This first episode was produced in 1992, what is based on a famous folktale about a cunning boy. The main context is a very poor and backward village, so people in there have a limited vision. The filmmakers tried to explain that the reason Vietnamese society was slow to develop which was because people were still lazy and even delusional about themselves.

❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀

1
00:00:00,500 --> 00:00:04,500
Vietnam Animation JSC produced according to
the order of the Ministry of Culture and Information

2
00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:07,000
<b>THE EARS AND THE EYES</b>
- Subtitles by DuyKien -

3
00:00:07,500 --> 00:00:10,500
♫ The sad lullaby echoed vastly,
♫ Behind the bamboo clumps of my village,

4
00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:14,000
♫ Which instilled me with uneasiness.

5
00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:19,000
♫ The day of her wedding,
♫ She walked past the river bank,

6
00:00:19,500 --> 00:00:22,500
♫ Whose path abounding with wild grass,

7
00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:26,500
♫ And a yellow butterfly fluttered along her side.

8
00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:33,000
♫ A yellow butterfly still landed on a tamanu fruit,

9
00:00:33,500 --> 00:00:36,000
♫ But why did she tie the knot so soon ?

10
00:00:36,500 --> 00:00:40,500
♫ Now it only saddens the lullaby.

11
00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:46,000
♫ I will sing you a lullaby, my elegant lady,

12
00:00:46,500 --> 00:00:48,500
♫ Where were our nights beneath the bright moon ?

13
00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:52,500
♫ We had fun carrying water
♫ Into paddy fields with buckets.

14
00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:11,500
It is me, your rib.

15
00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:13,500
You want to die, don't you ?

16
00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:16,000
Just testing your martial skill, darling.

17
00:01:16,500 --> 00:01:18,500
Your ears 'n eyes are not good
but wish to be a martial artist.

18
00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:20,000
All right !

19
00:01:20,500 --> 00:01:23,500
Behold my high kill martial now !

20
00:01:43,500 --> 00:01:45,000
If only I had not lost my tail.

21
00:01:46,500 --> 00:01:48,000
Just at the rabbit hurted me.

22
00:01:50,500 --> 00:01:51,500
Oops !

23
00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:55,000
Omg !

24
00:02:02,500 --> 00:02:05,500
Ouch !

25
00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:17,500
I allow you saying a last word.

26
00:02:18,500 --> 00:02:19,500
Do you have any regrets ?

27
00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:21,000
Come on !

28
00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:25,500
Sorry I could not help you
to reattach your tail, Sir.

29
00:02:26,500 --> 00:02:27,500
You scoundrel !

30
00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:29,500
Do you dare talking about the tail ?

31
00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:34,000
Take it !

32
00:02:34,500 --> 00:02:36,000
You must fight me.

33
00:02:36,500 --> 00:02:38,000
If you win then I forgive, otherwise...

34
00:02:38,500 --> 00:02:41,500
No, I dare not compete with you.

35
00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:43,500
I am willing to die.

36
00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:45,000
It can not be !

37
00:02:45,500 --> 00:02:48,000
You should die for my martial talent.

38
00:02:52,500 --> 00:02:54,000
This time I am hard to escape.

39
00:02:54,500 --> 00:02:56,500
Well, just fake dead then plan out.

40
00:02:58,500 --> 00:03:00,000
High kill martial !

41
00:03:02,500 --> 00:03:04,000
See there, little bro ?

42
00:03:04,500 --> 00:03:07,500
Just one light back kick
that your life is over.

43
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SALOON

44
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I must come there for a cup
to celebrate the victory.

45
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Tavernier !

46
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Yes, I am here.

47
00:03:28,500 --> 00:03:31,000
Welcome to Big Brother
condescending to my place !

48
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I need wine. (Right now)

49
00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:38,000
Or do you want to share
the same fate with him ?

50
00:03:40,500 --> 00:03:44,000
That is only one tenth
of my back kick, buddy.

51
00:03:45,500 --> 00:03:47,500
Good wine, please Big Bro !

52
00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:51,000
Again !

53
00:03:55,500 --> 00:03:57,000
You are really excellent !

54
00:03:57,500 --> 00:03:59,500
The only way to live in this world.

55
00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:01,000
But like myself...

56
00:04:01,500 --> 00:04:04,500
Just because of a back kick
that I was thrown from the ring to here,

57
00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:06,500
so hug this damn pub.

58
00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:11,000
That is how I know
the magic power of your back kick.

59
00:04:11,500 --> 00:04:13,500
Yet only one tenth, huh ?

60
00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:17,000
Allow me treating you to a fine wine !

61
00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:21,000
If drink it, your ears will keen
and your eyes will be crystal.

62
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♫ Why did you tie the knot so soon ?

