Lord of the Beans

Lord of the Beans is the twenty-sixth episode of VeggieTales released November 2005 on VHS and DVD by Sony Wonder and Word Entertainment.

The story is a parody of J. R. R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" series and the film trilogy.

Plot

Countertop Intro

On the Countertop, Bob is all alone once again as he greets the viewers, before explaining that Larry said that he'd be right back, saying that he had a surprise or something. At that moment, Larry then arrives while riding on a unicycle, trying not to lose his balance and fall off. Bob yells for Larry to watch out for the sink, but miraculously, Larry does not fall into the sink, before he is able to ride back effortlessly to Bob while riding around the Countertop. Larry then tells Bob that he saved up 500 boxtops of Frosted Flaky Flippers cereal in order to order his brand new unicycle, but he keeps mispronouncing it as "ukulele". Bob is concerned, asking Larry, "Aren't those things really hard to ride?" Larry answers that they are, but he's got the hang of it, because he thinks that he's gifted. Bob is even more concerned that Larry can't even reach the pedals, wondering how he's doing that, before Larry tells him that he's got a gift, before he says, "And do you know what I'm gonna do with it?" Bob is at a loss for words, until Larry tells him, "Rich and famous, Bob, give me a month, and my ukulele and I will be on the cover of Veggie Beat magazine!" Bob is rather uncertain that Larry would be using his gift for such ramifications, before Larry asks him what else it would be for. Because of this, Bob says that they got a letter from Dylan Clark from Altoona, Wisconsin, whom Bob explains can build things better than anyone else he knows, and that his mom says that he's got a gift. Dylan wants to know what exactly a gift is and what he's supposed to do with it. When Larry says, "Rich and famous, Dylan", Bob stops him, saying that they have a story that can help the two of them, about a boy who received an extraordinary gift and had to figure out what it was for, before saying that it's full of elves, and dwarves, and flobbits. When Larry asks what a flobbit is, Bob tells him, "You'll find out in a minute", before telling Dylan to get ready for the "Lord of the Beans".

Lord of the Beans

We are treated to a fireplace that is burning brightly, before a pair of metal tongs inserts a reddish-brown-colored bean into the fire, to which the story's title then appears onto the bean after that. The scene then switches to a grassy hillside, where a wise and kind old wizard named Randalf (played by Mr. Nezzer) is riding in a wagon pulled by a wooden horse, before being approached by a young flobbit named Toto Baggypants (played by Junior Asparagus) who tells him that he's late. Randalf then replies that he is never late, and that he arrives precisely when he intends to. After a few seconds, the two then start laughing, but even though Toto is able to stop, Randalf still continues laughing, until he is finally able to stop after a few minutes. Toto then asks Randalf if he got the fireworks, to which Randalf replies, "Oh yeah", as the camera then pans up into the sky.

Later that night, fireworks then shoot off into the sky before a lone spark then falls onto the hair of another flobbit, which causes this particular flobbit to run around in a panic with his hair on fire, until another flobbit douses the fire with a bucket of water. Toto compliments Randalf for the fireworks, before Randalf then asks Toto when his uncle is going to make his speech, to which Toto then says, "Here he is now". We then learn that Toto's uncle Billboy Baggypants (played by Archibald Asparagus) is celebrating his 122th birthday (which he misprounounces as "twelfity-twoth"), thanking all of his friends for attending the celebration. However, Billboy also says that he's growing tired and that he's feeling stretched "like chocolate pudding scraped across too much ham". Billboy then sings about how his life has been a series of adventures and how he's been able to gather as much as he wanted, but it didn't make him any happier, before he then pulls out the same bean from earlier and throws it up into the air, conjuring up one more wish for his friends, which is his birthday cake. A large cake then appears on the table, as all of the flobbits then start cheering, before Toto notices Billboy head back towards his home.

After entering his home, Billboy then compliments himself for pulling a fast one on all of the other flobbits out there, before he starts to look at all of the treasures that he's collected, before noticing Randalf standing behind him in the mirror, who then asks him, "You think you're awfully clever, don't ya?", which surprises Billboy. Billboy then compliments Randalf, telling him that he hasn't changed a bit, but Randalf tells him that he has, noticing that Billboy is twice as tall as when they last met and that his clothes are very fine for a flobbit. Randalf then checks out the rest of Billboy's house, before telling Billboy that there are many powerful beans in the world and that none of them should be used lightly. Billyboy then tells Randalf that being friends with him can be such a bother, before admitting that the bean he's been using was one that he found on one of his adventures and that it's given him everything he's asked for, but something's missing and that he will find it, explaining that that's why he's leaving and that he doesn't think he'll ever be coming back.When Randalf asks Billboy about his home, Billboy says that he's leaving it to his nephew Toto, giving everything to him. Randalf then asks Billboy about the bean, Billboy says that he's also giving the bean to Toto too. Billboy then says, "What I'm looking for, I don't think it can give me". He then asks Randalf to give the bean to Toto, to which Randalf answers that he will, before Billboy then leaves after that.

