The Ballad of Little George

The Ballad of Little George is the 20th episode of ObjectTales.

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 Feather Dusters) and Little George (Jerry) (an allusion to "Little Joe" Cartwright) who all live at the "Okie-Dokie Corral". Among George's unique skills are the abilities to solve problems, organize resources, and interpret dreams. We soon learn that it is Little George's birthday, and the brothers' father (Pa Broomstick) lavishes attention and gifts upon him.

When Joe 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 Lamps. He travels on a zig-zag path and ends up in Basketball City, where he starts working at a saloon for Mr. McPotipher (Stooler), and his unique skills quickly make him an invaluable employee. Also working at the saloon is Miss Kitty (Madame Wardrobe) who entertains the patrons from the stage. She also becomes jealous of George 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.

George 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. Bowlingpin), George is summoned to interpret a particularly disturbing dream of the latter, in which seven fat cows are devoured by seven scrawny cows. George 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.

George 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, Benjamin, 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, George reveals his identity. Jude apologizes to George for what he has done to him, who explains that what Neptune 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, ur, flyve!" is Danish for "Fly, clock, fly!".

### Trivia

* The script was finalized on September 5th, 2002, nearly a year before this episode was released.
* This is the second episode in which Mario and Jerry argue. The first was in The Wonderful World of Oz-Tainment!.
* 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 Boyz in the Bathtub.
	+ 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 Funny Song, animated entirely by Big Hive.
	+ The last episode Zack Sage voiced Lamp 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 Joe and the Ducky and Henry the Kindly Viking, which both Mario and Jerry stated no one else will take over from those stressful events and promised there'll be no conflicts.
	+ After Little George wakes up, he asks his brothers why they speak French, and replied back that they had differernt mothers.
	+ Extra dialouge between George, Jude, and Reuben before Pa tells everyone for breakfast was cut.
	+ After Little George 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 never 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 nothing and they fell through a trapdoor. Tim Hodge stated this was cut due to time. That scene is later storyboarded as an Easter Egg for the Trivia Questions.
	+ Little George shaves his mustache instead of pulling it off.
	+ Tim stated in the commentary they thought on using a train, but it never came through. Brian Roberts suggested the same thing for the episode sequel.
	+ According to Tim 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 funny song was cut. As such, the "One Year Later" card was added inbetween where the Funny Song was normally in.
	+ The intro scene of Dodge Ball City was cut, and immediately went to the song.

### Remarks

* Little George's brothers didn't recognize him when Sheriff Mario 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 George'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 George falling in the mine shaft is reminiscent how Daniel fell in the lion's den. Both scenes also have the Lamps.

### 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 Jerry when he goes to Danish Immersion Camp.
* A sequel of the story would happened years later.