Most scenes together: Fly the Border Collie & Babe (11), Narrator & Babe (7), Narrator & Fly the Border Collie (5)
Babe quotes
Page 1 of 3Baa-ram-ewe. Baa-ram-ewe. To your breed, your fleece, your clan be true. Sheep be true. Baa-ram-ewe.
Well, I wouldn't call that a bite myself. You got teeth in that floppy mouth of yours or just gums?
Mom. Mom! Mom! Can we start work early today?
Oh, dear, it's not even dawn yet. You can go to work until the rooster crows. Go back to sleep.
Excuse me. Hello, sir. Excuse me, but it's almost dawn and......
Rooster Wait, what?
I'm sorry to disturb you, but it's almost dawn, and I wondered if you'd mind crowing just a few moments early this morning.
Rooster Get out of here!
But, well, see I just...
Rooster Get lost!
Oh, okay Rooster.
Now the pig understood why the sheep called all dogs wolves. And he was filled with a deep and horrible rage.
Maa! Maa! Are you alright?
Hello, young'un.
Oh, Maa, can you get up?
It's over, Maa. The wolves have gone far off. I'll get the boss up here to look after you. You'll be alright. You'll be alright! [but her eyes are far apart. Her head droops and life leaves her] Oh, Maa! Maa! [chokes back sobs, then bleating depressed as the sheep saying his name] MAA!! MAA!! MAA!!! MAA!!! [the Boss's truck rumbles up]
Fly knew that there was only one fate for any creature that took the life of a sheep on Hoggett Farm.
Was Rex a champion?
He had the makings of the biggest champion there ever was, but it wasn't to be.
What just happened?
A while back if Rex was in his prime, the winter rains brought a grand flood to the valley. Rex and the boss got most of the flock onto the high ground. Then Rex went back to look for the strays. He found them. They'd been stranded by the rising water. He tried to herd them across to safety, but they wouldn't budge. Too afraid and too foolish to save their own skins. It was freezing cold and the water kept rising. Rex stayed with them right through the night. By morning, the sheep were drowned. But until they found Rex, he was barely alive.
Oh, Mum!
Two weeks rest in front of the fire saw him back on his feet, but his hearing was never the same again. He'd never let anyone know, but he's almost totally deaf.
Is that why he's so, you know, frustrated?
That's not the half of it. All this was barely a month before the Grand National Challenge. He tried his best, but he couldn't hear the boss's calls, and it slowed him up. The cold truth is that, but for the foolishness of sheep, Rex would've been the champion of champions.
[While Fly was narrating, Farmer Hoggett walks up to the dazed and muzzled Rex. He takes the muzzle off, and gently pets Rex, who is now calmed down with depression]
Let's go over it one more time.
I go through the kitchen, across the living room...
How do you go across the living room?
Silently, so I don't awaken the cat. Then into the bedroom, get the mechanical rooster, and bring it out to you. [thinks of something] But it's against the rules. Only dogs and cats are allowed in the house.
It's a nice rule. But this is a matter of life and death!
Ah, most ducks prefer to forget it, but the fact is that humans like to eat plump, attractive ducks.
Ohhh, I don't think so. Not the Boss; not the Boss's wife.
Oh, come on. Humans don't eat cats - why?
Well, they're...
They're indispensable—they catch mice. Humans don't eat roosters—why? They make eggs with the chickens and the hens and wake everyone up in the morning.
Right...
I tried it with the hens; it didn't work. So I turned to crowing, and lo! I discover my gift to become indispensable! But now they bring in a machine to do the job! Oohhhh-oh-oh, the treachery of it! A mechanical rooster!
Oh dear me...
Oh, dear you?! [sighs/quacks] I suppose the life of an anorexic duck doesn't amount to much in the broad scheme of things. But, Pig, I'm all I've got!
Why do you want me to do it?
Oh.
They make me sneeze.
Oh. Don't worry, I won't wake up the cat.
My life is in your hands...er, trotters.
