"You know Rudolph, who guided and pulled Santa's sleigh
"And who saved Christmas by lighting the way
"But there's more to tell
"Rudolph saved the New Year as well"
And it all began on that very same foggy night.
Santa received a strange message.
What's this?
Why, it's from Father Time.
My old friend.
"Dear Santa, I am in terrible trouble!
"You must help me!
"The old year ends in a week.
"But this time there may not be another year to follow!
"Happy, the Baby New Year, is...
"...missing!"
Why, that's terrible! If the Baby New Year isn't found...
...the old year will just keep going on...
...and on, and it will be December 31 forever!
I'll send out a search party at once! But wait!
Nobody could find their way anywhere in all this dark fog and snow!
Nobody, that is, except...
...Rudolph!
Once more, the happiness of all the world's children depends on you!
You must find the Baby New Year!
And you've less than a week in which to do it!
You mean...
Rudolph, with your nose so bright...
...you've six days left to set things right!
I'll do my best, Santa!
Yes, Happy, the Baby New Year was missing.
And Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was on his way to see me...
...before starting on his journey to find the Baby New Year.
"How do I know?" you ask. "Who am I?"
I'm Father Time.
"What do I do?" you ask. I do what all fathers do.
I take care of things.
The time, mostly.
All the time in the universe.
I keep everything in tip-top, tick-tock shape.
Slowpoke.
But most of all, I make certain that every January 1...
...we have a bright and happy New Year!
That's why I was so upset to find little Happy missing.
But Rudolph...
...well, he just...
Hold on. I'm getting ahead of myself.
Running a little fast, as it were.
Back please, back.
To the night Rudolph set out alone...
...and was soon joined by General Ticker...
...one of my most trustworthy officers. A real clockwork soldier.
Come on, General Ticker. You can make it.
Father Time's castle can't be too far ahead.
You're bold, sir!
I'm cold, sir!
This dashed snow!
I'm pretty cold, too.
Don't weaken!
Your beacon...
...must cast its glow!
Don't worry! I won't weaken!
And finally, with great effort, they reached the edge of a great desert:
The Sands of Time!
A desert! What do we do now?
We cross, sir.
The boss, sir, is still quite far.
Father Time's castle is on the other side of the desert?
Oh, quite, sir! 'Tis right, sir...
...beneath that star!
That's still a long way to go!
Perhaps I might be of some assistance?
Who are you?
A friend.
How do you do? I am the Great Quarter-Past-Five.
Father Time sent me to help you in your journey.
The Great Quarter-Past-Five?
May I call you Quart for short?
I'd rather you didn't, if it's all the same to you.
Hop on, please.
They were halfway across the Sands of Time when suddenly...
What is it?
I'm seein' old Aeon!
We've got to flee!
Run! Run! Run!
All fear Aeon the Terrible!
It was the horrible monster-bird...
...who had terrorized the Sands of Time for countless ages:
Aeon the Terrible!
There's better pickings!
It's not us he's looking for.
Who does he want?
I do fear the New Year!
Do you agree?
I certainly do. He's out looking for Happy, too!
You see, Aeon can only live...
...until he is one aeon old.
Then he will turn into ice and snow.
How long is an aeon?
Immeasurably long.
But his aeon is finally up this December 31.
He has only six days left.
That's why he wants to capture the Baby New Year!
To stop time!
If December 31 goes on forever, so will he!
He'll never change to snow!
He'll never stop scaring people!
Not if we find Happy first! Come on, Great Quarter-Past-Five!
Get us to Father Time's castle, quick!
Well, since we're being quick about things...
...you may call me Quart!
Let's go, Quart!
In no time they arrived at my castle.
The Palace of Happy New Years!
"Have a happy, have a happy
"Have a happy New Year
"As the bell rings out Everyone one will shout
"Happy New Year
"Have a happy, have a happy
"May each day be filled with good cheer
"And with nothing less Than much happiness
"All through the year"
Why, it's true.
That nose of yours is as red as my hair used to be.
They used to call me Old Red Head.
It's a pleasure to serve you, sir.
Rudolph, do you know what really happens every New Year's Eve?
Do you know how we make the change from one year to the next?
No, sir.
All I know is that everyone says, "Happy New Year."
It is a happy occasion, and a solemn one, too.
For the passing of time is awe-inspiring.
It's the one certain thing in all the universe.
In a way it is like an old king stepping down...
...and a new one taking his place.
A Baby New Year starts out every January 1...
