[First lines; young princess Merida plays hide-and-seek with her mother]
Elinor: Where are you? Come out! Come out! Come on out! I’m coming to get you! [young Merida laughs as she hides under the table] Where are you, you little rascal? I’m coming to get you! [Elinor looks under the table but Merida quickly moves to hide somewhere else] Hmm. Where is my little Birthday girl, hm? I’m going to gobble her up when I find her! [Merida comes up behind Elinor and goes to run away but Elinor catches her] I’m going to eat you! [she pretends to eat Merida and they both laugh] [as Elinor and young Merida play, Fergus places his bow on the table] Ach! Fergus, no weapons on the table!
[Merida runs towards the table]
Young Merida: Can I shoot an arrow? [she picks up the large bow from the table] Can I? Can I? Can I? Can I? Please, can I? [she falls on her butt and laughs as the bow is too big for her]
Fergus: [chuckles] Not with that. Why not use your very own? [he presents her with a small bow] [as Fergus teaches young Merida how to shoot with her bow, Merida misses the target] Now, there’s a good girl. Listen. Draw all the way back now to your cheek. That’s right, keep both eyes open, and…boost. [Merida shoots and misses the target again]
Young Merida: I missed it.
Elinor: Go and fetch it, then. [As Merida runs off to fetch the bow, Elinor turns to Fergus] A bow, Fergus? She’s a lady!
[Fergus playfully pinches Elinor’s butt, making her yelp and he laughs. As Merida seeks her missed arrow in the forest and finds it, something feels strange she turns and sees a floating blue light]
Young Merida: A Will O’ the Wisp. [Merida runs towards it and tries to catch the wisp but it flies away] They are real. [Merida then sees a line of wisps and goes after them excitedly, Elinor calls out to her]
Elinor: Merida! Come on, sweetheart, we’re leaving now… [Merida runs back towards her parents]
Young Merida: I saw a wisp! I saw a wisp!
Elinor: A wisp? You know, some say that Will O’ the Wisps lead you to your fate.
Fergus: Oh, aye! Or an arrow! Come on, let’s be off. Before we see a dancing charging bubu or a giant… [Fergus walks off and Elinor picks up Merida]
Elinor: Your father doesn’t believe in magic.
Young Merida: Well he should, cause it’s true.
[Suddenly, a huge black bear comes behind Elinor and Merida, making Merida scream with terror. Fergus hears her screaming and turns around.]
Fergus: Mor’du! Elinor, run! [Elinor and Merida run off, one of Fergus’ men passes a spear to him, Fergus charges towards Mor’du but he snaps off Fergus’ spear. While Elinor and Merida escape on horseback, Fergus holds up his sword at Mor’du and shouts] Come on, you!
[Mor’du roars and lunges forward and the screen goes blank]
Merida: [voice over] Some say our destiny is tied to the land, as much a part of us as we are of it. Others say fate is woven together like a cloth, so that one’s destiny intertwines with many others. It’s the one thing we search for, or fight to change. Some never find it. But there are some who are led. The story of how my father lost his leg to the demon bear, Mor’du, became legend. I became a sister to three new brothers, the princes. Hamish, Hubert and Harris. Wee devils more like. They get away with murder! I can never get away with anything! [we see Merida, now a teenager talking about her life, as the doors to the palace open we see Merida biting into an apple and Elinor looking disappointed] I’m the princess. I’m the example. [Merida quickly discards the apple and wipes her mouth with the back of her hand and starts walking towards her parents] I’ve got duties, responsibilities, expectations. My whole life is planned out, until the day I become, well, my mother. She’s in charge of every single day of my life.
[We see Merida reciting a traditional English song in a monotone voice and looking bored]
Merida: A Robyn, jolly Robyn, and thou shalt knowe of myn.
Elinor: Project! [Merida projects her voice louder]
Merida: And thou shalt knowe of myn…
Elinor: Pronounciate! You must be understood from anywhere in the room, or it’s all for naught. [Merida mutters to herself]
Merida: This is all for naught.
Elinor: I heard that! From the top. [We see Elinor teaching Merida geography] A princess must be knowledgeable about her kingdom. [she takes away the paper that Merida is writing on and holds it up] She doesn’t make doodle! [we see Elinor teaching Merida how to play the lyre which sounds out of tune] That’s a C, dear. [then we see Merida holding a bird with Fergus standing beside her, as Merida tries to feed the bird it flies off and attacks Fergus, Merida starts laughing as Fergus tries to fend off the bird] A princess does not chortle! [then we see Merida trying to stuff a big bite of chicken in her mouth at the dinner table] Doesn’t stuff her gob! [then we see Elinor opening the curtains in Merida’s room to wake Merida] Rises early… [then in the kitchen] Is compassionate… [then at the King’s throne] Patient! [at the dining hall] Cautious! [in Merida’s room] Clean! [then we see Elinor with Fergus walking passed Merida] And above all, a princess strives for… Well, perfection!
