First Snow of Winter, The (1998)

[bunniefuu]

[Birds chirping]

Whoa! Look at the size

Of that bird.

Ha, ha! He's not

As tough as he looks.

And neither are they.

[Squawking]

Come on, puffy,

Let's scare those gulls.

Oh, do we have to, sean?

They're not doin' us

Any harm.

Puffy,

Gulls are just stupid.

They deserve

To be scared.

They have feelings,

Just like us.

Well, the only feeling

They're gonna feel right now

Is panic! Blah!

Yeah! I love this!

Get out of here.

Go on!

[Sean whooping]

[Laughing]

Ha! Works every time!

Oh, sean,

What would your ma say?

Sean! Sean!

Where the devil is that boy?

We'll be late

To migrate if he doesn't

Come home soon.

Ah, easy on the lad.

He's just out

Havin' fun.

Fun, is it? Well, isn't he

His father's son?

Sean's a duck

Running amuck,

And you just sit there

Blowing your silly whistle.

Sometimes

The 2 of you--

Ah, keep your beak

On now, mother.

He'll be home soon.

♪[Playing flute]

(Both)

We're ready, mother.

Oh, bless you, my dears.

I'm glad we're not all

Featherbrains in this family.

Hey, puffy, will you

Look at this?

Wow!

Hey, let's go for a slide!

Oh, more like

A fall, sean.

Go on,

It's not that steep!

Except for chickens.

Well, I think

We should go home, sean.

[Clucking like a chicken]

Hey, they must be

Wondering where we are.

Fine. You run back

To your mummy, and...

[Gulps]

Leave

The heroics to me!

[Yelling]

[Laughing]

Am I or am I not

Magnificent?

[Stammering]

Ha, speechless are ya?

Sean!

Ah!

[Gasping]

[Panting]

[Sighs]

That was close!

[Both panting]

I told you.

We should have gone home.

What? And missed

All that adventure?

Hey! Did you see

The look on that--

(Mother)

Sean!

[Both screaming]

Sean seamus

Alouicious dermot duck.

What do you think

You're doing?

Oh, hello, ma.

Only playin'.

And have we forgotten

What day it is today?

Er, thursday?

Uh, it's flying south

For the winter day,

Isn't it mrs. Duck?

So why aren't you at home

Getting ready?

Bye, sean.

Bye, puffy.

Ma.

You'll see puffy

Again in the spring.

Couldn't we just

Stay here instead?

Not with winter coming.

It'll soon be

Too cold.

We have to find

Somewhere warmer.

Ma.

Yes?

Will there be

Gulls to chase

When we get there?

Now pay attention,

Everyone.

From now on,

We must all stick

Closely together.

And that means

You too, sean.

Yes, ma.

Now, where on earth's

Your father?

(Father)

Stand aside.

Emergency landin'!

Gangway!

Duck!

[Guffawing]

"Duck", did ya get it?

[Chuckling]

Nice landin', dad.

Uh, sorry I'm late, g*ng.

I forgot me whistle.

Oh, and we wouldn't

Want that now, would we?

Look! Look at the sky!

[Birds chirping]

Oh, no.

Would you look at that?

It's started.

We mustn't be left behind.

All set, everyone?

Rudders.

Wings.

All cleared for take-off.

Go!

Oh, boy. Gulls!

[Mimics plane engine]

[Chuckling]

(Sean)

Come back! Come and play!

[Gulls squawking]

W-where's everyone gone?

Ma! Ma, where are you?

Can't anyone hear me?

Is that you, ma?

Ma!

Is that you?

Ahhh!

Sean! Where's sean?

We've lost sean.

Sean?

He must have taken

A wrong turning

In the cloud cover.

Now relax, mother.

He's just draggin'

His wings a little.

I'll go back

And look for him.

No, no, you stay

With the little ones.

I'll go,

And we'll catch you up.

[Coughing]

Pick on someone

Your own size.

Ma! Come back.

Don't leave me here.

Ma!

[Thunder rumbling]

[Grunting]

(Voley)

Good morning, duck!

It looks to me

Like your flight

Has been canceled.

[Chuckles]

Go away.

Go away?

And we've only just met.

Now then,

Where's your manners?

Lost 'em.

Now leave me alone.

