♪♪
♪ Tell me a story,
read me a book ♪
♪ Wrap it in memory,
sing me the song ♪
♪ And let me hold it
deep in my heart ♪
♪ Where it can speak to me
all the day long ♪
♪ The adventure of virtue,
the adventure of truth ♪
♪ The thrill of the knowing
that it's up to you ♪
♪ They'll be a new day
shining in the sun ♪
♪ This is my story,
the adventure has ♪
♪ Begun ♪
♪♪
♪♪
( Dog barks )
( Fire engine siren wails )
Whoa.
Be careful.
They must save it,
emil.
They must!
Get that hose
over here!
Look out!
There's a hot spot
over there!
There she goes!
Look out!
Whoa...
Get some water
on the roof.
Look out!
Sorry, mr. Zagradne.
There was nothing
we could do.
It's replaceable.
Who can afford?
We just here in this country
few months.
Now we lose everything.
Zach:
emil!
Kid, you know
the new folks?
Uh, uh, no.
I got to go.
It was horrible.
The zagradnes
lost everything.
Zagradnes? That new
boy in your class?
Uh, yeah. Emil.
Oh.
So what will they do now?
Sounds like the zagradnes
could use some help
from some good neighbors.
Hey, don't look at me.
I hardly know them.
Besides, I live
blocks away from emil.
I've never even
talked to him.
He's got that funny accent.
You know.
Ah, yes, sometimes
we're leery of people
Who may sound
or look different.
( Purrs )
Whoa!
Ah, like I don't
understand bobcats.
Sleep, sleep, sleep.
All they do is sleep.
And digging holes
all day is better?
( Zach and annie laugh )
Those two are just pretending
to fight each other.
But the jews and samaritans--
Now, they were
a different story.
Yeah, a different story.
A story? Oh.
There's a parable in the bible
Told by jesus about
those two groups of people.
Long ago
in the city of jerusalem
There lived a jewish
garment merchant named eli
Whose son joshua often
helped him with his work.
In those days,
the jews and samaritans
lived as neighbors
But they could not have been
farther apart from each other.
Good fortune, joshua.
I've sold our whole stock.
Tomorrow I leave
for jericho to buy more.
But, father, you cannot
travel that road alone.
You worry too much.
I'll be fine.
No. Thieves hide
behind every rock.
( Yells )
Watch out!
A thousand pardons.
Please forgive me.
Joshua, say no more.
He's a samaritan.
Please, let me help.
Help from a jew?
Not if my life
depended on it.
The feeling's mutual.
Come, joshua, let this
be a lesson to you.
There's no such thing
as a good samaritan.
Father, please wait
for a caravan.
That road is so treacherous.
I'll be safely to
an inn by nightfall.
I promise.
Please be careful, father!
But the road between
jerusalem and jericho
Was treacherous indeed...
Filled with sudden turns
and narrow, rocky passageways--
A thieves' paradise.
( Gasps )
Aah!
Ha, you're most generous,
kind stranger.
The buzzards can
take what's left.
( Laugh )
Eli:
help...
Please.
Meanwhile, a priest was making
his way to jerusalem.
It's always an honor
to entertain a priest.
A gift for your journey.
My friend,
there are special blessings
for those who... Give,
Even with such small tokens.
I must make my leave.
Important duties
await me at the temple.
This humble servant
of the people
Must not let them down.
A levite was also at the inn.
He too was bound for jerusalem.
Please accept
this gift of gratitude
For all that you levites do.
Could we do less?
The law says
that we love our neighbor.
Why, all israel
is our neighbor.
The samaritan has
a fine beast, doesn't he?
What?
You let a samaritan's donkey
Share a meal
with our donkey?
But his donkey
isn't a samaritan.
Besides, he's a kind man.
Kind? Sire,
levites are kind.
Samaritans are
most certainly not.
We'd clean that trough
if we were you.
Someone... Please...
Have mercy.
Poor fellow.
As a priest, I should help him.
But I'm expected at the temple
And my duties there
must come first.
The people need me.
Someone else will help
this unfortunate soul.
( Buzzards screech )
( Groans )
Poor wretch...
Robbers did this,
no doubt.
And they still might be
lurking somewhere near.
We are in danger.
We cannot stay.
We're a servant
of the people.
The people need us.
Someone else is
bound to help him.
( Groans )
( Donkey brays )
What?
Away! Shoo...
Be gone!
Shoo!
( Groans )
Please help.
I'm here for you,
my friend.
He's doing much better.
Yes, but he shouldn't
travel yet...
And since I must
leave tomorrow,
Take this for his
room and food.
Why did you help me?
You are
a samaritan.
I am a jew.
How could I do less?
I have a son.
If I had been beaten
and robbed,
He would want someone
to help me.
I, too, have a son.
What's wrong, my son?
It's my father.
He traveled
to jericho alone.
Now he's overdue
and I'm afraid
Something terrible
has happened.
It is a dangerous road.
Why, i, myself, saw a man
left for dead
Not seven days ago.
Oh, no!
We saw a man beaten by
robbers on that very road.
Please, sir, what
did he look like?
But I couldn't stop.
I had pressing duties
at the temple.
Nor could we-- not
with robbers about.
Oh, father... Father.
Joshua!
Father!
A priest and a levite
Saw someone lying
beaten on the road.
I thought...
I was sure it was you!
It was.
But luckily,
someone finally
stopped to help.
Who, father?
A samaritan.
A good samaritan.
Talk about useless.
Those guys said they
cared about people,
And they
didn't help at all.
Good thing that samaritan
gave eli a hand.