63
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♫ Now it only saddens your lullaby !

64
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♫ I love you, my elegant lady !

65
00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:56,500
Alas if anyone in this world is like my lady,

66
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so how much I love them very much.

67
00:05:00,500 --> 00:05:02,000
But that rabbit...

68
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Do not run, bunny !

69
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Stop !

70
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Stop now !

71
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Oh great heavens !

72
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You try proving your martial talent,

73
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but can not tame that sly rabbit.

74
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Only because of you !

75
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I brought him here for you catching,

76
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but still not done, even...

77
00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:49,000
That is enough !

78
00:05:49,500 --> 00:05:53,000
Tomorrow I will go catching with you
so flay the rabbit for being satisfied.

79
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♫ O sweetie, the earth still spinning,

80
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♫ The two of us now...

81
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My God ! (There !)

82
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Follow now !

83
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Eat it, duckies !

84
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Hurry up lest he run away !

85
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Eat full !

86
00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:12,500
I won't be able to live
with you from now on.

87
00:07:21,500 --> 00:07:22,500
Ouch !

88
00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:25,500
Though about to die
but you still plan ?

89
00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:28,500
This is my last word to my ducks.

90
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I do not dare to do anything else.

91
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Do you also have ducks ?

92
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Ma'am, they have fed me many years,

93
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so I love them much.

94
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Enough !

95
00:07:41,500 --> 00:07:43,500
If I trade your life for ducks,

96
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do you accept ?

97
00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:48,000
Do not listen to him
lest you be snared !

98
00:07:48,500 --> 00:07:49,500
You are so nuts, Sir.

99
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Your ears have heard
'n your eyes have seen.

100
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So my ducks are clear,
why can I deceive both of you ?

101
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Before you only heard him
with your ears,

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but left your eyes 'n head at home,
so he passed you.

103
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Things are different now.

104
00:08:19,500 --> 00:08:21,000
How : Ducks or death ?

105
00:08:21,500 --> 00:08:23,500
Oh yeah, I...

106
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Get out of my sight now !

107
00:08:38,500 --> 00:08:40,500
This head is slow to understand.

108
00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:44,000
So can not blame kids saying
old wolf is always blockhead.

109
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Come on, let's drive them back !

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My kids !

111
00:08:48,500 --> 00:08:50,500
Duckies, come back to your owners !

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Up, darling !

113
00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:01,000
Come, duckies !

114
00:09:02,500 --> 00:09:05,500
Come back to me !

115
00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:12,000
Come back to me, duckies !

116
00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:18,500
Oh my honey !

117
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Turned out to be mallards.

118
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My honey !

119
00:09:30,500 --> 00:09:33,000
Honey, mallards !

120
00:09:37,500 --> 00:09:39,500
Oh my god, my honey !

121
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The head !

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The head is more important
than the eyes and the ears.

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The eyes see 'n the ears hear
but the head is put on the block,

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so stupid is as stupid does.

125
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Did you Old Wolf understand ?

126
00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:07,997
<b>THE END</b>
© Varhiv 2023

To this day, Well, Just You Wait! (Ну, погоди!) remains the only Russian animated film recalled by generations of Vietnamese people. Folks even use the original Russian sentence as a catchphrase when they need to humorously warn about something. That's probably why a not-so-famous director named Đặng Nhân Lập decided to create a Vietnam version of this series.

Since the early 1980s, the two series Tom & Jerry and Well, Just You Wait! has followed many different paths to dominate the film market in Vietnam. Of course, in Vietnam's economic situation at that time, which was both conservative and extremely poor, the managers quietly allowed them to exist to ensure a certain amount of "GDP" to maintain the entire administration. When the free market economy was officially recognized in 1986, the entire Vietnamese cinema also... fell into free fall. This may explain why as time goes on, Vietnamese animation becomes less developed, with too few hand-drawn films, at the same time the drawings are no longer as spacious and the stories are very rigid.

About ten years ago, I had the opportunity to talk with an animation director from Vietnam Television (central television channel). His company was hired by VTV to make a 2,000-episode historical television series to celebrate the 1,000th anniversary of the founding of Hanoi city. However, the entire crew only has about a dozen persons and must continuously complete it so that every night there will be a film to show. Since then, that series is still being produced, but is completely unknown. The filmmakers' lack of historical understanding is not to blame, because they are just artists, not researchers ; furthermore, because the budget was too low and the time was too tight, they cannot make them diverse. However, the main problem causing those films to die in the dark is the overuse of digital technology. The drawings and movements don't even compare to cutout films. See : Thousand Years of Pride.

