17x07 - Pets and Pests/Go Fly a Kite

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Arthur". Aired: October 7, 1996 - February 2022.*
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Arthur demonstrates to kids how to deal with challenges as homework, teachers and bullies.
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17x07 - Pets and Pests/Go Fly a Kite

Post by bunniefuu »

HELP ALL KIDS LEARN AND GROW
WITH PBS KIDS.

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING YOUR
PBS STATION.

♪ Every day when you're
walking down the street ♪

♪ Everybody that you meet
has an original point of view ♪

(laughing)

♪ And I say hey ♪

Hey!

♪ What a wonderful
kind of day ♪

♪ If we could learn
to work and play ♪

♪ And get along
with each other ♪

♪ You've got to listen to your
heart, listen to the b*at ♪

♪ Listen to the rhythm,
the rhythm of the street ♪

♪ Open up your eyes,
open up your ears ♪

♪ Get together
and make things better ♪

♪ By working together ♪

♪ It's a simple message,
and it comes from the heart ♪

♪ Believe in yourself,
for that's the place to start ♪

♪ And I say hey ♪

Hey!

♪ What a wonderful
kind of day ♪

♪ If we could learn
to work and play ♪

♪ And get along
with each other ♪

Hey!

♪ What a wonderful
kind of day ♪

Hey!

♪ What a wonderful
kind of day ♪

Hey!

Hey, D.W.!

Hey!

Whoa...

Ah... fresh banana bread.

Nothing smells better.

You got
the prize last time.

Did not.

D.W.:
Did too.

It was a ring with
a secret compartment.

ARTHUR:
Yeah, and I gave
it to you.

D.W.:
That was
a hand-me-down prize.

I want my own.

Arthur, please, just...

ARTHUR:
Okay, okay.

Here.

Treasure!

Now, that's more like it.

(Baby Kate laughs)

Hey, where are all the rubles
and pieces of six?

It's a fortune.

"A stranger is just
a friend you haven't met yet."

What a rip-off.

It's not even a real fortune.

Here, you can have it.

I'll take the next one.

Okay.

Who wants
banana bread?

(screaming)

How can something
as tiny as this mouse

cause so much trouble?

Why are people
so afraid of them, anyway?

There are plenty
of mice heroes

like Stuart Little
and Despereaux,

but I guess
it's pretty different

when one decides
to move in with you.

Okay, you can start
'er up again.

(everyone screaming)

(giggling)

(screaming)

(squeaking)

(squeaking)

This kind of trap
won't hurt the mouse.

It just catches him when he
goes to eat the food inside.

Then we'll let him go,

somewhere far away
from the house.

You mean far, far, away.

I don't want him moving back in

with his mice family
and his mice friends.

Don't worry, D.W.

He'll be gone
before you know it.

He better be.

(squeaking)

(screaming)

(squeaking)

(screaming)

(gasps)

(screaming)

(squeaking)

(screaming)

ARTHUR:
We've tried every kind
of mousetrap there is.

It just eats the food
and escapes.

I think it may actually
enjoy the challenge.

I wish I could help.

We never have mice.

How come?

I don't know.

Probably because
they're afraid of Nemo.

Good little kitty.

(gasps)

Now go find
that mouse and eat it.

Hopefully he'll just
scare it away.

D.W.:
I don't care
what he does.

I just want that mouse gone.

PAL:
Kate!

We've been infested.

There's a filthy
scavenger in the house.

That tiny mouse isn't so bad.

Not him.

Nemo.

He's downstairs right now.

What if he's moving in?

My couch will be
covered in cat hair.

I'll have to re-bury
all my bones.

Oh, the indignity!

I'm sure
it's just for a few days.

NEMO:
Or a few weeks.

A year at most.

It depends on how long
the job takes.

Oh, is this my new litter box?

Back, fiend!

Those are D.W.'s toys.

What do you mean by "job"?

I'm here to take care
of your mouse problem.

But don't worry,
they've hired the best.

I don't like to brag,
but I'm a blackbelt in Kat-Fu,

master of the "Iron Claw" style
and "Pouncing Mantis."

(meows menacingly)

(toy squeaks)

We're going to be stuck
with him forever.

NEMO:
Hello?

Anyone home?

Squeak, squeak?

What?

Not even one dead bug in there?

(sighs)

Well, they must have
an open can of tuna somewhere.

(squeaking)

(yelling and yowling)

(towel rips)

(both gasp)

It was huge!

I don't think it was
a mouse at all.

Perhaps a deformed rabbit
or a wild boar.

It had fangs down to here.