[Babe slips silently through the cozy farm-doggy door and into the house kitchen. At the entrance to the living room, he pauses to look around. On the table is the dollhouse Mr. Hoggett is building for his granddaughter. Behind the pots of paint and brushes sit Mrs. Hoggett's knitting basket. And on the hearth rug is Duchess, the Hoggett's big grey cat. Luckily, Duchess is yet asleep. Babe carefully makes his road through the living room. He does his best to stay as far apart from Duchess as possible. Halfway across the room, Babe has to squeeze between an armchair and a table leg. His chubby hips nudge the table, and a ball of wool rolls out of the knitting basket. It bounces across the armchair, off a lamp, and around a vase before it hits the floor. Babe freezes in horror as he realizes the ball is rolling straight toward Duchess. Then, just before it touches the cat's silky paw, the yarn stops. Babe sighs in relief. Then he continues his careful trek across the living room. After that, the piglet's bright eyes never stray from the sleeping cat. But Babe is watching Duchess so carefully that he doesn't notice that some of the yarn has wrapped around one of his feet. With each step, the wool pulls tighter, tugging at the knitting basket, paint pots, the lamp and the vase. Ferdinand sees it all through the window. Before anything can fall, he silently rushes through the doggy door into the house]
STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!! [Babe stands like a statue as he lands] Stop. Stop, stop, stop, stop. Here, let me get you out. [gently plucks the yarn from around his hoof] Go outside.
But you said you needed me.
Well, then, stand guard.
Ah...
Don't sneeze, Ferdinand.
Ah...
Just hold your breath.
AHH...CHOO!!!
[Ferdinand's sneeze causes Babe to drop the clock from his mouth to the floor, with a loud ring. Duchess immediately awakens. Cut to outside, the farmhouse explodes with smashes, splashes, squeaks, bursts, quacks and a loud bang from inside. Ferdinand sneezes again, offscreen]
A pig doing the work of a sheepdog? With Rex out of action and Fly injured from the fight, Farmer Hoggett had no choice.
Maa! Maa! The boss has to give you some medicine.
Oh, dear, I thought so! It's horrible stuff, that.
I know, but it's for the best.
Oh, our young'un, if you say so.
Shoo! Shoo!
As the thought first came to him, Farmer Hoggett dismissed it as mere whimsy, but like most of his harebrained ideas, it wouldn't go away.
What are they doing here?
It's a sheepdog trial.
Then it's like a competition for sheepdogs.
And their bosses. It's like an obstacle curse.
How do they decide who wins?
Well, it's time and mistakes. You get points for how fast you are and they take points away for every mistake. Every time a sheep goes the wrong road, that's a mistake and you lose points.
Looks like fun!
Oh, for a sheepdog, there's no prouder moment. You know, Rex and I used to...never mind.
At any other time, the pig would've been tickled pink by his first visit to the sheep fields. But now, there was fear in the air. Maa and her kind were under threat.
Hey, Frank, feel like pork for dinner tonight?
Young'un! You're alive!
Maa! What's going on? Who are these men?
I'll get him out. Come around, Sniff! [whistles]
Where's our boss? It doesn't seem right. [gets knocked over by Sniff]
[Babe runs for dear life, with the dog barking and snapping at his heels. He wriggles back through the fence and runs squealing louder to the farmhouse. The Hoggetts' granddaughter opens her last Christmas present in a greedy excitement to reveal the beautiful, extravagant, ultra-realistic handcrafted dollhouse her maternal grandfather, Arthur, made for her, unexpectedly lets out a loud, anguished shriek]
What's wrong, dear?
The Hoggetts' granddaughter: [complaining and sobbing] It's the wrong one! [shrieking tearfully as we see Arthur smirking at his granddaughter's tantrum, trying not to laugh] I WANT THE HOUSE I SAW ON THE TELEVISION!! [crying]
Oh, there, there.
