Arthur Writes a Story/Arthur's Lost Dog Arthur

# Every day you walk down the street Everybody that you meet

# Has an original point of view

-# And I say, hey!

-Hey!

# What a wonderful kind of day We can learn to work and play

# And get along with each other

# You gotta listen to your heart Listen to the beat

# Listen to the rhythm of the street

# Get together and make things better By working together

# It's a simple message And it comes from the heart

# Believe in yourself For that's the place to start

-# And I say, hey!

-Hey!

-What a wonderful kind of day

# We can learn to work and play And get along with each other

# What a wonderful kind of day - hey! What a wonderful kind of day - HEY! #

-Hey, DW!

-Hey...

Oh...

Mmm, there's nothing to this writing business.

I'm writing a story for class everybody will like.

Astounding! Stupendous! Tremendous!

Arthur, this is the best thing I have ever read!

Absolutely, positively, indisputably fantastic!

Mmm... Hm-mm...

Mmm...

Ratburn, the boy IS a born writer. I'll call my publisher friend.

There's nothing written on that!

-I thought you were writing a story.

-How can I with YOU bothering me?!

Once upon a time... No, no, that's no good.

No, that wouldn't be right.

Everybody's definitely going to like it, but first I have to write it.

BARKING Wait! Come back!

WOOF!

For your homework, learn these 60 spelling words and 30 history dates.

For tonight's homework, find two words that rhyme.

Tomorrow, you'll be quizzed on it.

Tomorrow, we'll put your rhymes together and make a fun song.

What if we only find one word that rhymes?

Arthur, have you copied the problems already?

For Friday, write a true story or one from your imagination.

-Should we have it published?

-Not necessary, Muffy.

Everyone will read it to the class.

BELL RINGS

-I can't decide what to write.

-Me neither.

I like to be TOLD what to do.

Spring, thing - my homework's done.

What rhymes with orange?

My problem is I have so many story ideas, each better than the next.

-Like what, Francine?

-This princess has to give her baby to a troll.

-That's one.

-Isn't that a story already?

-Not that I'm aware of.

-Is the troll called Rumpelstiltskin?

-No. Her name is Big Wilma.

-What about you, Arthur?

-I know exactly what I'll write about.

It'll be the best story in class.

DW, would you please stop reading over my shoulder?

-I KNOW you can't read.

-Why don't you draw pictures so I can follow along?

-Mom! DW is bothering me while I do my homework.

-I'm just interested.

-OK, I'm writing about how I got Pal.

-WOOF!

-But that was just a weird happening.

-It'll be the best story in class.

"I wanted a dog, but I had to prove I could handle the responsibility.

"So I started Arthur's Pet Business. I nearly lost Mrs Wood's nasty dog."

Hi, Mrs Wood. Guess what - Arthur lost your dog.

Perky?! My poor helpless baby's out in the world alone and unprotected?

I feel sorry for the world.

Hey, everybody, come here!

-Over here! Perky had puppies!

-Aw-w-w-w-w!

-"And I got to keep one."

-That is SUCH a boring story.

-You think so?

-Does it have to be real life? Your life is SO dull.

-I don't want to bore everyone.

-If it was about how you got an elephant...

Now, THAT would be a good story!

Mrs Wood, Arthur lost your pet! Perky?!

My poor helpless baby's out in the world alone and unprotected?!

Look! She had puppies!

Elephant puppies!

"I got to keep a baby elephant and named him Pal." What d'you think?

I guess it's OK.

What can I do, Buster? I want everybody to like it.

I'm writing science fiction. The best stories are in outer space.

Mmm...

Moo!

Mrs Wood, Arthur lost your pet.

What? Perky?

My poo-oor helpless ba-a-aby

is out in the world a-alone and unprotected?

There's Perky! And she had puppies! Elephant puppies!

That's scientifically inaccurate.

An elephant would weigh less, but wouldn't float up to the ceiling!

So you don't like it?

R-ROTTEN!

