See it on television on CBS at 8:00 pm on Tuesday November 30th 2010.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1939) is an American Christmas story about a flying reindeer whose bright red nose helped Santa Claus to see his way through a bad snow storm so he could deliver Christmas gifts to boys and girls all over the world.
The story is the invention of Montgomery Ward, a department store. In 1939 it started out as a free colouring book and a song. In 1949 Gene Autry sang the song and it went to number one in America that Christmas. In 1964 it became a television Christmas special and has been shown on American television every year since.
Rudolph was born at the North Pole, the son of Donner, one of Santa’s seven flying reindeer. But Rudolph was not like the other reindeer: he was born with a red nose that sometimes lit up. He was different and therefore no good.
Rudolph tried to hide his difference, but soon all of the other reindeer knew. They laughed and called him names. They never let poor Rudolph join in any reindeer games. He jumped higher than the others, but Santa still did not want him because of his nose.
So Rudolph left Christmas Town. He met up with Hermey, another runaway, an elf who wanted to fix teeth, not make toys like all the other elves. They joined up with Yukon Cornelius, who was looking for silver and gold.
After a narrow escape from Abominable, a giant snowman, they crossed the sea and found themselves at the Island of Misfit Toys. The king of the island was a flying lion. He would not let them stay for more than a night: the island was only for toys that no boy or girl wanted, like a boat that sank or a bird that swam.
In the middle of the night Rudolph struck out on his own, leaving Hermey and Yukon behind. He lived by himself. When he had grown up he went home but found no one there. They had gone looking for him and fell into the hands of Abominable. Rudolph tried to save them but was knocked out. Just as Abominable was about to eat him and his whole family, Hermey and Yukon came to save the day.
What made Abominable so mean was his bad teeth. Once Hermey pulled them out he became friendly.
Just when Rudolph and company got back to the North Pole, a big storm hit. The worst ever. Santa was going to call off Christmas. But then when he saw Rudolph’s nose, he said, “Rudolph with your nose so bright, won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?”
Rudolph was a hero. On the way they stopped at the Island of Misfit Toys and found children who would love them just the way they were.
See also:
- Rudolph – a review
- Christmas
- Obama at Altgeld Gardens
Abagond 