[We see see the Hoggetts' daughter chuckling and grinning at her daughter's tantrum. We see Fly and Rex past the fireplace. Fly watches this scene with pity in her eyes as if to say "Poor little tyke", but Rex lays down on the floor, looking away without showing any care or worry about his owners' granddaughter. Mr. Hoggett sees Fly's ears perk up at the sound. She starts barking. Something is wrong. The farmer races away in his truck. The dogs run across the fields. Rex reaches the other truck first. It is yet empty. The thieves hit the tailgate shut and smash through the fence at top speed. Rex is yet barking until Fly and Hoggett arrive. They are followed by an exhausted Babe. Hoggett pats Fly's head]
Nice dog. [Fly jumps into the truck bed. Then the farmer lifts Babe up behind her] Nice pig.
I'm very proud of you, my boy.
I'm going to be a nice sheepdog if I grow up, aren't I?
None of my pups would have done any better than you did so today.
But Fly could never believe that Babe was a sheep-killer, so she remained in the field to do something she'd never done before... talk to the sheep.
Tell me. Who killed the old one?
Wolf!
Wolf. Is that the only words you half-wits know?
Wolf!
Are you saying it was a dog?
Babe! Where's Babe?
Was it wolf or Babe?!
Wolf! Where's Babe?! Wolf! Babe!
Farmer Hoggett was carrying something in the crook of one arm. A kind of black, shiny tube.
Come, pig.
The pig had a vague memory that shiny tubes produced food and guessed that some quite unexpected reunion would come out of the two small round mouths.
Fly decided to speak very slowly, for it was a cold fact of nature that sheep were stupid, and no one would ever persuade her otherwise.
Please, tell me what just happened this morning.
The sheep spoke very slowly, for it was a cold fact of nature that wolves were ignorant, and nothing would convince them otherwise.
Babe came! He saved us! The wolves killed Maa. But Babe drove the wolves away!
Thank you. Thank you! Thank you all very much!
Pleasure talking to ya.
Hoggett! Hooey! Hoggett! ARTHUR! [Fly is shown running toward the shack. Farmer Hoggett walks out of it as she passes him to get inside] Well, there you are! What do you think? That was the police on the telephone. They said there are wild dogs about. Apparently, the Mitchells lost six lambs this morning. [notice the shotgun on his hand] What on earth are you doing here with that gun?!
Oh, err... nothing. [Esme frowns at him, but lets out a sigh and walks back into the house as we see Farmer Hoggett with a pleading look on his face upon learning the truth and removes the shells on his shotgun]
Rex? [Rex doesn't answer] I know it was hard for you today, watching all that happening. But surely it's not worth all this misery. Please, darling. Not on such a beautiful night.
Get down! Down, Rex! [Rex accidentally bites his hand] Rex...
A dark cloud had descended on the valley. And the pig felt that the dangers were all his fault. But he was certain, he knew how to set things right.
Um, excuse me, sir. But I-I-I-I think all this trouble-
Well, it's not distemper. Can't be rabies. Must be the hormones.
What about Hoggett's notion, the dog being jealous of the wee pig?
Oh, I don't see that myself.
No. Then what have we done?
Well, you can keep him locked up or snip, snip. I can do it Tuesday.
No.
Or Wednesday.
Hoggett doesn't want the dog operated on. He's a breeding dog.
Well, now, I can sedate him, of course, but he'll be useless as a working dog. [injects Rex] Now I'm gonna give you some pills to put in his food.
Good dog.
Stay there.
Baaaaa!
Oh, boy. I've never met a sheep with such a strong, dark face. Are they feeding you well?
Babe, I'll try.
Alright, blockheads! Pay attention over here! Now, you pay attention to what this pig has to say to you or I'll come in there and tear you to shreds!
Hadn't thought of this. Keep trying, keep speaking to them. I'll see what I can do so.
You can't make it, but I can.
Don't worry. I won't let the little feller down. [With that said, he turns into a blur of speeding fur]
Wolf! Wolf! Wolf!
Shut up, you morons! The little pig's in trouble.