Now we will return to the early 1990s, when the Vietnamese government began implementing cultural revival programs. The Hare and Wolf series can be considered a typical example. In fact, they are not part of a unified series and do not have an official title. Each film is an independent story, although the three characters Hare - Wolf - Wolf's Wife are constantly present. Why so ? The filmmaker's main purpose in creating these films was to form a stable source of funding for Vietnam Animation Studio. Until today, even though it is called a company, there are very few employees and the headquarters is just a few small rooms, let alone a few decades ago. This series of films was made according to purchase orders from the Ministry of Culture and Information of Vietnam. Because if they appear on television or in cinemas, they would definitely lose revenue. At that time, animated films in Vietnamese theaters were mostly from Walt Disney and some Japanese studios ; Vietnamese films, of course, could not compete with them.

I think it's very possible that Vietnamese filmmakers have imitated Soyuzmultfilm filmmakers, not Ekran. However, it is true that the original Well, Just You Wait! nor is it purely entertainment like Tom & Jerry. All episodes are intended to educate civic awareness, of course from a humorous and even satirical perspective. Five volumes of Hare and Wolf were produced sporadically from 1992 to 2003. After that period, perhaps because of the Berne Convention, which Vietnam signed in 2006 ; furthermore, at the beginning of the 21st century, Vietnam Animation Studio was in the process of transferring generations and starting to experiment with computer graphics films, therefore, films with content close to children's age will be given priority.

It can truly be said that, this series has coincidentally shown the innovation process of Vietnamese society through economic measures. The Wolf couple covers almost all the identities of rural people (người nhà quê) in Vietnam, specifically the Northern Delta region, where is the political center of the country. Although Hare is just as cunning as in the original Soviet film, he only appears as an object of bullying. I also note one more thing that, as mentioned before, in Southeast Asia there are no wolves, even hares and rabbits are very rare, so the images of hares and wolves in the minds of Vietnamese people are very faint. I say this jokingly, perhaps Vietnamese filmmakers in the past only imagined wolves through dogs. In addition, in the series there are often scenes of Wolf smoking : It is called as the farmer's pipe (điếu cày) ; this tool is a bamboo tube that applies the same mechanism as a cannon, but to use it, you have to pour some water inside like a Maksim machine gun ; that's why when you smoke, its sound will be almost like the sound of a stream, so many people still call it "cigarette shooting" (bắn thuốc lào).

the hardsubs were made by Dina herself and was taken from her vimeo channel.I had nothing to do with them.

I'm not sure whether the animation is entirely digital or not. It probably is, but who knows...

I'm not quite sure who the audience for this one is meant to be (probably others the director's age, despite the child-like framing narrative), but I found it to be very well-done.

It's an odd system which prevails these days. Used to be, you'd start as a lowly in-betweener as part of an animation team, move up to animator/lead animator, then perhaps second director, then finally solo director on your own short film projects, and perhaps do a big "masterpiece" (e.g. a feature film) before you retire... or even several. That used to be the career path in Soviet animation.

But now, they start out directing their own films as students (first ~2.5 minutes, then 5+ minutes), perhaps make one or two more longer ones, and then if they're lucky they get hired to work as in-betweeners on some big producer-driven series or feature (as often as not directed by some random first-time director). So - the higher you rise, the LESS creative control you get. Aside from a very few exceptions.

As a career arc, it seems a lot less inspiring...

Also, it means that perhaps most animated shorts are actually being made by students.

It's strange ! I still clearly remember the short newsreel that was broadcast on the Central Channel (VTV) when I was very young. In it, it described the behind-the-scenes work of the crew whom produced Dăm Jông the Braveheart. This is probably the first Vietnamese film to apply the classic techniques of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

As we all know, because of the war situation, Vietnamese animation mostly developed in the puppet and cutout genres. This factor has even influenced the digital age, when the latest films in 2024 still have very rigid movements. However, recently I received news that Vietnam Animation Studio has established an animation academy. But I still think it's unlikely, because our Vietnamese mindset is very passive, especially in the context of being "colonized" by Japanese anime for so long.

It can truly be said that the group of pioneering artists of Vietnamese animation (Lê Minh Hiền, Trương Qua, Ngô Mạnh Lân) are the rare heirs of Ivan Ivanov-Vano in Asia. However, because they couldn't follow the correct roadmap of the international animation, their talent dwindles very quickly. Hand-drawn animation is really the weakness of Vietnamese cinema : Initially, because of the problem of lack of raw materials (paper, ink, workplace and especially human resources were too few) ; then, the lack of interaction with the world ; finally, the laziness (a serious disease of all communist countries).

In film Dăm Jông, we can see an elephant spraying water, or the first raindrops of the rice season. The artists put the scene's table behind a large glass panel, then they used a pen to draw white ink on the glass to create water drops. Later, in other film projects, they continued to create rivers or streams with cellophane. This is cellophane with wrinkles to create the illusion of waves ; they are very inexpensive ingredients in markets and are often used to store dried tea or sugar.

