An American Tail

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Tanya, Fievel?

Will you stop that

twirling, twirling?

Uh, no. No more.

That's it. Time for bed. Come.

But, Mama, it's Hanukkah!

For you, every night is Hanukkah.

Papa, enough already.

They'll never get to sleep.

All right. All right.

Presents.

What about presents?

Presents? What presents?

Oh, Papa.

Just a joke.

For Tanya, a new babushka.

Happy Hanukkah.

Oh, Papa. Thank you.

You have only one parent?

Thank you, Mama.

Hmm.

And for you, Fievel,

a new hat.

And not just any hat.

A new hat that has

been in the family

for three generations.

It belonged to me, my father,

and my father's father,

and now, it belongs to you.

Happy Hanukkah.

It's too big!

You'll grow.

Ah, did I ever tell you

about the Giant Mouse of Minsk?

No.

No.

Was it anything like

the mouse with the long hair

that the prince climbed up?

No. This mouse, the Mouse of Minsk,

was tall as a tree.

His tail was a mile long.

Really?

Really.

He was so big,

he frightened all the cats.

Shh!

Don't say that word.

Talk about something else.

America.

Another fairy tale.

America.

What a place!

What a place!

What a place!

In America, there are mouse

holes in every wall.

Who says?

Everyone!

In America, there are bread

crumbs on every floor!

You're talking nonsense.

In America, you can

say anything you want.

But most important...

And this I know for fact,

in America, there are no cats.

Shh. They'll hear you.

How could they hear us?

There, you see?

The Cossacks! The Cossacks!

Don't cry, Yasha.

I'll scare them away.

Fievel, you'll get hurt!

Go away!

Go away, cats! Go away!

Whoa!

Whoa!

Fievel, angel, are you all right?

Yes, Mama.

Then never do that again!

Mama, look.

In America,

there are no cats.

Look, Papa, water.

Is it the ocean?

Yes. Keep walking.

Look, Papa, smoke!

Is the boat on fire?

No. No. Keep walking!

Look, Papa, birds!

Are they seagulls?

Keep walking!

Keep walking!

Keep walking!

I just wanted to see.

Fievel, this is the last

time I take you to America.

Bye-bye!

Auf Wiedersehen.

Auf Wiedersehen.

Ooh, auf Wiedersehen!

You know I got a cousin in America.

Ah!

You and everybody else.

Huh?

Are we there yet?

Not yet. Soon.

How soon?

Soon.

Maybe we should

have stayed in Russia.

We'll be all right.

As long as we're together,

we'll be all right.

Ah, so, Mr. Curious,

you've discovered the herring.

Herring?

I thought they were fish.

But, Fievel, herring are fish.

Really?

Certainly.

In the ocean,

there are all kinds of fish,

and herring is one of them.

All kinds?

Yes. Tiny fishes,

not so tiny fishes,

fishes as big as this boat.

Wow!

Let's go up and see the fish!

Not now.

Your mama's worried.

Come back, Fievel.

Wait!

Oh, what am I going to do with you?

You stay closer to home!

Don't you go running off again!

Mama!

Ah, so we return, hmm?

We saw some fish!

Fish?

Lucky you didn't see some cats.

Cats!

Cats!

Oh!

I didn't see any cats.

Whew.

Won't it be nice to get to America

where we don't have to worry

about cats anymore?

There are no cats in America,

but back home in mother Russia...

Oh!

Our family was traveling

Through the snow to Minsk

Suddenly Papa

Saw those huge paw prints

When I heard him screaming

I fainted dead away

And I woke up an orphan

Oy vey.

But!

But...

But there are no cats in America

And the streets

are paved with cheese

Oh, there are no cats

in America

So set your mind at ease

If you think things

were bad in Russia,

you should see things

in my country!

The times were hard in Sicily

We had no provolone

The don, he was a tabby

With a taste

for my brother, Tony

When Mama went

to plead for him

The don said

he would see her

We found her

rosary on the ground

Poor mamma mia!

But!

But there are

no cats in America

And the streets

are paved with cheese

Oh, there are no cats

in America

So set your mind at ease

Surely, that's sad,

but sadder still...

When I was but a lad

I lost my true love fair

A calico

He caught us by surprise

In a flash of teeth and fur

Her tail was

all he left of her

'Neath the heather

Is where it too-ra-loo-ra

Lies

Oh.

But!

But there are

no cats in America

And the streets

are paved with cheese

But there are

no cats in America

But there are

no cats in America

But there are

no cats in America

There are no cats in America

That's why

We sail

These seas

Hey, fellas, want a bite?

Oh, it's the end of the world.

No, it's worse.

Hmm.

Fievel.

Fievel, come, sit here.

Yes, Papa.

Fievel.

Fish!

Fievel! Fievel!

Fievel!

I'm getting my hat, Papa!

Fievel!

Fievel, come back!

My hat!

Wait!

Fievel, stop!

Stop!

Pa... Papa!

Fievel!

Don't move!

Papa!

Grab my hand!

Papa!

Help!

Grab my hand!

Fievel!

Fievel, come back!

Papa, help!

Fievel!

Fievel!

Fievel!

Papa!

America.

No, no. New York.

Name?

Smovolodny-Dhromovichsky.

Okay, Mr. Smith.

Family, "Mousekewitz".

How many?

Five.

I mean four.

Okay. Next?

Papa, why did they

change my name to Tilly?

Give me your tired

Your poor

Your huddled masses

Yearning to breathe free

The wretched refuse

Of your teeming shore

Send these

The homeless

Tempest-tossed, to me

I lift my lamp

beside the golden door

Ah! A little immigrant.

Now they are coming by bottle.

Uh, where is your papa?

Your maman, eh?

I don't know. They were

on the boat to America.

Ah! Then you are in luck,

my little immigrant.

This is America!

America.

I thought it was bigger.

Oh, it is bigger.

All of that is also America.

Wow!

This is just

an island at the doorway

where I, Henri le pigeon,

am putting up my

Statue of Liberty!

I know, my little immigrant,

you want to find your family,

and you will.

But how?

It's so far away, and it's so big!

I'll never find them anyway.

But did you say,

"Never"?

So young, and you have lost hope.

Ah, this is America,

the place to find hope!

If you give up, you will

never find your family.

So, never say never!

Say...

Never say never

Whatever you do

Never say never, my friend

Henri...

Ah, tais-toi!

If you believe that

your dreams will come true

They'll come

true in the end

But I...

Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah!

Keep up your courage

Don't ever despair

Take heart and

then count to 10

Hope for the best

Work for the rest

And never say never again

Oh, but it's impossible!

I'll never find my family.

Ah, ah, ah!

Never say never!

Now, say that. Go on.

Never say never

Whatever you do

Again!

Never say never

To me

See how easy?

If you believe you

can come shining through

That's... That's how

it's going to be.

Perfect!

Now don't you go and give up

Give out or give in

When the going's rough,

just get tough

And just tell

yourself you're gonna win

Remember to look on

the bright side till then

And never

Say never

Again

Now are you ready to

go and find your family?

Yes!

Chantal!

Take my little

friend to immigration.

You will find your family there.

Everyone goes through immigration.

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