What trouble has come to our Babe, wolf?
The sheep at the trials won't speak to the little feller. He doesn't know what to do.
Stay here, wolf.
I asked you to stay here, wolf. Do what you're warned by an old sheep for a chance, and we'll see what we can do for you.
We've had something that might help Babe. But us sheep don't like giving it to no wolf.
Paaa-a-assword!
I promise you that. I'll make sure the pig knows it, as well. Don't you worry. The password is safe with me.
So, uh... what's happening?
Oh, no.
You'll need to be on top form tomorrow.
Night, Mum.
[The little pig sleeps, but he has bad dreams. He awakens on the morning of the Nationals with a bit of a cold and feeling quite hesitant]
Now, it's all very simple. Just half an hour at 350 degrees. I've given you rabbit casserole on Friday. Now, for Duchess, it's liver in the morning, heart for the evening. Except for Fridays, if it's steak in the morning and the cooked liver at night. Warm it up in a frying pan for a bit, but test it before you give it to her because she bites into it before she knows what's what, the silly darling. [horn honks] That'll be the bus. Oh! Farewell.
Have a nice time. Farewell.
Hello, everyone!
Oh, dearie me, Valda. I know I have to be at the National Conference. I am the Assistant General Secretary of the Northeast Region after all, but I do worry about leaving that man alone.
Yet acting a bit strange?
Just silly facts. Odd little facts only a wife would notice. Yet, I suppose he can't get up to too much mischief in just three days, can he?
Of course not.
Oh. Nice evening. Disgrace about the weather. Nasty cough!
[Not since Rex has Arthur Hoggett has an animal in whose abilities he has so much faith. With the National Grand Challenge Sheepdog Trials only two days left, he isn't going to let that his animal is a pig stand in his road] [Then he takes out his rule book and reads it from cover-to-cover. Then he fills out an entry form. Ever a truthful man, Hoggett has concerned that the form may say "Name of Dog". In which case, whatever he wrote will be a lie. But luck is with him. For the form merely says "Name of Entry". Hoggett writes pigs. Then he uses the wondrous Christmas gift from his daughter and faxes the form to the contest]
It's alright. Really! I'm just, well...bless you.
Enough! [Then he tosses the cat out into the pouring rain]
We'll catch him and eat him one day, won't we, Mom?
Fly, may I call you Mom?
[Fly nuzzles the piglet tenderly. At last, Babe has truly found his place on Hoggett's farm. As the nights grow longer and colder, Babe grows bigger. First, Mr. and Mrs. Hoggett's daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren come to visit. The farmhouse is suddenly filled with all sorts of bright, shiny facts. There is singing and laughter. And the people pile brightly wrapped boxes under a tree inside the house]
Hello!
The Hoggetts' son-in-law: Hey, folks, how are you? Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas! How's my favorite girl? Nanny has a jellybean. Give us a kiss. And guess what we're having for Christmas dinner? Roast pork.
The Hoggetts' granddaughter: I hate pork.
Darn silly carry-on, if you ask me.
The cat says they call it Christmas.
Christmas! Christmas dinner, yes. Dinner means death. Death means carnage! Christmas means carnage! CHRISTMAS MEANS CARNAGE!! [runs off in fear]
Eating pigs! Blaah! Barbarians!
Oh, young'un, tragic there ain't more of your kind. I'll be thinking of you always.
I could come and visit you, Maa.
I'd like that, but...well, we shouldn't hope for too much. [gets yanked as the cart pulls forward, she follows]
La la la, la la la, la la la lala. La la la, lala la la, lalala la la la la, hey!
And then, it was Christmas Eve, and time had run out for the pig.
Are you doing him tonight, then?
Huh.
Sure. The blood will drain by morning.
Pity.
What's that?
Nothing.
What on earth are you rambling on about?
Exchange to miss out on the best ham prize at next year's fair, is all. Nice plump haunches he's getting. Beautiful. Yet...silly to wait, I suppose so.