The King And The Mokingbird

The kingdom of Takicardie quakes under the rule of the tyrannical King whose favourite pastime is shooting birds. The king desires a young shepherdess and intends to marry her but alas she is already in love with a charming chimneysweep. With the help of a mockingbird they elope from the king’s palace. Enraged, the king sends his police to capture them and once they are within his power he forces the shepherdess to marry him. The mockingbird must use all his guile and courage to once more thwart the king and bring his evil reign to an end.

A triumph of animation for both children and adults, this engaging story was adapted from the fairy tale of The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep by Hans Christian Andersen. Director Paul Grimault worked with the gifted Jacques Prevert (les Enfants du Paradis) to create the wit, humor, and political nuances that enliven the story each step of the way. The quality of the animation and wealth of imagination in the script makes it an enduring work of art. In simplest terms, Le Roi et le oiseau is a timeless classic