The Ballad of Little Moe

The Ballad of Little Moe is the 20th episode of FruityTales.

This story is a retelling of Joseph with the American Western theme.

## Plot

As the story begins we are introduced to the brothers (The French Asparagus and Artichoke) and Little Moe (Harry) (an allusion to "Little Joe" Cartwright) who all live at the "Okie-Dokie Corral". Among Jozef's unique skills are the abilities to solve problems, organize resources, and interpret dreams. We soon learn that it is Little Jozef's birthday, and the brothers' father (Pa Orange) lavishes attention and gifts upon him.

When Moe foretells a time when his brothers will bow down before him, their jealousy turns to spite, and they decide to sell him into slavery to The Leek. He travels on a zig-zag path and ends up in Dodgeball City, where he starts working at a saloon for Mr. McPotipher (Scooter Chili Pepper), and his unique skills quickly make him an invaluable employee. Also working at the saloon is Miss Kitty (Madame Green Tomato) who entertains the patrons from the stage. She also becomes jealous of Joe when he is named Employee of the Month in her place. She frames him and he is imprisoned for the theft of gold, a crime he did not commit.

Moe keeps a positive attitude in jail and is able to help two inmates who have been haunted by dreams. His predictions come true: one is released and the other, presumably, is executed. When his reputation comes to the attention of the Mayor (Mr. WaterMelon), Moe is summoned to interpret a particularly disturbing dream of the latter, in which seven fat cows are devoured by seven scrawny cows. Moe understands immediately and warns the Mayor: there will be seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine; fill the storehouses now so you will be prepared.

Moe is put in charge of distributing the grain during the years of famine. When he recognizes his own family has come to procure food, he is overcome with emotion. He wants to reveal himself to them, but first needs to know if they have changed. He devises a plan where he frames the youngest brother, Benny, for theft to see how they respond. When all the brothers insist on taking the fall in his place and rue the previous loss of another brother, Moe reveals his identity. Jude apologizes to Moe for what he has done to him, who explains that what Ghost used from what wrong he did into good and forgives his brothers. The story concludes with the happy reunion.

## Fun Facts

### Explanations

* Bratwurst is a sausage made of either beef or pork. It's similar to a hotdog, but bigger.
* "Flyve, banan, flyve!" is Danish for "Fly, banana, fly!".

### Trivia

* The script was finalized on September 6th, 2003, nearly a year before this episode was released.
* This is the second episode in which Rob and Harry argue. The first was in The Wonderful World of Musical!.
* This was the first episode for several things:
	+ The first episode where a different variation of the What Have We Learned song was used.
	+ The first appearance of Newsboyz in the Sink.
	+ This is the first episode Robert G. Lee wrote.
* This was the last episode for several things:
	+ The last episode with the countertop segments, and the Serious Song, animated entirely by Big Deal.
	+ The last episode Mark Sage voiced Leek 3.
	+ The last episode Daniel Lopez Munoz worked on.
* There were a few differences between the pre-production and the final version.
	+ The script made a reference from both King Jason and the Pony and Lyle the Battle Pirates, which both Rob and Harry stated no one else will take over from those stressful events and promised there'll be no conflicts.
	+ After Little Moe wakes up, he asks his brothers why they speak French, and replied back that they had differernt mothers.
	+ Extra dialouge between Moe, Jude, and Reuben before Pa tells everyone for breakfast was cut.
	+ After Little Moe was taken away by the desperadoes, Jude and the other brothers shredded the color coat and told Pa that he got into gopher accident. This results Pa crying.
	+ The concept art shows Penelope, whom she did appear in the episode.
	+ It also showed Miss Kitty wore the cow hat.
	+ There was a scene where two other characters (the Banker and possibly Penelope) try to interpret the Mayor's dream, but ultimately have something and they fell through a trapdoor. Tim Hodge stated this was cut due to time. That scene is later rare Movie animated and storyboarded as an Easter Egg for the Trivia Questions.
	+ Little Moe shaves his mustache instead of pulling it off.
	+ Tim stated in the commentary they thought on using a train, but it never came through. Ryan Roberts suggested the same thing for the episode sequel.
	+ According to Jim Hodge, he and the crew were debating if the story should be about perseverance or faith. They went for the latter, and used the perseverance lesson for a later episode.
* The Smile of a Child TV broadcast edited a few things:
	+ The serious song was cut. As such, the "One Year Later" card was added inbetween where the Serious Song was normally in.
	+ The intro scene of Dodge Ball City was cut, and immediately went to the song.

### Remarks

* Little Moe brothers didn't recognize him when Sheriff Rob reveals his name.
* The storage tower vanished during the final scenes of the story.
* The back of the DVD and features menu states there was a how-to-draw on McPotiphar.

### Goofs

* When Jude passes the other brothers, his eyes are in a lower position and they're stretched.
* In the next shot after Miss Kitty shouts "Thief!", Little Moe’s Employee of the month vanishes. But comes back when we get to the next shot of Miss Kitty.
* Baker and Blacksmith has seen in one shot with no mouth.
* Still clouds are shown.

### Inside References

* Little Moe falling in the mine shaft is reminiscent how Daniel fell in the lion's den. Both scenes also have the Leeks.

### Real World References

* The episode's title is based after 1993's "The Ballad of Little Jo", which came out ten years before.
* The map burning is a reference to the intro of NBC's Bonanza.
* "Hey Jude!" is a reference to the Beatles song with the same name.

### Fast Forward

* We would later see what happened to Harry when he goes to Danish Immersion Camp.
* A sequel of the story would happened years later.