Lambert le lion bêlant

I remember watching 'Lambert the Sheepish Lion' on the Disney channel years and years ago. It was my favourite Disney short. In summary, Lambert is a lion cub who is mistakenly given to a sheep. Lambert is ridiculed by the other sheep until there is trouble and he must save the sheep from danger. By doing this, he gains his courage. The theme tune to this little short is very catchy, and it's just a feel-good story with the ironic little twist and the feeling of success that Lambert has become a hero now instead of being bullied. Out of all these years, I have never forgotten this little short, and I can vaguely remember the tune.

When the stork delivers a crop of lambs, one of the ewes is left out. But there is a lion cub who is named Lambert. He was apparently mismarked. So he is inadvertently given to the mother. She decide to keep him and chases the stork away. Of course, the lion cub is rejected by the others, not recognizing his being for what it is. The conclusion is predictable. Still, it is well worth seeing and the song is very memorable.

One of the award-winning shorts produced by Disney in the studio's heyday, this charming cartoon is the tale of a lion who is accidentally placed by the stork (shades of Mr Stork from 'Dumbo' here) with a flock of sheep along with the new lambs. He grows up to be a figure of fun for his sheep cousins who tease him for being unable to baa like them and for not being either a lamb or a lion.

Of course, Lambert saves the day by being a real lion when he has to be and becomes the hero of his flock. The baby Lambert is a little cute thing who grows up to be a slightly dumb looking lion, always hiding behind his 'mother'. The piece is narrated by Sterling Holloway, who had the perfect voice for this kind of thing, and has a catchy little title tune which recurs throughout.

I loved this when I was a kid, and as you have already guessed, I adore Disney and all the Silly Symphonies and shorts they did. Lambert the Sheepish Lion is narrated excellently by Sterling Holloway who also narrated the 1946 classic Peter and the Wolf. The short features an amusing title song, has beautiful animation and tells an Ugly Duckling-like story of a lion who can't fit in with his sheep family, as they tease him for being different. The short also has a wolf, who is very similarly designed to the wolf in Peter and the Wolf, and while not as terrifying, has a roar that made my hair stand up. Thank goodness Lambert saves the day and finally gets accepted. Overall, a wonderful jewel, that deserves a 10/10. Bethany Cox.

The stork from Dumbo delivers a flock of baby lambs to some sheep on a quiet grass plain (as this is how you explain procreation to children), only a lion cub has gotten mixed in with the rest of them. The cub immediately cuddles up to a lonely ewe and grows up believing that it is a sheep, but finally becoming a lion when the flock is threatened by wolf.

As most of the short is set at night there is a lot of nice, dark animation and background which are quite atmospheric, especially with the glowing full moon beaming down. This short was edited together with The Old Mill (1937) to create a Blueberry Hill music video for the Disney Channel back in the 90s, which is where I was first introduced to it.

Definitely one of my fave Disney toons.