"My name is Soula." "What's yours?" "Maki." "Silence!" "Don't cry." "They burned my village." "My father will save us." "He's a great warrior." "Your father?" "If you're here, Maki, they burned your village too." "Silence!" "Gently..." "Don't damage the merchandise." "Soula, look." "Their chains are too big." "See?" " They can't keep us." " Stop it, it's too dangerous." "Come on." "Amrok!" "Fetch!" "Good luck, Maki." "Please, help me." "Out of there, you idiot!" "The kid better be in there." "Idiot!" "Not a sound till we reach Alexandria!" "Let's go." "We'll carry on hunting tomorrow." "And that is how the great adventure of Maki" "and his friends began." "Soula..." "Hassan..." "Malaterre..." "Benhur..." "Mounh..." "Sounh..." "Zarafa." "The next day..." "I, 2, 3, 4, 5..." "How many legs do you have?" "I can see you!" "Nobody gets away from me." "Let's go!" "Go." "I'll drag you back, boy." "Come here!" "Come on!" "Move it!" "I've had enough!" "Filthy beast!" "Get out of the way!" "Out of the way!" "Come on." "You're mine!" "He's nobody's." "Drop your gun or I'll kill you." "Now go away before I change my mind." "We'll meet again one day." "I hope not, for your sake..." "Slave driver!" "What're you doing?" "Go home before he finds you again." " Where are you taking her?" " Go home." "Where?" "I'll bring her back," "I promise you." "I promise..." "I'll watch over her and bring her back." "Enough..." "A mirage?" "Yes." "Mirages exist." "What's a mirage?" "A mirage is like a dream you have with your eyes open." " A dream without being asleep?" " Right, Lumba." "A dream without being asleep." "So, he didn't really see an oasis then?" "In the desert, you must never believe your eyes." "Sometimes, they play tricks on you." "In the desert..." "and in other places, too." "You should never believe your eyes." "Why follow me?" "You don't want to answer me?" "Good." "I don't like chatterboxes." "Here." "I'm not following you, I'm following my giraffe." "Your giraffe?" "What's your giraffe's name?" "I don't know." "Well, we'll call her Zarafa." "In my language, that means giraffe." "Where are you taking her?" "Your giraffe won't drink." "She'll die if she doesn't drink." "Here." "Tomorrow, we'll get her some food from Mahmoud." "And I'll put you in a caravan that'll take you home." "Understand?" "Come on, Zarafa!" "If you leave this camp, you'll lose your way." "If you lose your way, you'll die." "Unless you find it in the stars." "In the desert or on the ocean, if you lose your way, ask the sky." "Mahmoud!" "Hey, Mahmoud!" "I don't believe my eves!" "Hassan!" "Benhur!" " Peace be upon you!" " And you." "Are you well?" "Thanks be to God!" "So, you've found your giraffe, thank God!" "The Pasha will be pleased." "She's lovely." "Very pretty." "I need milk." "Milk?" "OK." "I got milk." "Do you want it skimmed?" "Semi-skimmed?" "Pasteurized?" "Concentrated?" "Desiccated?" "Kefir?" "Koumis?" "Leben?" "Yoghurt?" "I got good yoghurt." "Mahmoud, milk." "Just milk." "Milk." "Just milk." "But what animal?" "Goat?" "Sheep?" "Cow?" " Yak?" "Lama?" " Mahmoud!" "OK, no problem, my friend." "You want some milk?" "Yes." "I got it!" "But what do you want it for?" "To make butter?" "Cheese?" "Pancakes?" "Cakes?" "If you want milk to make cakes, I got cake tins, tart tins..." " Kuglof pans..." " Goat's milk for the giraffe." "Goat's milk..." "I don't have any." "I'm going to count to three." "But I have cow's milk." "Same thing." "Let me introduce Mounh and Sounh." "How do you like my twins?" "Sacred cows from Tibet." "Tibet?" "What's that?" "It's a country!" "It's far, far away." "Can't you tell?" " Do they give milk?" " Do they?" "You bet!" "And not just any old milk." "Sacred milk!" "Great for growth." "It'll be good for the little one." "OK, how much?" "Not expensive." "For you, Hassan, two for the price of one." "I only want one." "Then, it'll cost you double." "One costs more than two?" "Yes, because..." "you can't separate twins." "Or it's very expensive." "I only need one!" "Mounh or Sounh?" "That one." "Mounh?" "No, Sounh!" "Why are they called Mounh and Sounh?" "Because Mounh was born under the moon, and Sounh under the sun." "But I