The Small One

The Small One
Original one-sheet poster for The Small One
Directed by	Don Bluth
Produced by	Don Bluth, Ron Miller
Written by	Charles Tazewell (book), Vance Gerry, Pete Young
Starring	Sean Marshall, William Woodson, Olan Soule, Hal Smith, Joe Higgins, Gordon Jump
Music by	Robert F. Brunner, Richard Rich
Studio	Walt Disney Productions
Distributed by	Buena Vista Distribution Co. Inc.
Release date(s)	December 15, 1978
Language	English

The Small One is a 1978 animated Christmas short film created by Walt Disney Productions and was originally released to theaters in the United States by Buena Vista Distribution Company before the 1978 re-release of Pinocchio. The story is based on a children's book by Charles Tazewell and was an experiment for the newer and younger Disney animators, including Don Bluth.

The story tells of a young boy, outside Nazareth, who must part with his best friend, an old donkey named Small One. He brings it to market, but no one is in need of a "scrawny donkey", save for a tanner.

Plot summary

Outside of the city of Nazareth, a young boy and his father own four donkeys. Three of these donkeys are young and strong. The fourth donkey, Small One, is old and weak, but the boy loves him anyway. Everyday, the boy and the donkey play together before they go to work, helping the boy's father to collect wood.

The boy and his father take the donkeys to work one morning, as they always do. Many times, the boy loads Small One with small sticks, since Small One can't carry heavy loads any more. Small One even has trouble carrying stacks of small sticks and the boy helps to carry them for him.

That evening, the boy's father tells the boy that he has to sell Small One. Devastated, but understanding, the boy asks if he can be the one to sell his best friend. The father agrees and tells him that he has to sell him for one piece of silver. That night, the boy comforts Small One and promises to find him a gentle and loving master.

The next morning, the boy takes Small One to the market in Nazareth. Unfortunately, nobody wants an old weak donkey but the tanner, and he only wants to kill Small One to make leather out of his hide. After failing to find another buyer, the boy and his donkey return to the tanner's shop. The boy weeps, and Small One, accepting his fate under the tanner's knife, tenderly consoles the boy.

Just as everything looks bleak, a kind man comes up to the boy and asks if Small One is for sale. The man needs a gentle donkey to carry his pregnant wife to Bethlehem. The boy sells the donkey for one piece of silver (the same price the boy's father agreed upon) and watches as the couple and Small One leave on their journey as a bright star appears in the sky.

Characters

• The Small One: He is a gentle donkey past his prime. Long years of working hard have made him weak. Though he eats as much as the other donkeys, he cannot handle the same loads. His right ear never likes to stay straight up, giving him that "Disney cuteness" rating. He has strong feelings for the Boy and would give his life to help him, as he almost does at the tanner's.
• Boy: He is about ten years old, roughly. Although he takes care of all the donkeys, Small One is his favorite. When his father tells him to sell Small One, the boy is devastated. Soon he accepts it. Though he loves the donkey, he accepts what his father tells him. He reassures Small One will have a gentle and loving master and he does.
• Father: The boy's father is not seen much at all. He is the one who sends the boy to sell Small One. He loves his son and deep down, he loves Small One too, but he knows they cannot afford to keep a donkey that cannot carry a large load.
• Three Merchants: These three men, one tall and skinny, one medium and skinny, and the last short and round, walk around the marketplace taking money from people, "for the bank". They are the ones who point the boy to the auctioneer.
• Auctioneer: He auctions horses in the market. At first he is angered that the boy brings Small One onto the stage and slightly embarrasses him. However, when the boy tells him what Small One can do, the man changes his mind and is intrigued, especially when the boy tells him that Small One is "good enough to be in a King's stable". With that, he decides to have some fun. He mocks and almost injures Small One with his weight. But when Small One sees his best friend pushed aside, he regains his strength and throws the man off of his back. The auctioneer chases them away.
• The tanner: He kills animals to make leather from their skins.
• The three donkeys: Small One's barn mates. They seem jealous that the boy spends more time with Small One than them.
• Joseph: His name is never mentioned in the entirety of the film, but is pretty obvious that he it is him who buys Small One in the end. The line "I need a gentle donkey to carry my wife to Bethlehem" says it all.
• Mary: You only see the silhouette of her riding on Small One, with Joseph leading him away, towards Bethlehem.

Credits

• Story Adaptation: Pete Young, Vance Gerry
• With the Voice Talents of Sean Marshall, William Woodson, Olan Soule, Hal Smith, Joe Higgins, Gordon Jump
• Supervising Animators: John Pomeroy, Gary Goldman, Cliff Nordberg
• Animators: Lorna Pomeroy, Heidi Guedel, Linda Miller, Emily Jiuliano, Jerry Rees, Bill Hajee, Chuck Harvey, Ron Husband
• Effects Animators: Ted C. Kierscey, Dorse A. Lanpher
• Assistant Animation Supervisor: Walt Stanchfield
• Assistant Animators: Dan Kuenster, Chuck Williams
• Layout: Dan Hansen, Sylvia Roemer
• Backgrounds: Jim Coleman, Daniela Bielecka
• Storyboards: Peter Young
• Film and Sound Editing: James Melton
• Music Editor: Evelyn Kennedy
• Production Manager: Don Duckwall
• Assistant Director: Richard Rich
• Songs Writers: Richard Rich, Don Bluth
• Music Composed and Conducted by Robert F. Brunner
• Executive Producer: Ron Miller
• Produced and Directed by Don Bluth

Walt Disney's Classic Cartoon Favorites: Volume 9 – Classic Holiday Stories DVD cover

DVD release

On September 27, 2005, Disney released this short for the first time on Region 1 DVD on Volume 9 of the Walt Disney's Classic Cartoon Favorites line, titled Classic Holiday Stories. This DVD also featured Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983) and Pluto's Christmas Tree (1952). The DVD is edited in two places:

• The star at the end has been given more lines to look less like a cross.
• The song the three merchants sing has had a lyrics change. The lyric "We never, never fail when we go to make a sale, we simply cheat a little if we must" was changed to "We never, never fail when we go to make a sale, we just work a little harder if we must." The reason for these edits is not known; but it may have to do with the merchants being "Jewish" stereotypes.

This short is also featured on Walt Disney Animated Classics: Vol. 7: Mickey's Christmas Carol. It was also released on Region 2 on the DVD Countdown to Christmas.

International television

United Kingdom & Ireland

• ITV 1 (England, Scotland & Wales)
• RTE Two (Northern & Republic of Ireland)

External links

• The Small One at the Big Cartoon DataBase
• "The Small One" at The Encyclopedia of Disney Animated Shorts
• The Small One DVD review at UltimateDisney.com
• Detailed info on The Small One including Don Bluth's involvement
• The Small One at the Internet Movie Database