Forgotten Television: The Elm-Chanted Forest

Okay. There are certain films that have made some very important contributions to animation history.

“The Elm-Chanted Forest” is such a film.

Imagine a vast forest ruled over by various fairy courts, whose kings/queens are responsible for specific aspects of the nature in their environment. For instance, there is King Nepton (who controls the lakes or rivers), Firebug (who controls fire), and Emperor Spine (ruler over the deserts), among others. But all these courts have to show great reverence for a magical elm tree towards the center of the woods, from whom it is likely their powers originated—and which is also something of a sovereign over the other courts.

Everything is peaceful until one day the desert king Emperor Spine hears a prophecy that the Sacred Elm (what they call the tree) will soon select a human being destined to “cut short the cactus reign,” and feeling threatened, he becomes an enemy towards the forest and his fellow kings. 

So seals the beginnings of a forest-wide war, and one involving magic paintbrushes, wizards, dancing mushrooms, etc.

Story Outline

The human being spoken of in the prophecy comes to Fantasy Forest, a painter who seems to be there seeking inspiration for his artwork. After sleeping under the Sacred Elm, Peter Palette becomes “elm-chanted” and can not only speak to all the creatures in the forest, but also do magic with his paintbrush. The first animal and friend he makes is J. Edgar Beaver, the last of his kind (the others having been destroyed or chased away by Emperor Spine), who helps him build a house in which to stay and do his work.

There the forest animals vie for him to paint their portraits, though the only ones you know he does this for are the French fox Fifi (who can cut to the head of any line with ease from her looks alone, apparently) and three shy hedgehog brothers.

Meanwhile, Emperor Spine learns of the arrival and decides to send a message to Peter inviting him to his palace—with the intention of executing him if he keeps his “appointment.”

Peter ignores Emperor Spine’s message and goes to have a meal with the hedgehog brothers instead.

Angered by Peter’s absence, Emperor Spine sends his nervous court magician Thistle to bring in the painter—and this his faithful servant tries to do with the help of a bear named Bud E. Bear who Thistle befriends in the forest. However, Bud E. Bear almost drops the pursuit two minutes later when Edgar Beaver (the manager at the local forest pub) declares if he touches the painter “there will be no more light-bear on the house.”

When Thistle pleads with Bud E. to renew the chase, the bear breaks into a song cue about how friends can make you feel happy.

This said, the bear actually does go with Thistle to find Peter afterwards, and even starts to charge—but when he trips and crashes feet away, Bud E. becomes quick friends with the painter and Thistle has to wander off in frustration.

There are several attempts made by Emperor Spine to have the other kings send their forces to destroy the forest in his search for the painter, which he succeeds in by tricking them with insults. Each time, Peter Palette manages to save the day using his magic paintbrush.

After the second or third case of destruction, Peter begins to ask questions about Emperor Spine, of whom he comments to his friends: “There must be something making him so angry.”

Around this time the magic in his paintbrush begins to fade, and the wind sprite and soothsayer Baron Von Burr tells Peter he must fulfill “his destiny” by the following dawn because his elm-chantment only lasts for a short period. The sprite advises Peter to find Thistle because his magician’s powers could help against Emperor Spine’s assaults on the forest.

Peter finds Thistle in the pub with Bud E. Bear and Fifi, having given up trying to catch Peter himself and unable to go back to the palace because Emperor Spine would execute him for his failure. After hearing the exact words of the prophecy from the wizard:

“No man may rule of castle taint,

until the forest runs with paint,

but when it comes,

that dreaded hour,

the hopes of Cactus King will flower.”

Peter Palette comes to the revelation the Cactus King must be bitter because he never fulfilled his nature by “sprouting flowers” as some cactuses do—getting this from the last line of Burr’s prophecy. Certain he has found the real cause behind Emperor Spine’s rampage, Peter asks Thistle how they can accomplish this, and the wizard says it would be possible to him make a potion for the king using herbs from across the forest.

All the animals pitch in to help, but when the potion is nearly done Emperor Spine sends his guards and captures Thistle—and Peter falls down a hole into the realm of the Mushroom King (who doesn’t care one way or the other about the situation happening high over his head and wants Peter to become his newest mushroom servant). 

At the castle, Thistle tells Emperor Spine how Peter and the animals are actually trying to help him—yet the cactus king refuses to listen and says he has had a machine made to tear through the forest first thing in the morning, before having Thistle thrown into the dungeon to await his execution.

Edgar Beaver and Bud E. Bear receive a cryptic warning from Baron Von Burr about their captured friends, and they run off immediately to rescue them.

While Edgar Beaver saves poor Thistle from being "axexcuted," Bud E. Bear rescues Peter from turning into a mushroom. Soon, both are safe and Thistle finishes the potion.

The group invades Emperor Spine’s castle, easily getting past the not-so-clever guards and creeping up to the cactus king’s bedside (he sleeps on his throne). Peter Palette pours the concoction down Spine’s throat, and the nasty thorn turns into a pink king covered in flowers and filled with happiness.

Emperor Spine comes out of his castle and declares peace to all the animals.

His apology is readily accepted and everyone starts celebrating. Even Edgar happens upon a female beaver—who is probably his wife (judging by her appearance alongside what could be their children during Baron Von Burr’s explanation of the Cactus king’s prejudice against beavers).

Peter Palette leaves, promising to tell the children in his village the forest animals are their friends.

Production and Historical Notes:

The ideas behind “The Elm-Chanted Forest” came from a Yugoslavian/Croatian fairy tale by Suncana Skrinjaric, whose title in Croatian reportedly meant “A Riot in the Forest.” Celebrity Home Entertainment’s Just-For-Kids label released this film in America in 1989.

As with all English dubs, there are probably several differences in dialogue or content. This is to say there is a good chance the original Croatian version did not have too many puns, but the voice actors we get in the English dub do perform their parts well and convincingly.

“The Elm-Chanted Forest” made a valuable contribution to animation history, by being the first full-length animated feature to come from Yugoslavia (now Croatia) in 1986. So you have to keep in mind the producers behind this film were testing their abilities, and using the project as a launching point for others they could improve upon—it is similar to how Disney used his “Merrie Melodies” series to stretch his own creative skills.

The general reception for “The Elm-Chanted Forest” was great enough in Yugoslavia to inspire a sequel entitled: “The Magician’s Hat”—focused around Thistle and his quest to save the forest from an ice king (I am not entirely sure of the plot). Familiar faces from the first film, such as Bud E. Bear and Fifi Fox appeared—except for the transformed Cactus King. The second movie never made it to the United States, but the full length Croatian version (no subtitles) has been posted on-line (Youtube).

There are foreign cartoons deserving of the spotlight for their place in animation history, and “The Elm-Chanted Forest” warrants a lasting place near the top.