thought they were twins." "They are twins, but born during an eclipse." "The moon hid the sun when Mounh arrived." "And when Sounh was born, the sun reappeared." "Mahmoud!" "When's the next caravan going south?" "In three days." "Three days..." "Not sooner?" "Don't be in such a hurry." "Men who are in a hurry are dead men." "And why do you talk about the south?" "Aren't you going back to Alexandria?" "It's not for me, it's for the kid." "The kid?" "How much for the caravan?" "Well, a ticket for the south, that depends..." "I've got first class, business class..." "I don't recommend economy - too many people per dromedary." "Give me a normal ticket." "OK, OK, master." "In front or behind?" "In front or behind what?" "In front of or behind the dromedary's hump." "Mahmoud, don't annoy me." "OK, OK, master." "Normal, behind." "No, thanks." "Here, drink this." "It's good milk." "Who is it?" "Not expensive..." "Stay here!" "Come on, Mounh!" "I warned you, Hassan, you can't separate twins." "And it was cheaper." "Go on, drink." "Zarafa..." "Damn Tibetan cow!" "Mahmoud, you and your cows!" "If I catch you..." "This milk's good." "Hassan..." " Hassan!" " What?" "If you can't milk a cow, ask the sky." "Come here." "I warn you, in Alexandria, you take the first caravan home." "Understand?" "Amrok..." "Soula..." "Maki..." "What now?" "Idiot!" "I'll teach you not to be clumsy." "Soula!" "Now what?" "Your thing's itchy." "My thing?" "Stop complaining." "With that, nobody will recognize you." "My thing..." "A real little Bedouin!" "In Alexandria, the Turks were besieging the port, preventing the Egyptian ships from coming and going." "It is then that our friends met Malaterre." "It's falling short." "You need more charge!" "What?" "It's falling short." "You need more charge!" "Help!" "The Turks are charging!" "They're in the lighthouse!" "They're in the lighthouse!" " What?" " The lighthouse!" "Not the lighthouse." "Hassan?" "You old devil!" "You did it!" "Malaterre!" "You old owl!" "Victory!" "Victory!" "Look, it's Hassan!" " The giraffe!" " The Pasha will be happy!" "Beautiful!" "He did it." "Hassan, praise be to God, you did it!" "Do what I do, OK?" "I've been dying to see you." " Peace be unto you." " Peace to you." "Peace to you..." "Thank you!" "She's magnificent!" "I'm glad you like her." "I hope the King of France will like her as much." "There could be no finer gift." "A gift?" "The idea was a little crazy, but to free his country from the Turkish invaders, the Pasha of Egypt wanted to ask the King of France for help." "And Zarafa was the gift that would make him say 'yes'." "Your Highness, how will you send the giraffe to France?" "The Turks have us surrounded." "There's no way of leaving the port." "There is one way, Hassan." "There is one." "This is our savior." "Captain Moreno has agreed to take our giraffe to France." "Your Highness, this man you call our savior is a slave driver who works with tomb robbers." "Yes, Hassan, but he's in collusion with the Turks." " They'll let his ship pass." " Please..." "What about his goods?" "Enough!" "You're talking about a ship." "I'm talking about a city, Alexandria the Great." "With respect, Your Highness, one doesn't play with people's lives." "Soula!" "I don't trust that man." "Let me take Zarafa to France." "How'll you get past the Turks?" "The Geese Route?" "Are you insane?" "I've never cut the ropes off that balloon." "You want to cross the Mediterranean?" "With a giraffe!" "Don't think with your head." "Follow your heart." "This man is crazy." "The desert sun has burned his brain." "Malaterre," "Alexandria needs you." "But, Highness, the Mediterranean..." "It's huge!" "It's simple." "You need enough altitude to use the warm airstream." "Like the geese..." "You think you can copy the geese?" " Yes." " No!" "Impossible." "Impossible?" "Is this you talking?" "For years, you've talked about your balloon flight." "Now the air's gone out of you!" "Very well." "Very well." "We'll leave tonight." "Thank goodness." "Our fate is now in your hands, gentlemen." "Give Zarafa to the King of France and we'll be saved." "In Paris, go see a certain Saint-Hilaire at the Botanical