Just as the zagradnes
need a hand.
But someone else
will come along, right?
Like in your story.
And if they don't?
I don't know.
Oh, no! My plane!
Ari, grab it!
Uh, sorry...
My hands are full.
Quick, sock! My plane!
( Yawns )
somebody call?
Won't somebody help?
No, no, my plane!
Someone's bound to come along
and help, right?
Zach:
no...
No, no, please!
Okay... I get it!
If you leave the helping
to someone else,
It might never get done.
So, we should help
the zagradnes.
Bravo!
But wait,
we're just kids.
Anything we do is just
a drop in the bucket.
I couldn't have
said it better.
Once,
there was a girl
Who, with one small
cup of water,
Saved her whole country
from drought.
This I gotta hear.
The drought seemed endless
And everyone suffered terribly,
Especially one little girl
And her poor sick mother.
If I have to search
the whole country
I'll find you water, mama.
You're just one
little girl...
With one little dipper.
Save your strength.
No, mama,
you must get well!
Take good care of her,
margaretta.
She searched and searched,
until at last,
High in the mountains...
Water!
Water for my mother!
( Pants )
Oh, you poor thing!
Here, boy... For you.
She was so busy helping the dog
She didn't see her tin dipper
turn to silver...
And fill to the top
with water again.
Mama, look what I've found!
You should have some
too, margaretta.
Ahh... Water has never
tasted so good.
Here, you drink
the rest, child.
Please... It's so hot,
And I'm so... So...
You need this
more than me.
My cup!
It shines like diamonds!
But your kindness
shines even brighter.
It will comfort many
and be remembered forever.
( Laughs )
Oh, look, mama!
There's water enough
for everyone!
( Gasps )
And the little girl's dipper
became the big dipper--
A constellation of stars
that will shine
In the heavens forever--
All because of the kindness
of a single child.
Ha, guess now your excuse
doesn't, uh...
( Laughs )
hold water, eh?
Annie:
yeah...
See what even a kid can do?
A famous playwright
once wrote:
"Mercy is twice blessed.
"It blesses him that gives...
And him that takes."
Shakespeare,
"the merchant of venice."
( Clearing throat )
act four, scene one.
Hmm. Show-off.
So, maybe we can
do something.
But what?
You know,
my parents volunteer
with this group
That builds houses
for people who need them.
What are you doing?
Let's call!
Maybe they'd rebuild
the zagradnes' house.
We could
even help them!
Whoa, wait, time-out.
What you're talking
about takes time.
I've got things to do.
True... To help,
You may have
to give up something.
But then there's always
the reward.
Reward?
Now you're talking!
Yes... As androcles
was rewarded.
Androcles?
Yes, a sl*ve
in the days
Of the roman empire.
( Imitating lion roar )
Man:
stop this foolishness,
androcles.
Plato:
but his master was so mean
And so heartless
That one night
he decided to escape.
Androcles, are you mad?
If you're caught escaping,
they'll feed you
to the lions.
Better to be a lion's lunch
than live under the whip.
Farewell.
We've searched
everywhere.
Your sl*ve has vanished.
If he's not in rome,
then he's fled
to the forest.
Find him.
( Roars )
( Gasps )
( Moans )
Are you in pain?
Let's see your paw.
Aha, here's the problem.
That better?
( Footsteps approach )
( Gasps )
I'm trapped.
We'll search until nightfall
if we have to.
Here, come quickly.
A cave.
Not in here either.
Blast his luck.
Thank you.
( Purrs )
( Yawns )
The sl*ve lived with the lion
for many months.
The pair became fast friends.
But not all were as happy
as androcles.
And you call yourself
a roman soldier?
Outsmarted
by a common sl*ve.
Do you know
that all of rome
is laughing at me?
He's crawled in a hole
somewhere,
But when he crawls out,
we'll seize him,
And then you'll be
the one laughing--
Laughing as the lion
tears him apart.
No! No!
Save your strength
for the lions.
Caesar and your master
Will want
a good show.
( Roars )
Oh, no!
Man:
another sl*ve down.
You, androcles,
you're next.
Hail caesar.
I can't express
the great honor
of being your guest.
Yes, yes, sit down.
You almost missed
the main event.
Bring on androcles.
Bring on the lion.
( Crowd cheers )
Oh, no!
( Angry shouts )
( Growls )
( Roars )
No!
( Sniffs )
It can't be.
Here, boy.
Impossible!
What trickery is this?
Great caesar,
I once helped this lion.
My reward
was his friendship.
No! Androcles must die!
( Boos )
And I say
he shall live.
Androcles, because
of this miracle today,
You and your friend
are free.
( Crowd cheers )
Zach: awesome!
So, androcles made
a great friend.
One that eventually
saved his life.
Because he cared enough
to be a friend.
Annie, that building
project for emil?
I'm in.
That's the spirit, zach.
Yes!
Plato:
if we all somehow pull together,
we can build a better world.
There's a poem written
for another building project--
The statue of liberty.
"Give me your tired,
"Your poor, your huddled masses
yearning to breathe free.
"The wretched refuse
of your teeming shore--
Send these, the homeless,
tempest-tossed to me."
♪♪
♪ We're all strangers ♪
♪ In a strange land ♪
♪ So let's reach out ♪
♪ With helping hands ♪
♪ And a love like this
is a skipping stone ♪
♪ Upon the waters of our home ♪
♪ This blue-green planet
spinning east to west ♪
♪ I tell you,
mercy is twice blessed ♪
♪ I tell you,
mercy is twice blessed ♪