After Billboy has left, Randalf is left all alone while staring at the bean that is sitting on the table, before Toto then enters the house, calling out for Billboy and that he left him a slice of cake. When Toto sees Randalf in the house instead, Randalf explains that Billboy had to leave, saying something about looking for something. Toto recalls that Billboy talked about leaving, knowing that someday he really would. Randalf then tells Toto that Billboy has left him everything, his home, his things, and the bean. When Toto asks why he would want a bean, Randalf then sings that this bean is no ordinary bean and that long before the shire was made, four beans were given. Randalf then tells Toto that these beans are special and powerful, with the first bean being able to produce any kind of food, the second bean being able to change your looks, specifically your height and hair, the third bean being able to produce the finest clothing, and the fourth and final bean being able to give you small kitchen appliances. Toto is amazed before asking Randalf if this bean is one of those beans, Randalf tells him that it's not, before explaining that the soldiers that were given the beans ate them, not realizing what they were. Of course, Randalf then explains further that there was a rumored fifth bean that could grant you anything you wanted. When Toto asks if this is this bean, Randalf tells him to put it in the fire, which Toto does.

After Toto puts the bean in the fire, Randalf asks him what it says, Toto says that it says, "If you can read this, you're too close", before Randalf tells him to turn it around over to the other side. On the other side of the bean, an inscription then appears on the bean that says, "Use wisely", which Toto is confused about. Randalf then confirms that this is that bean, before telling Toto that it's an amazing gift and that it's his. Toto is not so sure about wanting the bean, saying that Billboy's given him plenty of stuff, before telling Randalf to take the bean, but Randalf tells Toto that the bean is his gift, saying that "Every gift is given for a reason. We can't choose which ones we get, only what we do with them". Toto then asks what he's supposed to do with it, saying that he doesn't know beans, worried that he might use it wrong and mess everything up. Toto then asks Randalf to tell him what to do with it, but Randalf admits that he doesn't know, saying that he paid more attention in Fireworks Class than in Bean Class. Fortunately, Randalf says that he knows someone who can help, the Elders of the Razzberry Forest, saying that their knowledge of mysterious plants and beans goes back ages. Toto then says that the Razzberry Forest is on the other side of the Mountains of Much-Snowia, with Randalf saying that the journey will be difficult and that the wisdom he seeks will not be gained without work.

Of course, Randalf then says that there are other dangers, and that Toto's gift is not unknown because the dark lord Scaryman (played by Scallion # 1) would give anything to have it for his own. Randalf also says that the bean could feed and clothe Scaryman's army, and that his minions are searching for it. When Toto asks what kind of vegetable the minions are, Randalf tells him that they're not vegetable at all, but unnatural creatures forged by Scaryman himself, which are half-spoon and half-fork, in other words, sporks. When Toto is worried about this, Randalf tells him that no one would blame him if he just put the bean in a box and forgot about it. Of course, Toto then takes to heart what Randalf told him about his gift, saying that he needs to know what it's for, but says that he can't make the journey alone. Fortunately, Randalf tells Toto that he took the liberty of inviting a few friends to join him, which are fearless ranger Ear-a-Corn (played by Larry the Cucumber), sharpshooting elf Leg-o-Lamb (played by Jimmy Gourd), gruff but lovable dwarf Grumpy (played by Pa Grape), and Leg-o-Lamb's brother, known simply as the Other Elf (played by Jerry Gourd). Randalf then explains that these fearless men have agreed to accompany Toto and to brave Much-Snowia, introducing them as the Fellowship of the Bean.