Gardens." "He's Europe's most renowned scientist." "He'll help you." "Then, give this message to the King of France." "Alexandria will be freed, Your Highness, I swear." "Insh'Allah, Hassan." "God willing." "Your balloon's great!" "Move." "What're you doing?" "Loading the cows." "The cows!" " Aren't we just taking the giraffe?" " They're coming to feed Zarafa." "Are you crazy?" "Why not Benhur as well?" "Benhur stays here." "He'll take Maki home." " I'm coming too." " No!" "We're taking Zarafa to France." "France?" "Where's that?" "Far, far away, Maki." "Get out." "No, not without Zarafa!" "She's not yours." "Give her back her freedom." "Don't spoil things." " You're free." " No!" "Let go!" "Be reasonable." "Zarafa!" "I hate you!" "Maki..." "Leave it." "I'll talk to him." "You love Zarafa ." "I promised her mother I'd watch over her." "Let me come with you." "Let me keep my promise." "You're only going to bring me trouble." "If the cows are coming, they need food." "Where are they going?" "Benhur is taking him home." "Without saying goodbye?" "He's sad." "Let's go before the Turks wake up." " Ready?" " It's madness!" "Hay fever." "We did it." "Not yet." "To reach the warm air, we copy the geese:" "we need altitude." "It's stupid to bring cows!" " We're doomed!" " Throw everything out." "Not the hay!" "What magic is this?" "We're going up!" "We did it." " No!" " What?" "No more cows, no more hay." "You're allergic to it." "So... who's next?" "Nobody can beat you, Bouboulina." "Are you men or women?" "Cows!" "What is this?" "Cows are falling from the sky now!" "You put the kid in the hay?" "I can't believe anyone could be so stupid." " He's safe and sound." " Safe and sound?" "Idiot!" "On a pirate ship?" "Who are you?" "I am Maki, on a mission for the Pasha of Egypt." "We're taking treasure to France." "Treasure?" " Yes." " Where is it?" "There." "Let's eat the cows and throw the kid to the sharks." "I'm sick of fish soup!" "We want moussaka!" " Kofta!" " Meatballs!" "Hamburgers!" "Stop!" "I like you, kid." "Follow that balloon!" "Well?" "Can you still see him?" " What's he doing?" " Dancing." "The sirtaki." "Tell me, Bouboulina..." "Do you really believe his story?" "I don't know." "But this kid is so stubborn." "There must be something very valuable up there." "I wonder what it is." "Tell me, kid..." "What's in that balloon?" "Precious stones?" "Oh, no." "My treasure's more precious than stones." " Gold?" " What's gold?" "Gold..." "It's very beautiful." "It shines like the sun." "My treasure's more beautiful." "Marseilles!" "My poor Zarafa, my country is beautiful, but it's no place for you." " Maki was right." " You talk to animals?" "Well, you talk to Benhur!" "That's different." "Oh, it's different." "Because Benhur understands?" "Let's stock up before going to Paris." "And I have to reinflate the balloon." "Well, well..." "It's time to pay up!" "Gentlemen..." "Would you like to earn some extra money?" "Well?" "Where's the boy?" "I said..." "Where's the boy?" "He's with me." "Come get him if you dare." "Well, well..." "We'll meet again one day." "When we do..." "We'll meet again." "You already said that." "Zarafa!" "Hassan!" "Maki!" "You were right, Maki." "Your treasure's beautiful." "And it's priceless." "It was worth it." "I promised her mother I'd return her." "Don't start, Maki." "I like your courage, but Zarafa's going to Paris." "If the kid promised, he must keep his promise." "You must always keep a promise." "Bouboulina keeps her word." "Very well, you win." "We'll go home." "Thank you." "You chose well, Bedouin." "Take good care of him." "And you never know, if you ever come to Greece, come see me." "Ask for Bouboulina." "Everyone knows me there." "I..." "Yes." "Farewell, Maki." "Keep on keeping your promises." "Farewell, Bouboulina." "We're Africa bound." "No." "We're Paris bound." "What?" "It's your fault." "You gave me no choice." "Zarafa and I will run away as soon as your back is turned." "You'll never see us again." "Snow." "It's been a while..." "So that's what snow is." "I'd never seen it before." "You'll see a lot of it." " Snow?" " Yes, Bogo." "Snow." "It falls from the sky like rain, but it's