“innocent and young as springtime.
"The moving finger writes
"And having writ moves on
"You can't hold back the clock
"It just ticks on and on
"The moving finger writes
"And having writ moves on
"So treasure memories
"For what is gone is gone
"And though you may sweat and strive
"Don't you know it's great
"Just to be alive
"So
"Make every moment count
"Rejoice with every dawn
"The moving finger writes
"And having writ moves on"
And as midnight nears, the old year waits...
...as all the clocks count down his last moments.
Midnight!
And the magic diamond...
...is lowered to signify the end...
...and the beginning!
"Have a happy, happy New Year"
This year, the diamond may not come down.
But what happened to the Baby New Year?
He ran away.
You see, little Happy was anything but happy here.
And I didn't know a thing about it.
Happy was different from all the other little New Years.
You see, he had... rather unusual...
...big ears.
Gaw-blimey! I can't help it! Those bloomin' ears.
Oh, do forgive me, but...
No one meant to be cruel...
...but that night, poor little Happy ran away...
...and we haven't seen hide nor hair of him since!
I wish he would have come to me.
I know just how he felt.
I bet they called him names...
...and wouldn't let him join in any New Year games.
Do you have any idea where he went?
His nurse, Nanny Nine-O'clock, said that he always wanted to see...
...the Archipelago of Last Years.
"Archipelago"? What does that word mean, sir?
It's a group of islands.
The Archipelago of Last Years is the most fantastic archipelago of all.
Far north, in the most northern of all the northern seas...
...hidden from the rest of the world by an everlasting icy fog.
Each island is an old year.
I don't understand, sir.
You see, when the old year's time is done, he retires to the Archipelago...
...and selects an island.
And the island becomes his alone. Time stands still...
...and remains just the same as it was during the year he reigned.
The Archipelago of Last Years.
Happy may be hiding on one of those islands...
...on one of those long-ago years.
I'll search every island if I have to. Where do I find them?
Go to where the Sands of Time meet the Sea of Auld Lang Syne.
There you will find a giant sundial.
A sundial in all this fog?
The arm points through the icy fog to the Archipelago of Last Years.
Point your gleaming nose in that direction.
Rudolph, do not veer from your course...
...and you will find yourself going back, back, into time.
"Turn back the years
"Live the simple life once again
"Live the days of 'remember when'
"Turn back the years
"Walk along any sunny lane
"Walking's better than any plane
"Turn back the years
"Just remember the good times that you knew
"Don't remember the bad times you've been through
"Life disappears
"Sooner than you would think it would
"Fool yourself, everybody should
"Turn back the years
"Turn back the years"
Oh, no! It's Aeon!
Aeon the Terrible!
He was determined that Rudolph would not find Happy.
He intended to do everything in his power...
...to stop the little red-nosed reindeer!
It looked pretty bad for Rudolph.
He was on his way through the icy fog to the Archipelago of Last Years...
...searching for Happy, the Baby New Year...
...when Aeon the Terrible swooped down out of the sky.
Got to go faster!
Aeon was just about to swoop down, when...
Oh, my gosh!
Now, Rudy, don't you fret any about that overgrown chicken.
Who are you?
Folks call me Big Ben.
Look what can I do.
Climb inside. It's safe in there.
What did you say?
I asked if you were comfortable. Kind of hard to talk with your mouth full.
Oh sure, Big Ben. But maybe I'd better ride on top.
Okay, suit yourself!
I won't let you find Happy...
...before I do!
You are a bad birdie.
Yes, even Aeon the Terrible was no match for Big Ben!
By the next morning, Big Ben had taken Rudolph...
...to just about the oldest island in the whole Archipelago of Last Years.
It was the island where old One Million BC had gone to retire.
While Big Ben waited for him in the harbor...
...the little reindeer went ashore to find old One Million himself.
Anybody home?
But certainly! Always there's anybody! No? Yes?
Hi! You must be...
Who? Me? O.M.!
O.M.?
Short for One Million.
Too much work, all the time saying "One Million." Yes? No? Yes!
I suppose so.
Why for the edges on your mouth go down, not up?
I'm looking for Happy, the Baby New Year.
What if I don't find him in time?
Don't? Stop with the "don't" thoughts! Start with the "do" thoughts!
"When things go wrong and dark clouds fill your sky
"Let the dark clouds burst
"Laugh and you'll find if you cry
"it's raining sunshine
"And it's music to the ears
"it's raining sunshine
"When you smile away your tears
"it's raining sunshine
"And a rainbow soon appears
"it's raining sunshine
"When you smile away your tears
"it's raining sunshine
"it's raining sunshine"
Sounds wonderful, O.M.