What would make it interesting to you?

It needs solid research, like mine.

It's about the similarities between modern amphibians and dinosaurs.

You can find out everything you need at the library.

-Hi, Arthur!

-Hi, Francine.

-What are those science books for?

-I'm researching for my story.

Ahem... "I love my pet five-toed mammal of the genera Loxodonia.

Your pet what?

-Elephant!

-Arthur, you can barely SAY those words.

-Who's going to understand that story?

-What should I do? It's for Friday.

-Better work harder on it.

-Oh!

I was on the moon... No, a new galaxy - Tranflaz. Yeah.

-Hi, Arthur.

-On Tranflaz, elephants are blue and the corn is purple.

Ahem!

I was thinking about blue elephants.

Why didn't I become a tree surgeon like Mother wanted?

Maybe orange elephants are better. Or plaid.

-Did you put your clean clothes away?

-What? Oh, yeah, Mom.

Invisible elephants...? Too obvious!

Do kids wear clothes chilled now? What is that boy thinking?

This is the story of how I got my pet striped elephant from space.

"The end." ..You didn't like it?

Where was the love story? It needs a love story?

Yeah.

BOTH: Yeah.

Kiss me, you fool!

I can't do it!

ALL: Shhhh!

-EVERYBODY'S story will be better.

-HIC!

-That's probably not true.

-What do you think?

I think you need another soda.

-Last year, a kid wrote a country song and got an A+.

-Really?

That kid was ME. Mr Ratburn thought I should send it to a record company.

You got an A+?

Mmm...

HIC!

# Now this little boy can go home And enjoy his own striped elephant

# Yee-ha!

# You will see how happy he will be Here on planet Shmelafin. #

"..The end."

Very good.

It was originally planet Tranflaz, but that didn't rhyme with elephant.

-Did you like it?

-It was confusing, but YOU did it, so I loved it.

Confusing?

Well...just a little, tiny bit.

Don't worry what I think. Write it however you want it.

I don't know. I just want everybody to like it.

All the kids at school like Bionic Bunny.

# Now this little boy can go home And enjoy his own striped elephant

# Yee-ha!

# You'll see how happy he'll be... #

# Here on planet Shmelafin. #

Bad-um.

Did this really happen?

Well, sort of. It started out as a story of how I got my dog.

-It did?

-I thought it might be too boring.

-I'd like to hear it.

Don't worry about what you think people WANT to hear.

Tell it the way means most to you.

Ahem...

'Pretty soon I had too many pets.

'The worst was Perky! The day she was to go home, she disappeared.'

Anybody seen Perky? Perky?!

Come here, Perky!

'But then...'

I got to keep one of the puppies, and that's my dog, Pal.

CHEERING

Everyone thought that was a very good story.

You deserve a sticker. I'll put it on YOU as the story isn't on paper.

-But I do expect you to write it down and hand it in tomorrow.

-Yes, sir.

Hey, did that really happen?

-Yeah.

-Cool!

Look at his eyes. This is not a smart dog.

-He does lots of tricks, so he is.

-I don't think so.

Roll over. WOOF!

Roll over, Pal. HE WHINES

See? Your dog is dopey. He doesn't understand anything.

I think he'd even starve if you had to be smart to get food.

Watch.

Pal, sit up!

See? Nothing!

I guess he's just not as smart as you, DW(!)

I've been trying this for days!

BURP!

-WOOF!

-Hi!

Downtown Day, Ellwood City, is celebrated on the streets.

Guess how many pickles! Win valuable cheese!

-Free Ellwood City Day jokes!

-I'll take a joke, sir.

What do you get when you cross a jar of peanut butter and an elephant?

An elephant that sticks to the roof of your mouth.

Free giveaways! Free giveaways!

Sample pencils.

BOOING

What did you think? They have the name of the bank on them. Anybody?

Free balloons! Free balloons!

Baboo... STARTS TO CRY

You want your pacifier?

No, she wants her bunny.

