Noble Prince,
the King sends us to greet you at the border.
Welcome to be a suitor to our beautiful princess.
Do you think the princess will like it?
We'll see.
King, I travelled far to see your beautiful daughter.
Allow me to ask for her hand.
Certainly, certainly. Your presence honours me very much.
But speak to the princess yourself and marry her.
Most beautiful princess, take this...
Any fool with money can give pearls as a present.
I demand more! - What do you wish for?
I will...
I want that singing, ringing little tree.
Bring it to me and you can set it free for me!
Where does it grow? - Well...
I wonder where it grows? - I'd like to know.
She wants the miracle tree. - She wants the tree!
Now also the little tree! - The little tree wants her!
No one knows where it is. - Let it avert evil.
He'll never find it. - I'm sorry about that.
Soon he goes, the poor prince. - But not to search for a tree.
I'll look for the tree and find it.
And if I go to the ends of the earth.
Gardener! Where does the little singing tree grow?
Not with me. I only have these.
But go to the sea, the farmer there knows.
Do you know that singing, ringing tree?
Yes. - Do you know where it is?
No, I don't know about that.
But the herb woman in the mountains may know...
Herb-woman!
Do you know where the singing, ringing tree is?
No one knows.
Find where you want, you fool! Let me be at rest!
Be vrave! Don't be afraid! I have to see what it is.
What are you doing here?
Who are you? - The ruler of this empire,
into which you entered. You are my prisoner!
I didn't mean any harm. I'm looking for the miracle tree.
What do you want with it? - Free the beautiful princess.
I can give you the tree.
Really?
Here it is here.
But it doesn't sing.
It will sing when the princess truly loves you.
I want to reward you with gold and jewels richly.
Give it to me! - I won't give it to you that easily.
Demand whatever you want! - I want you,
when the tree won't sing till sundown!
I'm not afraid of that.
If the princess receives the tree, she will hear me.
She will love me, and that little tree will sing.
I want to be a bear, if I don't succeed.
You know, till sundown!
Yes, yes, otherwise I have to go back. But I make my luck!
How glad I am that you're still alive! What do I see?
The wonder tree. Where is the princess?
Look! He brought the singing, ringing tree.
I don't hear anything. - That's up to you.
With me?
With the little tree it is like this: It sings when you truly love.
How can you offer me this nasty thing?
And then you also dare to impose conditions on me?
Father, he's a liar!
He wants to betray us. Toss him into the tower, the crook!
But child, how can you say such a thing?
What, you're defending him? Then I'll throw him out myself.
Now you'll never get the tree.
Nor such a beautiful prince.
I don't want to hear about it!
He's gone halfway around the world to find the tree.
He doesn't deserve to be chased away like that.
He wouldn't let himself be chased away. Highly proud he left!
That's why I think he had the miracle tree.
If you believe that, go and get it back!
My child, you insulted him.
I want the tree! Get it! - He doesn't want to give it to you anymore.
I will have it! I will!
What am I supposed to do now? Oh, don't cry!
If you love me, follow him! - I'll do anything you want.
I'll go.
Hurry up! Get some riders to join you!
I want the tree!
Why are you threatening me? I'm not to blame.
You know how odd the princess is.
You miserable man! You have outwitted me.
We had an agreement.
Wouldn't you want to be a bear when she breaks her word?
Now you're free to be a bear for her. Good luck!
Keep the tree! So you can hear him sing when she loves you.
Don't mock!
What else should I do with the tree? - It's a miracle tree.
If it sings here in the magic realm, you can be redeemed.
It has more magic than I do. - Enough of this unlucky tree!
The little tree...
King, what are you doing here?
You can speak?
Tell me what you're doing here!
I'm looking for...
Speak!
I'm looking for... the... singing, ringing tree.
For the princess? - Yes. She desperately wants it.
Let me live. Demand what you want.
My whole kingdom... - No, I don't want that.
I just want to meet at the castle first.
And you get the singing, ringing tree.
Agreed? - You have my word.
The first thing you see is mine.
I'll get it at the border by midnight.
Don't make me fall asleep again.
I didn't climb the tower for nothing!
From a distance I want to see if father has the tree.
Throw them out, the beasts!
Are they gone?
Oh, shut up!
Don't let the candle go out! I'm afraid of the dark.
He's coming! The King is coming!
Shut your mouth.
What? - The King is coming!
He's got the tree!
He has the tree!
Go away! Go away, you stupid animal!
Get away from here!
Back, my child! - Ah! Now I have the tree.
What an unfortunate thing for you to meet me first!
Why is this a misfortune... - Captain!
Strengthen the guards! Immediately! - Strengthen the guards!
Come on! - Why?
Something terrible has happened. You're in danger.
Because of fear and because I thought,
that the dog welcomes me first,
I responded to his terms.
And you haven't seen the prince?
The prince? No, neither far nor wide.
And a real bear gave you the tree?
A big, mighty animal.
With pointed claws on the paws and sharp teeth.
I don't know what to do. - But I do.
Send the captain!
Captain? But... - He's strong.
Tell him to kill the bear! - Do you think?
Am I supposed to go? - But no!
So, when does the bear want its prize?
Today.
At midnight. At the border of the realm.
What were you doing here?
Speak! Would you kill me?
Answer me! - The king has ordered it.
I'll show you!
Let me down!
Tell me who first met the King!
