The Animal Kingdom

(Carpet is flying through the sky carrying Aladdin, Abu, and a large sack. Genie is flying out in front of them, dressed as a pilot. Iago is flying behind, trying to keep up.)

Genie: Nothing like flying home after a successful mission!

Aladdin: Genie, slow down! Carpet can't keep up with all this cargo!

Genie: Sorry, ace.

Iago: (lands on Carpet, panting) I'm dying of thirst! I'm dehydrated! I'm parrot jerky!

Abu: Uh huh.

Genie: Jerky bird needs water, hmm? (creates a road map) Let's see here, my map says there's a river just over this— (crashes into a mountain) —mountain.

(They look up to see the mountain towering above them.)

Aladdin: We'd better go around the mountain.

Iago: What, are we riding a camel? We're flying, we can go over.

Aladdin: Give it all you've got, Carpet. You can do it!

(Carpet slowly flies straight up to the top of the mountain. Genie and Iago push from behind. They reach the top and end up sliding down the snow on the other side. They're only able to stop just as they reach the edge of a cliff.)

Iago: So where's the water already?

Aladdin: (looking over the edge of the cliff) It's incredible!

Abu: Oh, wow!

Iago: Enough with the scenery, I want w— Hey now!

(There is a beautiful green valley below them. A river is running through the valley, and we can see it is held back by a dam made of some kind of sparkly material.)

Aladdin: I've never seen a dam that sparkles like that!

Genie: (looking through a telescope) Now when's the last time you saw a dam built out of precious gems?

Iago: Let me see that! (takes the telescope; whistles) If they are real… we are rich!

Aladdin: Wait a minute! (takes the telescope) I see something wrong!

(Aladdin sees a koala hanging from a cliff near the dam, about to fall.)

Aladdin: (giving Carpet's cargo to Genie) Carpet, let's move!

(Aladdin and Carpet swoop down towards the koala, who has just fallen, and catch him.)

Aladdin: Gotcha!

(Right after they catch the koala, they are hit by falling rocks. Carpet is trapped under the rocks, and Aladdin keeps falling down through the trees. He lands on his back and groans. The koala runs away.)

Genie: Oo, that sounded bad!

Iago: Eh, that's the sound of Al having the situation under control. Now, how do we get to that dam?

Genie: Forget about the jewels, we're checking on Al! (turns his hair into a propeller) Contact!

(Genie flies down into the valley like a helicopter, carrying Abu and the sack. Iago follows him.)

(In the forest, Aladdin is still lying on the ground, groaning and holding his right arm. The koala walks back over to him and tries to move him, but Aladdin cries out with pain.)

Aladdin: I think I broke something!

(The koala runs away.)

Aladdin: Hey, I didn't mean mean to scare you! Aah! (grabs his arm)

(Genie flies down and sees Carpet, still trapped under the rocks.)

Genie: Carpet! You've been smashed flat!

Iago: He's a rug, he's always flat!

Genie: (turns his hand into a shovel) This'll only hurt if I miss! (digs Carpet out) Now for the 64 thousand dinari question: where's Al?

(Carpet points down.)

(Aladdin is still lying on the ground in the forest. He tries to get up, but he's in too much pain. He looks up and sees four animals standing over him, all wearing clothes. The koala from before is there, as well as a hyena, a kangaroo, and a warthog.)

Hyena: The cub was right. It appears to be… (laughs) a man.

Kangaroo: An injured man, Sydney.

Warthog: With all due respect, Queen Kimbla, it is a man, therefore it must be destroyed.

Aladdin: I must be dreaming! They're talking! Something's not right.

Warthog: How did you come upon this… man?

Koala: (in a childlike voice) He caught me when I, uh, fell off the mountain.

Kimbla (kangaroo): Climbing the mountain is forbidden! You know that!

Koala: I only wanted to see what is outside our valley.

Warthog: Outside is the world of our enemy. The world of man. And now man is here! We are all in danger.

Kimbla: Our valley will no longer be secret if this man returns to tell other men of what he has found.

Koala: The man saved me!

Aladdin: Hey, I can keep a secret! (tries to get up) Ow!