[we see Merida waking up, getting dressed, taking her bow and arrows, running downstairs to her horse, Angus, and riding off]
Merida: [voice over] But every once in a while, there’s a day when I don’t have to be a princess. No lessons, no expectations. A day where anything can happen. A day when I can change my fate. [we see Merida as she riding into the forest, shooting her arrows at different targets, then sitting near the cliff’s edge and carves on her bow, then see climbs a rock and when she reaches the top she drinks from the waterfall nearby and the screams and jumps up and down in excitement] [as Merida finally returns to the castle, she jumps off Angus] I’m starving. You’re hungry too, I guess. [Merida pats Angus and he strikes her with his tail] Poof! Oats it is, then. [then Merida enters the kitchen and is greeted by the kitchen staff, Merida then sneakes some food from the table and enters the dining hall, she goes and hears her father reciting his tale of his fight with Mor’du]
Fergus: From nowhere, the biggest bear you’ve ever seen! Its hide littered with the weapons of fallen warriors. Its face scarred with one dead eye. I threw my sword and…
Merida: WHOOSH! One swipe, his sword shattered, then, CHOMP! Dad’s leg was clean off! Down that monster’s throat it went.
Fergus: Awwwwww! That’s my favorite part!
Merida: Mor’du has never been seen since. And he’s roaming the wild, awaiting his chance for revenge! ROOOAAR!!!
Fergus: Let him return! I’ll finish what I gobbled in the first place. [Merida places her bow on the table]
Elinor: Merida, a princess does not place her weapons on the table.
Merida: Mama! It’s just my bow.
Elinor: A princess should not have weaponry in my opinion.
Fergus: Leave her be! Princess or not, learning to fight is essential.
Merida: Mum, you’ll never guess what I did today.
Elinor: Hmm?
Merida: I climbed the Crone’s Tooth and drank from the Fire Falls.
Fergus: Fire Falls? They say only the ancient kings were brave enough to drink the fire. [Fergus laughs and winks at Merida, Elinor is distracted as she’s reading a letter]
Elinor: What did you do, dear? [Merida is disappointed as Elinor hadn’t heard her story]
Merida: Nothing, mum. [referring to Merida’s plate of desserts she’s brought to the dinner table]
Elinor: Hungry aren’t we?
Merida: Mum!
Elinor: You’ll get dreadful collywobbles. Oh, Fergus! Will you look at your daughter’s plate? [Fergus looks as he’s about to take a bite from his large pile of food on his plate] [referring to the letters that have just arrived] Fergus, They’ve all accepted.
Merida: Who’s accepted what, Mother? [Elinor turns to the triplets]
Elinor: Boys, you are excused. [the triplets quickly make their exit]
Merida: Whaaat… Did I do… Now?
Elinor: Your father has something to discuss with you. [surprised by this, Fergus suddenly spits out what he was drinking] Fergus? [Fergus nervously clears his throat]
Fergus: Merida… [Fergus hesitates, not knowing what to say]
Elinor: The lords are presenting their sons as suitors for your betrothal.
Merida: What?
Elinor: The clans have accepted!
Merida: DAD!
Fergus: What⁈ I… You… She, Elinor!
Elinor: Honestly, Merida! I don’t know why you’re acting this way. This year each clan will present a suitor to compete in the games for your hand.
Merida: I suppose a princess just does what she’s told!
Elinor: A princess does not raise her voice! Merida, this is what you’ve been preparing for your whole life.
Merida: No! It’s what you’ve been preparing me for my whole life! [Merida gets up in anger and starts to walk off] I won’t go through with it! You can’t make me!
Elinor: Merida! [Merida angrily storms out of the Great Hall to her bedroom]
Fergus: Merida! [Fergus gets up to go after her but knocks down the entire dinner table instead making the dogs attack the food] BOYYYS!!!
[as Merida is striking her bedposts with her sword, Elinor enters]
Merida: Mother! Suitors! Marriage!
Elinor: Once there was an ancient kingdom.
Merida: Ah, Mum! Ancient kingdom?
Elinor: It’s name long forgotten, ruled by a wise and fair king who was much beloved. And when he grew old he divided the kingdom among his four sons. That they should be the pillars on which their piece of land rested. But the oldest prince wanted to rule the land for himself, he followed his own path and the kingdom fell, from war and chaos and ruin.
Merida: [sarcastically] That’s a nice story.
Elinor: It’s not just a story, Merida. Legends are lessons and they ring with truths.
Merida: Ach, mummy!
Elinor: I would advise you to make your peace with this. The clans are coming to present their suitors.
Merida: It’s not fair!
Elinor: Oh, Merida! It’s marriage, it’s not the end of the world. [Elinor walks out of Merida’s room and Merida slams the door shut in anger] [Elinor mutters to herself as she works on embroidering a tapestry of their family when Fergus walks in]
Fergus: You’re muttering.
Elinor: I don’t mutter.
Fergus: Aye, you do. You mutter, lass, when something’s troubling you.
Elinor: I blame you. Stubbornness is entirely from your side of the family.
Fergus: I take it the talk didn’t go too well.
Elinor: I don’t know what to do.
Fergus: Speak to her, dear.
Elinor: I do speak to her, she just doesn’t listen!
Fergus: Come on, now. Pretend I’m Merida. Speak to me. What would you say?
Elinor: I can’t do this!
