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"Moonlight Serenade" is the first story in the first episode of the fourth season of Little Bear. It was written by Michael Thoma. In Canada, it premiered in 1998 on CBC Television. In the United States, it premiered on 4 January 1999 on Nickelodeon.

Summary[]

Scarecrow, waving in wind ("Moonlight Serenade")

The scarecrow, waving in the wind

It is the night of the harvest moon. As Little Bear looks out his window, he sees the scarecrow in the garden blowing in the wind. He tells Mother Bear that the scarecrow waved at him, and she says that he was probably waving goodnight. Upon being tucked in by Mother Bear, Little Bear comments on how bright it is outside.

Father Bear and Mother Bear ("Moonlight Serenade")

Father Bear and Mother Bear, dancing on the night of the harvest moon

Mother Bear and Father Bear tell Little Bear about their first dance, which was under a harvest moon. After doing a very short waltz, they tell Little Bear that it is time to go to sleep. They both kiss him good night and Mother Bear blows out the candle. Little Bear falls asleep and begins to dream. In the dream, Little Bear gets out of bed due to the extreme light generated by the harvest moon.

Scarecrow, in dream ("Moonlight Serenade")

The scarecrow, off his post in Little Bear's dream

When Little Bear goes to his window, the scarecrow jumps off his post and into the garden. At this point, Little Bear goes outside and starts to dance around with the scarecrow. The scarecrow wears a red shirt, a pair of blue pants, and a straw hat. After remarking that he never knew that scarecrows were such good dancers, Little Bear suggests they go up to a nearby hill and dance under the harvest moon.

Mice ("Moonlight Serenade")

The mice

As Little Bear and scarecrow run along, they come to a pond. At first, they run along a log before jumping from lily pad to lily pad. After crossing the pond, they walk along a fence, but they soon lose their balance and fall into a pumpkin patch. Then, three mice run up to them and join their journey to the top of the hill. As the five of them leave the pumpkin patch, three pumpkins who want to join them jump along after them.

Near the top of the hill, the scarecrow accidentally steps on a rake and shovel. This causes them both to come to life. The two wish to come along, and so the ten of them continue on toward the top of the hill to dance under the harvest moon. However, as they come to the steepest part of the hill, the biggest of the pumpkins repeatedly fails to climb the whole way and roles down every time.

Little Bear and company, dancing under Harvest Moon ("Moonlight Serenade")

Little Bear, the scarecrow, the three mice, the three pumpkins, the rake, and the shovel, all dancing at the top of the hill under the harvest moon

After Little Bear comes back down to push, the big pumpkin is able to get to the top. As they have finally reached the top of the hill, they all rejoice and dance under the harvest moon. When the scarecrow attempts to jump up and touch the moon, Little Bear tells him that it is impossible because, despite how it looks, the moon is extremely far away. Little Bear now begins to think about how they might fly to the moon.

Little Bear and scarecrow, flying to Moon ("Moonlight Serenade")

Little Bear and the scarecrow, flying to the moon, all in Little Bear's dream

After a short moment of thought, Little Bear conceives a plan to fly to the moon. First, he has the shovel and rake lie on the smallest of the pumpkins. Next, Little Bear and the scarecrow get on the ends of the shovel and the rake, respectively. Once Little Bear and the scarecrow are ready, the big pumpkin jumps on the other ends of the rake and shovel. This launches Little Bear and the scarecrow to the moon.

Background information[]

  • Throughout this episode, the scarecrow often imitates Little Bear.
  • While dancing, Little Bear sings a song that goes: "The sky's so bright, come dance tonight, to a merry tune; we'll sing a song, dance all night long, beneath the harvest moon!"
  • This episode features the often-used plot element of Little Bear flying to the moon, albeit in a dream. What sets this instance apart is that, unlike most similar occasions, Little Bear does not use a space helmet to fly to the moon.
  • The fourth movement of Mozart's Serenade No. 12 in C Minor, K.388, is used throughout this episode.

Appearances and references[]

Citations[]

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