In general, something what makes animated films attractive comes from the economy of materials and how to utilize those materials. Since the early 2000s, Vietnamese animation has really died in the sinking ("chết chìm", the words from Vietnamese newspapers) because of too much waste of personnel and techniques. Nowaday, we have facilities similar to what made the blockbuster Avatar, but in reality, digital graphics companies can only outsource to foreign partners and are of course despised. As far as I know, two films that represent this problem are Kirikou 3 (Kirikou et la Sorcière) and First Squad (Первый отряд). Recently, Vietnam has only had two products that have begun to have some resonance overseas, which are Say Hi Pencil and Wolfoo. However, these films do not receive the attention of Vietnamese people, because they are all wordless animated-films and their stories do not even have any Vietnamese identity.

The cutout genre is very popular in Vietnam Animation Studio's products, perhaps because it is suitable for the circumstances of a chronically poor society from the 1960s to 1990s. Even in the early 2000s, they still hadn't given up this habit and also reaped a number of art awards. An example : When I was a kid, I watched a behind-the-scenes video of film Bicycles and Cars, in which, director Phương Hoa only used a black table, then held a pair of tweezers to manipulate very small pieces of cardboard to create the story. Therefore, I also think that it is very possible that Vietnamese filmmakers must have seen The Wise Gudgeon, so the poetics have many similarities.

The basis of film Catfishes and Toads is an epic from the 19th century, when Vietnamese society was still relatively closed and backward. However, at the time of creating the project, director Ngô Mạnh Lân used the content of the comic book he composed, in which some details were added to make the story more modern.

This can be considered a rather strange film in 1993, when the Vietnamese government was aggressively enforcing the birth control law. It means that each family is only allowed to have a maximum of two children, unless one or both of them die, then they can have more children. This law was of course repealed in the early 2000s, when Vietnamese society was more prosperous, but in the 1990s it was quite harsh. In addition to encouraging parents to use contraceptives, the government will suspend the work of violators who are on the payroll of state agencies, and in rural areas, they will be fined with rice. However, this was a hardship for men who cannot give birth to sons, because the traditional concept of Vietnamese people was that they need someone to carry on the family line. Therefore, many persons have accepted all forms of punishment, and of course, in many places it was easy to bribe to have "unplanned" children. Therefore, the story of the Catfish family and even the Toad family really does not have a satisfactory ending.

In this film, only Cat - the character with the highest authority - is a mammal, the rest are all fish, amphibians and reptiles. Right like catfish and toad, which are animals that are very close to Vietnamese culture. Although, as I know, because of their habit of living in mud, catfish are slimy and very dirty, while toad skin also has toxins similar to snake venom, however, these are two delicious dishes and are also very valuable for persons who are sick or have rickets.

According to a Japanese folk legend, Japan lies on the back of a catfish, so earthquakes often occur. I think, it might be related to the image of the Buyan Island's whale in The Humpbacked Horse. About toad, it is virtually the protector of agriculture in Southeast Asia. The toad catches insects that are harmful to crops, and it also signals when a thunderstorm is coming (even though I'm quite scared of this animal, just imagining it makes me shudder). In business circles in South China and Southeast Asia, people sometimes display in the living room a statue of a toad holding a coin, this image is believed to be a wish for prosperity for the homeowner. Even when the French government established a protectorate in Indochina, French engineers invented statues of toads spraying rain in fountains.

I also added that in the past, rich Vietnamese people had the habit of adopting children. Although these adopted children are treated like biological children, but they are used for many purposes : Serving, worshiping, and even when they grow up, they will marry the homeowner's children or the homeowner themselves. In the 1990s, child smuggling across the Vietnam-China border was also a very painful problem. Therefore, Toad asked this question : "Hay là có đứa mẹ mìn nào bắt ?" (What if they were kidnapped by goblins ?). "Mẹ mìn" is a word that probably originated in Hong Kong, almost as a combination of English and local Chinese languages. It could be all of the following : Mama, mommy, mummy... This was the informal way prostitutes call their bosses, later, its meaning changed to refer to all women who specialize in selling children and young women. When I was a schoolboy, both my parents and teachers told us to be careful to avoid being kidnapped by "mẹ mìn" (in the Russian subtitles, I translated it as "kikimora"). :D This reflects an extremely difficult situation in the 1990s. In addition, Catfish also said an aphorism : "Xin quan lớn đèn giời soi xét cho !" (I take the liberty of request Your Excellency to enlighten us). If this sentence is translated word-by-word, it really is : "I request Your Excellency to hold the heavenly lantern to illuminate us". "The heavenly lantern" is an image representing the justice of the law. This sentence was usually said by commoners or low-ranking officials to high-ranking officials, but when Vietnamese society transitioned to democracy, it only existed in books or films.
​

121
00:10:25,500 --> 00:10:27,500
Raise your frog eyes and look !
("frog eyes" = low intelligence)

122
00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:34,500
They are clearly the flathead Catfishes.