Fergus: Sure you can. [Elinor makes a face at him] There! There! That’s my queen! Right, here we go. [he starts talking in a high pitched girlie voice, pretending to be Merida] I don’t want to get married! I want to stay single and let my hair flow in the wind as I ride through the glen, firing arrows into the sunset. [Elinor decides to explain to Fergus what she wishes she could explain to Merida] [Elinor decides to explain to Fergus what she wishes she could explain to Merida]
Elinor: Merida, all this work, all the time spent preparing you, schooling you, giving you everything we never had, I ask you, what do you expect us to do? [we see that Merida is now talking to her horse, telling him everything she wishes she could tell her mother]
Merida: Call off the gathering! Would that kill them? You’re the queen, you can just tell the lords, the princess is not ready for this. In fact, she might not be ever ready for this! So that’s that! Looking at you! So you expect your declarations of war in the morning. [Elinor continues to tell Fergus what she wishes to tell Merida]
Elinor: I understand this must all seem unfair, even I have reservations when I faced betrothal.
Elinor: We can’t just run away from who we are. [we go back to Merida, talking to her horse telling it what she wants to tell her mother]
Merida: I don’t want my life to be over! I want my freedom! [the scene then goes back and forth between Elinor talking to Fergus and Merida talking to her horse, but it seems like they are talking to each other]
Elinor: But are you willing to pay the price your freedom will cost?
Merida: I’m not doing any of this to hurt you!
Elinor: If you could just try to see what I do, I do out of love.
Merida: But it’s my life! It's-… I’m just not ready!
Elinor: I think you’d see, if you could just…
Merida: I think I could make you understand, if you would just…
Elinor: Listen!
Merida: LISTEN! [Merida’s horse neighs in response] I swear, Angus, this isn’t going to happen. Not if I can help it.
[Elinor dresses Merida in a horribly uncomfortable and tight formal dress]
Elinor: You look absolutely beautiful.
Merida: I…I can’t breath!
Elinor: Give us a twirl. [stiffly Merida twirls]
Merida: I can’t move! It’s too tight!
Elinor: It’s perfect. [Elinor looks at Merida in compassion] Merida.
Merida: Mama?
Elinor: Just… Remember to smile. [she turns and walks off]
Fergus: [to the crowd, as the clans gather to present their sons] So, here we are! The four clans! Uh…
Gathering…Uh…For… [Elinor exasperated by Fergus’ slowness gets up and finishes his sentence]
Elinor: The presentation of the suitors! [Fergus quickly follows on from his wife]
Fergus: The presentation of the suitors! [the crowd cheers] Clan Macintosh!
Lord Macintosh: Your majesty, I present my heir and sire, who defended our land from the northern invaders and, with his own sword, stabbed and vanquished thousands more! [the clan cheers as young Macintosh steps forward to display his sword skills, after that he poses and flexes his pecs to impress the princess. But Merida looks unimpressed]
Fergus: Clan MacGuffin!
Lord MacGuffin: Your majesty, I present my eldest son, who scuttled the Viking war ships with his bare hands. Vanquished two thousand more. [Lord MacGuffin’s son breaks a thick plank of wood in half to show his strength and the crowd cheers]
Fergus: Clan Dingwall! [we see Dingwall standing next to a very tall muscular looking young warrior]
Lord Dingwall: I present my only son, who was besieged by ten thousand romans and he took out their whole armor single handedly, with one arm. he was… [Suddenly we see Dingwall pull his son, who is small and weedy looking from behind the tall young warrior] With one arm. he was steering the ship, and with the other he held his mighty sword and struck down a whole attacking fleet. [suddenly a voice in the crowd shouts]
Voice in the Crowd: Lies!
Lord Dingwall: What? I heard that! Aye! Say it to my face! Or are you a scared sniffling jackanape? Afraid to muss your pretty hair?
Lord Macintosh: At least we have hair!
Lord MacGuffin: And all our teeth! [MacGuffin’s son speaks but his accent is so thick that no one can understand him]
Young MacGuffin: Gif he war a wee bit closer A coud lob a caber at him, ye ken.
Lord Macintosh: And we don’t hide under breeches, you grumpy old troll!
[everyone laughs]
Lord Dingwall: You wanna laugh, huh? [he shouts to his son] Wee Dingwall!
[suddenly Wee Dingwall jumps onto Lord Macintosh and with his big teeth bites into his arm and with that a brawl breaks out, with everyone fighting each other. Fergus stops the clans fighting]
Fergus: Now, that’s all done! You’ve had your go at each other, show a little decorum. And no more fighting!
[the triplets sneak up and smash Lord Dingwall’s toe, as he shouts in pain he gets hit in the face and the fighting starts all over again, with Fergus jumping in to join the fight, Elinor then gets up walks through the crowd and brings back Fergus and the clan leaders]
Lord Macintosh: Sorry, me queen. I feel terrible. My humblest apologies.
Lord Dingwall: Sorry.
Lord MacGuffin: No disrespect.
Fergus: Sorry, love. I…I didn’t… [she looks away from him in silence] Yes, dear. [Fergus goes back and takes his seat]
Elinor: Now then, where were we? Ah, yes. In accordance with our laws, by the rights of our heritage, only the first born of each of the great leaders may be presented as champion.