Kimbla: The man will be taken to our village. We shall tend to his wounds.

Warthog: You know what has happened in the past! Do not allow him to live!

Aladdin: Wait a minute! (grabs his arm) Yah!

Kimbla: His fate will be decided after I have given it due consideration.

Sydney (hyena): Until you decide, your highness, I'll gladly be his keeper.

Aladdin: What do you mean by that?

Sydney: I mean, your guide to our kingdom!

(Later, Sydney is leading Aladdin towards a city of grass huts and treehouses. Aladdin now has his arm in a sling. Animals look out of the village's houses, then quickly run inside and shut the doors and windows when they see Aladdin.)

Aladdin: You live… here?

Sydney: Yes, this is our city.

Aladdin: But… who built it for you?

Sydney: We built it.

(A large koala walks up to Aladdin and gets in his face.)

Koala: Go back where you came from!

(Sydney leads Aladdin away.)

Koala: Accursed man!

(Aladdin is hit in the back with a piece of fruit. When he turns around, the koala is gone.)

Sydney: Huh, just a piece of fruit! Must have fallen from a tree.

Aladdin: Yeah, I guess I'd better be more careful.

(Queen Kimbla and the warthog are watching from a distance.)

Warthog: See how the man brings violence with him?!

Kimbla: Brisbane, it was not the man who threw the fruit.

Brisbane (warthog): Evil is in his heart, and it already spreads!

Kimbla: Very well. For the safety of all, I command that the man be imprisoned.

(Meanwhile, Aladdin's friends are flying through the forest looking for him.)

Genie: (looking at the map) Try… this way!

(Carpet makes a turn, and they crash into a tree.)

Genie: I'm really starting to question the value of this map.

Iago: Maybe we should split up. We'll, uh, cover more ground that way.

Genie: (as a soldier) All right, listen up! The rug and myself will be alpha team. The parrot and the simian will be beta team. All out, men!

(Genie and Carpet march away, leaving Abu and Iago with the sack. Abu starts to march away, but Iago stops him.)

Abu: Huh?

Iago: This is our chance to check out the jewels at in that dam!

Abu: Nuh uh! No no no no no no! Aladdin!

Iago: Monkey, this is no time to get sentimental on me! Those guys'll find Aladdin. I mean, a magic carpet and a genie? How can we, a couple of dumb animals, hope to compete? We have our retirement fund to procure. (empties the sack and hands it to Abu) Take the sack!

(Iago picks up Abu and they fly away.)

(Setting: Sydney's house. Aladdin is lying in bed.)

Sydney: You can rest in here while your injuries heal. Just don't try to leave; it's a long way down.

Aladdin: Sydney, uh, maybe you could keep an eye out for my friends?

Sydney: I'll bring them right here.

(Sydney leaves the house, locks Aladdin inside, then climbs down a rope ladder to the ground.)

Sydney: All right, step right up, everybody! Here's your chance to see a living, breathing man! Don't get too close, now, he's dangerous.

(Other animals gather round, hand Sydney coins, and take turns climbing up the rope ladder to see Aladdin.)

(Setting: the forest. Genie and Carpet are flying over the trees, looking for Aladdin.)

Genie: Whoa, big fella! [Unintelligible]

(Carpet stops. They are now directly above the animals' city.)

Genie: You scope out the suburbs, I'll drop in on the village! (jumps down toward the city)

(Setting: Sydney's house. Aladdin hears a sound and looks up to see a kangaroo looking in the window at him.)

Aladdin: (waving) Hi!

(The kangaroo quickly leaves, scared, followed by another animal. Then Genie looks in the window.)

Genie: Al! (shrinks himself down and slips through the bars) I found you! 'Course, it wasn't too hard; you're drawing quite a crowd.

Aladdin: Genie, have you heard them?! All of the animals in this valley can talk!

Genie: You mean like Iago, or actual intelligent conversation?

Sydney: (outside) That's right everybody, a real, live man! Just look through the window!

Aladdin: (walking up toward the window; angry) What's going on, Sydney?

Sydney: Behold, the evil that is man! Watch out folks, they spit.

(Aladdin tries to force the door open, but can't break the lock.)

