why is he born at all?

To leave the world in some way
better than he found it.

Great Ak, how can I do that?

You must follow your star
as others have before you.

And try to bring a measure
of love and joy to the world.

'Great Ak showed me all
the places in man's world.'

My world,
it's a hard and cruel place

but it's where I have to live.

Well spoken, young Claus.

I will never forget what
you've given me, Necile.

Mother, I'll never forget you.

You will come back to visit?

If you'd let me, I'd like that.

Call upon me whenever
you have need, Claus.

- Me too.
- Anytime.

If you're feelin' blue,
we'll color you pink.

And we shall be here
as well to assist you.

Goodbye, son.

Goodbye, friends.

Goodbye!

Good luck, Claus!

Guard his footsteps well,
Shiegra, Tingler.

You're both coming with me?

Si, oui, d'accord,
bueno, si.

roar

I feel like something
or someone is guiding my steps.

That I know exactly
where I'm going.

Well, we're just on the edge
of the valley now.

Just a little further,
by my calculations.

Does this valley have a name?

Yes, shh,
we are almost upon it.

Listen.

Attenzione, ascolta.

'Neige, schnee, nieve,snow!'

- Snow?
- 'Yes.'

In the Laughing Valley of
Hohaho, there is always snow.

Because it is always winter.

The Laughing Valley of Hohaho.

I like the name.

I like the place.

I like the snow.

Let's make camp.

There.

chime chime

jingle jingle

Claus, Claus,
get up, you have..

growl

...guests, look!

Thank you all.

I promise
I'll make you proud of me.

miaow

Now, don't be jealous.

You've got to learn
to live together

with Blinky, Shiegra.

Necile sent Blinky to us
and we all have to learn

to live together,
now, don't we?

roar

'Hello.'

- What was that?
- 'Help.'

It sounded close.
Let's have a look.

He's frozen with cold.

Let's get him warm, quickly.

'He's coming around.'

Hello, where am I?

Don't be afraid, little one,
you're with friends.

I'm Claus, and this is Tingler,
Shiegra and Blinky.

I'm Weekum,
and I guess I got lost

and I saw your house,
and I stepped

into this big drift of snow

and it was very cold and..

Well, you're alright
now, Weekum.

Tell us where you live.

In a place for kids

who don't have mothers
and fathers

or anyone else
to take care of them.

Well, little Weekum,
let's be pals, you and me.

Okay, Mr. Claus, friends.

Friends.

What's that you're carving?

Oh, just a little cat,
like Blinky here.

miaow

Blinky's a nice cat.

I wish I had a cat like her.

Well, there's an idea.

You get some sleep,
and maybe tomorrow morning

I'll have a surprise for you.

A surprise?

That would be nice.

Goodnight, everybody.

What do you have in mind, Claus?

A cat like Blinky.

A copy, a little wooden one.

Not bad for your first
spielzeug, juguete, jouet

miaow, grr, toy.

That's the word, toy!

A toy.

I like the sound of the word.

'Yes, it's a good word,
Tingler.'

And I slept at his house,
and when I woke up

there was this big surprise,
what he calls a toy.

Mr. Claus, can you make another?

One we could all share.

Big surprise!

Big surprise!

And so, Claus had made
his first toy.

There were more to come.

By the end of the week,
he had made dozens.

whoosh

You beg immortality
for a-a toymaker?

zing

Surely, there is more to tell.

Much more indeed.

The demand for his toys
kept Claus busy.

But he was quite happy
in knowing the pleasure

it gave to so many children.

The Ryls, Knooks,
and Wood Nymphs helped

and supported him
in his new endeavor.

Now what do you call that one?

Well, I thought you were the one
with the names for things.

Okay, okay.
Right, you are.

I name it a-a-a bambola,
a puppchen, a poupee.

How about a doll?

Sounds perfect to me.

I'd like to give this one
to that little girl

the one I met in the castle

during my trip
with the Great Ak.