Merida: [to herself on hearing this] First born?
Elinor: And thus, compete for the hand of the princess of DunBroch. To win the fair maiden, they must prove their worth by feets of strength or arms in the games. It is customary for the challenge be determined by the princess herself. [Merida quickly shouts out]
Merida: Archery! Archery! [Elinor looks at Merida and Merida then says gracefully] I choose… Archery.
Elinor: [Elinor turns to the crowd] Let the games begin! [as the games commences and the archery targets are arranged]
Fergus: It’s time!
Elinor: Archers, to your marks!
Fergus: Aye! Archers, to your marks!
Elinor: And may the lucky arrow find its target! [the crowd cheers as the young clan’s sons get ready to shoot their arrows]
Fergus: Oi! Get on with it.
[young MacGuffin shoots first but hits the edge of the target, Merida feeling pleased turns to her father]
Merida: I bet he wishes he was tossing cabers.
Fergus: Holding up bridges!
[Fergus and Merida laugh and Elinor scoffs at them. after young Macintosh hits his bow and just misses the center of the target]
Young Macintosh: NOOO! AAAHHH!
Lord Macintosh: At least you hit the target! [young Macintosh starts throwing a tantrum]
Merida: Oh, that’s attractive. [in anger young Macintosh throws his bow, someone in the crowd catches it and shouts]
Voice in the Crowd: I got it! [Merida turns to her father]
Merida: Good arm!
Fergus: And such lovely flowing locks.
Elinor: Fergus!
Fergus: What? [when it’s young Dingwall’s turn at the archery, he struggles to hold the bow]
Lord Dingwall: Well done! Well done!
[Lord Dingwall does a little victory dance and then bends and lifts his kilt up at Lord Macintosh and MacGuffin. after young Dingwall has won the archery, in shock Fergus turns to Elinor]
Fergus: Well, that’s just grand now, isn’t it? Guess who’s coming to dinner?
Elinor: Fergus!
Fergus: By the way, hope you don’t mind being called lady Ding…
[Fergus turns to face his daughter but sees a dog in her seat instead, then we see Merida in a black cape and has gone onto the field, she addresses the crowd]
Merida: I am Merida! First born descendant of Clan DunBroch! And I’ll be shooting for my own hand!
Elinor: What are you doing? Merida!
[As Merida prepares to take aim she finds moving difficult as her dress is too tight]
Merida: Curse this dress!
[she bends and her dress rips at the back and arms allowing her to move freely, she aims and hits the first target dead on center]
Elinor: Merida, stop this! [Merida moves to the second target, aims and shoots center again] Don't you DARE loose another arrow! [Merida takes another arrow and prepares to shoot the third target] Merida, I FORBID it!
[at that moment Merida shoot the arrow and hits the center of the target, splitting young Dingwall’s arrow in half]
[after Merida’s actions at the clan gathering, Elinor drags and throws Merida into the tapestry room]
Elinor: Mighty me! I've just about had ENOUGH of you, lass!
Merida: YOU’RE the one that WANT me to…!
Elinor: You just embarrassed them! You embarrassed ME!
Merida: I followed the RULES!
Elinor: You DON’T know what you’ve done!
Merida: I JUST don’t CARE how I…!
Elinor: They’ll be FIRE and SWORD if it’s NOT set right!
Merida: JUST LISTEN!
Elinor: I am the QUEEN! YOU listen to ME!
Merida: UGH! This is so unfair!
Elinor: HA! Unfair⁈
Merida: You’re NEVER there for me! This WHOLE marriage is what YOU want⁈ Do you EVER bother to ask what I want⁈ NO! You walk around telling me WHAT to do, what NOT to do! Trying to make me be like YOU⁈ Well, I’m NOT going to be like you!
Elinor: Oh, you’re ACTING like a child!
Merida: And YOU’RE a BEAST! That’s what you are! [Merida points her sword at the family tapestry that Elinor had been working on]
Elinor: OH! Merida!
Merida: I'll NEVER be like you! [Merida sticks the tip of her sword into the tapestry]
Elinor: NO! Stop that!
Merida: I’d rather DIE THAN BE LIKE YOU! [suddenly Merida slashes the tapestry, Elinor is so upset that she takes Merida’s bow]
Elinor: Merida, you are a princess! I expect you to act like one!
Merida: MUM!
[Elinor throws Merida’s bow at the fire, shocked at her mother, Merida runs out of the room]
Elinor: Merida! Merida!
[Elinor immediately regrets her actions and pulls the bow out of the fire before it burns] Oh, no! What have I done⁈ Oh! [she begins to weep]
[after tearfully running away from the castle, Merida sobs as she rides Angus until they come across the Ring of Stones and a trail of will o’ the wisps leads them to a cottage where an old woman is making wood carvings of bears]
Merida: [sobs] Angus!
The Witch: Oh, look around. You holler if you see anything you like. Everything is half off.
Merida: Uh… Who are you?
The Witch: Just a humble woodcarver.
Merida: Um… I don’t understand. [as the old woman is showing her her bear woodcarvings, Merida notices the old woman’s broom is sweeping the floor by itself]
Merida: Your broom! [the old woman snaps her finger and the broom falls to the ground] It was sweeping by itself!