Sydney: Whoa, he's a feisty one!

Aladdin: Locked!

(Aladdin runs at the door and tries to knock it down, but slams into the door with his bad arm.)

Aladdin: (rubbing his arm) Bad idea.

Genie: (as a wheelchair, wheels Aladdin back to the bed) You're not exactly back to fighting form, Al.

Aladdin: They're treating me like some kinda criminal!

Genie: Well, once upon a time, but there's no way they could know that.

Aladdin: Genie! I've got to get outta here!

Genie: (turning into a blue wallaby, with an Australian accent) I'll go undercover and get the guys. We'll spring ya! (climbs out through the window) G' day, mate! (bounces away)

(Setting: the dam. Iago and Abu are looking up at it.)

Iago: I think I'm in love!

Abu: Ooo…

Iago: (pulling gems out of the dam) Look how many they have. We'll take but a few.

(Abu starts picking gems off the dam as well, and they end up filling the sack with them.)

Iago: Eh, no one'll be the wiser. (looking up at a huge diamond) Oh, my! Eh, maybe just one more.

(The diamond is stuck, and Abu and Iago pulling together are only just able to get it out.)

Iago: Nice work, monkey!

Abu: Yeah!

(Water starts to leak through the part of the dam where the diamond was.)

Iago: Like I said, how can they miss a couple of pebbles?

(Iago and Abu drag the sack of gems away. Behind them, the dam is leaking even more and is starting to crack.)

(Setting: the forest. Carpet is pacing back and forth nervously. Genie appears behind a tree near him, still in the form of a wallaby.)

Genie: Psst!

(Genie hides behind the tree again before Carpet turns around, then says "psst" again from the other side of the tree. They repeat this until Carpet finally grabs Genie and starts shaking him.)

Genie: What are you, nervous or something? Stand still! The locals have locked up Al! We have to find Iago and Abu!

(Carpet points at something behind Genie.)

Genie: What?

(A shadow looms over Genie. He looks up and sees Brisbane.)

Brisbane: Well, haven't seen you in these parts.

Genie: Oh, sure you have! Look at me! (starts eating leaves from a nearby bush) I'm indigenous wildlife!

Brisbane: (picking him up) Then you and I should get better acquainted. A blue wallaby? Not very likely, is it?

Genie: Well, blue runs in the family. Look! (shows Brisbane photographs) Snapshots! Here's mom and dad, and that's weird uncle Wally!

Brisbane: I know what you're doing and you won't get away with it! (carries Genie away, while Carpet hides behind a tree)

(Iago is flying through the forest carrying the sack of gems, followed by Abu.)

Iago: I… am… so… tired!

(Iago drops the sack and the giant diamond falls out. Abu sees it and is about to pick it up, but Iago dives down and grabs it first.)

Iago: But it's a good kinda tired!

Abu: (sadly) Oh, Aladdin…

Iago: I'm tellin' ya, the kid is fine. They'll show up any minute. (puts the diamond back in the sack) Then, we go home in a new tax bracket.

(Carpet flies up to them and gestures wildly to get their attention. He mimes Aladdin falling out of the sky and hurting his arm.)

Iago: Aladdin's hurt?!

(Carpet wraps himself around Abu, trapping him.)

Iago: And he's been captured?!

(Carpet nods, then traps Abu a different way.)

Iago: Genie, too?!

Abu: (shaking his fist at Carpet) Why, I…

Iago: Wait, let me think! Option number one: we could take our cargo home and assume that they'll cleverly escape on their own! It's the kind of thing we'll all have a good laugh about later!

(Abu and Carpet fold their arms and scowl at Iago.)

Iago: All right, it's option number two: go rescue the human-types. But let's not lose our heads and forget the bag!

(Brisbane is carrying Genie towards the city.)

Brisbane: I'm on to you and your trickery! You're going where you belong… school.

(They've come to a classroom. Sydney is the teacher, and the young koala Aladdin saved is one of the students.)

Sydney: Which brings us to… Brisbane?

Brisbane: I found this young one trying to skip school.

Sydney: All right, truant!

(Genie looks sheepish and hands Sydney an apple.)

