Helping Hands

## Stats

**Helping Hands** is the 54th episode of the series *Babar* that aired on April 15, 1991.

## Summary

Pompadour and Cornelius have a heated debate on what dessert they should make for Rataxes' arrival, but Celeste breaks it up and insists they make both. They have another debate on what music should be brought, which Celeste says that two of the bands will combine. Meanwhile, the elephant children are flying a kite when it gets stuck in a tree. They go to get Cornelius, but they stop and listen to another debate on what towels they should get. Celeste suggests purple towels, but Cornelius mentions that they would have to dip into the allowance and Pompadour states there wouldn't be food and they'd be in the poor house.

The children worry about this and being in a poor house without TV or toys. To help their parents, Pom suggests they have a palace yard sale. Flora says that would be stealing, but Alexander says they will buy it all back with their allowance, to which Pom answers will take years. However, he volunteers in the yard sale idea. At Rataxes' palace, he is getting ready to leave to stay with Babar to sign a peace treaty, wearing an annoying hat that has a drooping feather on it which originally was from the elephants, but they exchanged it to get a rhino lamp. Speaking of the lamp, Babar insists they clean up the lamp and put it in his office. Cornelius and Pompadour are nonetheless disgusted by the lamp. Inside the office where Alexander is, Pompadour brings up to Babar a loan agreement, which makes Alexander run off in worry, with Babar's chair and paperwork in a sack for the sale. They hope that their sale brings in lots of money.

Lord Rataxes arrives, with Basil and Lady Rataxes, and he settles in the guest's room, but there is no table to put his luggage at, and there's not even a bed, or even anything for Lady Rataxes to clean herself with in the bathroom. Lord Rataxes sees the yard sale outside and figures Babar is running low on money. Chef Truffles, Celeste, Pompadour, and a blind Cornelius complain to Babar that their things are missing, with the lamp being a major thing. Lady Rataxes needs to wash her horn but there is no sink plug, so Lord Rataxes puts Basil's finger in the hole. Lady Rataxes insists to the two that they help Babar. Lord Rataxes has enough of the feather hat and throws it out the bathroom, resulting in Flora to swoop it up. Lord Rataxes fears that he has to find the hat. He checks a room when Babar comes in. Rataxes asks him how much he wants for a clock, but Babar states he doesn't want anything for it.

Meanwhile, Flora returns with new supplies plus the hat. But Alexander and Pom figure no one will buy it, so Flora just tosses it in the trash. Cornelius comes up and the children hide their stand in time, but Cornelius almost checks it out until Pompadour takes him away. Truffles, Pompadour, and Cornelius tell Babar that they were unable to find the lamp, although Cornelius states that he did find his glasses. When it is time to sign the treaty, Rataxes realizes that his lamp is missing, and Pompadour realizes that the "national treasure" hat isn't on Rataxes. Truffles comes in saying it was in the trash. Rataxes is dismayed, and refuses to sign the treaty. Outside, the children show Babar the money they made so they don't have to go to the poor house, but Babar doesn't understand and says that the palace has plenty of money. They are sad that they did this for nothing, but Babar does say they did it for them. Isabelle runs up to Babar with Rataxes' lamp. Nearly when Rataxes gets in the car, Babar shows him the lamp. The children apologize and Celeste suggests they talk about the peace treaty over dinner.