Soon, the journey has begun as this small group starts traveling through a small forest. However, they have to take a break and wait for the Other Elf who apparently didn't "go before we left". Once that's over, the group continues onward until they finally make it to the Mountains of Much-Snowia. Grumpy wants to rest for the night before continuing onward, but Randalf tells him, "It's not even lunchtime yet". Regardless, the group then starts traveling through the snow-covered mountains of Much-Snowia, with Grumpy complaining all the way that he's missing taco night. However, the group has to wait for the Other Elf again, before he says, "That was it, now I can go for hours". The group resumes traveling through Much-Snowia once again, though they are rather cold from the trek, but Ear-a-Corn is not cold, wearing an oversized parka, saying, "You gotta dress for the weather!" Meanwhile, Scaryman's sporks are still scourging the land to try and find the bean. After the Fellowship have made it to the top of the mountain, they overlook the Razzberry Forest down below. Randalf then tells the group to wait while he looks for a safe route down, but unfortunately, Ear-a-Corn, because of the parka he was wearing, accidentally bumps into the rest of the group, which causes them to fall down the mountain before getting caught up in a huge snowball until they crash down at the bottom of the mountain.

With the incident behind them now, the Fellowship then continues on through the Razzberry Forest, with Grumpy saying that he's starving, wondering where all the raspberries are, but Randalf tells him, "Not that kind of raspberry". Grumpy is curious about what Randalf means by that, before asking Toto if he's got any food. Toto answers that he just has day-old biscuits, asking Grumpy if he ate his, but Grumpy says that they don't agree with him, before saying that he was thinking of a chicken burrito, but Toto tells him that he's all out of burritos. Grumpy then asks Toto about the bean, asking him to use it to make him a chicken burrito with lots of guacamole, but Toto tells him that he shouldn't because he was given this gift for a reason and that he doesn't want to use it until he knows what that reason is. Grumpy then says that if he had a gift like that, he'd be using it to get rich, after making a few burritos. After approaching the center of the Razzberry Forest, Randalf explains to the rest of the Fellowship that they are approaching the elders who will know the secret of the bean and that with them, the behavior of the Fellowship must be critically important. When Leg-o-Lamb asks Randalf what he means by "critically important", Randalf explains that the elders of the Razzberry Forest are ancient and that somewhere around the Fourth Millennium, they lost their senses of humor, so the Fellowship is not to laugh or even smile in the Elders' presence, explaining that the consequences if they do will be grave.

The Fellowship then continue onward through the Razzberry Forest, with Toto asking Randalf if the Elders are as old as the trees, but Randalf tells him that the Elders are the trees. After approaching the center of the forest, Randalf then says, "Hail Elders of the Razzberry Forest! May your fruit never fall in vain!" Much to the surprise of Toto and the rest of the Fellowship, the trees then come alive, with the lead Elder named Lord Falaminion Tereglith, Son of Therabil Elithimon, greeting Randalf, recognizing him as the son of Mandalf. Randalf admires the beautiful jewel that the lead Elder is wearing, to which the lead Elder tells him that it's a gift from a friend and that he has an eye for beautiful things. The lead Elder then asks Randalf if he came to admire his jewelry, but Randalf tells him that they came because it is the matter of a bean that brings them to where they are. At the same time this happen, one of the trees then turns his gaze to Ear-a-Corn, who becomes curious as he goes over to look at the tree, while Randalf still explains to the lead Elder about the bean that has fallen into Toto's possession. The tree then blows a raspberry at Ear-a-Corn, which causes him to fall backwards in surprise.

The lead Elder then tells Randalf that Toto should take the bean through the Blue Gate to the Land of Woe. Ear-a-Corn then holds his sword out at the tree, before trying to tell the other members of the Fellowship that it was the tree, before another tree blows a raspberry at Leg-o-Lamb, to which Ear-a-Corn can't help but try to hold back his laughter. Randalf tells the Fellowship to knock it off because the Elders are just saying hello, just as Toto gives off a small giggle. Randalf tells the lead Elder that the Land of Woe is a cursed place filled with evil, wondering what Toto will do when he gets there, while another tree blows a raspberry at the Other Elf too, while Grumpy also starts giggling as well, with more and more trees blowing raspberries at them. The lead Elder tells Randalf that it will be obvious, before Randalf notices that the Fellowship have fallen victim to getting raspberries blown at them, which causes them to go into uncontrollable giggle fits, as he tells the lead Elder that they must be going, before they quickly try to hop as fast as they can to get out of the Razzberry Forest. Unfortunately, when another tree blows another raspberry, Ear-a-Corn ends up guffawing, which leads to the lead Elder imprisoning Randalf and the Fellowship high atop the forest.