Do you think it was
the Gabbernook?

Oh, no!

Anything but that.

Yes, yes,
that's exactly what it was.

You'll need a lion
to get rid of it.

Uh, what exactly
is a gabbernook?

Something Kate
just made up.

(both laugh)

PAL (laughing):
Oh, it's too good.

Very funny.

But until that creature is gone,
I'll probably be staying here.

Hmm, perhaps I'll sleep
in the crib tonight.

I hope you're
a heavy sleeper.

I cough up fur balls at night.

(coughing)

(sighs)

I guess we're just going to
have to handle this ourselves.

I can't believe
I have to sacrifice

a perfectly good piece
of salami for this.

Now what?

When everyone's asleep,
we set the trap.

Then... we wait.

(laughing evilly)

(both laughing)

Hey.

Stop copying
my evil laugh.

NEMO:
Big family...

brothers
and sisters.

And, being the runt
of the litter,

I was always
getting left behind.

"Where's Nemo?"

Oh, please,
make it stop!

(mouse squeaking)

There he is!

Now!

(both laughing)
We did it!

Oh, odious lump!

Vile spawn!

(squeaking)

(both screaming)

PAL:
And then, it appeared...

In a puff
of sulphurous smoke.

Right behind us.

It must have
used magic.

Maybe it really is a gabbernook.

It's the only
explanation.

Well, I think Mom and Dad are
trying something different.

There was an important
meeting at breakfast.

So the exterminator
is coming today

and he's going to
take care of the mouse.

I don't want him
to "take care of" the mouse.

I want him to get rid of it.

He will.

D.W.:
Oh!

But how?

We've tried everything.

Um, well, he...

He has
a special potion

that he sprays
the mouse with.

And the mouse
goes to sleep.

Forever.

Great.

When does he get here?

The sooner, the better, I say.

You've got to be kidding me.

(doorbell rings)

Hey, guess what!

Today you get to meet
one of my best,

smartest, funniest friends.

He can do tricks and...

That's great,

but right now
I have to find Nemo

and bring him
back to Francine.

I can help you look for him.

I'm great at finding cats.

Once I found this cat
that was lost for seven weeks.

See, I had this tuna fish
sandwich in my pocket

but I didn't know it, 'cause my
jacket smelled funny anyway...

Nemo, come out!

If the Gabbernook
can appear anywhere,

what makes you think
you'll be safe in there?

NEMO:
I don't know.

Perhaps it will think
I'm just a slipper.

If you don't come out,
I'm going to hide your catnip.

(door creaks)

See?

I told you.

There's nothing
to be afraid of.

RAT:
I beg your pardon, sir,

but where can a thirsty rat
fetch a drop of water?

(yelling)

(meow)

That was easy.

It's changed shape!

And color!

Oh, what do you want with us,
O spectral Gabbernook?!

Gabbernook, eh?

Can't say I know what that is.

Mind you,
I'm new to these parts.

General Bucephalus Calpurnia
Higgins at your service.

You're not... that mouse

that's been pestering us.

Well, certainly not.

I am a white rat,
Rattus norvegicus,

and I am the proud pet
of Ladonna Compson.

Pleased to meet you, General.

And I you, madam.

Now, what's all this
about a mouse?

Would you like me
to have a talk with him?

And now, introducing
the smartest, cutest albino rat

this side
of the Mississippi--

General Higgins!

Hey, where'd he go?

It's time to move on, my boy.

There's a house
not far from here

owned by a Mr. Ratburn.

I hear he has
some very nice cheese.

(in high voice):
Any Camembert?

Most certainly.

(squeaking)

(chuckling)

Ah, to be a young scamp,
roaming from house to house.

(D.W. screaming)

It's gotten bigger
from eating all our food.

Whoa, whoa,
careful!

That's General Higgins.

Who?

My pet rat.

Why do you have a pet rat?

You taught him that?

That's amazing.

I also taught him
how to play basketball

with a ping-pong ball.

He's got
a pretty mean dunk.

And he sleeps in his
own little hammock.

(doorbell rings)

ARTHUR:
That's probably
the exterminator.

I should get Nemo
home to Francine.

Come on, General.

We don't want to be here
when they start spraying.

Till we meet again, my canine
companion and feline friend.

I look forward to it.

NEMO:
Oh, yes. Can't wait.

Can someone please
take me home now?

I bet I've lost eight
of my lives on this trip.

Can I play
with him again sometime?

Whenever you want.

Dad!

The exterminator's here!

(squeaks)

(squeaks)

And now...

I am supposed to jump
through a flaming hoop.

