Transcription
Slow brain [Music] When we are all together, adventures we will share. We'll dance and sing our songs with you. When life sees one last final laughing, we get in deep trouble. She's the one who always [Music] is [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Uh [Music] [Applause] [Music] Oh, in an old house in Paris that was covered with vines, lived twelve little girls in two straight lines. They left the house at half past nine in two straight lines, in snow or shine [Music]. The smallest one was Madeline [Music]. I mean [Music] They lived with their dear Miss Clavel, who always made the girls feel well. It was that special time of year when holidays were coming near. The house was filled with boughs of holly, and everyone was feeling jolly [Music].
Oh, bright dog in the sky above you, make our spirits soar. We have a house that's full of love; please come in off the door and shine forevermore. We love the holidays like candles love to glow; we love the holidays like snowmen love the snow [Music]. All day long, this must be angel food, and sweets is like a merry song. It lifts up every moon, a tasty interlude [Music]. Oh, dress the house with candy canes and tinsel, then it's clear as snowflakes on the window panes. We're thankful to live here this joyous time of year [Music]. Like snow [Music] There were so many good things cooking, the girls just couldn't keep from looking. Ah, oh, chocolate cream puffs, we must save those for the eve of Noel. Please, Mrs. Melfi, just one little taste. Well, I suppose, ah, and one for each of the other girls.
Later that day, when the girls took their walk, they ran into a neighbor and all stopped to talk. "How are you?" "Not well, Miss Clavel, there you see, I'm afraid we will have to move." "Oh, Miss Bene, you see, I do not have enough money to feed my pets. I am so sorry" [Music] [Applause]. "This gives me an idea" [Music]. "Then we could help Monsieur Bene with his animals" [Music]. "What a good idea. Nothing can be very much sweeter than a homemade puppet theater" [Music]. "Come, me petite, it is time for bed." "But Miss Clavel, we must finish our puppet theater." "We—it is very late. You will finish tomorrow, maison." In the middle of the night, Miss Clavel turned on the light and said, "Oh, something is not right." "Hello," she spoke into her telephone and heard the voice of Dr. Cone. "Miss Clavel, I'm so sorry to bother you, but something is not right with your Aunt Celine." "Oh dear, she is very ill. I am afraid you must come right away" [Music].
So Miss Clavel went into the night. It was not a very happy sight. "Is she leaving us?" Everybody had to cry; not a single eye was dry. "Do not worry, children, Miss Clavel will be at her aunt's house near Notre Dame, and she will come back before long." Early next morning, the girls heard the pace of the head of trustees, Lord Cuckoo Face [Music]. He announced who would take Miss Clavel's place. "Good morning, little girls. While Miss Clavel is gone, I have arranged for the best of care for you. I was fortunate to locate the headmaster of the Frostbite Academy, a boys' school known for its perfect discipline. Perfect discipline. He has given up his holiday vacation to be here, so I expect you all to be on your very best behavior. We are Cuckoo Face, and now say bonjour to Mr. Grump." "Nasty creatures." "Well, I must be on my way." Just as soon as Lord Cuckoo Face had parted, Mr. Grump was anxious to get started. "Those two lines could be a bit straighter, could they not, young ladies?" "What in heaven's name is that? What do I see over there? Is that a smudge of dirt?" "No, Mr. Grump, it's just a fallen pine needle." "Well, that will not do, will it?" "No, Mr. Clavel." "Then we shall remove it. Not just that piece, the entire tree. We don't want to shed any more needles, now do we? No" [Music]. "And while you are at it, you may take down these ghastly decorations, all of them" [Music].
Not too much later the very same day, the decorations were packed up and all stored away. It was especially hard to see the tree out in the yard with Mr. Grump now on their team. It was time for quite a new regime. In the morning at 5:04, a whistle sounded at the door. First, there was a long inspection, and Grump demanded pure perfection in each and every place and section. Unsatisfactory [Music]. Downstairs, with a lack of passion, they faced the morning's meager ration. "There is no time for silly poems about butter. We have a brisk walk to take." They left the house at 6:09 in two straight lines. "It is so cold. Being cold helps build character, does it not, little girls" [Music]. "We will not tolerate animals joining us on our walk, will we, young ladies" [Music]. "We do not want to bother the neighbors without caterwalling, do we, little girls?" So while the girls were on their walk, they could not play, they could not talk, they could not stop to fool around with painters, mimes, or juggling clowns [Music]. "It is not wise to talk to street people, is it, young ladies" [Music]. "Come, come, have some willpower and keep your eyes straight ahead. Such a confection is bad for our teeth, is it not, little girls? I am going upstairs to prepare the first fifty questions on your history exams. Every knife and fork will be polished when I return, will they not, young ladies" [Music]. "And me, I think we need some advice."