I'll take your advice, and I know I'll find Happy!
Who's happy?
Everybody's happy!
O.M., please!
Happy is the new Baby New Year!
He's missing! I thought he might have come here.
A little baby? Oh, yeah. Yeah! Yeah!
He's here?
No.
But he was!
O.M. told Rudolph that little Happy did visit the island.
He made lots of friends, too. Why, once...
...he saved a baby Pterodactyl's life.
But unfortunately...
Heartbroken...
...and misunderstanding the laughter of his new friends...
...little Happy made himself a boat out of a giant conch shell...
...and sailed off, running away once more.
And that is the last time I have ever seen him.
But look, let's both look!
He has positively got to be on one of these islands, maybe.
Yes?
Okay, come on!
Big Ben is waiting!
At first, they had no luck at all. For two days they searched...
1893 never heard of him!
1492 was too busy discovering things to even talk to us.
1965 was too noisy.
And all 4000 BC could think about was building pyramids!
Lots more islands! Lots more! Lots more!
But it's only three days until December 31.
Time's running short.
Maybe that island up there will know something.
Certainly looks impressive!
It was the island belonging to old 1023.
Just about the most fantastic island in the whole Archipelago!
Full of castles and princesses and knights in shining armor.
And as soon as they landed they met the proprietor of the island...
...old Sir 1023 himself.
Thou look'st for the wee babe, Happy?
Is he here, Sir 1023?
Aye?
Where?
I've not the slightest notion in me noggin!
But come'st thou with me! Come'st. We searcheth!
"Come'st thou with me! We searcheth!" Clank! Clank! Clank!
And so they began to search the island, asking everybody about Happy...
...and all the people they met.
You see 1023 was the year when all those fairy tales we know...
...actually took place!
"What a wonderful world we live in
"When we live in the world of make believe
"Fairy tales can come true
"If you just wish them to
"And there's nothing you can't achieve
"What a wonderful world we live in
"Just recall Cinderella and her shoe
"You can live like a king
"You can be anything
"As long as you believe it's true
"And what a wonderful world...
"...if you do"
No, I'm sorry. I haven't seen Happy.
Have you, my dear?
I saw him! Made me laugh so hard I fell off the wall!
- But where is he? - Dunno.
When all the king's horses and all the king's men started to laugh...
...he ran off.
Nope! Ain't seen him!
- Not hide nor hair! - No baby around here!
Sorry!
Better look someplace else!
All seven say no!
Aye! I saw him!
But he ran away from me!
No baby ever wants to stay with me!
So neareth and yet so fareth!
Little did they know, but Baby Happy was nearer than anyone suspected.
Happy looked clown and saw just about the friendliest little house that ever was.
Nobody was home inside, but everything was as neat as a pin.
He was very hungry. And there on the table he spied...
...three bowls of porridge.
The first was too hot!
The second too cold!
The third was just right!
So he decided to sit down and enjoy breakfast.
But the first chair was too hard.
The second too soft.
But the third was just right.
He broke it! Whoever owns this house is not going to like that!
But Happy was too tired to care about anything...
...and so he went upstairs, where he was sure there were some beds.
But meanwhile, the owners of the cottage were coming home!
Yes, little Happy, the New Year, had gone to sleep...
...in the cottage of a family of bears. Three bears.
There was the Papa Bear, the Momma Bear, and the Baby Bear.
Someone's been sitting in my chair!
Someone's been sitting in my chair. And it got broke!
Somebody broke my chair!
Someone's been tasting my porridge!
Someone ate mine all up!
Someone's been sleeping in our beds!
In mine too!
And there he is!
Well, what do you know?
He's sweet.
He'd make a nice friend!
You want to be my little friend?
We could play make up games! All kinds.
Knights and Dragons. You can be the knight!
And Crusaders! That's a great game!
Okay, friend?
Happy had found a true friend at last.
I guess that's the most important thing in the world, isn't it?
Making friends, I mean.
Another mouth to feed?
Junior needs a friend.
Well, I don't imagine he eats much.
At least he likes porridge!
Now, I must be the dragon.
Now, you slay me.
Go ahead. Hit me, not too hard, but you hit me.
Go ahead, it's only a game, you know.
Oh, you got me! I'm all slayed!