Why are they making me do this?

GIRL:
We were writing

about an animal's point of view.

"Point of view" means
what the animals think.

I almost got hit with the fire.

I'm glad that's over.

I am a lion.

There are these giants that are
trying to capture me with traps.

Then when I come out,
it is like a dream.

There are little pieces
of crumbs everywhere.

My mouse is a lot

like the mouse that Pal and Nemo
were trying to get rid of.

I am in a cage.

I look out the window
and I see a beautiful tree.

I should be flying outside.

I am a bird.

We're trying to act like
we are in the animal's mind.

I tried to swim away
from the big black shadow,

but the person caught me.

He picked me up with
this big white thing

that is made out of string.

I am a fish.

One day, I snuck out of the gate

and wandered off to a big
grassland full of children.

Suddenly, big arms
reached down and grabbed me.

I jumped out of his arms
and ran home.

I am a Chihuahua.

(applause)

There is so much water.

There is a rock
that I sometimes sleep on.

There are little pieces of
lettuce that fall in my bowl.

I am a turtle.

We wanted to tell
how an animal would feel.

We have feelings and
they might have feelings too.

Then I climbed up on a rock.

I slipped off and I just
started falling and sliding.

I am a penguin.

I am about to go
in the trash can

and eat the moldy
and dirty food.

I am a raccoon.

(applause)

Suddenly I see my owner
with this thing in his hand.

Above, this sticky stuff came
flying at me.

I don't want to do that again.

I am a dog.

One day, I climbed up a tree

so those humans
couldn't pull my tail.

It is safe up here, because
they can't climb trees like me.

I am a cat.

GIRL:
You should write stuff

because you can use
your imagination

and make your own stories.

And now...

ARTHUR:
Hey, cents!

Someone must have dropped it.

Well, it's mine now.

Or is it?

Someone else had
this quarter before me,

and I'll probably pass it
on to another person.

Like your sister.

I just remembered
you owe me ten cents

from two years ago.

I don't have any change.

But this should cover
the interest you owe me.

And this sweater?

My grandma gave it to me.

But I bet D.W. will get it
when I grow out of it.

And Kate will get it after her.

No way.

We're never going
to wear that.

It's way too Arthury.

If you think about it,
who really owns anything?

Check out that kite.

It's beautiful.

(gasps)

Golf is all about control.

You have to hit
the ball just right.

And, um, that's an example
of how not to do it.

You should be
taking notes.

Gotcha!

Hey!

MUFFY:
Binky.

You shouldn't
have moved my ball.

Now it's out of play.

Well, your ball scared away
my monarch butterfly.

LADONNA:
Keep it down!

I'm trying to read.

In a tree?

Why not?

It's shady and quiet.

Unless there's a golfer
and a butterfly catcher

chin-wagging by the roots.

Look!

It's a bullfighter's
cape stuck in a tree!

That's not
a bullfighter's cape.

It's just a kite.

Here, give me
that golf club.

It's not a club.

It's a putter.

(grunts)

Almost!

There.

Now we can go on a quest
to find the owner,

fight off dragons and spies,
and collect a big reward.

I'm not really
dressed for a quest.

Can't we just skip
to the reward part?

Come on, guys.

Where's your sense of adventure?

Okay, we get it.

Where are you going?

No one's going to see
the kite on the ground.

We have to fly it
so the owner can find it.

On your mark...

get set...

go!

Faster, Muffy!

Faster!

I was made to run companies,
not races.

Whoo-hoo!

Ladies and gentlemen,
we have lift-off.

It sure flies well.

I call next turn.

Press one
and tell Bailey

our golf lesson is over.

And ask him to bring
over the sandwiches.

♪ ♪

You know, I haven't
flown a kite in years.

I forgot how much fun it is.

LADONNA:
That's not just
any old kite.

Back home, we called kites
that fly like that

"majestic wind-eaters."

You just made
that up, didn't you?

Uh, kind of.

What do we do with it?

The owner never came back.

Finders keepers, I guess.

Yep.

And since I was the
first one who saw it...

Wait a sec!

None of this would have happened

if I hadn't hit
my ball over here.

Well, I was the one who got it
down from the tree.

With my golf club.

Guys, guys, come on.

There's no reason to fight.

There's a simple,
mature solution to this.

I'll keep the kite.

BOTH:
No way!

Okay, okay,
then let's just share it.

We'll each take it for
a week and then switch off.

A time-share is a great idea.

I'll have Daddy's lawyer
draw up a contract.

Thank you, Walter.

It's exactly
what we talked about,

just written in a way
no one can understand.