The Witch: That’s ridiculous! Wood cannot be imbued with magical property. I should know, I’m a whit… Whistler… Of wood! [as Merida goes to touch the witch’s crow] That’s stuffed. [as Merida slowly extends her hand to touch the crow it suddenly snaps its beak and speaks]
The Crow: Staring is rude!
Merida: Aah! The crow’s talking!
The Crow: That's not what I can do! La-la-la-la-la…. [suddenly the old woman snaps her finger and the broom lifts by itself and knocks the crow out and sweeps it across the floor]
Merida: You’re a witch!
The Witch: Woodcarver~!
Merida: That’s why the wisp led me here!
The Witch: Woodcarver~!
Merida: You’ll change my fate!
The Witch: Woodcarver~!
Merida: You see, it’s my mother.
The Witch: I’m not a witch! Too many unsatisfied customers! … If you’re not going to buy anything, GET OUT!
Merida: No, the wisps led me here!
The Witch: I DON’T care! Get out! SHOO! GET! Be gone with you! [the witch uses her powers to float knives towards Merida forcing her out of the cottage]
Merida: I’ll buy it all! [suddenly the floating knives stop in mid-air]
The Witch: What… What’s that?
Merida: Every carving. [the floating knives suddenly point away from Merida]
The Witch: And how are you going to pay for that?
Merida: With this. [Merida takes off her necklace]
The Witch: Oh, my! Lovely, that is!
The Crow: That’ll set up for months. [the floating knives fall as the witch tries grabs Merida’s necklace, but Merida pulls it away]
Merida: Every carving… and… one… spell.
The Witch: Are you sure you know what you’re doing?
Merida: I want a spell to change my mummy. That will change my fate.
The Witch: Done! [the witch quickly grabs the necklace] [after agreeing to give Merida a spell the witch walks out of her cottage and then walks back towards her cottage]
Merida: Where are you going? What are you doing?
The Witch: Never conjure where you carve, very important. [she opens her cottage door and inside the cottage everything has changed] The last time I did this was for a prince.
The Crow: Easy on the eyes. Fantastic.
The Witch: He demanded I give him the strength of ten men, and he gave me this. [she shows Merida a coin bearing the symbol of two crossed axes] For a spell. A spell that would change his fate.
Merida: And did he get what he was after?
The Witch: Oh! Yes! And made off with an especially attractive mahogany cheese board. [the witch brews up a potion in her cauldron]
The Witch: Now, let’s see. What have we here? [the witch fishes out a tart from the potion]
Merida: Uh… A cake?
The Witch: You don’t want it⁈
Merida: Yes! I want it! You’re sure if I give this to my mum? It will change my fate?
The Witch: Oh, trust me! It’ll do the trick, dearie. [as Merida walks out of the cottage] Expect delivery of your purchase within a fortnight. [to herself as Merida walks off] Oh! Oh! What was that thing about the spell?
Merida: Did you say something… About… The spell? [as Merida turns to face the witch she sees the cottage and the witch have disappeared]
[as Merida returns to the castle she prepares a tea tray for her mother and places the tart on the tray]
Elinor: Merida!
Merida: Mum⁈ Oh…Uh…I…Um…
Elinor: Oh, I’ve been worried sick!
Merida: You… You were?
Elinor: I didn’t know where you’d gone or when you’d come back! I didn’t know what to think of…! Oh, look at your dress!
Merida: Oh, Angus threw me. But I’m not hurt!
Elinor: Well, you’re home now! So that’s the end of it.
Merida: Honestly?
Elinor: I’ve pacified the lords for now. You’re father’s out there ‘entertaining’ them. [Elinor smiles] Of course, we both know a decision still has to be made. [Merida gives her mother an angry look, turns and picks up the plate of tart] What’s this?
Merida: It’s a peace offering. I made it, for you! [Elinor takes the plate of tart]
Elinor: You made this for me? [she takes a bite of the tart] Mm. [Elinor’s face suddenly screws up]
Merida: How do you feel?
Elinor: What…What is that?
Merida: Different?
Elinor: Tart, and um… Gamy! [Elinor starts to feel sick and puts the plate of tart down]
Merida: Have you changed your mind at all about the marriage and all that? [Elinor takes a drink and gargles it in her mouth to get rid of the taste of the tart]
Elinor: Now, why don’t we go upstairs to the lords and put this whole kerfuffle to rest? [she takes Merida out of the kitchen] [as they walk towards the hall Elinor suddenly starts to feel sick] Oh!
Merida: Mother?
Elinor: I’m woozy suddenly. Oh, my head’s spinning like a top! [Merida catches Elinor as she’s about to fall]
Merida: Mum!
Elinor: Oh! Suddenly I’m not well.
Merida: Uh… How do you feel about the marriage…Now?
Elinor: Merida! Ah! Will you take me to my room?
Lord MacGuffin: Queen! We’ve been waiting, patiently.