From atop their imprisonment, Grumpy finally understands what Randalf meant about "that kind of raspberry", while Randalf tells them that he warned them not to laugh or smile in the Elders' presence, while Ear-a-Corn tells him, "Well, you didn't mention they were gonna talk like that". When Leg-o-Lamb asks Randalf how long they'll be kept where they are, Randalf answers that the last fellow he knew that made fun of the Elders' language was kept prisoner for 12 years, before being blown off in a windstorm, never seen again. Toto then sings about how having a gift is a wonderful thing and about if he'll ever know what his gift is for. After this song ends, the Fellowship start thinking of ideas on how to escape from their imprisonment, before Randalf looks up in time to see an eagle flying right over the forest towards where they are now. Randalf then tells the others to stand on the edge of the platform next to him, just as the eagle then flies under the platform, with Randalf telling the Fellowship that when he gives the signal, they're all going to jump together, telling them to trust him. Soon, the group then jumps off the platform, before landing on top of the eagle, but it causes everyone, including the eagle, to crash down to the ground below. After the eagle picks himself up, he asks what that was all about, before sarcastically claiming that the small group wanted to jump him just so he could fly them wherever they wanted to go, before he tells them, "Get your own ride!" before flying off after that. The Fellowship stare in disbelief at Randalf, who says, "I thought that would work". However, when Randalf says that at least they didn't wake the trees, he is proven wrong, when a berry suddenly hits the ground in front of them, before it is revealed that the Elders are angry with the group for escaping from their imprisonment. Because of this, the Fellowship is forced to flee while the trees still keep throwing berries at them.

When the morning comes, the group is able to escape from the Razzberry Forest, with Grumpy sarcastically proclaiming that that went well, before Leg-o-Lamb tells him, "Hey, at least we're out of that tree". When Ear-a-Corn asks where they are, Randalf answers, "The Blue Gate, entrance to the Land of Woe". In a case of Chewing the Scenery, Ear-a-Corn then says, "Why do they call it 'blue' you ask? Perhaps for the sorrow that blankets the land beyond, perhaps for the sadness of those who toil on this cursed wall, perhaps for the river of tears that flow from the-" but Randalf stops him, showing him that the Blue Gate is called such because it is colored blue. After the Fellowship approaches the Blue Gate, Grumpy says that there's no handle, asking how they're going to get in, with Ear-a-Corn saying to look for a doorbell. Leg-o-Lamb looks up to notice some kind of writing over the gate, but the writing is foreign, so none of them can't read it, with Randalf saying that there are few who can, saying that it is the tongue of Woe. Remembering what he learned from his seventh grade Diabolical Languages Class, Randalf is able to translate what it says: "He who seeks to pass this gate, a riddle first must solve. The answer will seal his fate must all his wits involve. 'What thing with awesome strength is blessed, yet quakes before the smallest pest, stands so high, yet sniffs the ground without so much as stooping down, has no home or chair or bunk yet holds his bath inside a trunk?' If your first guess ringeth true, passage we will grant to you, but if in er you guess, my friend, the door will bar, your journey end'. After Randalf reads this inscription, Leg-o-lamb is amazed that it said all that, to which Randalf tells him, "It's a highly efficient tongue, you can fit a whole book on a napkin". Because of that, the Fellowship has to find out the answer to this riddle, though they come up such outlandish answers, such as 'a cow', 'an ostrich with a suitcase', 'bacon', 'a vicuna', 'a three-ring binder', 'a vespa', and 'lint', but Toto is able to come up with the correct answer, which is an elephant, explaining, "It's strong but it's afraid of the littlest pest, a mouse! And even though it's tall, it can sniff the ground with its long trunk, which also holds water when it takes a bath!"

Randalf then asks the gate if the answer is an elephant, to which the gate then opens up, which means that Toto's answer was correct. However, once the gate is opened, the group finds a door that is too small for any of them to fit through at the other end of the gate. Ear-a-Corn tries to tell them that it's an "optimal illusion" and that it only looks small because it's so far away, but he is proven wrong when he ends up bumping into the wall when attempting to prove his point. When Toto asks how they're going to get in, Leg-o-Lamb tells Toto that the only one who'd fit through the door is him. When Toto contemplates on going through the door, Randalf tells him that he doesn't need to do that and that no one would blame him if he just went home and put the bean in a box. Grumpy then says that he knew it was a bad idea, while Leg-o-Lamb tells him that they tried and that it isn't like they didn't try. However, Toto is determined to know what his gift is for, with Randalf telling him that the lands beyond the door are filled with evil and that it won't be easy. When Toto says that he wants to know, Randalf tells him that there is a creature that lives therein, desperate for the bean. Toto repeats his statement, before Leg-o-Lamb says, "Maybe you could swap it for another gift, you know, a gift exchange". Toto then tells the Fellowship what Randalf told him, "Every gift is given for a reason, you can't choose which ones we get, only what we do with them". After that, Toto then goes through the door just as it closes behind him.

