The Small One (1978) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

A compassionate boy struggles to find a safe new home for an old donkey and discovers hope in an unexpected journey.

Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases

A Tender Burden

The boy and his father depend on four donkeys for work. The boy protects the weakest donkey by giving him the smallest loads and helping him carry them.

Key Events

• Galilean Countryside — The boy and his father own four donkeys in the Galilean countryside. Characters: Boy, Father Location: Galilean countryside near Nazareth
• Wood Gathering Work — The father collects wood while the donkeys carry the gathered material. Characters: Boy, Father Location: Galilean countryside
• The Donkey Struggles — The old donkey is too weak to carry enough wood for his care. Characters: Boy, Father Location: Galilean countryside
• Small Loads of Wood — The boy gives the weak donkey the smallest sticks and helps carry them. Characters: Boy Location: Galilean countryside

The Unwanted Sale

The father decides that the old donkey must be sold because he cannot work enough to cover his care. The boy volunteers to seek a compassionate master.

Key Events

• The Sale Decision — The father says the donkey must be sold because his care costs too much. Characters: Boy, Father Location: The family's home
• The Boy Volunteers — The devastated boy volunteers to find the donkey a caring master. Characters: Boy, Father Location: The family's home
• Price of One Silver — The father agrees and requires the boy to sell the donkey for one silver piece. Characters: Boy, Father Location: The family's home
• Journey to Market — The boy leads the donkey toward the city to seek a buyer. Characters: Boy Location: Road to the city market
• The Guard's Trick — The Roman guard tricks the boy into visiting the local tanner. Characters: Boy, Guard Location: City gates

A Dangerous Market

The boy takes the donkey to the city market and is deceived into visiting a tanner. He escapes after discovering that the tanner wants the donkey's hide.

Key Events

• The Tanner's Shop — The boy discovers that the tanner wants the donkey's hide rather than the living animal. Characters: Boy, Tanner Location: Local tanner's shop
• Escape from the Tanner — Terrified by the tanner's intention, the boy and the donkey run out of the shop. Characters: Boy, Tanner Location: Local tanner's shop
• Searching for Buyers — The boy leads the donkey through the streets looking for someone willing to buy him. Characters: Boy Location: City streets
• Repeated Rejections — Townspeople, shop owners, and merchants refuse to buy the donkey. Characters: Boy Location: City streets
• Horse Auction — The boy brings the donkey onto a horse-auction stage. Characters: Boy, Auctioneer Location: Horse-auction stage

Humiliation at Auction

After repeated rejections, the boy tries the horse auction. The auctioneer mocks his claim that the donkey belongs in a king's stable and attempts to mount him.

Key Events

• Horse Auction — The boy brings the donkey onto a horse-auction stage. Characters: Boy, Auctioneer Location: Horse-auction stage
• Auctioneer Rejects Donkey — The auctioneer shows no interest in selling the scrawny donkey. Characters: Boy, Auctioneer Location: Horse-auction stage
• A King's Stable Claim — The boy insists that the donkey is good enough for a king's stable. Characters: Boy, Auctioneer Location: Horse-auction stage
• Public Mockery — The auctioneer and crowd laugh at the boy's defense of the donkey. Characters: Boy, Auctioneer Location: Horse-auction stage
• The Auctioneer Mounts — The auctioneer shoves the boy aside and attempts to sit on the donkey. Characters: Boy, Auctioneer Location: Horse-auction stage
• The Donkey Bucks — The donkey suddenly bucks and kicks the auctioneer off, collapsing the stage. Characters: Boy, Auctioneer Location: Horse-auction stage

A Merciful Departure

The donkey resists the auctioneer, allowing the boy and the donkey to escape. A compassionate buyer later offers the required silver and promises to care for him.

Key Events

• The Donkey Bucks — The donkey suddenly bucks and kicks the auctioneer off, collapsing the stage. Characters: Boy, Auctioneer Location: Horse-auction stage
• Flight from Auction — The boy and the donkey run away from the wrecked auction stage. Characters: Boy Location: City streets
• Hopeless Weeping — The boy and the donkey sit at a street corner and weep hopelessly. Characters: Boy Location: A street corner
• A Compassionate Offer — A compassionate man asks whether the donkey is for sale and offers one piece of silver. Characters: Boy Location: A street corner
• A Caring New Journey — The boy accepts the offer, says goodbye, and watches the donkey leave with its new owners. Characters: Boy Location: Road to Bethlehem
• The Bright Star — A bright star appears in the sky as the journey begins. Characters: Boy Location: Road to Bethlehem

Story Breakdown

• Rural Family Life — The boy and his father work with four donkeys in the Galilean countryside.
  • Wood Gathering — The father collects wood that the donkeys are expected to carry.
  • The Weakest Donkey — One old donkey can no longer carry enough wood to justify his care.
• The Difficult Decision — Economic necessity forces the father to decide that the old donkey must be sold.
  • Father Announces Sale — The father explains that the donkey's work cannot cover his care.
  • Boy Takes Responsibility — The boy volunteers to find the donkey a caring master.
• Market Journey — The boy travels to the city with the donkey and searches for a buyer.
  • City Gate Deception — A Roman guard directs the boy toward the local tanner.
  • Search Through Streets — The boy approaches townspeople, shop owners, and merchants without success.
• Tanner's Threat — The first apparent sales opportunity becomes dangerous when the tanner reveals his real purpose.
  • Hide Revealed — The boy discovers that the tanner wants the donkey's hide.
  • Urgent Escape — The boy and the donkey flee the shop in terror.
• Auction Humiliation — The boy tries to sell the donkey publicly but faces ridicule and physical aggression.
  • King's Stable Claim — The boy insists that the donkey is good enough for a king's stable.
  • Stage Collapse — The donkey bucks the auctioneer off and knocks over the stage.
• Hopeful Departure — After reaching despair, the boy receives an offer from someone who promises proper care.
  • One Silver Offered — A compassionate man offers exactly one piece of silver for the donkey.
  • Star Over Journey — The boy says goodbye as the donkey leaves toward Bethlehem, while a bright star appears.

Directed by

Don Bluth

Key Cast

• Sean Marshall — Boy (voice)
• William Woodson — Tanner (voice)
• Olan Soule — Father (voice)
• Joe Higgins — Guard (voice)
• Gordon Jump — Joseph (voice)