Elinor: My lords, I am out of sorts at the moment. But you shall have your answer… [suddenly Elinor does a massive burp] Presently. Now, if you’ll excuse us. [as Merida helps her mom get into bed]
Merida: Just take all the time you need to get yourself right, mama. And maybe in a bit you might have something new to say on the marriage?
Elinor: What was in that cake?
Merida: Cake⁈ (Suddenly, Elinor rolls of the bed in pain.) Mum? So, I… I'll just tell them the wedding's off then.
(Merida hears a growling noise from where Elinor rolled of down the bed.)
Merida: Mum?
(Merida walks round to see if Elinor is fine, she sees a giant shape rise from the floor & as it turns we see Elinor has transformed into a bear making Merida scream with terror.)
Merida: BEAR!
(Elinor starts freaking out & tearing up the room. After Elinor has transformed to a bear.)
Merida: Mum? You're… You're a bear! Why a bear! Oh, that scatty witch gave me a gammy spell!! (Elinor, now unable to speak, gives Merida a shocked look at her revelation.) It's not my fault⁈ I didn't ask her to change you into a bear. I just wanted her to change…. You. (Realizing what Merida has done, Elinor growls at Merida in anger.)
Did you hear that?
(Elinor paces around & growls in frustration as if telling Merida off.)
Merida: There's no point in having ago at me! The witch is to blame! Googly old hag! (Elinor finds her crown & puts it on.) Eyes all over the place. Unbelievable! I'll get her to fix this.
Everybody, follow me. And keep a sharp eye.
Here we go. Another hunt through the castle.
But we haven't had desert yet.
I have no idea.
Merida: (as Elinor decides to leave her room.) Mum, you can't go out there! Mum! What are you doing! [Merida tries to stop her mom from leaving] Dad! The Bear King! If he so much as he sees you, you’re dead? (Suddenly Merida hears Fergus, who's heard the commotion and is heading towards them followed by the lords,)
Another one of those entertainments to bore us to the death!
Oh, and what exactly are we after...
Merida: (Elinor heads the other way and Merida follows her.) Mum!
My legs?
Best of humor him. He is, after all, the King.
He's like a hound with that nose of his.
Merida: Mom, wait! We have to...
Follow me.
(Trying to stop Elinor from sneaking out, Merida snatches off Elinor's bed sheet that she's wrapped around herself.) STOP!!! (Elinor feeling embarrassed tries to cover herself.) You're covered with FUR! You're not naked! It's not like anyone's gonna see you!
(At that moment they see the triplet's nanny standing in the hallway looking at them in shock, Elinor waves at her and she screams and runs off.)
Merida: Now you’ve done it.
Maudie! Just calm down lass. What is it? Spit it out, Maudie.
A BEAR!
I knew it!
Merida: would you just listen to me? We can't go this way! You'll be seen. Quick. This way!
Mom?
(After Elinor tries to get away from Fergus hunting her down & she stumbles into a room to hide but finds the triplets playing.)
Merida: Mum?
[???]
Merida: A witch turned mum into a bear, It's NOT my fault. We've got to get out of the castle. I need your help! (The triplets cross their arms & stare at her.) Oh, alright! You can have my deserts for two... THREE weeks! (The triplet in the middle indicates with his hand that Merida needs to increase the offer.) Okay, fine! A year.
Did you hear that? There it goes! Come on, lads! There it goes!
Merida: Come on, mum.
Think we should lay a trap?
Try shutting yours!
There he is!
I'm sure it went this way.
You can see my house from here.
It must have sprouted wings.
Was carried away by a giant birdy.
A dragon, perhaps.
Bear in the castle. Doesn't make sense. it cannot open doors. He's got giant paws.
Let's just get inside. It's locked.
Dingwall was the last up.
I propped it open with a stick.
What did you see, Maudie. Just spit it out, Maudie. Oh for goodness sake, Maudie. Would you get a grip?
Maudie, honey, come here! It's alright!
Merida: Come on, Mum. Quick.
(Elinor turns and gives a worrying look towards the triplets.)
Merida: They'll be fine. Won't you, boys? Mum, we've got to hurry! (Merida pushes her mom out the door & turns to the triplets.) Now, I'll be back soon. Go on and help yourself to anything you want, as a reward.
(Merida closes the door, the triplets turn & see the half eaten witch's tart and head towards it.)
Right.
(After leaving the castle, Merida and her mother head out to the forest.)
Merida: Where are these wisps? Come out, wisps. Come on out! Lead me to the witch's cottage! I'm here. Fine, don't come out now that my mum's watching!
[Elinor looks at Merida questioningly]
Merida: I was standing right here, and the wisp appeared right there! Then a whole trail of them led me off into the forest.
(Elinor starts walking off into the forest.)
Merida: Does she think that I just happened upon a witch's cottage? (After walking a while in the forest Merida suddenly stops & looks around her.) Oh, mum⁈ I know this place. The witch’s cottage- It's this way! Come on! Hurry! [Merida starts running ahead and finds the witch’s cottage] I can’t believe it! I found it! [she opens the cottage door but finds it completely empty] No! She was here. No, really. She was just here. Oh wait. No. [she keeps shutting and opening the cottage door] No! No! No! No!
[in the witch’s cottage, Merida accidentally sets off a Rube Goldberg machine which brings up the witch’s cauldron with a ghostly image of the witch appearing above it].