Sign by the X.

So who gets
to have the kite first?

Longest straw
goes first,

middle goes second,
shortest goes last.

Whoo-hoo!

Yes!

Binky beats them all.

He came, he saw,
he picked the longest straw.

See you later, gators.

(in sing-song):
I've got a kite to fly,

I've got
a kite to fly!

(thunder)

(groans)

I'm sure it'll
be sunny tomorrow.

Wear your snorkel this week
because it's rain, rain, rain.

Huh?

Don't worry.

This guy never gets it right.

(thunder)

Curse you, weatherman!

(sighs)

Curse you, weatherman.

(birds chirping)

(gasps)

Ready?

Ready.

You're doing something wrong.

I'm just letting it go,
like you told me.

Well, then why isn't it flying?

I don't know.

Maybe because there's no wind?

(Muffy clears her throat)

I hate to interrupt, but
according to my calendar,

your kite time
is officially up.

But... I didn't even
get to fly it once!

Can't I have one more day?

Sorry, a deal's a deal.

Unless...

Just name it.

I'll give you anything.

Thanks again, Walter.

So, this rider
to the contract

will trade you one
of my kite-flying days

for two of yours

when your turn comes
around again.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever.

Where do I sign?

Please, please, please,
let there be a breeze.

(thunder)

No...!

(birds chirping)

Maybe you'll have better
luck in, let's see...

days from now.

(wind whooshing)

(cell phone ringing)

Hi, Chip.

Did you make
the JV badminton team?

No way!

And we even donated a swimming
pool to that school.

I'm going to tell Daddy
we should take it back.

Me?

Actually, I'm flying
this amazing kite we found.

Hold on.

I'll take a picture
and send it to you.

(gasps)

Oh, no!

It's flying away!

Bailey, quick, do something!

♪ ♪

(moos)

(cell phone ringing)

(Bailey chattering)

Oh, well.

Thanks for trying, Bailey.

(sighs)

Looks like the kite's
gone for good.

I wonder what
Binky and Ladonna will say.

You're in breach of contract...

whatever that means.

I'm going to sue
your pigtails off.

I thought you were my friend.

But friends don't just lose
majestic wind-eaters.

(sobbing)

I want to go back
to Louisiana.

I don't know,
but it isn't going to be pretty.

Maybe I don't have to tell them.

Uh-oh.

I know that look.

You're up to something.

Me?

Of course not.

I just have
a little shopping to do.

Hi, Bailey.

When you get down
from the mountain

could you pick me up
at the Sugar Bowl?

(gasps)

You better stay
close by, Bailey.

I may need help
consoling Ladonna

when I tell her
that I lost the...

(gasps)

The kite!

I don't believe it!

It's a miracle.

And just on the day
when I thought that...

What are you doing over here?

I thought we were supposed
to meet by the tree.

Hey, you shouldn't fly it
by these bushes.

It could get torn.

Don't worry,
Majestic Wind-Eater.

I'm going to take
really good care of you.

Well, see you in a week.

I hope you had fun.

Oh, yeah.

It was a blast.

(chuckles weakly)

I'll show you guys
some tricks.

I call this
the Compson camel twist.

And this one is
the Louisiana loop-di-loop.

What are you
doing here?

It's my turn.

But I get two days
off your week, remember?

Binky asked me
for an extra day.

Can I have one, too?

I didn't get to fly it at all.

It just came back
from the repair shop.

The repair shop?

Um, yeah.

But it's all fixed up now.

You broke the kite?

That means you owe
each of us three days.

Didn't you read
your contract?

There is nothing
in here that says

when I have to give
back your two days.

The kite was broken.

Now it's fixed.

Show me where it says...

Here, in paragraph four,
subheading A...

I don't care!

You can have your
days back in December.

What? That's not fair!

(all arguing)

Quiet! You're making
too much noise!

It's hurting my ears.

This is my kite.

I lost it days ago,

on Saturday at :
in the morning.

It has a scar on it,
but that's okay.

I'm going to go fly it now.

Well, I guess we
found the owner.

It's gone for good now.

And we could have all
been flying it right now,

instead of arguing.

If you want, you can
fly the kite with me,

but you have
to be quiet

and I get
to go first.

I've flown this kite times

and I never get tired
of flying it.

I don't like to do
too many fancy moves.

Just hold on tight and let
the wind take it everywhere.

♪ ♪

ARTHUR:
To watch more Arthur

and play games with all
the Elwood City friends,

visit pbskids.org.

You can find Arthur books
and lots of other books too

at your local library.
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