Horton Hatches the Egg (1942)

Sara Berner: Mayzie, Elephant Bird

Photos 

Quotes 

• Maysie : My gracious!

  Narrator : Gasped Maysie.

  Maysie : I've seen you before.

  Narrator : Poor Horton looked up with his face white as chalk. He started to speak, but before he could talk, the rang out to noises and the ear splitting squeaks from the egg that he sat on for 51 weeks.

  Horton : My egg!

  Narrator : Horton gasped.

  Horton : My egg, why. It's hatching!

  Maysie : But, it's mine!

  Narrator : Screamed the bird when she hearted the egg crack.

  Maysie : [whispering to the audience]  The work is all done now, I want it back! Haha!

  [to Horton] 

  Maysie : It's my egg!

  Narrator : She sputtered.

  Maysie : You stole it from me! Get off of my nest, and get out of my tree!

• Narrator : But dawdling along way up high in the sky, who, of all people, should chance to fly by but that old, good-for-nothing bird runaway Mayzie.

  Maysie : I'm still on vacation.

  Narrator : Yeah, and still just as lazy.

• [First lines] 

  Narrator : Horton Hatches the Egg. Now once in a jungle, or so the tale goes, there lived a strange bird that most everyone knows. Her name, it was Maysie. She was mean as could be, and never seemed happy while up in her tree. Sighed Mayzie, this lazy bird hatching her egg...

  Maysie : I'm tired and I'm bored and I've kinks in my leg from sitting, just sitting here day after day. It's work, how I hate it. I'd much rather play. If I could find someone, I'd fly away free.

• Maysie : You've nothing to do, and I do need a rest. Would you like to sit on the egg in my nest?

  Narrator : The elephant laughed...

  Horton : Why of all silly things. I haven't feathers, and I haven't wings. Me on your egg? Why it doesn't make sense. Your egg is so small, ma'am, and I'm so immense.

  Maysie : I have to get up for a rest, otherwise I'll never get rid of these bags 'neath my eyes.

  [Close-up of Mayzie's eyes show traveling bags under her eyes] 

  Maysie : I'll hurry right back. Why, I'll never be missed.

  Horton : Very well, since you insist. I'll stay and be faithful, I mean what I say.

  Maysie : Toodle-oo.

  Narrator : ...sang out Mayzie, and fluttered away.

  Maysie : [Returns to pick up her bags]  Oops! Pardon me.

• Narrator : Then, Horton the Elephant passed by her tree.

  Horton : Hut sut ra, sat on a willowa, and a so on, so on, so forth with, Hut sut ra, sat on a willowa, and a so on... I still can't get the words for that song. Hut sut ra, sat on a willowa, and a so on, so on, so forth with, Hut sut ra, sat on a willowa, and a so on, so on. Hut sut ra, sat on a willowa, and a so on, so on, so forth with...

  Maysie : Hello!

  Narrator : Called the lazy bird, smiling her best.

• Narrator : But, Mayzie, by this time was far beyond reach, enjoying the sunshine way off in Palm Beach, and having such fun, such a wonderful rest.

  Maysie : I think I'll never go back to my nest.

  [imitating Katherine Hepburn] 

  Maysie : Raaaaally I won't.

• Narrator : Then spying the flags and the tents just below, she sang out...

  Maysie : What fun! Why, I'll go to the show. Raaaaaally I will.

  Narrator : Then she swooped from the clouds through an open tent door.