Welcome to the Crafty Carver, home of bear themed carvings and novelties. I am completely out of stock at this time. But if you like to enquire about portraits or wedding cake toppers, pour vial one into the Cauldon. If you like the menu in Gaelic, vial two. If you're that red haired lass, vial three. To speak with a live homonculus... Princess, I'm off to the wickerman Festival in Stormoway. I won't be back till spring. There's one bit I forgot to tell you about the spell. By the second sunrise, your spell will be permanent, unless you remember these words. Fate be changed, look inside, mend the bond torn by pride.
Merida: Fate be changed? Mend the bond? What does that mean?
One more time. Fate be changed, look inside, mend the bond torn by pride. That's it. Tata oh and thank you for chopping at the Crafy Carver.
Merida: No! No⁈ Where did you go!
[Suddenly the witch’s ghostly image appears again and starts giving the same message, Merida starts pouring in all the vials into the cauldron in panic.]
Merida: Maybe there's a book of spells. Look around. We'll need more vials.
[She accidently blows the cauldron and the cottage disappears. After the witch’s cottage disappears, it starts to rain, Merida builds a shelter for Elinor and turns to her]
Merida: We’ll sort it out tomorrow?
[as they sleep, Merida has flashback to when she was little and was afraid of thunder her mother would hold and comfort her]
Merida: Uh…Good morning. So, what’s all this supposed to be?
[Elinor growls trying to communicate]
Merida: Sorry, I don’t speak bear. [Elinor mimes that Merida should remover her bow from the table] Oh! [Merida removes her bow and Elinor starts eating the berries she’s gathered for breakfast] Find those by the creek, did you? They’re Nightshade berries. They’re poisonous.
[suddenly Elinor spits out the berries she’d just put in her mouth and in panic drinks some water]
Merida: Where did you get this water? It has worms!
[Elinor quickly spits out the water she was drinking and sits in defeat, Merida smiles and gets up]
Merida: Come on.
[Merida and Elinor head to a creek and Merida uses her bow to catch a fish]
Merida: Oh, wait? A princess should not have weapons, in your opinion.
[Elinor nods in agreement and Merida holds the fish out for Elinor]
MErida: There you go. Go on.
[the fish flaps as it’s still alive and Elinor turns away in disgust]
Merida: How do you know you don’t like it if you won’t try it?
[Merida then cooks the fish over a fire and Elinor tries to eat with decorum but quickly chomps it down, as Elinor is still hungry Merida then teaches Elinor how to catch fish from the creek and they start bonding. After bonding over catching fish Elinor walks off into the forest]
Merida: Mum, come back!
[Elinor turns and starts to act more like a bear]
Merida: Mum, is that you?
[Elinor growls and goes to attack Merida but suddenly stops as she remembers who she is]
Merida: Mum? You changed! Like you were a…I mean, like you were a bear on the inside.
Merida: A wisp.
[suddenly they notice a wisp and Elinor jumps to get hold of it]
Merida: Mum! Stop it! Mum no!
Merida: Jings, crivens, help ma boab. Mum. I know you're scared, you're tired, you don't understand, but we've got to keep our heads. Just calm down. Listen.
They'll show us the way.
[after following the the trail of wisps which leads them to the ruins of a castle that bears the symbol of the crossed axes]
Merida: Mum, look! Why did the wisps bring us here? [they walk around the ruins] Whoever they were, they’ve been gone for a long, long tim-…[suddenly Merida falls through the floor and after landing she shouts to Elinor] I’m fine, mum! Just fine!
Merida: It’s… a throne room. Do you suppose this could have been the kingdom in that story you were telling me?[ [Elinor roars] The one with the princes?
[Merida sees a stone with three figures and a split stone with the fourth figure.]
Merida: One, two, three, four. The oldest. Like…like the tapestry. The spell! It’s happened before!
[Merida sees bones all over the floor, and she remembers what the witch said about the prince. The flashback of how Merida sliced the tapestry is like how the prince sliced off the statue.]
Merida: The strength of ten men. Fate be changed. Changed with fate. [she realizes that the one-eyed bear is actually the prince, transformed] Oh, no! The prince became… [suddenly she sees the bear come up behind her] Mor’du!
[the bear goes to attack Merida but she starts shooting arrows at it and it starts chasing after her, Elinor then helps her to escape and they make a run for it]
Merida: Mum, we need to get back to the castle. If we don’t hurry, you’ll become like Mor’du! A bear! A real bear! Forever!! Mend the bond torn by pride. The witch gave us the answer. The tapestry!
[Merida and Elinor sneak back into the castle and as they peak into the Great Hall)
Merida: Mum do you have a better idea?
Merida: That'll do.
[they see that Fergus and the lords are fighting again,]
No more talk. No more traditions. We settle this now!
You're the king! You decide which one of our sons your daughter will marry.
None of your sons are fit to marry my daughter!
Then our alliance is over!
This means war!
Merida: They're gonna murder each other. You've got to stop them before it's too late.
[The bear whines]
Merida: I know I know! But how do we get you through there and up to the tapestry with the lot of them boiling over like that?