light as a feather, it's solid, and without warning, it turns liquid." "And when you walk in it, first it's cold and then it burns like fire!" "Yes, snow is wonderful." "But it can be dangerous, too." "Hang on!" "Hassan!" "The balloon!" "Pierce it!" "What?" "Pierce the balloon!" "With your saber!" "Don't be sad." "They are Buddhist cows." "What's Buddhist?" "They believe that after death," "Mounh and Sounh will be reincarnated as another animal." "As any kind of animal?" "Any kind." "As an ant?" "As an ant, why not?" " I'd rather be a lion." " Me, a cheetah." " A rhinoceros!" " A panther!" " A crocodile!" " An elephant!" "A mosquito!" "A mosquito?" "What a funny idea, Pitza!" "To bite Lumba!" "And you, Traore, what animal would you like to be reincarnated as?" "Me?" "As a giraffe." "Remember what I said:" "Sounh's spirit will rejoin another animal's body." "You're lying again." "Sounh?" "It's Sounh!" "Zarafa the Giraffe coming soon to Paris" "In Paris, they went to the zoo of the Botanical Gardens." "Malaterre left them to get his balloon repaired." "What's a zoo?" "A zoo is a place where they put animals in cages." "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!" "Giraffa..." "Camelopardalis!" "Monsieur de Saint-Hilaire, don't make us wait any longer." "Yes, Your Majesty." "A gift from the Pasha of Egypt." "Magnificent!" "Splendid!" "Wonderful!" "Saint-Hilaire..." "What on earth is it?" "A Giraffa Camelopardalis." "I mean, a giraffe, Your Majesty." "A giraffe?" "What a beautiful giraffe!" "Long live the King's giraffe!" "Look at its neck." "It's so ugly." "I like the motif." "It would look fine in my living room." "What a neck!" "Longer than a chimney!" " Mom, I want one." " Me too!" "How's the weather up there?" "When it rains, it's the first to get wet!" "Yeah, and I'm the last!" "Your Majesty, allow me to present those who came from afar to offer you the giraffe." "France's first giraffe, Your Majesty." "Good, good..." "So it was you who brought this marvel all the way here?" "Yes, Your Majesty." "Your Majesty." "From the Pasha of Egypt." "Alexandria is besieged." "How sad." "And the Pasha asks for our help." "What does he offer us in exchange?" "A giraffe!" " What's your name, my man?" " Hassan, Your Majesty." "Well, Mr Hassan, go and tell your Pasha" "France has more to do than fight the Turks, and no giraffe will persuade me otherwise." "The Kingdom of France is not a souk, Monsieur." "Give us back Zarafa!" " Saint-Hilaire?" " Your Majesty?" "Please check that the monkey cage is closed." "I see one that has escaped." "I'm not a monkey!" "You're the..." "What?" "Forgive him, Your Majesty." "He is but a child." "Your Majesty, when she's fully grown, she'll be even taller." "Really?" "We shall see about that." "We're keeping her." "Zarafa..." "Will you help us, Your Majesty?" "No." "But a gift is a gift." "Come and see Zarafa," "France's first giraffe!" "Right now at the zoo!" "Come and see Zarafa..." "There's a nice surprise!" "What was the point?" "Come on." "I'll take you home." "We're going back tonight." " Not without Zarafa." " Stop that." "Say farewell." "This is no place for you." "Not without Zarafa." "I promised to take her home." "They won't let you." "I promised." "And I keep my promises." "Fine." "Do what you like." "I'm not your father." "Hassan looked for Maki everywhere that day." "And the following days, too." "To no avail." "Welcome!" "Yes" "Maki and Soula were together again at last." "Alas, their paths were to part once more." "Believe me, it's a very good deal." "But there's no return or exchange." "See you soon." "In Paris, giraffe fashion had taken over the town." "People wore giraffe shoes, people wore giraffe clothes." "People even rode giraffe carriages." "It was giraffe mania." "People came from all over the country to see France's first giraffe." "But Zarafa didn't forget Maki and every day she hoped he'd come and get her as he'd promised." "But time passed... and passed..." "And Zarafa lost hope." "Gradually, giraffe mania calmed down, and Zarafa was forgotten." "Let us down." "The kids feel sick." "Malaterre was struggling to earn a living with his balloon, nostalgic for the