I'm all right.

And I'm voley.

Pleased to make

Your acquaintance,

Mr. Alright.

[Guffaws]

The name is sean.

Ouch!

And you're not

All right, are you?

I--i think

I've broken my wing.

Hmm, now that does

Present a bit of a dilemma.

You see, a broken wing

Means no flying.

And no flying

Means no flying south

For the winter.

And no flying south

For the winter means--

Well, it doesn't matter

What that means

For the moment.

If you can't fly

On your own,

Well, perhaps you just

Need a little help.

Are you sure about this?

Absolutely, absolutely.

You are only talking to one

Of ireland's greatest pilots.

I've never heard

Of a vole flying before.

It was in all

The newspapers.

We don't get

All the newspapers.

[Groans]

Ok. Now, after take off,

Remember to flap your feet

As hard as possible,

And keep on flapping

Like the clappers

Till you see coconuts

And palm trees.

Now off you go!

Hmm. Well, I do have

Another idea.

Now, this is

A little trick I learnt

When I was an astronaut.

See you next spring!

[Sean exclaims]

[Voley laughs]

[Water splashing]

Couldn't I just

Stay with you instead?

Sean! Sean!

Sean!

[Gasps]

Oh, no.

Sean.

How could I let this happen?

If I hadn't let

You fall behind,

You wouldn't be...

Now, listen.

Why the long beak?

Well, with this

Little splint here,

Your wing should mend

In next to no time.

I miss my mother.

We all miss our mothers,

But yours will be back

Soon enough.

In the spring, I expect.

Will she, voley?

Oh, sure. As sure

As grass is musical.

Aw, grass is just grass.

♪[Playing]

[Laughing]

Amazin', isn't it?

A simple blade of grass

And you can squeeze

An old tune out of it.

Oh, can I have a go?

Of course!

Just hold the grass there,

Fill your cheeks and blow.

[Sputtering]

[Chuckles]

A little more blow,

I think.

♪[Playing tune]

[Sean laughing]

(Sean)

This is fun!

[Sheep bleating]

What's that, voley?

Oh, no.

It's a snowflake.

And where there's one,

There's usually

More to follow.

[Chuckles]

They tickle!

Hmm. That's not

All they do.

Come on.

(Sean)

But why are you

So worried about snowflakes?

Uh, they seem

Harmless enough.

Snowflakes

Are harmless.

But snow is another

Thing entirely.

We've got to find you

A warm hidey-hole

Before they begin

To g*ng up on us.

There now.

What'd ya think?

It's broken.

Well, of course

It's broken.

If it was working,

There'd be a danger

Of people taking it

Out to sea.

Oh, it smells of seaweed.

It's the perfect vessel

For a voyage to the spring.

[Voley grunting]

Once we've fixed that,

Of course.

Well...

Step aboard, son,

And settle in.

In the morning,

We go shopping

For supplies.

[Birds cawing]

Squirrels, squirrels!

You're just a bunch

Of rats with perms!

[Voley laughing]

Are those your tails

Or is someone paying you

To dust the branches?

Missed, ha. Missed.

Can't you do

Better than that?

Thanks for the donations,

Fellas.

Ducks don't eat nuts

And berries.

As of today,

You do.

[Sheep bleating]

[Whooping]

What are you doin'?

Collecting wool, son,

To keep you warm.

Did I ever tell you

About the time I was a cowboy?

Something on your mind,

Sean?

I've been thinking.

Now, nothing

Wrong with that.

In fact,

I'd encourage it.

Am I a bad duck?

No.

As far as I can tell

You do the duck thing

Very well.

Then why didn't my parents

Come looking for me?

Perhaps they didn't

Want me anymore.

Perhaps they just--

[Shushing]

[Mumbling]

Save the talking bit

For later.

[Whispering]

Quick, under here.

[Sean gasps]

Oh, no, not him.

I gather you've met before.

[Sniffing]

[Sneezes]

[Screaming]

And another thing,

If you are what you eat,

Then you are all just nuts!

[Panting]

That was brilliant,

Voley.

Which reminds me,

Did I ever tell you

About the time

I was pursued by

A vole-eating tiger?

It was like this...

(Voley)

Beak up, son.

I managed to

Acquire a few more snacks

From our squirrel friends.

