♪ Tell me a story
♪ Read me a poem ♪
♪ Laughing in melody ♪
♪ Sing me the song ♪
♪ Then 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 knowing ♪
♪ That it's up to you ♪
♪ Building a new day shining in the sun ♪
♪ This is my story ♪
♪ The adventure has... Begun. ♪
To the first saturday of the month.
He works for my dad.
He gave me
These cool binoculars.
He knows more about spring valley
Than anyone, but you're never going
To guess what he wanted
To show me this morning.
Zach, not down there!
Over here.
That's when it happened.
( Cracking )
Whoa!
You okay? What happened?
I don't know.
I was standing on...
Oh, no.
It can't be.
What? It's just some old plaque.
I didn't mean...
Some old plaque!
It's more than just some old...
Oh, never mind.
Don't worry about it.
But, mr. Cleveland...
I said never mind, zach.
I'll see you later.
I didn't know what to do
Or what to say.
Just how far can you see with these?
( Yelps )
( Laughing )
Sock, you're going to give me a heart attack.
( Laughing ): sorry, ari.
( Both chuckling )
Get over it, zach.
It was just an old broken plaque.
Why get upset over an old inscription on a tree, right?
Yeah, right.
No, not right.
It was weird.
Mr. Cleveland was so upset.
What did the plaque say again?
Something about "their loyalty that we shall never forget."
Who shall never forget?
And what does loyalty have to do with anything anyway?
It certainly meant something to mr. Cleveland.
Regular mystery, all right.
( Clearing throat ): ari?
Whoops.
Loyalty can be very powerful.
Tell you the truth, plato
I don't know what it means.
It's when you're devoted
To someone else
Like kids are to their parents...
You're just a riot today.
Or when friends rely on each other.
( Sighing )
Like in that ancient fable from india
About king yudisthira.
Yudis-who-ra?
Thira.
Long ago, he ruled the pendava people
But after years of prosperity
The king decided his time on earth had ended
And he should join his ancestors in the kingdom of the immortals.
To join the gods, king yudisthira had to reach
The top of mount mayru
And from there, make his way to paradise
But that road was difficult, even for a king.
( Shivering )
( Dog barks )
Ah, I see I am not alone
On this forsaken path.
( Whimpers )
Ah. Here, dog. Come.
Together, we can keep warm.
( Barking )
Plato: the two became good friends
Each needing the help of the other.
( Barking and snarling )
As he neared the end of his journey
The king realized just how much his friend meant to him.
Any difficult journey is easier
When traveled with friends.
Oh, merciful indra
God of a thousand eyes
I beg entrance into paradise.
Greetings, king yudisthira.
Eternal life waits within.
Come, I welcome your embrace.
Oh! Do you hear, dog?
Our journey is over.
It was truly worth all that we suffered.
( Barking )
No.
Cast off the dog, yudisthira.
Then you may enter.
But he has come all this way with me.
Magnificent indra
See how devoted he is to me.
I cannot leave him out here.
What you cannot do
Is bring a dog into heaven.
But...
He-he would be alone.
The riches and joys of heaven are yours
If you perform this small deed.
No!
I do not wish immortality
If it means casting off one that is so devoted to me.
Our journey is not yet over, dog.
You are a good man, yudisthira.
Now, do as I ask and put me down.
( Gasps )
Dharma--
God of righteousness and justice.
You show faithfulness and compassion
For all creatures.
There is no act which is valued more highly than true loyalty.
Plato: because of his loyalty to a dog
King yudisthira's reward was eternal happiness
And to be forever honored in heaven.
It's my turn.
You've had yours.
Will you just let them...?
Wow.
( Laughing )
Okay, I get it.
A loyal person sticks up for his friends
But why should mr. Cleveland care about some old plaque?
Mr. Cleveland, you say?
I just flew over him at grandview park.
He was trimming away at that old tree on the hill
With such determination.
We just can't figure out why he's even bothering.
If your story had to do with gardening
It might make sense, but loyalty?
Ah! So that's what you're talking about.
And I could use a little help, it seems.
Allow me.