123
00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:37,500
His kids, not your kids, right ?

124
00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:39,500
It's unjust.

125
00:10:40,500 --> 00:10:43,000
It turns out ye took Catfish's corruption.

126
00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:45,500
You lie, when corruption ?

127
00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:49,500
Underlings, put a cangue on him
and give him a hundred lashes !

128
00:10:51,500 --> 00:10:53,500
Ouch, it's unjust !

129
00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:56,500
What a pain !

130
00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:00,000
Alright !

131
00:11:00,500 --> 00:11:02,500
My Scribe, open our trial for Toad !

132
00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:04,000
As you wish.

133
00:11:04,500 --> 00:11:06,500
However, at Catfish's pond, got it ?

134
00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:08,000
Right, Sir.

135
00:11:43,500 --> 00:11:46,500
Uncle Frog, you seem leisurely, right ?

136
00:11:47,500 --> 00:11:48,500
Yo, Mrs Toad !

137
00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:51,000
Where are you going to look so miserable ?

138
00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:53,000
I don't hide anything :

139
00:11:53,500 --> 00:11:55,500
My children were kidnapped by Mr Catfish.

140
00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:59,500
My husband was even beaten and imprisoned.

141
00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:01,500
I don't know who to call with this injustice.

142
00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:04,000
High heaven and deep earth, ahoy !

143
00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:07,000
Gosh, it's tough !

144
00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:10,000
I'm inherently incompetent,

145
00:12:10,500 --> 00:12:12,000
but I heard :

146
00:12:12,500 --> 00:12:15,000
Bachelor Treefrog is
an elder of great wisdom,

147
00:12:15,500 --> 00:12:16,500
especially about paperwork.

148
00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:19,000
You should knock on his door.

149
00:12:19,500 --> 00:12:21,000
It's probably fine !

150
00:12:30,500 --> 00:12:32,000
Ah, Madame Toad !

151
00:12:32,500 --> 00:12:34,500
What problem do you have ?

152
00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:37,000
Sir Bachelor, do us a favor !

153
00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:39,500
I bow you, Sir !

154
00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:57,500
What an injustice !

155
00:12:58,500 --> 00:13:01,000
Nevertheless, we can't be hasty.

156
00:13:01,500 --> 00:13:04,000
Oh hell, how do I do ?

157
00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:13,500
Let Catfish takes care of your children.

158
00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:17,500
Then the trial will be more interesting.

159
00:13:18,500 --> 00:13:21,000
Let me tell you a little !

160
00:13:21,500 --> 00:13:23,000
Seventh Grade Biology
Family of Frog-Treefrog-Toad
Egg-Embryo-Tadpole-Leg Growth-Jumping Ashore

161
00:13:27,500 --> 00:13:28,500
I got.

162
00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:30,500
I'm grateful to you, Sir.

163
00:13:49,500 --> 00:13:51,500
His Excellency is coming !

164
00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:13,500
We open a trial for Toad
on charges of fraud today.

165
00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:16,500
He said nonsense to
possess Catfish kids.

166
00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:19,000
Your Excellency !

167
00:14:19,500 --> 00:14:21,500
Toad continued to file a complaint.

168
00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:23,000
What so ?

169
00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:27,500
His denunciation is as follows :

170
00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:30,000
Initially, Mrs Toad laid eggs in the pond,

171
00:14:30,500 --> 00:14:32,000
then the eggs hatch into tadpoles.

172
00:14:32,500 --> 00:14:35,500
Nonetheless, Mr Catfish
caught and raised them.

173
00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:37,000
Yo, Toad !

174
00:14:37,500 --> 00:14:40,500
Where did you base
your claim nonsensically ?

175
00:14:41,500 --> 00:14:44,500
Your Excellency, an injustice for us.

176
00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:46,500
Your Excellency !

177
00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:49,000
It's really unjust for Toad family.

178
00:14:49,500 --> 00:14:50,500
Then I ask :

179
00:14:51,000 --> 00:14:53,500
Are they like Toad or Catfish ?

180
00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:55,500
Your Excellency !

181
00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:58,000
They are like...

182
00:14:58,500 --> 00:14:59,500
Catfish, but anyone else ?

183
00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:01,500
Hey, Ms Catfish the flathead !

184
00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:03,000
Don't arrogate !

185
00:15:03,500 --> 00:15:04,500
Like Catfish !

186
00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:06,000
Like Toad, not like Catfish !