Sydney: You may review yesterday's lesson for the class. What is man?

Genie: Someone who can bring home the bacon and fry it up in a pan? Oh, wait, that's woman.

(Sydney turns the chalkboard around to show a drawing of Aladdin.)

Sydney: Man is evil! Man came to our valley generations ago to dig up the shiny stones, and he hunted us down!

Koala: But that man saved my life!

Sydney: Typical man trick.

Student #1: Wait'll he's after you!

Student #2: Man is the enemy!

(Setting: Sydney's house. Aladdin takes his arm out of his sling; it appears to be healed now. He then looks up and sees Abu, Iago, and Carpet looking in the window.)

Abu: Aladdin?

Aladdin: Am I glad to see you guys!

Iago: Let's beat it, we don't wanna wear out our welcome!

Aladdin: (angry) I was never welcome here.

(Abu picks the lock and they open the door.)

Aladdin: Where's Genie?

Iago: First we'll bust you outta here. Then we'll worry about our resident weirdo.

Brisbane: (outside) The prisoner's door is open!

Aladdin: Hide!

(Carpet lies flat on the ground like an ordinary rug. Abu and Iago frantically try to hide, can't manage to before Kimbla and Brisbane enter the house.)

Brisbane: What is the meaning of this?!

Iago: I'm, uh, here with, uh, Dr. Abu!

Kimbla: Doctor… who?

Iago: Dr. Abu! The famed healer and, uh, renowned cosmetologist.

Aladdin: Well, doc, I first noticed the symptoms—

(Abu pulls Aladdin's tongue out and examines it. He then pounds on Aladdin's chest and checks the reflexes in his knees, causing him to kick Iago.)

Aladdin: That's okay! Doctor!

Iago: Good reflexes.

(Abu pulls on Aladdin's ears and starts grooming his hair, all the while chattering in monkey speech.)

Aladdin: Yes, yes, I'm feeling much better now!

Brisbane: Why can't I understand a word he says?

Iago: He's from Vienna.

Abu: Yeah!

Aladdin: (removing the sling) Thanks, Dr. Abu! You're a miracle worker!

(They start walking towards the door.)

Iago: Doctor's orders: go home, drink plenty of liquids, and don't operate any heavy dromedaries.

Brisbane: You will go nowhere, man!

(There's a crashing sound from outside.)

Aladdin: What was that?

Kimbla: The dam!

(We can see that the dam has now completely burst.)

Kimbla: We must see to the dam!

Brisbane: But the man will escape!

Kimbla: My subjects are in dire jeopardy!

(Kimbla runs out of the house. Brisbane follows her reluctantly.)

Iago: Lucky break! We're free and clear!

Aladdin: Carpet, they need our help.

Iago: These creeps treat you like public enemy number one, and now you're gonna risk your neck for them?!

Aladdin: Yes. (flies away on Carpet)

Iago: All right. If everybody's out there, then our treasure's safe in here.

(Kimbla and Brisbane have reached the dam. They can see that the flood waters are headed for the school.)

Kimbla: Our young ones! (runs toward the school)

Brisbane: Your highness! It's too late! (runs after her)

(Setting: the school)

Sydney: All right, everybody! Who is our enemy?

Students: Man!

Sydney: And what must be done with this man? (points to the drawing of Aladdin)

Students: Destroy him!

Koala: No! All men are not bad! He is not bad!

Genie: You're turning the tide of public opinion! Even now I hear the building roar of the crowd! Or is that an approaching flood?

(The flood has almost reached the school.)

Genie: Guess this means gym class is cancelled! (changes back to his normal form)

Koala: You're not a wallaby!

Genie: And, you know, I'm gonna miss that pouch.

(Genie creates a giant umbrella to hold back the water. Aladdin arrives on Carpet.)

Genie: I can't hold out much longer, Al!

(Aladdin starts loading the students onto Carpet.)

Iago: Can't seem to shake this hero thing, can we?

Abu: Hurry!

Aladdin: Come on!

(Aladdin reaches out to Sydney, who slaps his hand away, then runs out of the building, bringing one of the students with him. There is now so much water that it starts to flow over the top of Genie's umbrella, and Sydney and the child are washed away in the flood. Aladdin flies down and rescues them.)