But she's a rich lord's
daughter.

Rich or poor,
children are children.

And I intend to treat
them all the same.

Then this toy-making is going
to be a full-time business.

What was that?

"Mr. Claus.

"If you make another toy,
we're coming for you.

Signed, King Awgwa."

Who is King Awgwa?

growl

Ah, malvagio, mauvais

dangereux, schlecht, malo.

Bad, bad news!

A little more information
if you please in Burzee talk.

Well, it's said that
the Awgwas influence children.

Make them do terrible,
bad things

like stealing, fighting
and-and quarreling

disobeying their parents,
that kinda stuff.

And where do we find
these terrible Awgwas?

Their homes are in the rocky
mountains, not far from here.

Hmm, that's not good.

growl

What are you going to do?

Nothing, it's toy-making
as usual.

Oh, uh, one other thing
I forgot to mention.

Yes.

It's said that
they can make themselves

invisible.
Goodnight.

Invisible?

Well, that does make it a bit
more difficult, eh, Shiegra?

growl

Yes, I agree.

We'll have to be on our guard.

So..

...he's going to continue
his blasted toy-making.

Well..

...we'll see about that.

What? Ting..

Come to me,
ye Knooks of the Forest!

Who are you that call
upon the Knooks?

How do you know the call?

I am a friend
of your brothers in Burzee

'a friend of Peter Knook.'

So, we cannot capture
this toymaker easily

for he has friends
among the immortals.

But we can keep him
from making the children happy.

Tomorrow, when he leaves
for the village..

The Awgwas.

We must find a way
to defend ourselves

against these invisible foes.

I won't be defeated
so easily the next time.

The Awgwas have stolen the toys

each and every time
I've gone into the village.

'Counting yesterday,
it makes 12 attacks.'

We must plan
some type of defense.

Good! Ha ha ha.

Good!

They'll never find this cave

and Claus will soon
give up his toy-making

and the children will be ours
to control again.

I'm going to try
one more time.

By night...and alone.

growl

Oh, Claus, that's ba-a-ad,
a bad idea.

I must try one more time.

I can't give up.

Thought you could outsmart
King Awgwa, did you?

The toys!

I will continue to make my toys.

I'll find a way, you'll see.

roar

Keep making toys, Claus.

Our caverns are not yet full.

Appear, King Awgwa, and face me.

Who dares call on us
and has the power

to force us into visibility?

It is I,
Master Woodsman of the world.

We owe no allegiance to you,
nor to any immortal.

Yeah, that's right.

That is true.

Yet you have ventured
to interfere

with the actions of Claus

who dwells in Laughing Valley

and is under my protection.

You rule only
the Forest of Burzee.

The valley is ours.

We will do as we please
with this Claus.

You shall not harm my friend

in any way.

Our powers are as great as yours

immortal fool!

So, you refuse to obey me?

It is w*r!

w*r!

No one is master of the Awgwas.

So, you defy me?

With revenge!

Your friend, Claus
shall be captured

within three days
and done away with for good.

If it is w*r you want,
then w*r you shall have.

Farewell, King Awgwa.

Forever.

Great Silver Axe.

chime chime

I am sorry
I have to call upon you

but this w*r cannot be avoided

although I have tried.

Cut well, Great Axe

against these hosts of evil.

Behold!

They fight with tree branches.

I will overwhelm them
with our evil powers.

Go forth, Great Dragon

and incinerate them.

whoosh

whoosh

growl

growl

growl

growl

poing

growl

chime

sizzle sizzle

Your evil friends
have been defeated.

It is the law that
good shall overcome evil.

Forward, immortals!

Charge!

I hear you have many toys
ready for the children.

You may carry them safely
across the valley without fear.

The Awgwas have perished.

It's...no use.

We'll never get it to move.

clip clop clip clop

- Reindeer!
- Yes, Claus.

