The Multi-Coloured Jackal



The Multi-Coloured Jackal is an animated short that takes place in India. It is part of the anthology series "Animated Tales of the World."

Summary
Giddy is a jackal cub that likes to wander around. However, his mother tells him that he shouldn't wander around. The reason why she doesn't want him to wander around is because there are sorts of dangerous creatures (including humans) that are dangerous to him. Despite his mother's warning, Giddy continues to wander around by chasing a dragonfly until he realizes that he is lost in the woods. As soon as he starts howling, various animals start hiding, not because he wants to eat them, but to find his parents. While trying to find his parents, above him is a panther who tries to eat him.

Before the panther tries to eat him, two fish started kissing, which distracts its actions and causes him to fall into the water. Giddy suddenly wanders in the village where two dogs chase him. Giddy suddenly jumps in several different coloured pots of paint. He then escapes the market and ends up in the temple's pool where three birds see his colourful appearance. The birds then assume that Giddy is a god from another planet who wants them to be the king of the animals. In the coronation of Giddy, a lion and his footman a monkey suddenly arrives to the part where Giddy is to become the new king. The animals then tell the lion that Giddy is the new king of the animals. The lion then arrives to the part where Giddy is at by giving him his crown. As a result, the animals perform a celebration of Giddy as their new king of the animals, because they think he, unlike the lion, doesn't eat other animals.

The owl then started thinking that Giddy should share the fruit with all the other animals and prevent other animals that eat birds during the celebration. Meanwhile, Giddy's young brother arrives to his parents who lost his son. His young brother says that Giddy is still alive, but he thought a new king arrived from another planet in his colourful appearance where the animals believe in him. Giddy's mother then started thinking that Giddy has disappeared even though she didn't see him in his colourful appearance and his disguise as a king. Meanwhile, the birds carry a net to help store fruit, in which the elephant gives the mango tree one shake causing the fruit to be stored in it.

Suddenly, Giddy's brother suddenly arrives and the birds are worried that there is a jackal during the celebration. To prevent the disruption, the birds then trap the young brother. The owl then suddenly arrives to Giddy that a jackal has invaded the animal village. Giddy then sends his captured brother as his prisoner. He then accuses his brother for spying the kingdom and attempting to eat the animals. Giddy then sends the guards to send his brother to prison (even though he didn't do anything wrong). That night, Giddy's brother is locked in jail consisting of a tree. He then suddenly howls at the moon in which Giddy hears his brother crying for help. However, he tries to keep it a secret so that it isn't the same sound his brother makes. Ooloo, the owl, suddenly arrives to Giddy who tells him to know what to do with his brother who is falsely accused for a spy. Ooloo then makes a suggestion to free him thinking that he is harmless.

The next day, the birds then suggest to bring everyone together. Rain suddenly arrives during the celebration in which the celebration would need to be cancelled because of the rain in which Giddy says that he loves the rain. Suddenly, the animals are gathered around the throne of Giddy who tells him about the report of the rain that helps fill the watering holes that are dried up. Suddenly, the rain washes away all of Giddy's colours in which the animals are shocked that Giddy is an actual jackal and not a god from another planet. Suddenly, the lion is very angry that Giddy lied to the animals and him for being a king from another planet. As a result, the angry animals run after Giddy for lying to them. Giddy suddenly arrives back to his parents in which his mother is worried about faraway lands that are very dangerous.

Voice Cast

 * Sumitra Bhagat - Giddy the Jackal


 * Lyndham Gregory - Ooloo the Owl / Giddy's Father


 * Seema Bowri - Chulli the Sparrow


 * Nina Wadia - The Crane / the Monkey


 * Renu Setna - Brahmin


 * Priya Mayekar - Mama Jackal


 * Akbar Kurtha - Giddy's Young Brother


 * Ninad Kamath - The Lion