Aladdin: All clear, Genie!

(The umbrella disappears, and the water looks like it's about to wash the school away, when suddenly the water starts to drain away. We then see Genie dressed as a plumber holding a drain plug.)

Genie: Putting your drain in was easy. Unplugging the humongo furball, that was the hard part.

(Carpet lands near Queen Kimbla. The young koala runs towards her and gives her a hug.)

Koala: I knew this man was not evil!

Kimbla: You could have escaped. Instead you risked your life to save others.

Aladdin: How could I do anything else?

Kimbla: But you are a man!

Genie: Let's review, shall we? Your society's long-held belief is that all men are evil. My pal Al is not evil. Therefore, your society's long-held belief is WRONG!

Brisbane: (running up to them) No, no, you are wrong! (holds up the sack of gems) Here is the proof that man is evil!

Aladdin: Yeah, right, that's just my sack of spices.

(Iago and Abu gulp. Brisbane dumps the gems out onto the ground.)

Brisbane: Spices, hmph! The man is a thief!

Sydney: Our legends tell us that man craves the shiny stones. He pretends to help us, but his greed caused our dam to break!

Koala: It can't be true!

Aladdin: It's not!

Brisbane: You said yourself that it was your sack! Your highness, what more proof do we need?

Kimbla: It would appear that the man has deceived us.

Iago: If it pleases the kangaroo court, the monkey and I, uh, thought you wouldn't miss a couple of gems.

Genie: Iago's fessing up! This is a red-letter day!

Brisbane: A lie!

Aladdin: And they don't believe him.

Iago: Hey, I may be a lot of things, but—

Brisbane: These noble animals try to take the blame for the man!

Kimbla: This shall be settled by the law of the jungle: trial by combat. The man versus the fiercest of our kingdom in a fight to the death.

(Kimbla gestures towards a large pit with a tree fallen across it, with spikes at the bottom.)

Kimbla: It is fitting that you fight here, an ancient trap used against us by man.

(Brisbane and Aladdin walk out onto the fallen log; they both have wooden staves. Brisbane tries to knock Aladdin off, but he jumps out of the way. Brisbane continues attacking, but Aladdin blocks all of his blows and manages to keep his balance. Eventually, Brisbane hits Aladdin on his side, where he was injured, and he drops his staff.)

Genie: No fair!

(Brisbane tries to hit him again, but Aladdin grabs on to the end of Brisbane's staff and won't let go. Brisbane tries to shake him off, and Aladdin is left dangling over the spikes at the bottom of the pit. Meanwhile, the other animals are watching, cheering Brisbane on. Aladdin tries to climb back up the staff, but Brisbane spins around in a circle, trying to get Aladdin to let go.)

Koala: Hang on, I know you can!

(Aladdin lands on the log again, dizzy. Brisbane raises his staff over his head.)

Brisbane: Foolish man!

(Aladdin dodges the blow, and Brisbane loses his balance. He's about to fall into the pit, but Aladdin grabs the other end of the staff, saving him.)

Brisbane: What are you waiting for?!

Aladdin: For you to understand me!

(Aladdin offers Brisbane his hand; Brisbane takes it.)

(Setting: that night, in the forest. Aladdin and his friends and the animals are all gathered around a bonfire. Kimbla offers Aladdin a giant ruby.)

Kimbla: Please accept this jewel as a token of our gratitude.

Aladdin: I couldn't. I helped because it was the right thing to do.

Iago: Aah! We finally get one of those jewels and he says no?!

Kimbla: You have demonstrated that not all men are evil.

Iago: (sarcastic) Yeah, yeah, yeah, we all learned a lesson.

Kimbla: And you have proven that not all animals are good!

Iago: Okay, so we made a mistake. Should we pay for it for the rest of our lives?

Kimbla: (holding up a drumstick) I considered it! (to Aladdin) Your arrival in our kingdom was not a curse, but a blessing.

Aladdin: Maybe one day I can come back to your valley.

Kimbla: Perhaps, one day, all men will be welcome.

THE END