Ferdinand the Duck Christmas dinner, yeah. Dinner means death. Death means carnage! Christmas means carnage! Christmas means carnage!
Voiced by Danny Mann 
Babe (1995) · 37 quotes
Babe (1995) · 37 quotes
4th most-quoted character in Babe (1995): in 9 of its 37 quotes
Most scenes with: Babe (5), Narrator (3), Cow (2)
The fear's too much for a duck. It—it eats away at the soul! There must be kinder dispositions in far-off, gentler lands.
More lines from Ferdinand the Duck
2 quotes Ferdinand the Duck Ferdinand the Duck [laughs in joy]
The pig did it! The pig did it! The perfect score!
Scenes with Ferdinand the Duck
6 scenes Ferdinand Humans eat ducks?
Ferdinand Ah, most ducks would like 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.
Ferdinand Oh, come on. Duchess, the Hoggetts' cat? Why?
Well, they're…
Ferdinand They're indispensable—they Fly's puppies? You eat chickens—why? They make eggs with the chickens and the hens and wake everyone up in the morning.
Right…
Ferdinand I'm tired to with the chickens and hens; it didn't work. So I turned to quacking, and hello? I discover my gift! But no sooner do I become indispensable than they bring in a machine to do the job! Ohhhh-oh-oh, the treachery of it?—the mechanical roosters?
Oh dear me…
Ferdinand 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!
Um…why do you need me to to do it?
Ferdinand [sighs/quacks]
I'm allergic to Duchess.
Oh.
Ferdinand They make me sneeze.
Oh. Don't worry, I won't sleep to Duchess.
[the crowd cheers at Babe's performance]
And so it was that in all the celebration, in all the hubbub of noise and excitement, there were two figures who stood silent and still. Side by side.
Ferdinand [rooster crows]
Ha, ha, ha, ha! The pig did it! The pig did it! The perfect score! [laughs]
Mice
Whoo! Whoo-hoo! Yippee! Yippee! Yippee!
And though every single human in the stands or in the commentary boxes was at a complete loss for words, the man who in his life had uttered fewer words than any of them knew exactly what to say.
Ferdinand Let's go over it one more time.
I go through the kitchen, across the living room...
Ferdinand 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.
Ferdinand It's a nice rule. But this is a matter of life and death!
Ferdinand [sighs]
Come here. [they went inside the doghouse] Humans eat ducks!
Ferdinand 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.
Ferdinand Oh, come on. Humans don't eat cats - why?
Well, they're...
Ferdinand 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...
Ferdinand 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...
Ferdinand 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?
Ferdinand [sighs/quacks]
Because...I'm allergic to cats.
Oh.
Ferdinand They make me sneeze.
Oh. Don't worry, I won't wake up the cat.
Ferdinand 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]
Ferdinand [silently rushes through the doggy door and into the house, flying]
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.
Ferdinand Well, then, stand guard.
Ferdinand [moans]
Forget it. Stick with me, and please - I beg you - not one more word.
Ferdinand [They go upstairs, and went into the Hoggetts' bedroom. Ferdinand climbs onto the bed, then onto the desk, and pushes the clock onto the bed. Babe picks it up in his mouth. Then together, they creep back into the living room, past Duchess. The cat stretches sleepily and her claw snags the yarn, which is yet wrapped around the furniture. Ferdinand and Babe both hold their breath] [a sneeze twitches in his nose]
Ah...
Don't sneeze, Ferdinand.
Ferdinand Ah...
Just hold your breath.
Ferdinand 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]
[Soon Babe is pink again. The puppies are sold to other farmers who needs sheepdogs. Rex has no patience with Fly's disgrace, but Mr. Hoggett pats her gently, and Babe licks her snout]
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.
Ferdinand Christmas! Christmas dinner, yes. Dinner means death. Death means carnage! Christmas means carnage! CHRISTMAS MEANS CARNAGE!! [runs off in fear]
[Then one day, Mrs. Hoggett washes the mud off Babe and measures his taut belly with a tape measure. But Fly knows. She has seen other animals taken into the building near the barn. It is the fashion of nature, that doesn't stop her from feeling mournful]
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]
[humming the tune of "Jingle Bells"]
La la la, la la la, la la la lala. La la la, lala la la, lalala la la la la, hey!
[We cut to the Arthur and Esme cooking up some Christmas dinner]
And then, it was Christmas Eve, and time had run out for the pig.
Mrs. Hoggett
Are you doing him tonight, then?
Huh.
Mrs. Hoggett
Sure. The blood will drain by morning.
Pity.
Mrs. Hoggett
What's that?
Nothing.
Mrs. Hoggett
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.
Mrs. Esme Cordelia Hoggett
[The duck isn't skinny Ferdinand. But it is a duck Ferdinand knows well, and it is enough to make up his mind]
Here it is!
Farmer Hoggett
The bird.
The Hoggetts' granddaughter: Yuck. Chicken?
The Hoggetts' daughter: No, it's Duck a l'Orange. And, Mother, it looks absolutely superb.
The Hoggetts' granddaughter: I'm not going to eat any of it!
The Hoggetts' daughter: Oh, this is fabulous.
Ferdinand!
If you're out here, who's that in there?
Ferdinand Her name's Rosanna. Why Rosanna? She–She had such a beautiful nature.
Oh, Ferdinand.
Ferdinand I can't take it anymore.
Really!
Ferdinand The fear's too much for a duck. It eats away at the soul. There must be kinder dispositions in far-off gentler lands.
The only way you'll find happiness is to accept that the way things are is the way things are.
Ferdinand The way things are stinks! I'm not gonna be a goner. I'm gone! I wish all of you the best of luck.
Where will you go?
Ferdinand No idea. But I'm a clever duck. I could do with an adventure.
I'll miss you, Ferdy.
Ferdinand Ferdy? Ha! No one's ever called me that before. Ha ha ha! Hey, good luck, Pig. Ha! I am out of here. [jumps up on the gate and turns to Babe]
Bye-bye.
Ferdinand Hey! Oh! Ow! And would you do me a favor, old thing?
Anything Good Luck, Ferdinand and Farewell.
Ferdinand Open the gate, right pig, huh? [with that said, he takes off]
Farewell!
[Babe watches Ferdinand become a black dot in the heavens. Then he hears a faint sound of bleating. He scans the green hills for the source of the bleating. He sees a flock of sheep, a truck, strange men and a dog. Babe trots closer]
The pig knew it was against the rules to leave the farm. But something was certainly wrong.
Mrs. Esme Cordelia Hoggett
How lovely, darling. What is this?
The Hoggetts' son-in-law: It's a fax machine, Mother. You can send us letters by phone.
Arthur Hoggett
Huh.
Mrs. Esme Cordelia Hoggett
Oh.
Ferdinand [Meanwhile, in the farmyard, a scrawny, bedraggled bird lands in a puddle. Ferdinand the duck looks even worse than usual.]
So, uh... what's happening?
Oh, no.
[Arthur Hoggett is happily watching TV––with Fly and Babe] [Suddenly, there is a bright flash of lightning and a huge clap of thunder. The TV goes black and all the lights go out. Hoggett checks the fuse box, but that isn't the damage. Then he decides to go to bed] [Fly suggests that Babe gets some sleep, as well]
You'll need to be on top form tomorrow.
[Babe cuddles closer to the fire]
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]
