"School Days" is the 2nd episode of season 2 the fifteenth episode of the series overall.
Synopsis[]
Because Alexander doesn't feel good about being teased by older kids (including Pom and Flora), Babar tells him a story of when he first attended school as a young elephant. He, too, got picked on by bullies, as did certain friends of his.
Plot[]
One night Celeste and Babar are playing chess, Celeste has beaten him 10 times in a row. Babar wants a rematch, just then Alexander comes in on stilts, trying to look taller. After he falls, he cries, not because he is hurt but because he is still dealing with the big kids picking on him because he is shorter. Babar knows exactly how Alexander feels. Just like Alexander, he was picked on when he still lived in the city.
It all started back on his first day of school, Babar was so excited to start school. When he arrives at the school, he bumps into one of the students, François, he was trying to hide his glasses from the Leon brothers, a group of bullies. Outside, Babar also meets three other children, Luke, Lisa, and another young boy. Outside the Lion brothers start to make fun of Babar, but then the teacher arrives. They all go inside and both Babar and François start to bond over the book "The Three Musketeers," the teacher then asks François to put his glasses, Luke to take off his hat and Lisa to stop covering her mouth. Babar is then introduced to the class and even helps out the teacher with several duties using his trunk and is able to make it through the first part of classes. However it does not take long for the Lion brothers to tease Babar, especially calling his trunk Hose nose. While he does become hurt, he refuses to be helpless, his new friends all understand what it is like to be teased for being different. François says they made fun of him because of his glasses, Luke was picked on because of his puffy hair and Lisa was teased because of the space in her teeth. That night after coming home, Babar is too sad to talk about his first day. Over the next several days Babar still refuses to hide his trunk unfortunately the Lion brothers continue to tease him and even tie it up. Finally Babar decides to show the Lion's that they are not doormats, so he and his friends decide to sign up for the fencing team. The teacher Mademoiselle encourages them to join saying that she coaches the team and would be happy to accept them.
Characters[]
- Babar
- François
- Luke
- Lisa
- Another classmate
- Mademoiselle Charboneau
- Maurice and Marcel Lion
- Celeste
- Madame
- Alexander
Trivia[]
- This is the second episode that takes place prior to the events of Babar Returns and the first to take place before The Phantom.
- It is revealed that Babar was also teased as a boy.
- Judging by the age of Babar in his childhood episodes, and his classmates, it's possible he's in grade 5 or 6.
Goofs/Errors[]
- Several of the scenes in the episode were recycled from The Phantom.
- In Peer Pressure, he had no one to play with in the city, yet here he made friends, it is unsure how far apart the episodes take place. Peer Pressure could have taken place before this episode, and they are just shown out of order.
- Before leaving for school Madam told Babar don't forget his lunch, but he is not shown carrying a lunch bag or lunch box.