Uh, the reindeer will be able
to pull your sleigh with ease.

Uh, but, they've never been
out of the forest before.

So you'll have to guide
them with these.

How can I ever thank you,
Peter Knook?

Uh, by having these deer
back in the forest

before daybreak, hm?

Daybreak it will be.

Are you sure you can
handle all this, Claus?

We'll soon find out.

All ready?

Away we go!

Why, we've crossed the entire
valley in just a few leaps.

It's almost like..

...flying!

h* h* h*.

Now I know why they call it
Laughing Valley.

h* h* h*.

Our first stop. In you go.

knock knock

I'm afraid, friends, that we've
made our journey for nothing

and will have to take
all of the toys back.

- What's the matter?
- The doors are locked.

And I can't get in.

We've never tried this
at night before.

Well, you have
to get in somehow.

Please.

Oh, sorry, the roof.

Why don't you go
down the chimney?

'Good thinking. h* h* h*.'

Why, the children have
hung their stockings

by the chimney to dry.

A good place
for a little morning surprise.

Why not?

Well, that worked rather well.

If we find any more locked
doors, we'll know what to do.

Look, more toys!

Where did they come from?

The good Claus
must have been here

for his are the only toys
in the world.

But how did he get in?

A saint like Claus
has no need to unlock doors

if it pleases him
to enter our home.

Saint Claus?

Santa Claus.

You were late,
Claus.

I-I'm sorry, Peter Knook.

But it was only
one minute after daybreak.

A minute is a minute, you know.

I would like to use
the deer again.

And I think
they enjoyed the trip.

Well, I don't know about that.

One time, yes, but, uh..

It's for the children.

Won't you reconsider?

Pour les enfants, bambini, kinder, ninos.

For the children.

For the children.

growl

Well, since you put it
that way..

Okay, for the children.

Yay!

But only once a year,
on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve, but that's
only ten days from now.

You won't have time
to make enough toys.

You'll lose an entire year.

- Maybe not.
- But how?

If I had the toys
the Awgwas stole

I could easily fill
the sleigh, and more.

But how can we find them?

It's no use.

We've only one more hour
until Christmas Eve.

We'll just have to postpone
the trip until next year.

One year? Just think of all the
toys we'll have by next year.

But just think
of all the disappointed

girls and boys this year.

See you all in the morning.

Goodnight.

Don't give up hope.

Not so happy tonight.

Unless..

jingle jingle

Claus, get up!

The toys, they've found them!

Get a move-on, Claus, or you'll
never be back by daybreak.

My first Christmas Eve.
h* h* h*.

His generous deeds
will live forever.

Your story touches even
my cold and windy heart.

Where is the man,
Santa Claus today?

Santa Claus has been delivering
the toys for 50 mortal years.

And now, when he has won
the love of all the world

the Spirit of Death
hovers over him.

growl

I am only a mortal, Shiegra

and all mortal life fades

but this tree
with its decorations

will remind you of how
we delivered our toys

to children
all over the world.

We'll decorate the tree
like this every year, Claus

and we will never forget you.

And what is your desire,
Great Ak?

To bestow upon Claus
the Mantle of Immortality.

In all the world,
there is but one mantle.

It has existed
from the beginning

and no mortal has
ever dared to claim it.

What will it profit any of us

'if it is allowed to remain
in its lonely shrine'

'for all time to come?'

You are right, Great Ak.

I vote yes.

So say you all?

Aye.

Against?

So be it.

Thank you.

Bring the golden crypt.

We bestow this mantle
upon Claus

who is called the patron
saint of children.

Merry Christmas.

Sleep, my immortal son,
and awaken to a new life.

Thank you, Great
Ak.

I will try to be worthy
of the mantle.

Of that I have no fear,
Santa Claus.

I have devoted myself
to the children, Great Ak.

For in all this world,
there is nothing so beautiful..

...as a happy child.

roar