187
00:15:06,500 --> 00:15:07,500
Like Catfish, not like Toad !

188
00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:12,000
Shut up !

189
00:15:12,500 --> 00:15:14,000
Do you want to cause chaos ?

190
00:15:14,500 --> 00:15:16,000
My underlings, lock their mouths !

191
00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:22,000
Wait !

192
00:15:22,500 --> 00:15:23,500
Your Excellency !

193
00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:25,000
What else ?

194
00:15:25,500 --> 00:15:29,500
Your Excellency, be less angry
and let me express a few words.

195
00:15:33,500 --> 00:15:35,000
What ?
Quick !

196
00:15:35,500 --> 00:15:38,000
Yo, let's all look out at the pond !

197
00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:52,000
Come up !

198
00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:56,000
Hurry up !

199
00:15:57,500 --> 00:15:58,500
Those are our children !

200
00:16:07,500 --> 00:16:10,000
Oh, here you are, our children !

202
00:16:23,500 --> 00:16:25,500
Dad, Mom !

203
00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:28,500
Oh, my sweet kids !

204
00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:34,000
Urgh !

205
00:16:34,500 --> 00:16:35,500
What is this problem ?

206
00:16:36,500 --> 00:16:38,000
Why is this strange ?

207
00:16:40,500 --> 00:16:41,500
Scribe Eel !

208
00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:45,000
You harmed me !
You tricked me !

209
00:16:45,500 --> 00:16:47,000
Dear Sir !

210
00:16:47,500 --> 00:16:49,500
They seemed like Catfishes in retrospect.

211
00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:54,500
The wheel has come full circle
in biology and chemistry now.

212
00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:56,500
I don't get it.

213
00:16:57,000 --> 00:16:59,500
Calm down, Your Excellency !

214
00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:01,500
The cause is as follows :

215
00:17:07,500 --> 00:17:11,000
Their shapes are like Catfishes,
But they are just the Tadpoles.

216
00:17:11,500 --> 00:17:14,500
The moment their tail falls off,
They will go back Toad family.

217
00:17:19,500 --> 00:17:23,000
God originally created them,
Thus nothing can be changed.

218
00:17:23,500 --> 00:17:26,500
With the fullness of days and months,
Tadpoles immediately turns into Toads.

219
00:17:36,500 --> 00:17:37,500
Got it ?

220
00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:46,000
Yo, Catfish !

221
00:17:46,500 --> 00:17:48,000
Why did you deceive me ?

222
00:17:48,500 --> 00:17:49,500
Your Excellency !

223
00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:51,500
My family is barren.

224
00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:55,000
I was foolish to catch them,
but I didn't see...

225
00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:57,000
Huh ?

226
00:17:57,500 --> 00:17:59,000
You just take a risk, didn't you ?

227
00:17:59,500 --> 00:18:01,000
Why didn't you say it sooner ?

228
00:18:01,500 --> 00:18:02,500
Your Excellency !

229
00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:05,500
We were sure that once
you have took our offerings,

230
00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:07,500
you would protect us, Sir.

231
00:18:09,500 --> 00:18:11,000
You lie !

232
00:18:22,500 --> 00:18:24,000
The verdicts !

233
00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:27,000
Our verdicts are as follows :

234
00:18:27,500 --> 00:18:28,500
First :

235
00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:31,500
Catfish has committed fraud.

236
00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:35,000
Then he is banished to
crawl in the mud.

237
00:18:35,500 --> 00:18:37,500
Crawl in the mud !

238
00:18:38,500 --> 00:18:39,500
Second :

239
00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:43,500
The dismissal to Scribe Eel
for his cheating on his superior.

240
00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:46,000
He also get down in the mud.

241
00:18:46,500 --> 00:18:48,500
Down in the mud !

242
00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:50,000
Third :

243
00:18:50,500 --> 00:18:53,500
Their tails has fell off
for Tadpoles to become Toads.

244
00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:57,000
Then they are allowed to
reunite with Toad family.

245
00:18:57,500 --> 00:18:59,500
Reunion with Toad family !

246
00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:02,500
It's so great !
That's right !

247
00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:30,000
Be yourself, will you ?

248
00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:38,000
♫ We are brothers of one family,
♫ We went ashore to see our parents.

249
00:19:38,500 --> 00:19:45,500
♫ We are happily singing and dancing,
♫ In the eternal love of our countryside.

250
00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:52,500
♫ We was called Tadpoles in our childhood,
♫ When we have their tails to swim freely.

251
00:19:53,500 --> 00:20:00,000
♫ Then our tails fell off for us to grow up,
♫ The purple chicks are us the Little Toads.