adventure he had experienced." "It isn't for children!" "Your balloon is horrible!" "Paris seen from above" "France's first hippopotamus coming soon" "As for Hassan, he never returned home." "Too ashamed of having failed in his mission and betrayed his friends, he tried to forget." "The Smoking Giraffe" "But of all of them, it was Maki who suffered most." "Moreno had decided to break his spirit." " Come on, we're hungry!" " Hurry!" "This was his lot." "Day after day, week after week..." "Joseph!" "Yes, my butterscotch?" "Get yourself out here now!" "Kill these unbearable flies!" "Forgive me!" "He had lost all hope... until one day..." "Saint-Hilaire, what is it this time?" "This grotesque beast!" "Hippos potamos, Your Majesty," ""river horse"." "More commonly called the hippopotamus." "It comes from Africa." "From Africa?" "Again!" "You'll end up emptying the country with all this pillaging." "It's a continent, Your Majesty." "What a beautiful hippopotamus!" "Long live the Kinds hippopotamus!" "Maki!" "Soula!" "Hippopotamus!" "Hippopotamus!" "The parasol!" " What?" " Your parasol, quick!" "Come with me!" "Amrok, get them!" "Quick!" "Come on, quick!" "What's all this?" "Scram, you filthy hound!" "How are we going to go home now?" "Go home?" "No way." "I have to go back and get Zarafa." "Zarafa!" "You only think about her!" "We're lost in this city!" "Do you hear me?" "We're lost!" "In the desert or on the ocean, if you lose your way, ask the sky." "Ask the sky..." "The sky?" "We're saved!" "Soula!" "We're saved!" "Now, children, tell me if you see the giraffe." "There she is, the mean giraffe!" "Nasty giraffe!" "The geese are leaving." "It's time to go home." "The Smoking Hippo" "Hassan..." "Please... help us." " He didn't recognize us." " We don't need him." "Without him, we won't make it." "I'm sorry." "You're abandoning us, too." "Carry on taking tourists up in your balloon!" "Come on, Maki." "Adventure's not his thing." "Wait for me!" "And don't come back!" "Damn foreigner!" "I am Hassan, lord of the desert!" "Is that why you're so thirsty?" "Come say that to my face!" "I came to fetch you, Zarafa." "We're going home." "Malaterre, come help me!" "Forgive me." "She won't fit in the basket." "She's grown too big." "You must leave her." "Quick, Maki!" "But..." "I can't leave her!" "Maki, my little guardian angel..." "But..." "You can talk?" "Yes." "You can't hear me with your ears, but with your heart." "You have to go without me." "You must go back to our land, our country." "You'll build a house, start a family..." "And when this family grows, your house will become a village." "Understand, angel?" "But..." "Your mama..." "I promised..." "Don't take me back." "Not you?" "Who, then?" "Someone you can love." "Someone with whom you can have a big family." "We're running out of time." "I'll never forget you." "Never, ever!" "You'll always be in my heart, darling." "Forever." "I'll come back in your dreams to visit you." "Cooey!" "I knew you wouldn't go without your giraffe." "You're so stubborn!" "That's the last time you make me run." "That's the last time you raise a hand to him." "Amrok!" "Come on, Maki." "We're going home." "No!" "Forgive me, my son." "Come here!" "You won't escape me!" "Amrok..." "Is that you?" "Go fetch help, boy." "Quick!" "Giant Polar Bear in hibernation Do not disturb" "It took them years to come back to Africa." "And they had many more adventures." "But that's another story." "That's how" "Maki and Soula founded a village that grew and grew, because they had many children." "And their children also had many children, including you all." "Why are you sad, Lumba?" "I'm sad, because Hassan's dead." "My story's not over yet, you know." "Life sometimes gives us pleasant surprises." "What about Zarafa?" "The Botanical Gardens continued to welcome new residents." "And the year an even greater wonder arrived from Egypt," "Zarafa was no longer alone ever again." "And a few months later..." "Now then, children," "I have to leave you now." "Where's he going?" "Mama says he goes every evening to see some old friends." "Traore, hurry up." "Freely inspired by the true story of France's first giraffe"