Good morning, Princess!
Have you paid attention? Has the little tree sung?
I haven't heard anything. - If it doesn't sing, it will burn!
Maybe it needs sunshine.
I know that myself. bath and dress me!
We're going to the garden. - It's forbidden!
You can't leave the castle because of the bear!
I'm still going to my garden!
We put the tree in here!
And what about the fish? - I don't want to see them anymore!
The water is drained.
Throw the fish in the rain hole. Quickly!
Now sing! You have the most beautiful place in the garden.
Sing, you nasty plant!
I want you to sing! If you don't sing, I'll burn you!
The bear! - Father!
Take care of my child!
Don't throw! You may hit the princess!
Take me back at once!
You're an abominable, evil animal!
Take me back to the castle! I command you!
Good morning.
I want my bath ready!
For your morning linen
there is clear water here. - Shall I climb in the pond?
What do you think of that? I am a princess!
I want to order my food!
Delicious berries grow here for your lunch!
Collect berries? What are you thinking of?
I'm a princess!
I want my four-poster bed!
For your bed
there's soft moss here. - I'm supposed to sleep here?
What do you think? I am a princess!
Fly down and eat! But quickly!
Will you fly to me right away?
Why don't the birds fly to me?
Why do all animals run away?
No! The animals don't love you.
They don't care about your beautiful face.
They feel how defiant and arrogant you are.
Truly, you would see the way you behave,
your nose would look proud.
You'd have loveless eyes, a defiant mouth,
and your hair would go mouldy!
If that's true, I want to look like this!
Be careful not to say that!
I am the prettiest in the country!
Look at me, you stupid bear!
No, that's not me!
I'm not ugly!
No, that's not true! I'm not ugly!
I am... I am....
I am... I am beautiful.
Good morning, Bear.
Don't look at me! I'm so ugly.
You were right. - Oh, don't cry!
Help me build the cave!
For who?
For me.
If you help me with this, you can live in it.
But you're not going to want that.
You're a princess!
If you take a thousand times as many stones away,
the dwelling will be ready.
You did a fine job.
Can't you do something to make the animals come to me?
No, I can't do that.
But you gain their affection when you're kind to them.
But you don't love anyone.
I'm going to the berry meadow for lunch.
It broke its wing. - Oh! Come in quickly!
We'll put on a bandage.
Soon the little animal will be healthy again.
I know why you always flew away.
Because of the pigeons in the castle tower.
I'll never do it again.
Wait a little longer! I come to your aid.
I know why you always fled.
Because of my goldfish.
I'm sorry! I will never do it again.
I liberated him.
You don't look so ugly anymore.
Because you were nice to the animal.
Listen to me carefully...
A good deed is always more powerful than an evil spell.
Remember it well!
Wait! I'll get the bear to help.
Help! Come with us to the Moss Valley!
Look at that!
I know why you always ran away.
Because of the castle dog.
I'm sorry. I will never do it again!
You see, you win the hearts of animals,
when you're nice to them?
Yes, you're right, dear bear.
Did you...?
Did you say "dear bear"?
Go in the house, you're freezing. I'll free him.
Don't cry, dear girl!
Who are you?
Where are you from? - I am the ruler here.
Don't cry! I think I know the bear is cruel.
The bear? - Yes! He destroyed this house,
while you liberated the poor animal.
But... - I saw it myself.
But he was always good to me. - Oh, good! Just in pretence.
He didn't allow you to live in the castle!
No... - Come! I want to help you! Come on!
If he finds us, he'll kill us!
Come on! I'll show you out!
Why are you stopping? - Is that true?
Didn't you see that he destroyed the house?
I can't believe he's evil.
He spoke like a human being.
And he ate like a human.
And he was good to the animals. - Oh, what do you care about the bear?
Think how nice you can be in the castle!
Look!
Don't you want your bed back, your bath?
Your gold plates?
Then you will never have to starve again. Never freeze again.
Never work again. I have a message from your father!
Your poor father! He is dying.
He's asking for you.
Is that really true? - You will see that it is true.
Hurry up before it's too late!
Follow the sun and moon, and you can't miss.
Who are you?
Don't you know me?
No. I don't know you.
What are you doing here?
I have a mission to make known to everyone,
that the whole country shall mourn.
This is the king's order. - The king?
Yes. Because an evil bear stole our princess.
Where's the king? - He rode away,
to find the princess. A whole year he's been gone.
Then the dwarf lied.
And what he said about the bear is not true!
Then you are the wonder tree!
But you're just singing...
if I truly love the Prince.
And the bear?
Dear, dear, dear tree, please tell me: Who is the bear?
Is he a real bear or...?
Or is he even the prince?
Oh, the beautiful prince!
Whether the evil dwarf...
Surely, he enchanted him.
I'll take you to the magic realm. He must hear you.
The dear, poor bear!
Quick, take me to our bear!
Run away, get to safety!
Quick, dear fish, take me to the enchanted realm!
You miserable liar!
I can see through your false words.
The little tree told me.
Quick, fly faster! I must help the bear.
You evil monster!
Away with the little tree! I warn you. Away with it!
You lost your game.
I'm not afraid of you.
Get that tree out of here!
Get it out of the magic realm!
You thief!
You miserable, mean thief!
Shall we take the little tree into the castle?
No, we'll leave it here. If someone finds it,
it'll bring him luck.