[Chuckling]

There.

That little lot

Should keep you going

All winter.

No, no, ha.

You mean keep us going?

You. Us.

What's the difference?

You're not going

To leave me, are you?

Uh, now. About that.

I've been meaning

To have a word or 3.

The thing is,

Well, ducks is ducks,

And voles are different.

You're supposed to fly south

For the winter, and me,

I'm supposed to sleep.

[Yawning]

As a matter of fact,

It's well past my bedtime

Already.

I ought to be

Hitting the hole.

Take me with you, voley.

I can sleep, too!

Not in a burrow in the ground.

No, no, no.

And not for 5 months.

I'm sorry.

It's just nature's way.

But, voley,

I won't survive without you.

Of course you will.

You've got food and warmth.

And you're sean.

Seans are natural survivors.

I could sleep for ages,

If you told me

A very boring bedtime story.

You'd only be up every hour

Asking me for a glass

Of water.

Voley!

You...

You take care

Of yourself, ok?

And look out for the lambs.

Lambs mean spring,

And spring means...

[Sighing]

Voley!

Voley!

[Wind howling]

[Creaking]

[Footsteps]

(Sean)

Puffy?

Puffy.

Wake up!

Sean, is that you?

Oh, you're frozen stiff.

Come with me.

We've got to get you warm.

What happened to you?

There were so many birds

And so much sea,

And I lost my mom

And dad and--

Take it easy, puffy.

Sure, you'll be

As good as new

In no time.

I'll take care of you.

Thanks, sean.

And when you're

Well again,

I'll show you

How to play music

With just a blade of grass.

You've always

Been smart, sean.

No, I haven't, puffy.

But I'm learning.

[Bird chirping]

[Bird chirping]

[Yawning]

[Gasps]

Puffy!

Puffy?

Puffy! Wake up!

Come and see!

[Bleating]

Hello.

Puffy, don't you know

What this means?

Lambs mean spring,

And spring means...

(Sean)

We made it!

(Both)

We made it!

[Both cheering]

Look, blossom!

And bumblebees!

(Both)

Yeah!

[Sean chuckling]

Come on, puffy!

I know a great place

To watch our families

Coming home.

[Growls]

[Gasps]

(Voley)

Look out below!

Vole patrol to the rescue!

[Grunts]

Voley! You came back!

Well, I needed

A spot of exercise

After such a long sleep.

[Chuckles]

Boys, I think you'd better

Make yourself scarce.

Right, right, come on.

Give us your best shot.

But, voley!

Go.

[Voley mumbling]

Voley!

Run, sean.

He's spotted you!

[Water rushing]

[Gasps]

[Giggles]

I can fly!

Voley?

Come on.

Wake up, voley.

Please wake up.

Voley, i--i did it.

I can fly again.

I can fly!

You should have

Seen me, voley.

I beat the fox.

I flew!

[Bird chirping]

Voley?

Didn't I tell ya,

If ya flapped

Your feet hard enough,

One day you'd make it.

[Gasping]

[Chuckling]

Voley, you're alive!

[Mumbling]

Look in the sky, sean.

There's my ma and dad!

[Birds chirping]

And there's mine!

Oh, I'm sorry.

I thought you were...

Hey, guys.

Remember me? I'm sean.

[Birds chirping]

Have you seen my

Parents?

Has anyone seen my

Parents?

They didn't come back.

[Sniffs]

[Ducks quacking]

Why are we always

The last to leave

And the last to return?

We couldn't set off

Without my whistle!

Ma! Dad! It's me!

It's me!

Molting mary,

Mother of ducks!

It can't be!

It's sean!

Ma!

Sean.

I thought

The fox had got you.

Ah, don't you just

Love a happy ending?

Isn't he his father's son?

Yeah.

♪[Playing flute]

Hey, voley.

Would you mind very much

If I didn't stay with you

Next winter?

Of course not.

I guess I'll have to

Find myself another

Dancing partner though.

[Chuckles]

[Sean and voley laughing]

♪ Way beyond ♪

♪ The snows of winter ♪

♪ Far across ♪

♪ The darkened skies ♪

♪ Lies a hope ♪

♪ That springs eternal ♪

♪ It's a place ♪

♪ For you and I ♪