The Ballad Of Little Joe is the twentieth episode in the VeggieTales series. It was released on August 5, 2003. Its lesson is facing hardships.
Plot
Opening Countertop
Bob and Larry break into an argument trying to solve the letter of the week's question when Larry reminds Bob that the next show could be a western since he had just returned from Cowboy Camp. This causes a screen to be out up displayed "technical difficulties" as Bob and Larry duke it out eventually deciding on telling a "Western Bible Story".
Act 1
The story is set in Ponderosa where all of the sons of Jacob are peas except for Little Joe (Larry the Cucumber) and Benjamin (Junior Asparagus). The peas are having trouble because every time that they count their sheep they fall asleep. Little Joe suggests that they put them in groups and then count them like that.
They are called into the house for Little Joe's birthday cake (prepared by Mr. Lunt) and Little Joe is given a cowhide vest of many colors that says "OK" on the back. The brothers are jealous because all they get for their birthdays are mittens (another "we don't have hands" gag). For Little Joe's birthday wish he tells them about a dream of cactuses bowing down to him.
The peas don't like this, so the next day they trick him into falling into an abandoned mineshaft until some Desperadoes come. Little Joe utters the famous line about the Desperadoes coming to their senses. They then switch to a Bonanza style map showing where they traveled eventually having it burn up.
Little Joe finds himself in Dodgeball City (better move fast or yer out), working in Mr. McPotiphar's restaurant. He sales root beer and pizza and has organized and stabilized the place enough to become employee of the month. This upsets Miss Kitty (Madame Blueberry), the singer, who tries to get Little Joe to take some money and leave (a play on Potiphar's wife tempting Joseph to lie with her). When he refuses, Miss Kitty stuffs the money in Little Joe's costume and then calls Sheriff Bob in calling Little Joe a thief. Little Joe is jailed.
Silly Songs With Larry
This silly song starts off with Larry, Jimmy Gourd, Junior, and Mr. Lunt saying that this is a time to be serious and that they want to broaden their scope artistically. They call themselves Boyz in the Sink, and they sing a boy band type song about missing a belly button. This song includes a lot of shots that look like a music video and has a rap section by Khalil. The best line comes from Khalil saying that Mr. Lunt could have a prosthetic, but it would be covered by his shirt, not his HMO.
Act 2
Little Joe shows that he can organize once again by turning the prison into a quilt production machine. He interprets the dreams of the Baker (Jimmy Gourd) and the Blacksmith (Jerry Gourd) (the Wine Taster and the Baker in the real story). He gives them the answers to their dreams - the Baker will go back to his job, the Blacksmith would be going up the river.
The next day, his prophecy comes true, and then later, the Baker remembers Little Joe and tells the Mayor (Mr. Nezzar) that Little Joe can interpret dreams. Little Joe is called up, and gives the interpretation that there will be seven years of good followed by seven years of famine. They Mayor asks Archibald Asparagus how his sock drawer is organized, and then appoints Little Joe in charge.
They store up Mr. Twisty's Cheese Curls and pizza in a silo, then the wind blows in. Shortly thereafter, Little Joe's brothers show up looking for food. Little Joe has Sheriff Bob put money like pepperoni on a pizza given to Benjamin. Benjamin is put in jail and all the peas go in there as well.
Little Joe takes his mustache and hat off, revealing himself to his brothers, who bow down to him. Just then Pa shows up with the moose head and mittens.
There's this running gag going on outside of town with dodgeballs, robbers and an old man outside of town, which is not quite sure what's going on!
Closing Countertop
At the conclusion we see some more of what Larry did at cowboy camp and get the lesson. We then learn that Larry is off to Danish Immersion Camp and then they say goodbye.
Cast of Characters
- Larry The Cucumber as Little Joe
- Jean-Claude Pea as Jude
- Jerry Gourd as The Blacksmith
- Bob the Tomato as Sheriff Bob
- Philippe Pea as Reuben
- Pa Grape as Little Joe's father
- Jimmy Gourd Baker
- Mr. Lunt as a servant
- Mr. Nezzer as The Mayor
- Archibald Asparagus as the bailiff
- Scallion 1 as Slave Master
- Junior Asparagus as Benjamin
- Madame Blueberry (character) as Miss Kitty
- Scooter as McPotipher
- Cowboy Carrots with Green Cowboy Hat and Beau Blue Cowboy Bandana as Themselves
- Cockney Women with Dark Green Victorian Bonnet Hat and Dark Green Victorian Dress as Citizens of Dodgeball City
- Cowboy Carrots with Green Cowboy Hat and Teal Blue Cowboy Bandana as Themselves
- Cockney Women with Blue-Gray Victorian Bonnet Hat and Blue-Gray Victorian Dress as Citizens of Dodgeball City
- Reuben as Himself
- Cowboy Carrots with Light Blue Cowboy Hat and Light Green Cowboy Bandana as Themselves
- Simeon as Himself
- Levi as Himself
- Izzy as Himself
- Cowboy Carrots with Gray Cowboy Hat and Gray Cowboy Bandana as Themselves
- Zeb as Himself
- Cowboy Carrots with Gray Cowboy Hat and Light Green Cowboy Banana as Themselves
- Gad as Himself
- Ash as Himself
- Dan as Himself
- Natty as Himself
- Jude as Himself
- Cowboy Carrots as Themselves
- Cockney Women as Citizens of Dodgeball City
- Pizza as Themselves
- Drinks as Themselves
- Root Beer as Themselves
- Slushies as Themselves
- Checkers as Themselves
- Mr. Twisty Cheese Curls as Themselves
- Coins as Themselves
- Pancakes as Themselves
- Cake as Themselves
- Ice Cream
- Milk
- Apples
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Little Joe's Brothers as Themselves
- Cowboy Peas as Themselves
Segments
- Countertop Intro
- The Ballad Of Little Joe (Part I)
- Silly Songs With Larry: The Bellybutton Song
- The Ballad Of Little Joe (Part II)
- QWERTY Closer
Songs
In addition to the ubiquitous "VeggieTales Theme" and "What We Have Learned," this episode contains the following songs:
- Happy Ki-Yi Birthday, sung by The French Peas and Mr. Lunt
- Dream of a Dozen Cactus, sung by Little Joe
- Oh Little Joe I, sung by McPotipher and patrons of the Rootin' Tootin' Pizza Place
- I'm Blue, sung by Miss Kitty
- Oh Little Joe II, sung by Little Joe, The Sheriff, The Baker, and The Blacksmith
- Mayor's Dream, sung by The Mayor
- The Bellybutton Song, sung by Boyz in the Sink
Trivia
- One of the wanted posters in the jail has Phil Vischer on it.
- This is a parody of Joseph and his Brothers and also Dreamworks' Joseph: King of Dreams.
- The character parody of Asenath does not appear.
- The VeggieTales video Moe And The Big Exit is the sequel to this episode.