There's many a tale told of loyalty--
Loyalty to people and even to things--
As in "the cap that mother made."
Once there was a young swedish boy named anders
And his remarkable cap.
Greetings, lars.
Anders, I thought I had crossed paths
With a duke or a prince.
Only they would have such fine headwear.
Give me that cap
And I'll give you this.
No, thank you.
My mother made this cap.
But there's no other blade like this.
My father made it for me.
And how sad you would give it away so easily.
I could never trade my cap.
Woman: trade?
Posh!
With such an impressive cap
You are dressed for the royal ball.
Yes!
With my cap, I'll meet the king himself.
No one may enter without proper uniform.
Away with you, lad.
Stop, guard.
Are you blind?
A boy with such a magnificent cap must be one
Of my father's invited guests.
I've never seen such a cap.
Give it to me and I will
Give you a kiss.
Princess, I could never part with it.
Did I say "kiss"?
I meant...
This.
Princess, stop!
Help!
What is this disturbance?
Sire, everyone in your kingdom's after my cap
Even the princess.
Daughter, such behavior is unacceptable.
Hmm...
But clearly understandable.
I must have it.
Help!
Come, lad.
I am king.
No!
Then I will make an exchange.
And I barely escaped
With my life.
You fool.
With the king's crown
You could've bought a castle
Filled with caps.
Not even an entire country filled with caps
Would be as precious as this one--
Made special by my mother.
So anders' loyalty to his mother was stronger
Than all the wondrous temptations in the world.
So it wasn't really about the cap, was it?
Only as a symbol of his loyalty to his mother.
That plaque might be a symbol
Of mr. Cleveland's loyalty to something.
Or someone.
That tree was chosen
By the people of spring valley
As a memorial to soldiers who died in battle
For their highest expression of loyalty
To country.
Sure. "Their loyalty that we shall never forget."
The photo!
Photo? What photo?
Once, mr. Cleveland showed me
An old photograph at the camera shop.
I'm an old man
But charlie will always be years old.
( g*nf*re and bombs dropping )
Oh, no.
No.
No! No!
That's the last time he saw his friend.
I guess that's why he was so upset.
I think you figured it out, zach.
It was the memory of his friend.
And his loyalty to that memory.
Man, loyalty is such a strong... Emotion.
One of the strongest there is.
Loyalty for a friend...
Annie: for family...
Zach: or mr. Cleveland's loyalty to his buddy
And his country.
Exactly.
Sometimes, soldiers risk their lives being loyal
Just as queen esther risked her life
Being loyal to her people.
Long, long ago, a land once known as persia
Was ruled by a very foolish king
King ahasuerus.
He invited the important men
Of his kingdom to a feast.
King ahasuerus, what of the queen?
Our eyes would be soothed by her presence.
Guards!
I command queen vashti to join us.
Plato: the king was vain
And susceptible to evil advisors
So the queen refused.
Her majesty refuses.
But I command it.
And I refuse to associate
With your drunken, unruly guests.
They disgrace this throne room
And you.
( Laughter )
Silence! Or I will have you all hung.
But, your majesty
If your own wife will not obey you
What kind of king does that make you?
True
But what can I do?
If I was of the royal court
I'd advise you to get rid of her.
Hmm. Well said.
Plato: in an act of insensitive cruelty
He sent her away.
But now, what kind of a king are you
Without a queen?
Correct again, haman.
Plato: so he sent his guards to search
For the fairest maiden in all of persia.
King ahasuerus: I will make her my new queen.
Plato: he chose a young jewish woman named esther.
She moved into the palace
Accompanied by her uncle, mordechai
Who offered a warning.
Dearest niece, I think it best
Not to tell the king you are jewish.
Let's keep that our secret for now.
One day, outside the palace
Mordechai overheard a plot
To k*ll the king.
The king will die.
As we have planned, I will strike during
Tomorrow's royal procession.
Mordechai acted immediately to save the king.
He warned queen esther of what was happening
And esther warned the king there was a plot
To take his life.
The king was angered
So he had the would-be assassins put to death.
The king was relieved, but never thanked mordechai
For saving his life.