252
00:20:05,500 --> 00:20:10,999
<b>THE END</b>
© Varhiv 2024

Film Catfishes and Toads is based on an Annamese epic written by the anonymous author around the 19th century, but it has some innovations to suit the social situation of the 1990s by artist Ngô-mạnh-Lân. This film also belongs to the very few Vietnamese animated films that are remembered for a long time among generations of audiences.

The story tells about a strange quarrel between Mr Catfish and his relatives with the residents of the hedgerow hamlet. Public opinion is skeptical that Mr Catfish and his wife kidnapped Mr Toad's children to raise them. However, Catfish tried to bribe officials to win this case.

Through this film, children will learn the biological behavior of some animals which accustomed to living in humid environments. For adults, it provides a perspective on the fragility of both morality and law.

❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀

1
00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:05,500
Vietnam Animation Studio
produced in Hanoї 1993

2
00:00:06,500 --> 00:00:08,500
According to an order of the
Ministry of Culture and Information

3
00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:10,000
The Cutout Film

4
00:00:24,500 --> 00:00:26,000
<b>CATFISHES AND TOADS</b>
.

5
00:00:26,500 --> 00:00:28,000
<b>CATFISHES AND TOADS</b>
Based on a Vietnamese fable

6
00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:33,000
Scenartist : Hữu Đức
Shaping artists : Nguyễn Bích, Hữu Đức
Literary editor : Vũ Kim Dũng (Merited Artist)

7
00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:37,500
Acting artists : Phan Trung, Bùi Nga
Caméra operator : Viết Tuế
Composer : Đỗ Hồng Quân (Merited Artist)

8
00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:42,000
Character and decorative designers :
Đăng Giáp, Vinh Hoa, Mỹ Lưu, Bích Hạnh, Phạm Thị Hiền

9
00:00:42,500 --> 00:00:46,500
Voiceover by actors from the
Hanoї Traditional Opéra Theatre

10
00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:55,500
- Subtitles by Duy Kiền -

11
00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:58,000
Director : Ngô Mạnh Lân (Merited Artist)

12
00:00:58,500 --> 00:01:00,000
Recording and printing at the
National Documentary and Scientific Film Studio

13
00:01:18,500 --> 00:01:21,000
Come on, we almost get there.

14
00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:28,000
[Maternity Home]

15
00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:41,500
Round mother and squared baby, will you ?

16
00:02:22,500 --> 00:02:26,500
♫ We are little Tadpoles,

17
00:02:28,500 --> 00:02:32,000
♫ We are swimming freely in the water.

18
00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:41,000
♫ Let's wait until there is thunder, rub-a-dub,
♫ We'll rise to the surface to reunite our parents.

19
00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:50,500
I'm infertile.

20
00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:53,000
I'd rather catch them for my nurture.

21
00:03:03,500 --> 00:03:05,500
I must possess them.

22
00:03:14,500 --> 00:03:16,000
My honey !

23
00:03:16,500 --> 00:03:19,000
Come and see our children !

24
00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:48,500
Yo, my children !

25
00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:52,000
My dear children !

26
00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:55,000
♫ Ahoy, hushaby !

27
00:03:56,500 --> 00:04:01,500
Our children, wherever you are, come home !

28
00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:03,500
Come back now !

29
00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:14,000
Hey, you !

30
00:04:14,500 --> 00:04:17,000
Where the hell are you from ?
Why do you disrupt this night ?

31
00:04:17,500 --> 00:04:19,000
Are you planning on your stealing ?

32
00:04:19,500 --> 00:04:21,500
Who steal ? Don't slander !

33
00:04:22,500 --> 00:04:23,500
I'm looking for my lost children.

34
00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:26,000
What if they were kidnapped by goblins ?

35
00:04:26,500 --> 00:04:28,500
Alright, go away to avoid making noise !

36
00:04:31,500 --> 00:04:33,000
Ugh, my children !

37
00:04:33,500 --> 00:04:34,500
There you are !

38
00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:38,000
My children !

39
00:04:38,500 --> 00:04:40,000
Your parents are us, come !

40
00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:44,000
Get out, I said.

41
00:04:44,500 --> 00:04:47,000
Why can your children swim underwater ?

42
00:04:47,500 --> 00:04:48,500
Go now !

43
00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:54,000
Right !

44
00:04:54,500 --> 00:04:57,500
It was Catfish the flathead
who kidnapped our babies.

45
00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:00,500
Alas, what should we do ?

46
00:05:01,500 --> 00:05:04,500
I will file a lawsuit to let you know.

47
00:05:07,500 --> 00:05:09,500
[No Taking Bribes !]

48
00:05:10,500 --> 00:05:11,500
According to Toad's file,

49
00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:14,500
Catfish was sued for
kidnapping Toad babies.

50
00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:16,500
However fact and fiction is still unclear,

51
00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:20,000
I called in witnesses
for our interrogation.