Now you must doff your helmet in triumph!
You know, take off your hat.
But you've got to! That's the way the game goes!
Goodness, you got to play the game right.
Fine friend you are!
Well, Happy didn't want to lose his friend. And he realized that...
...when you play a game, you have to follow the rules.
So...
Goodness, look at that!
Boy, I've never seen nothing like that before!
It was just like always. Those bears didn't mean to be cruel...
...but they just couldn't stop laughing at those ears.
Hey! Where you going? Come back!
Come back! You're my friend!
It's dangerous in those woods all alone!
Happy! Where are you?
Come on, Happy, don't hide!
Happy!
Happy, where are you?
Happy, don't hide!
We're here to help you!
He's got to be somewhere.
Look ye! Up yonder!
Aeon says not to worry!
I'll be your friend!
You'll like living with me!
Oh, no!
Come on! We can't let them out of our sight!
I hope Big Ben can swim fast!
Good old Big Ben. He could swim almost as fast as Aeon could fly.
Almost.
They're getting away from us!
Ben! Do something!
You bet your boots I will!
Watch out now! Watch your heads!
He fell off!
But suddenly, a vagrant wind blew him out of sight.
He's lost again!
And we only have two days left!
That old wind held the Baby New Year aloft for more than a day.
But than, just as suddenly as it blew up...
...it blew away again.
And Happy came down on still another island.
The one belonging to...
Well, hello there, little fellow. I'm 1776!
But my friends call me Sev.
Would you be my friend?
Don't know who you are or where you come from...
...but you're welcome to join our big Fourth of July celebration.
I know you think it's December 30, but not on this island.
No, sirree!
On this island, every day is the Fourth of July.
Come on! You're just in time for the big parade!
"There's a happy celebration In each town across the nation
"At the Fourth of July Parade
"All the grownups and the kiddies
"In the towns and in the cities
"Love the Fourth of July Parade
"With the drums a-ra-ta tapping
"And the firecrackers snapping
"Proudly flags are all displayed
"Oh, it's grand just to be Inside a land that is free
"And see the Fourth of July Parade
"Join the crowds on Independence Day
"The birthday of the USA and take a picnic on your way
"Soon you'll hear the bands as they begin to play
"To one and all, a very happy holiday
"With the drum a-ra-ta tapping And the firecrackers snapping
"Proudly flags are all displayed
"Oh, it's grand just to be Inside a land that is free
"And see the Fourth of July Parade"
Hey, little fella. Your hat! Got to show respect for the flag.
The parade's over on that next block!
Gadzooks! I'm certain it was Happy we saw.
Those ears!
Oh, no!
We're too late!
It happened again!
I feel terrible. We didn't mean to be cruel.
Those ears! Those ears!
But, you can count on me to help you look for him.
Methinks that sounds like...
Methinks, too! Sounds like! Looks like! Smells like! It is...
There, there. I'll take you home with me.
With me!
Aeon's tricked him again!
Poor little Happy thinks Aeon is the only friend he has in the world!
We must pursue them!
Yes, we must after them to the ends of the Earth!
Here, victory's ours! For each dawn we die!
We must after them!
But how? It's night? We can't see a thing!
That's where I come in!
Come on, men! We've got one day till New Years!
This is our last chance!
And so Aeon the Terrible flew off with Happy, the Baby New Year...
...taking him back to his dismal home on the Island of No Name.
It was a terrible place...
...more like a haunted iceberg than an island...
...far from the Archipelago of Last Years...
...due north of the North Po! E, where the sun never shines.
You'll never be found here, and I will live forever.
But Rudolph and his friends hadn't ended the search.
No sir, not by a long shot.
Big Ben knew the way to the Island of No Name...
...and Rudolph's red nose lit up that foggy, rainy night...
...like a magic beacon in an ocean of gloom and despair.
We will rescue him in time? Yes? No?
No!
It looks bad for Happy.
'Tis...
...hopeless!
Come on! Nothing is ever hopeless.
We'll find Happy.
But how can you be so sure?
I got you this far, didn't I?
"Have a little faith in me
"And day by day
"I'll make your dreams all come true
"Have a little faith in me
"And as they say
"Faith can move mountains for you
"I'll lend a helping hand
"When things go wrong
"And by your side I'll stand
"As I help along
"Have a little faith in me
"That's all I ask
"I'll keep the faith faithfully"
Look! It really is...
...raining sunshine.
Well, by George! Look up yonder!
Look what Rudolph's nose lit the way to!