And by now
Haman was the king's most trusted advisor.
Haman was so powerful
All were ordered to bow before him
And all obeyed; all except mordechai.
So haman marked mordechai as an enemy.
He will pay for his insolence.
Since mordechai is a jew
I will make all jewish people suffer.
Plato: haman filled the king's ear with ugly lies about the jews.
Jews are disrespectful.
There are too many in persia.
They plot against you.
They are your enemies.
But what can be done, advisor?
Get rid of them.
I will pay . Talents of silver
Into your treasury if you sign such an order.
Haman, do whatever you think best.
Man: with my own ears, I heard it.
All the jews are to be k*lled.
The king would never let
Such a horrible thing happen.
It is by his command.
Plato: mordechai was shocked
And ran to warn queen esther of the danger.
Your husband wants
To k*ll our people.
I don't believe you.
I tell you it's true.
You must stop this tragedy.
Forget our secret.
Tell king ahasuerus you are jewish.
Yes, and he shall have me k*lled first.
You have been put here for a reason:
To help our people.
Gather our people together
And have them pray for me.
If I perish, I perish.
Sire, I have planned a special banquet
For you and your advisor
If haman will join us.
I'll count the hours, my queen.
( Scoffing )
A paltry meal
When I'm worthy of far greater honors.
Am I to put up with your impudence forever?
Bow to me now!
I bow only to my god.
Death!
Death to that man!
Without the king knowing, haman had a gallows built.
Death to mordechai.
That night, the king could not sleep
So he ordered a servant to read to him.
It was a history of his court.
The king was reminded
About the two assassins who had plotted to k*ll him
And how mordechai had sounded the first warning.
I never rewarded mordechai for saving me.
Servant, what am I to do?
Ahh! Haman will know.
Haman, I wish to honor a brave, noble man.
Honor?
How can I repay my gratitude to such a man?
He means me, of course.
It's about time.
Give him your richest royal robe.
Even your crown.
He should be led through the city
Astride your finest horse
Proclaimed as the man whom the kingdom delights to honor.
Haman, you are remarkable.
Now find mordechai
And do exactly as you have advised.
Mordechai?
Haman paraded mordechai through the streets
Much to haman's dismay.
At least, I am still being honored
With a private royal banquet.
Knowing her life was in danger
If she approached the king without his permission
Queen esther bravely took the king aside.
To what do we owe this magnificent feast?
Husband, it concerns your order to k*ll all the jews in persia.
I gave no such order.
Oh, yes, you did, your majesty.
What of it?
You must spare the jews.
You dare tell the king what to do?
If you won't take back your hateful command
Begin with me
For you have married a jew.
But, esther, I cannot.
I love you.
By your own command
k*ll me first.
This was not my idea.
At least, I don't believe it was.
Oh, no, sire. It was his.
Uh...
Stop this.
Haman!
You attack your queen in my own palace?
Your majesty, forgive...
Seize him!
He has secretly
Built a gallows to execute mordechai.
How convenient.
It shall be used for him instead.
Forgive this foolish king, esther.
So the jewish people remember queen esther
Who risked her life
To be loyal to her people.
They both showed loyalty...
Queen esther and mr. Cleveland.
Loyalty enough to put one's life on the line
For what one believes.
See?
Yeah.
There's a kipling poem which reminds us
That loyalty is a rare commodity.
Say, uh...
I'm sorry about getting so angry, zach.
I should have explained.
No. I'm sorry.
I shouldn't have climbed on the plaque
In the first place.
Now I understand why it means so much to you
And... Well, what loyalty means between friends.
Friends?
Friends.
Plato: "one man in a thousand"
Solomon says, "will stick more close than a brother
"And it's worthwhile seeking him half your days
"If you find him before the other.
" Can't bide the shame or mocking or laughter
"But the thousandth man will stand by your side
To the gallow foot and after."
♪ That's one in a thousand ♪
♪ A snowflake in your hand ♪
♪ A tiny flower growing ♪
♪ In the desert sand ♪
♪ A drop of rain falling ♪
♪ To a thirsty man ♪
Ano a sth friend , t