The Pebble and the Penguin

There is a charming tradition

observed by the Adelie penguins.

Once a year, during the mating season,

all the male birds gather on the Antarctic beaches,

and there, each selects an extraordinary pebble.

With pebble in hand,

each male presents his precious gift to the lady he most desires.

If she accepts it, they mate for life.

(NOW AND FOREVER CONTINUES PLAYING)

Hey. How about you, Hubie? You got a pebble for your girl?

Well, you know, it's... Not really.

Oh, this is all just so exciting.

- It's so romantic. - Knock it off.

Romance has nothing to do with it. Listen.

You know, I don't think a pebble should be that important.

Marina, if you don't care about the pebble, how will you choose?

How will you know if it's Mr. Right?

WOW!

Of all the penguins in all the world,

the most romantic was Hubie.

He had a secret love in his life,

Marina, the most beautiful girl penguin in the rookery.

- Hi, Hubie. Tell us a story. - Yes. A love story.

Oh, that's mushy stuff.

Oh, Beany!

Well, once there was a penguin

who fell in love

with the most beautiful girl penguin in the whole rookery.

- Did she love him back? - They never even met.

You see, he was painfully shy.

Well, one day, he just swam up to her and said,

"Hello, Marina. I'm Hubie, and I think you're fabulous."

Who am I kidding?

I mean, I never even talked to the girl.

Goodness glaciers! Marina!

So, it wasn't an avalanche.

That was some landing, Hubie.

I'm sorry, Marina.

I'm just so clumsy.

Oh, don't be silly, Hubie.

But someone else had his eye on the fair Marina.

Drake, an evil penguin who always got his way.

That little wimp. I'll knock the stutter right out of him.

Marina doesn't know it yet,

but she's going to be my wife.

Our children will be the strongest, the smartest, the bravest,

not to mention the best looking.

Why, they'll be just like me.

I'm telling you, boys, Marina is as good as mine.

This is quite a spot, Hubie.

What do you do up here?

Well...

...I wonder about stuff.

Stuff? What kind of stuff?

I just... No. You'd think it was silly.

I bet it's not silly at all. Try me.

I'm sorry.

Go on.

- Oh, where was I? - "Choosing brides."

You must be bored to tears with all this wacky nonsense.

Oh, no. I don't think it's nonsense at all, even if you are a bit wacky.

The full moon mating ceremony was fast approaching.

The rookery buzzed with excitement.

All the bachelors took to the beaches to find their engagement pebbles.

And none was more determined than Hubie.

He dove, scrambled, scrapped

and raced against the best of them.

But try as he might,

- Hubie couldn't hold on... - It's mine.

...to a single pebble.

I've nothing.

Poor Hubie.

With the day almost done,

and the beach picked clean of the best engagement stones,

how could he ever hope

to find the perfect pebble for his perfect love, Marina?

"Star light, star bright First star I see tonight

Wish I may, wish I might Have the wish I wish tonight."

Wow.

Oh, my-

It's perfect.

Marina! Has anyone seen Marina?

I got to find her. I just got to find her.

Wait till she sees this. It's perfect. Perfect!

Hey, what's the holdup?

Somebody saw a leopard seal.

Oh, not today. I'm starving.

So, nerd. I hear you want to be a big ladies' man.

Marina is mine.

You big bully!

Wake up and smell the seaweed, you little fool.

Nobody's going to marry a loser like you.

- Now give me that stupid pebble. - No, it's for Marina.

Hope you can swim better than you can talk.

Bye, Hubie. Sleep with the fishes.

- Hi, guys. - Hey, look. The water's safe.

- Let's eat. - Oh, boy.

Hubie!

Hubie!

Hubie!

Hubie!

Marina!

Huddled against the wind and buffeted by the storm,

Hubie was swept far away to warmer waters

where there lived an enemy even greater than the leopard seal.

Man.

So sweet.

Oh, look. I think he's coming around.

Welcome back, lad.

Where am I?

You're aboard the good ship Misery.

You've been sleeping for nearly three days now.

Three days? I've been asleep for three days?

I'm sure Marina thinks I'm lost forever.

Marina?

My girl back home.

Why, you're our first Adélie.

- What's your name? - Yes. Yes. What's your name?

I'm Hubie.

Welcome aboard, Hubie.

Although, "welcome" probably isn't the appropriate word.

- Outrage! That's the appropriate word. - Yes.

Abomination.

- The indignity. - The indignity.

The horror.

Just thought I'd ask.

Get a hold of them feet.

Here come the boots.

- The boots! - The boots!

Be quiet down there.

Blast it all, mate.

Let's get him down below.

Open the door, man. Open the door.

Hold still, lad, or I'll give you a fist in the beak.

Now get in there and stay there.

Come back here, you yellow-bellied landlubbers.

Take a breather, laddie.

That door will be there later. I can promise you that.

Save it, old-timer. Nobody locks up Rocko the Rockhopper.

Those humans just did.

Hey. When I get out of here, you're seal bait.

What are you staring at, birdbrain?

That's Hubie, and he's heartbroken.

Yes. He was snatched away from the lady he loves.

Poor, poor pebblehead.

If he had any guts, he never would've let them take him alive.

So, where is this floating scrapheap headed, anyway?

Our destination would be difficult to determine at this juncture.

- That means he doesn't know. - That means he doesn't know.

Well, we be in warm waters.

We be in Bora Bora, Pops.

I know where we are. Where do we dock?

That's what I'm asking. Where do we dock?

We can't say for sure, lad,

but I've heard stories of sailors selling penguins to zoos.

- Zoos? - Zoos? I'm not going to no zoo.

No, no. I'm going to the helmsman. I'll go to the first mate.

I'll go all the way to the captain of this oversized dinghy.

I'll make him turn this tug around if I have to.

But I can't go to a zoo.

I've got to get back to Antarctica.

Who's with me? Who's for busting out of here?

Come on, you jellyfish.

How about you, seal bait? You?

Sorry, Mr. Rockhopper, but free food at the zoo sounds awful good to me.

Bunch of birdbrains and seal bait. Get me out of here!

Get me somebody!

Marina, Hubie is gone.

Face it. Forget him.

Why don't you just marry Drake?

No, Priscilla.

I believe Hubie is still out there somewhere,

and he'll come home to me in time for the full moon mating ceremony.

- You're saying you want to marry him? - I do.

How could you possibly choose a wimp like Hubie over a hunk like Drake?

Hubie's a sweetheart. He's generous and kind,

and he's always thoughtful of others, and...

Good morning, ladies.

Marina, my pet.

I want you to be my mate.

Drake. Drake. I love Hubie.

Hubie? I deeply sympathize, Marina,

but since he is nowhere to be found, I offer my own hand.

- My answer is still no. - Think about it.

Give me your answer later.

But remember. You must choose a mate

before the full moon mating ceremony