Little Hiawatha is a 1937 Silly Symphonies cartoon directed by David Hand.
Plot
Over opening narration, Little Hiawatha is seen paddling his canoe down a river—at one point backwards—on his way to hunt game. Upon reaching land, he steps out and immediately falls down a hidden hole in the water, bringing about the laughter of the animals in the forest. Hiawatha gives chase to them—with his pants occasionally falling down in what is the cartoon's running gag. He gives chase to the grasshopper, but is foiled when it spits in his face, which earns him more laughter from the animals. He chases them again and manages to corner a small rabbit, but finds he cannot bring himself to kill it after it gives him repeated sad glances, even after he has armed it with a spare bow and arrow. Frustrated, he shoos it back to its family and breaks his bow and arrow, to the animals' delight.
Later Hiawatha comes across a set of bear tracks, which leads him to a face-to-face encounter with a bear cub. He chases after it, but runs right into the cub's hungry father, who is enraged and pursues him through the forest. The other animals band together to keep Hiawatha out of the bear's clutches, including scenes of opossums flinging Hiawatha through the air, and beavers cutting down trees in the bear's path. Returned safely to his canoe, Hiawatha rows off into the sunset as the animals wave him farewell.
Characters
On-Screen
- Hiawatha (silent)
Off-Screen
- Sally Noble, Mary Rosetti, and Millie Walters
- Gayne Whitman as the narrator[1]
Releases
Television
- Disneyland, episode #2.6: "The Story of the Silly Symphony"
- Jiminy Cricket: Storyteller
- Disney's Rootin' Tootin' Roundup
- Mickey's Mouse Tracks, episode #52
- Sing Me a Story with Belle: "Everybody Needs a Friend"
- The Ink and Paint Club, episode #1.49: "More Storybook Silly Symphonies"
Home video
VHS
- Walt Disney Cartoon Classics: Silly Symphonies - Fanciful Fables (1965 reissue print without Buena Vista logo)
- Disney Favorite Stories: Paul Bunyan
- Walt Disney Gold Classic Collection: Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World
- Walt Disney's Fables: Volume 2
DVD
- Walt Disney's Timeless Tales: Volume 2
- Walt Disney Treasures: More Silly Symphonies
- Walt Disney Gold Classic Collection: Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World
- Walt Disney's Fables: Volume 2
Blu-ray
- Pocahontas / Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World 2-Movie Collection