The Small One facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Small One |
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Original one-sheet poster for The Small One
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| Directed by | Don Bluth |
| Produced by | Don Bluth Ron Miller (executive) |
| Story by | Vance Gerry Pete Young |
| Starring | Sean Marshall William Woodson Olan Soule Hal Smith Joe Higgins Gordon Jump |
| Music by | Robert F. Brunner Don Bluth Richard Rich |
| Studio | Walt Disney Productions |
| Distributed by | Buena Vista Distribution |
| Release date(s) | December 16, 1978 (with Pinocchio) |
| Running time | 26 minutes |
| Language | English |
The Small One (also known as A Christmas Miracle in the UK) is a short animated movie made by Walt Disney Productions in 1978. It was shown in theaters with the classic film Pinocchio. The story comes from a children's book written by Charles Tazewell in 1947. This film was an important project for new animators at Disney, including Don Bluth and Henry Selick.
The movie tells the heartwarming story of a young boy who lives near Nazareth. He has to say goodbye to his best friend, an old donkey named Small One. The boy takes Small One to the market to sell him. But it's hard to find someone who wants an old, small donkey.
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The Story of Small One
In the countryside near Nazareth, a boy and his father own four donkeys. One of them, Small One, is very old and not strong enough to carry heavy wood anymore. The boy always helps Small One by giving him the lightest loads.
One evening, the boy's father says they must sell Small One. He explains that the donkey cannot do enough work to pay for his food. The boy is very sad to hear this news. He offers to take Small One to the market himself. He hopes to find a kind new owner for his beloved donkey. His father agrees, telling him he must sell Small One for one piece of silver.
The next morning, the boy and Small One go to the market. A guard at the city gates tricks them into visiting a tanner. The tanner only wants the donkey's hide, which scares the boy and Small One. They quickly run out of his shop.
As they walk through the busy streets, they meet many people. Shop owners and merchants do not want to buy Small One. Finally, the boy takes Small One to a horse auction. The auctioneer does not want to sell a "scrawny donkey." The boy insists that Small One is "good enough to be in a king's stable." This makes the auctioneer and the crowd laugh at them.
The auctioneer tries to sit on Small One, pushing the boy aside. But Small One finds a burst of strength. He bucks and kicks the auctioneer off his back, sending him crashing into the stage. The stage falls over!
The boy and Small One run away and sit on a street corner, feeling hopeless. Then, a kind man approaches them. He asks if Small One is for sale. He needs a gentle donkey to carry his wife to Bethlehem. The man promises to take good care of Small One and offers one piece of silver. The boy accepts, says a tearful goodbye, and watches as the man, his wife, and Small One begin their journey. As they leave, a bright star appears in the sky.
Meet the Characters
- Small One: He is a sweet, old donkey. He has worked hard for many years, which has made him weak. Even though he eats well, he cannot carry heavy loads like the other donkeys. His right ear often flops down, which makes him look very cute! He cares deeply for the Boy and would do anything to help him.
- The Boy: He is about nine years old. He takes care of all the donkeys, but Small One is his favorite. When his father says they must sell Small One, the boy is heartbroken. He accepts his father's decision and makes sure Small One finds a gentle and loving new owner.
- The Father: The boy's father is not in the movie much. He is the one who tells the boy to sell Small One. He loves his son and, deep down, he also loves Small One. However, he knows they cannot afford to keep a donkey that cannot do enough work.
- The Three Merchants: These three men walk around the marketplace. They collect money from people, saying it's "for the bank." They are the ones who tell the boy about the auctioneer.
- The Auctioneer: He sells horses at the market. At first, he is annoyed when the boy brings Small One onto his stage. But when the boy says Small One is "good enough to be in a King's stable," the auctioneer becomes interested. He tries to make fun of Small One and almost hurts him. But Small One gets angry when the boy is pushed aside. He uses all his strength to throw the auctioneer off his back.
- The Tanner: He is a minor bad guy in the story. He kills animals to make leather from their skins.
- Joseph: This is the kind man who buys Small One at the end of the movie. His name is not said, but we know from the story that he is the stepfather of Jesus. He needs a gentle donkey to carry his wife to Bethlehem.
Voice Actors
- Sean Marshall as the Boy
- Olan Soule as the Boy's Father
- William Woodson as the Tanner
- Hal Smith as the Auctioneer
- Joe Higgins as the Guard
- Gordon Jump as Joseph
- Thurl Ravenscroft (uncredited) as the Potter
- Ken Sansom (uncredited) as the Baker
How the Movie Was Made
In the early 1970s, many of Disney's older animators had retired. But the animated movies were still very popular. So, Disney decided to train new artists. Veteran animator Eric Larson led this training program. He chose talented graduates from art schools across the United States. Many new artists joined Disney between 1970 and 1977.
The idea for The Small One came from a story trainee named Pete Young. He found the book in the studio library. He created the first storyboards at home. Then he showed them to Ron Miller, who thought it was a story with "heart." Miller brought in Vance Gerry to help make the storyboards even better.
At first, Eric Larson thought he would direct the film. But then, the studio decided to give the project to Don Bluth to direct instead. Don Bluth later said that Small One was a project to keep the animation team busy. He also composed two songs for the film himself.
Release and Home Video
The Small One was first shown in theaters on December 16, 1978. It played alongside a re-release of Disney's animated movie Pinocchio. A week later, on December 23, the film was shown on television for the first time on HBO.
The movie has been released on DVD several times. On September 27, 2005, it was part of Walt Disney's Classic Cartoon Favorites: Volume 9: Classic Holiday Stories. This DVD also included Mickey's Christmas Carol and Pluto's Christmas Tree.
Some small changes were made to the film on these DVDs:
- The star at the end of the movie was changed to look less like a cross.
- The song sung by the three merchants had a lyric changed. The original line "We simply cheat a little if we must" was changed to "We work a little harder if we must."
The Small One is also available to watch online through streaming services. You can find it on Disney+.
Images for kids
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Original one-sheet poster for The Small One
See also
In Spanish: The Small One para niños