The Island of No Name.
Now, Rudy...
...so as old Aeon don't see us coming, you'd better douse your nose!
But keep that hope burning bright inside!
Okay, Big Ben.
What's that for?
Look at my clock.
11:30.
New Years Eve.
Zounds, gadzooks, and odd bodkins.
We have but one half-hour!
We've got to be quick, then!
Come on, men! Let's get Happy!
Inch by inch, they made their way up the tower of ice and snow...
...toward Aeon's nest. But suddenly...
You!
And the awful sound he made caused an avalanche...
...which tumbled down onto Rudolph and the others...
...turning them into helpless snowballs.
They're all buried alive!
Your last hope is gone!
And you'll live here with me as my slave!
And all time will stop!
And I will never turn into ice and snow!
Safe at last!
Aeon was so comforted by his success that he snuggled down...
...into his nest and drifted off into a contented sleep...
...certain that Happy was his forever.
And, indeed it did look as if everything was over for Rudolph...
...and his friends. But, no!
Wait a moment. It's Rudolph!
He's trying to melt the snow with his nose!
Come on, Rudolph! You can do it! Make that nose really glow!
Make it really shine!
Now, to find Happy!
Hi.
My name is Rudolph.
Wait a minute. Don't be afraid. I want to be your friend.
You think you can't have any friends?
Why not?
Come on. You can tell me.
Is it because of your ears?
Heck, they couldn't be that bad.
Do you want to see something?
Look.
Go ahead. Laugh right out.
Doesn't bother me any more.
But when I was little, it sure gave me one heck of a time.
You mean, you never heard about me?
Well, Rudolph was too modest to tell his own story.
And so all the trees on the old mountain, and the snowflakes...
...why, they just helped him out.
"You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen
"Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen
"But do you recall
"The most famous reindeer of all
"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
"Had a very shiny nose
"And if you ever saw it
"You would even say it glowed
"All of the other reindeer
"Used to laugh and call him names
"They never let poor Rudolph
"Join in any reindeer games
"Then one foggy Christmas Eve
"Santa came to say:
“Rudolph with your nose so bright
“Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?'
"Then how the reindeer loved him
"As they shouted out with glee
"Rudolph the red nosed reindeer
"You'll go down in history"
You see, I stuck it out, and when I grew older I found that...
...this nose was the most wonderful thing in the whole world.
Because it was a different nose from everybody else's.
And it was all mine. It was really me!
You know, with those ears...
...why, you're going to be the happiest New Year ever!
Come on, Happy. Let's see those old ears of yours.
Come on! We're friends, aren't we?
Now, don't get upset because I laughed.
I couldn't help myself.
Those ears made me feel so wonderful that all the happiness inside me...
...just had to pop out.
Same way with everybody else.
Those ears of yours...
...why, they make folks happy!
Happy!
You!
I have an idea, Happy! Take off your hat, quick!
Take it off for good!
Those ears.
Those ears!
It was the first time that monstrosity ever laughed in his life.
He laughed so hard that he laughed himself right out of his nest.
He laughed himself right down the side of that mountain.
And then he laughed O.M., 1023 and Sev...
...free from their snowballs!
To put it bluntly, he laughed himself silly!
Old Aeon won't give us any trouble now. He's cured for good.
Nobody can turn to snow and ice when he's all warmed up inside with laughing.
True!
That's true!
Midnight!
Even though we found Happy, we're too late!
Don't give up hope! There must be some way to get back...
...to Father Time's castle before the twelfth bong!
There sure is, Rudolph!
It's Santa Claus!
If I can travel all over the world in one night...
...I ought to be able to get you to Father Time in a few bongs!
They traveled faster than joy itself, over the Sands of Time...
...right up to the gates of my castle!
And we lost no time getting Happy inside.
We just made it! Without a bong to spare!
And outside...
...the New Year...
... "Nineteen Wonderful" had arrived!
"Have a happy, have a happy
"Have a happy New Year
"As the bells ring out Everyone will shout
"Happy New Year
"Have a happy, have a happy
"May each day be filled with good cheer
"And with nothing less Than much happiness
"All through the year
"Should auld acquaintance be forgot
"In the days of auld lang syne
"Then take a cup of kindness
"And you will always feel just fine
"Have a happy, have a happy
"Never have a worry or fear
"Here's my wish for you Hope my wish comes true
"Happy New Year
"Have a Happy
"Happy New Year"
Happy New Year!
And may it be shiny, too!