The Fellowship muses about Toto's bravery, before they notice the gate start to close so they quickly get out of the way just as the gate then closes after that. Ear-a-Corn then says that that's that, while Grumpy asks if they can go home, before Leg-o-Lamb then dejectedly says that the Fellowship failed because they were supposed to help Toto and now he's all alone. Randalf then says that they may have another chance to help him. Just as luck would have it, the group then hears a gravely-sounding voice singing from off in the distance, before a crazy-looking guy on a unicycle with an umbrella (played by Charlie Pincher) is singing about how he's a lucky fella because he got a new umbrella, which is his pride and joy. After this guy finishes singing, he asks the Fellowship what they're doing, before Leg-o-Lamb answers that they were just trying to get in. The umbrella guy then tells them that all they need to do is go down a couple of miles to the Red Gate because it's wide open. Randalf then states that he heard about the Red Gate, but he thought that it was just a myth, before the umbrella guy tells him that he just came from there, further telling the group that "You'll know it when you see an angry murderous band of sporks heading through to find a small Flobbit and a bean with instructions to bring him back dead or alive". After that, the umbrella guy then asks the group if they like his umbrella before he rides off on his unicycle again, once again singing about his umbrella. When the Fellowship realizes that the sporks are after Toto, they begin to head off towards the Red Gate, though Grumpy wants to go with the umbrella guy, but is forced to join the rest of the group when Randalf tells him to come on.

Silly Songs with Elves

Ear-a-Corn, who is now wearing clothes similar to that of Elvis Presley, is singing about how much he loves his Baby Elf, singing about how she is the one for him. At that moment, the Baby Elf (played by Miss Achmetha) shows up and starts yelling at Ear-a-Corn in an elf language, telling him to go away and that she doesn't want anything to do with him. Ear-a-Corn then sings about how the elf yelled so loud that she hurt his ears, but he doesn't mind none cause she's his Baby Elf. Of course, the Baby Elf shows up again and yells at Ear-a-Corn again, telling him that she's angry that she's still standing. Before Ear-a-Corn could sing another verse of the song, Leg-o-Lamb then shows up and pulls off Ear-a-Corn's fake elf ears, accusing him being an "Elvish Impersonator". Ear-a-Corn then says, "Oh right, like you're a real elf! Give the gourd a bow and arrow and he's a real elf!" Because of that, Leg-o-Lamb then shoots a plunger arrow that hits Ear-a-Corn on the nose.

Act 2

The Fellowship continues onward towards the direction of the Red Gate, while the sporks are doing the same thing. Meanwhile, on the other side of the gate, Toto is all alone when he hears a voice calling out for his 'precious', asking if someone is there. When there is no answer, Toto then takes out the bean, telling it that it turned out to be a load of trouble and that if he had half a mind, he'd just throw it in a ditch and be done with it. While this was happening, a mysterious figure who had been up in the tree suddenly falls out of the tree and lands in the tall grass right next to Toto, which surprises Toto. When Toto asks who's there, the mysterious person groans out, "My precious, they stoled it from me!" When Toto asks who this mysterious person is, the person yells out, "It's mine, I tell you, it's mine! Give it to me!" When the person comes out from the grass, it is revealed to be a scraggled creature (played by Mr. Lunt), who tries to take the bean from Toto, but Toto is able to escape, with the strange creature commenting that Toto is really fast, but he'll never make it to the Land of Woe and that he needs a guide.

The Fellowship still continues towards the Red Gate, while Grumpy is lagging behind, saying that they should balance out their aerobic activity with a little weight training, but the rest of the group doesn't hear him. The sporks are still traveling towards the Land of Woe. Back in the woods, when Toto asks the strange creature what his name is, the creature introduces himself as Ahem, named for the sound he makes with his throat. When Toto asks Ahem if he's always been the way he is, Ahem tells him that he wasn't always like this, saying that he was once a normal Flobbit named Spiegel, which Toto recognizes as the Flobbit that bought everything mail-order. Ahem then says that it's amazing what you can find through the mail and that he was a collector of labor-saving devices, but everything that he bought, he had to pay for, which was a limiter to his life of ease. Ahem then explains to Toto that he found the bean when he was opening a crock pot when he found the bean hidden among the packing peanuts in the box that the crock pot came in. Ahem then explains that everything he wanted, he got it without every having to work again. Toto is amazed, before asking Ahem what happened, to which Ahem explains that one day, he had created and consumed a 200-hundred lb. marshmallow peep, which caused him to go into a sugar coma, then when he woke up three days later, the bean was gone, and is now concerned that he's falling to pieces, even his hair is falling out. When Toto asks Ahem if he tried washing his hair, Ahem refuses to go to all that work, telling Toto, "Once you taste a life of ease, my friend, there's no going back". When Ahem asks Toto why he wanted to go to the Land of Woe, Toto is in awe at the village that stands off in the distance.