52
00:05:20,500 --> 00:05:21,500
Here, Sir !

53
00:05:24,500 --> 00:05:25,500
Yo, Catfish !

54
00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:30,500
Why do you steal Toad kids,
then you even assault him ?

55
00:05:31,500 --> 00:05:33,000
Your Excellency !

56
00:05:33,500 --> 00:05:35,500
That Toad just lied.

57
00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:39,500
He took advantage of the darkness to
crawl into my pond to steal something.

58
00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:41,500
I just shouted.

59
00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:44,500
He was afraid that he blamed me.

60
00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:46,500
His family originally lived on land.

61
00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:50,000
How could his children
be in the water, right ?

62
00:05:50,500 --> 00:05:55,000
I take the liberty of request
Your Excellency to enlighten us.

63
00:05:58,000 --> 00:05:59,000
Yo, thou !

64
00:05:59,500 --> 00:06:02,000
Explain to me any reason, now !

65
00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:05,000
Sir, we are inherently honest,

66
00:06:05,500 --> 00:06:10,000
so we don't know anything about the
trouble between Mr Catfish and Toad.

67
00:06:10,500 --> 00:06:11,500
Your Excellency !

68
00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:16,500
When my wife was about to give birth,
Ms Bard and Mrs Crucian Carp helped her.

69
00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:20,000
The moment Mr Catfish hit me,
they all witnessed it, too.

70
00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:25,500
I allow Toad and his witnesses to leave.

71
00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:27,000
About that Catfish.

72
00:06:27,500 --> 00:06:28,500
My underlings !

73
00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:31,500
Put him in jail to await
investigation and verdict.

74
00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:33,000
Right, Sir !

75
00:06:43,500 --> 00:06:44,500
Ouch !

76
00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:50,000
O Heaven, o Earth !

77
00:06:53,500 --> 00:06:56,500
Bro, a very small gift for you !

78
00:07:00,500 --> 00:07:04,500
Darling, come to find Senior Snakehead !

79
00:07:05,500 --> 00:07:09,000
Maybe there's some way
to solicit for me.

80
00:07:09,500 --> 00:07:11,500
Otherwise I'll die !

81
00:07:27,500 --> 00:07:29,500
Sirs, I'm an ignorant woman.

82
00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:32,000
I hope a little care from you.

83
00:07:33,500 --> 00:07:34,500
Be assured !

84
00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:39,000
Here, Mayor Cranoglanis is
very skillful in public affairs,

85
00:07:39,500 --> 00:07:41,000
so it will be done.

86
00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:44,000
Of course !

87
00:07:44,500 --> 00:07:48,500
Just prepare your offerings,
the trial will end very soon.

88
00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:05,000
Your Excellency !

89
00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:08,000
Catfish doesn't have an evil heart.

90
00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:11,500
That's why his wife
give you these things.

91
00:08:12,500 --> 00:08:16,000
They just hope a little
reconsideration from you, Sir.

92
00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:19,000
Alright !

93
00:08:19,500 --> 00:08:21,000
Let me see !

94
00:08:21,500 --> 00:08:24,500
I really don't want to
dig up dirt on anything.

95
00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:32,500
Toad's file isn't yet transparent, too.

96
00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:37,000
I'll send a few clerks to check it out.

97
00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:40,000
Alright !

98
00:08:40,500 --> 00:08:42,500
Leave to prepare your generous things !

99
00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:44,000
It will be done !

100
00:08:44,500 --> 00:08:47,500
Right, it will be done anyway.

101
00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:52,000
Don't worry !

102
00:08:55,500 --> 00:08:57,500
[Inspection Delegation]

103
00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:06,000
Mayor, accept these things
to run around for our family.

104
00:09:06,500 --> 00:09:07,500
Of course !

105
00:09:26,500 --> 00:09:27,500
Behold, gentlemen !

106
00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:29,000
There !

107
00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:37,000
These babies have black skin and flat heads.

108
00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:39,500
They're clearly of Catfish's lineage.

109
00:09:40,500 --> 00:09:42,500
Master Turtle, make a photo !

110
00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:47,500
That's right !

111
00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:50,000
They are exactly the flathead Catfishes.

112
00:09:50,500 --> 00:09:51,500
No wrong at all !

113
00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:08,000
Yo, Toad !

114
00:10:08,500 --> 00:10:11,500
Your liver is too big
to lie me, isn't it ?

115
00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:14,500
My underlings, tie him up !

116
00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:18,500
Bow to you, Sir !
It's unjust for me !

117
00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:20,500
What injustice ?

118
00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:22,000
Yo, Scribe Eel !

119
00:10:22,500 --> 00:10:23,500
Bring out your photo !

120
00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:25,000
Yo, Toad !