The girls, not feeling glad at all, gave dear Miss Clavel a call. "Hello. Oh, Miss Clavel, we miss you so much. Please come back soon." "I am afraid I cannot come back for a while, me petite, but Mr. Grump has changed everything. He has no holiday spirit, but miserable. All that matters is that your own hearts are full of holiday spirit." "Oh, I wish my holiday spirit were as bright as this fork." "I have an idea. Let us use our holiday spirit to bake Mr. Grump a cake. Then we can finish our puppet theater." So they took out the things that they needed for baking. What a wonderful cake they soon would be making. "Mr. Grump is still in the classroom. We must hurry. The cake must be a surprise. Is the oven ready, Danielle?" "It is not very hot." "We do not have much time. Quick, tilting up, Danielle, all the way." When from a walk old Ben-a was returning, he sniffed, then he saw that something was burning [Music]. "A lesson on cooking the girls were now learning. So we have decided to become cooks, or is it firebugs?" "We are very sorry, but we did it for you, Monsieur." "No buts. Now it is time to clean up our mess, is it not, we, Mr. Clavel? You may take as long as you want, for there will be no puppet show." Then the girls took up washcloth and dustpan and broom and cleaned up the kitchen, then went to their room. "Grump has ruined our holiday. No decorations, no treats, and no puppet show. Measure me. There is only one thing to do."
Dinner time. The headmaster whistled and gave a loud shout. "Young ladies" [Music]. Then he searched through the old house, both inside and out, but the girls were not there. The girls had gone out. The girls were all missing; they were not around. "Come back here at once!" And Mr. Grump knew that they had to be found. Braving the snowfall in lines parallel, the girls hoped to locate their dear Miss Clavel. "How much further is it? I cannot see anything. I think we are lost." "Do not worry, we will find our way soon. I have never seen so much snow." "Oh, look out! Look!" "I knew we would find our way. It is not for them" [Music] [Applause] [Music]. "A witch, maybe" [Applause] [Music] [Applause]. "Petite, I was on my way to spend Christmas Eve with you. What are you doing so far from home?" "It is a long story, Miss Clavel, in the cold streets of Paris." A scowl on his face, the headmaster searched everywhere, every place, but of the twelve little girls he found not a trace. As they neared the old house, the girls were still fearful that Headmaster Grump would give them an earful [Music]. "It is very late, may petite. You must go straight to bed. Remember, you must never leave this way again." "And where is Mr. Grump?" Mrs. Murphy explained that the dreaded headmaster had run out of the door, going fast and then faster. "Oh dear, Miss Clavel, must you leave us again?" "Tomorrow, we Chloe, my aunt still needs me, but what about Mr. Grump?" "I am sure he will return soon." "That is what we are afraid of. Tonight, let us find joy in the holiday." "But we have no decorations." "What matters, little girls, is what is in your hearts, not what is on your walls."
As the big storm raged on and the snow drifts grew deep, somehow Madeline could not get to sleep. "Mr. Grump may be a no-girl, but even the abominable snowman should not be outside in a storm like this" [Music]. Madeline froze in her tracks, in a manner of speaking, and called to the creature who seemed to be creepy. "Is that you, Madeline?" "What? What are you doing out here at this hour" [Music]. "Madeline, we must have a word, must we not, we Monsieur?" The following morning was brighter and fairer. The little girls dressed, then they crept to the stair, fearful of finding the headmaster there. Holly on the banister. Oh [Music]. "Come quickly! The gingerbread house! Who could have done such a wonderful thing?" "Perhaps it was Miss Clavel." "It was not I, little girls. Our puppet theater, it is finished" [Music] [Music]. "My little friends, did you give us all this, Pandora?" "We must, but I could not have done it without the help of my little elf, Madeline." "And this elf could not have done it without the help" [Music] "of—" Then Mr. Grump told of his search in the snow where he found a truth he had lost long ago, and he learned from the wind and the icy snowdrift that the love of a child is a most precious gift. "I hope you can forgive me for the way I treated you." "May we forgive you?" Then all of a sudden a wave of good feeling caused laughter and giggles [Music]. "We have a surprise" [Music] [Music]. All afternoon there was giving and sharing, my old and new friends who were loving and caring [Laughter]. "It is my pleasure to announce the premier performance of the Old House Puppet Theater. Our first show is a benefit for our good neighbor, Monsieur Bennet." And so the monkey passed the cup [Applause], as generous donors filled it up [Applause] [Music]. "Little girls, I will return soon." After the final farewells were sent, the girls brushed their teeth and went to bed. But before you could say, "There isn't any more," a tall, dark figure appeared at the door. "I um, I hope you had a pleasant holiday, little girls." "Mr. Grump." "Thank you for the gingerbread house and the decorations and the puppet theater. It is magnifique. I uh, I have a favor to ask of you." "It is silly." "We love silly." "Could you call me Gramp?" "May we, Mr. Clavel?" "Not Mr., just Grandpa. You see, I always wanted to have grandchildren." "Come on." "He wants to be called—" "Tomorrow's walk will be at 9:30 a.m., and I thought we might build a snowman, or maybe twelve." "Good night, young ladies." Tears of joy filled his eyes as he stepped from the door. And that's all there is, there isn't any more [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music]. "If you believe you must be big and you'll go to be tough, then you should get to know me. I'll teach you—"