Meanwhile, the Fellowship have finally arrived at the Red Gate, with Ear-a-Corn saying that it's yellow, before Randalf says that the Red Gate was named for the color of the sunset on the day they hung those doors, before telling Ear-a-Corn not to be so literal. The group then quickly hide just as some sporks head into the Red Gate, with Ear-a-Corn saying that there's only five and that they can take them. With that, the Fellowship then charges towards the Red Gate to take on the sporks head-on. Unfortunately, it turns out to be a trap as the group finds that there was actually a large group of sporks waiting for them, just as the gates then close behind them. The Other Elf then sees a tree off to the side, saying "I gotta go", before he rushes off once again, leaving the rest of the Fellowship to face off against the sporks. Meanwhile, at the Land of Woe, Toto and Ahem have approached the village, with Ahem telling Toto that it's time to go, but Toto says that he's supposed to do something here, before noticing a well, but Ahem tells him that the well's been dry for years. When Toto asks where the people get their water, Ahem tells him that they don't have any, before telling him that the place is no good. At that moment, the people then start to approach Toto, asking him to help them, with Ahem saying "This is bad".

The Fellowship are still surrounded by the sporks, while trying to think of a way to get past the sporks to help Toto. The lead spork then tells the others to finish the group because they've got a Flobbit to catch, before the sporks then proceed to use their "pointy ends" to fight against the Fellowship. Just when it seems that the Fellowship is done for, a delicious smell starts wafting from the tree that the Other Elf had retreated into, with the sporks noticing that something smells good. At that moment, the Other Elf comes out from the tree while carrying a plate of cookies, asking who wants a cookie. Because the sporks claim that "we ain't had nothin' but maggoty bread for three stinkin' days", they begin to crowd around the Other Elf for some cookies, before the Other Elf says, "Nothing tastes better than a cookie baked in a tree". Back at the Land of Woe, the people in the village still ask Toto to help them. Toto then realizes that these people aren't evil, they're just thirsty and hungry, with Ahem telling him that they should leave, but Toto realizes that this is the reason the Elders sent him to the Land of Woe. When Toto suggests that he can help the people with the bean, Ahem is opposed to this idea, saying that it's his life of ease. The rest of the Fellowship then meet up with Toto again, but when Toto sees the sporks, he becomes afraid, before Randalf tells him that they're on the side of good now because they love cookies.

Scaryman is seen hiding from behind a house, while Toto tells Randalf that he knows why the Elders sent him to the Land of Woe, because they want him to help. Scaryman then shows up saying, "Good thought, but wrong". Everyone is surprised to see Scaryman show up, before Scaryman says that the Elders sent Toto to the Land of Woe because he told them to. When everyone is surprised about this, Scaryman says that everyone has something they're sure they can't live without, for some it's fame or fortune, for others a life of ease, and for a certain ancient tree it happens to be jewels, something which Scaryman has in abundance. Everyone is surprised that Scaryman had bribed the Elders, with Scaryman saying that they get what they want and he gets what he wants, not realizing that a mysterious figure has zipped past him from behind. Scaryman then laughs at the prospect of Toto using his gift to help people before pushing Toto aside as he takes the bean from him. Scaryman then starts laughing, before he hears someone say, "You're wrong, Scaryman!" Scaryman is curious about who said that, before the mysterious figure then zips all around him once again. When Scaryman asks where this person is, he suddenly finds himself getting tackled really hard, which sends the bean flying into the air, until it is caught by none other than Billboy Baggypants. Everyone is surprised to see that Billboy has returned.