No, she wants a bite of pizza.

See?

-WOOF!

-Pal, sit!

Hey, I've got it. Let me have that, DW.

Kate, ever seen this?

PH-WH-EE-EE-EE...

SHE WAILS Buster, don't. The noise bothers her.

Well, it's not a diaper-related problem. ..What is it, Kate?

Oh, she wants Arthur to push her.

I can't. I'm holding onto Pal.

Pal, sit! ..He's trying to get away from Kate's crying.

-I can hold him.

-I don't think so.

-..Mom, I'm old enough, aren't I?

Arthur, let DW take Pal and you push Kate, please!

She must be hungry. Let's have lunch.

Maybe she's sitting on a bee. I'D cry at that.

KATE KEEPS CRYING

What did you do, DW?!

I didn't do anything! Your goofy dog escaped.

Pal! Pal! ..Come on, Buster, we have to find Pal.

Let's get a table in the restaurant first so you know where to find us.

Why not get a new dog? Look at THAT dog's eyes.

He looks intelligent - HE'D never get lost.

Yeugh!

-Arthur, we'll sit at THAT table while you search.

-Come on, Buster!

-Pal!

-Pal!

'Attention! A dog has been found.

-'Would its owner report to the Town Hall Lost and Found?'

-Town Hall!

WOOF! WOOF!

Achoo! Go away. I'm allergic to dogs.

ACHOO! ACHOO! ..Come this way, kids. I have to get away from the dog.

ACHOO!

WOOF!

Can you get him outta here?

WOOF...

GROWLS

-You found a dog?

-Yes.

Here he is.

-Yeugh!

-YEUGH!

Hey, do you think Pal ran away because he doesn't like me any more?

Let's start a full-scale search.

You take this side of the street. I'll take that side.

SCREAMING

CRYING STARTS AGAIN Katy, what's wrong?

Hey, any of you seen this dog?

-I told you I haven't seen any dog!

-Can I look in your bag, ma'am?

Pal?

-I brought that dog to Lost and Found in Town Hall ten minutes ago.

-Thanks!

That looks like Arthur's dog.

Is that you, Pal?

BARKS What a rude little dog!

-Arthur!

-I can't talk.

-I just saw your dog. He ran past the cinema.

He was SO rude. He was totally out of control.

How rude! It's easy to see where the dog gets it.

We'll help find him. We will?

KATY WAILS There's Arthur.

Arthur, we've got to get Kate home. She might be sick.

Dad, we haven't found Pal. We can't go now!

Dad'll drive you back to search. And we can make lost dog signs.

I knew you couldn't hold onto the leash!

Pal!

You found me!

WOOF! WOOF!

Pal...you ran away from me.

What did I do wrong?

-He hates me.

-I told you I didn't let him go. He was escaping from you.

DW!

Ah... Ah... Ah... Ah...

ACHOO!

Get away!

ACHOO! ..My balloons!

Get off me!

ACHOO!

You stupid dog! Come back with my balloons!

It's Pal! Quick!

Pal, let go!

Why won't he let go?

I got him!

Huh?!

I told you he was rude.

Why make lost dog signs if he doesn't want to come home?

If that's what he wants, I want him to be happy.

SNIFFING >

-Well, look who's here! Did the dog-catcher bring you home?

-Pal!

-KATY IS STILL CRYING

-Come here, dog!

SHE CHUCKLES Your dog almost jumped on the baby.

-Take him out.

-He likes me again!

-How did you get Kate to stop?

I don't know. I guess we'll never know what was bothering her.

# And I say, hey!

# What a wonderful kind of day We can learn to work and play

# And get along with each other

# You gotta listen to your heart

# Listen to the beat Listen to the rhythm of the street

# It's a simple message And it comes from the heart

# Believe in yourself For that's the place to start

# We can learn to work and play And get along with each other

# What a wonderful kind of day! HEY! #

Subtitles by Carolyn Donaldson BBC Scotland 2000