Scaryman is about to get his sword, when Ear-a-Corn blocks him off with his own sword, telling him, "Not so fast, Scary Guy!", while Leg-o-Lamb prepares to shoot a plunger arrow at Scaryman. When Scaryman tells the sporks to save him, the sporks refuse saying that "Cookie man say no". Toto is surprised to see that Billboy is short, to which Billboy then admits that without the bean, it didn't take long for all the magic to become undone. Toto then realizes that when Billboy gave him the bean, he lost everything, which Billboy confirms, before saying that he found so much more, saying that clothes, toys, and fame only feel good for a minute, but the happiness they bring passes in a flash like straw in a fire. Billboy then says that when he left, he was looking for a happiness that lasts and that he found in the Land of Woe, of all places, by helping, by using his gifts to help others rather than himself. Billboy then says that he heard that Toto found what his gift was for, but Toto says that the Elders were lying, before Billboy tells him, "They may have been lying, but they couldn't keep you from finding the truth". When Billboy asks Toto what he would like to do with his gift, Toto answers that he wants to help people. Toto and the others then approach the well with Toto saying that he wants to fix the land, before throwing the bean right into the well, which Ahem is not happy about. Seconds later, a torrent of water shoots out of the well, before the land turns green and fertile once again for the people of the Land of Woe. Toto then sings a reprise of the song about how having a gift is a wonderful thing and that he finally knows what it's for, before everyone else also joins in the song as well. The song then ends as the story ends after that.

Countertop Outro

Larry is still on his unicycle, telling Bob that the story was amazing, having elves, dwarves, flobbits, and trees that make funny noises, before he says, "I hope we didn't offend anyone". Bob then says that they're over by Qwerty to talk about what they've learned today, before the "What Have We Learned" song plays, but it suddenly stops after a few seconds, as the sporks run off with the record for the song, which Bob is frustrated about. Larry is dubious, telling Bob that he thought that he didn't like that song, with Bob saying that after time it starts to grow on you. Larry then tells Bob that they have to finish the show, but Bob isn't so sure, saying that they can't do it without the song. Despite this, Larry then tells the viewers that they should see if Qwerty has a verse for them, before Qwerty brings up the verse as, "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10". Larry then says that God made us and gave us gifts and talents to do good works for others, asking Bob if that's right, before Bob is able to snap out of it, saying that lots of people just use their special gifts for themselves to make money or to get rich or famous. He also explains that helping ourselves might feel good for a while, but it doesn't last, but he also explains that happiness that lasts is called joy and it comes from using our gifts the way God intended. Bob then tells Dylan that someday, he may be building houses for poor folks, while Larry then says that he can use his 'ukulele' for science, but Bob gives him a better alternative of using it to entertain children in the hospital, with Larry saying, "That too!" Bob and Larry then sign off again as the episode then ends.

Characters

• Bob the Tomato
• Larry the Cucumber
• Randalf (debut)
• Toto Baggypants (debut)
• The small bee (debut)
• another flobbit (debut)
• particular flobbit (debut)
• Billboy Baggypants (debut)
• all of the flobbits (debut)
• Unnamed villager women (green clothing)
• Unnamed villager women (red clothing)
• Scaryman (debut)
• Sporks (debut)
• Ear-a-Corn (debut)
• Leg-o-Lamb (debut)
• Grumpy (debut)
• the Other Elf (debut)
• Elders of the Razzberry Forest! (debut)
• Lord Falaminion Tereglith (debut)
• Charlie Pincher
• The Baby Elf (debut)
• Mr. Lunt
• the people of the Land of Woe (debut)
• Qwerty

Fun Facts

Explanations

• An optical illusion is a way of seeing something that does not exist or that is other than it appears.

Trivia

• This is the last time the 1998 Big Idea closing bumper is used.
• This is the first main VeggieTales episode where there's no commentary track. Phil Vischer and Tim Hodge later apologized about it. Though a character commentary track was featured in the DVD.
• Shortly after the episode's release, Phil Vischer got a noticed from New Line Cinema about them not legally parodying the "Lord of the Rings" films without permission. This is the reason why The Wonderful Wizard of Ha's was late in production.
• Larry got his unicycle from saving 500 boxtops from Frosted Flaky Flippers.
• The answers the Fellowship guessed before Toto spoke up
  • A cow
  • An ostrich with a suitcase
  • Bacon
  • A vicuna
  • A three ring binder
  • A vespa
  • A lint
• The things Billboy got/received with the bean are:
  • Making himself taller.
  • Fine clothing.
  • An espresso maker.
  • A birthday cake.
• The things Ahem/Spiegel got/received with the bean are:
  • Fine clothing.
  • Lifetime of food (eg.pizza, cupcakes).
  • A fountain of Grape Nehi that shoots out from the ground.
  • A 200 pound marshmallow Peep.

Remarks

• Larry doesn't have legs, and yet he can pedal the unicycle.
• Some of the other flobbits at Billboy's party are just cardboard cutouts.
• This is one of the episodes where the Silly Song is in the later half in the runtime.
• Bob seems to show his inner feelings of the What Have We Learned Song. Even Larry thinks he's somewhat out of place.

Goofs

• When Randlf pops up and asks Billboy why he looks different, Billboy's went cross-eyed.

Inside References

• Some references in the countertop, such as Larry almost falling in the sink and mentions of VeggieBeat were from Rack, Shack & Benny. In fact, this episode was released ten years after that said episode was released (1995).
• Some of the sets were reused from the previous episode, such as the mountains and the underground lair. Even the hairbrush Grumpy offers to Ahem was from that episode.
• The small bee that shows up in the beginning and later appears when the group were stuck on the tree is the same model as Snoodle Doo.
• Some of the flobbits were about to eat a slice of pizza.
• The Other Elf offers the sporks cookies.
• Scaryman's "Show yourself!" is an echo of Jonah's line when he encountered Khail.

Real World References

• Frosted Flay Flippers is a play on words for Kellog's Frosted Flakes.
• Jerry's entire motif is a reference to the Keebler elf.

Fast Forward

• Mr. Lunt and his habit for labor-saving devices would come in the second feature film.

Credits Roll

Directed by MIKE NAWROCKI

Produced by MARISSA COLLYER COLIN M. DAVIS DAVID PITTS

Story Development TIM HODGE MIKE NAWROCKI DAVID PITTS GAIL SCHENBAUM PHIL VISCHER

Production Coordinators AMY HENDON LISA ANN MEAWASIGE-KERTESZ ANDREW YOUSSI

Written by PHIL VISCHER

Storyboarding by TOD CARTER BRIAN K. ROBERTS

Art Director JAE WOOK CHUNG

Concept Art BRIAN K. ROBERTS JOE SPADAFORD ERIC S. THOMAS CHARLES VOLLMER

Title Designs JOHN TRAUSCHT JOHN TRENT

Character Voices TIM HODGE CHAR JACKSON MIKE NAWROCKI JOE SPADAFORD LISA VISCHER PHIL VISCHER

Crowd Extras ALLY NAWROCKI BRIAN K. ROBERTS CHARLES VOLLMER J. CHRIS WALL ANDREW YOUSSI

Post-Production Supervisor DAVE McCARTNEY

Edited by FRED PARAGANO J. CHRIS WALL

Online Editor BRYAN LUREN

Offline Editors ADAM GARNER BRYAN LUREN

Character Dialog Recording FRED PARAGANO

Recording Assistant RIC JURGENS

Supervising Sound Editor JUSTIN DRURY

Sound Effects Editor BAXTER MERRY

Executive Sound Editor Supervisor JOE SERAFINI

Dialog Editor ADAM BOLDUC

CG Supervisor JEFF BELL

Modeling Supervisors IAIN MCLUCKIE MARK NEYSMITH

Modeling Artists TITO BELGRAVE MIKE GAUTHIER JENNY RIUTTA GRAHAM SUKHIANI

Surfacing Supervisor HEATHER GAGNIER

Surfacing Artists RICKY BABA PAUL PAULENKO

Animation Supervisors PAUL KOHUT DANIEL KRZYWANIA

Character Animators MOYSIS ANTONIOU MARY BEKIARIS ALLANLEE CALDER MICHAEL DEMUR MIKE DHARNEY EMILY DOEHLER-KNOX SAMAD KHAN JOHN LEE CEDRIC LO ERIC MURRAY DAN TURNER

Lighting Supervisors KANG SUB LEE SCOTT SANDERSON

Lighting Artists CHRISTOPHER DERWIANKO IRIT HOD TOM PERRY JEFF RUSSELL ROSS WALLIS

Lighting T.D. MARK BODANIS

Effects Supervisors PAUL JEWELL WARREN LAWTEY

Effects Artists NADAV BRILL DAN WRIGHTSELL

Lead Compositors ALLISON GARDNER ALAN KENNEDY

Senior Compositors STEVEN CHEN BRYAN LUREN PAUL STODOLNY

Compositors ROB DALE DANIEL LOWENBERG RIAN McNAMARA ZEBULON PIKE RODED YIZHAKY

Directors of Technical Development TERRY DALE JOS’H R. L. FULLER SIMON FUNG

Software Development MIKE HARRIS TOMMY ZHU

Musical Score Composed And Produced by KURT HEINECKE

Instrument JOHN TRAUSCHT

Office Managers LISA GRIFFIN CRYSTAL HENRICKSON

Studio Systems Administrators ANDREW KLAASSEN DAMIAN UPTON GREG WHYNOTT

Human Resources RENA DALMASSO

Special Thanks To The Big Idea Family

Executive In Charge Of Production TERRY PEFANIS