[Elinor points to Merida.]
What are you doing lass?
Merida: It's alright, dad. I.. um.. I have... Well, you see, I.. I have been in conference with the Queen.
Is that so?
Merida: Aye. It is.
Well, where is she then?
How do we know that this isn't some trick?
This is highly irregular.
What are you playing at?
Where is the Queen?
We will not stand for any more of this jiggery pokery.
That's right. Let's see her.
Merida: SHUT IT! Well, I...
[She looks to see Elinor in the background.]
Merida: Once there was an ancient kingdom.
What is this?
Merida: That kingdom well into war. and chaos and ruin...
We've heard that tale. Lost kingdom.
Merida: Aye, but it's true. I know how one selfish act can turn the fate of a kingdom.
It's just a legend.
Legends are lessons. They ring with truths. Our kingdom is young. Our stories are not yet legend. But in them, our bond was struck. Our clans were one enemies. But when invaders threatened us from the sea, you joined together to defend our lands. You fought for each other. You risk everything for each other. Lord MacGuffin, my dad saved your life, stopping an arrow as you ran to Dingwall's aid.
Aye, and I'll never forget it.
Merida: And Lord Macintosh, you saved my dad when you charged in on heavy horse and held off the advance. And we all know how Lord Dingwall broke the enemy line.
With a mighty throw of his spear!
I was aiming at you, you big turnshie.
Merida: The story of this kingdom is a powerful one. My dad railed your forces and you made him your king. It was an alliance forged in bravery and friendship and it lives to this day. I’ve been selfish. I tore a great rift in our kingdom. There’s no one to blame but me. And I know now that I need to amend my mistake and mend our bond. And so, there is the matter of my betrothal. I decided to do what’s right, and… [as she looks around the room she notices Elinor in the background trying to stop her] And…And break…Tradition. [she looks over at Elinor, who is miming what Merida should say] My mother, the queen, feels…Uh, in her heart, that I…That we be free to…Write our own story. Follow our hearts, and find love in our time. [we see the lords are all now crying]
Lord Dingwall: Beautiful.
Merida: The queen and I put the decision to you my lords. Might our young people decide for themselves who they will love?
Lord Dingwall: Huh?
Lord Macintosh: Well, since you’ve obviously made up your minds about this, I have one thing to say. This is…
Young Macintosh: A grand idea! Give us our own say in choosing our fates?
Lord Macintosh: What?
Young Dingwall: Aye! Why shouldn’t we choose?
Lord Dingwall: But she’s the princess!!
Young Dingwall: I didn’t pick her out. It was your idea. [MacGuffin turns to his son]
Lord MacGuffin: And you, do you feel the same way?
Young MacGuffin: It's jist nae fair makin us ficht for the hand o the quine that disnae want any bit o it. Ken?
[Merida giggles.]
Lord MacGuffin: Well, that’s it. Let these lads try win her heart before they win her hand, if they can!
Lord Dingwall: I say the wee Dingwall has a fighting chance!
Lord Macintosh: Fine then! Seems for once we agree! It was my idea in the first place.
[Bowing, Merida turns to her dad.]
Fergus: Just like your mum, you devil. [Merida turns and notices a guard staring at Elinor’s frozen pose as a stuffed bear and tries to distract everyone]
Merida: EVERYONE! To the cellar! Lets crack open the king’s private reserves to celebrate!
[everyone cheers and start heading for the cellar]
Merida: The tapestry!
[Fergus tuns to one his servants and whispers]
Bring them tiny glasses.
[they all leave the Great Hall and Merida goes to Elinor and does a little dance of joy before realizing they have to mend the tapestry]
Merida: The tapestry!
[in the tapestry room Merida touches the tear in her mothers tapestry]
Merida: Mend the bonds. Mend the bonds! Stitched up! This will change you back, we just needle and thread.
[as Elinor goes to look for needle and thread she suddenly turns wild and bear-like again]
Merida: Mama! Mum, not now! No! Please, not now! Mum!
[Merida hears Fergus’ laughter outside the room and tries to quieten Elinor.]
Fergus: Elinor, dear, you'll never guess who just solved our little suitor problem.
[When he looked he saw the bedroom was destroyed and her ruined dress.]
Fergus: ELINOORR! It can't be true! Elinor, answer me, lass! Elinor!
[After Fergus thinks that Elinor has been attacked by a bear, he goes to look for her and finds Merida in the tapestry room with Elinor who’s turned wild]
Fergus: Merida! WHAT…⁈
Merida: Dad, no! It’s not what you think!
Fergus: Merida, GET BACK!
[Fergus goes to attack the bear, not realizing that it’s Elinor]
Merida: No! [Fergus starts attacking Elinor with his sword] No, dad! Don’t hurt her!
[Merida struggles with Fergus to stop him hitting Elinor but he pushes her aside]
Fergus: MERIDA! NO! [as Fergus goes to strike Elinor and she hits him and knocks him out]
Merida: NO! [at that moment Elinor snaps out of her wild behavior] Mama! [Elinor notices the claw mark on Merida’s dress and feels ashamed] It’s alright. I’m alright. It’s nothing. It’s just a little scratch! [Elinor runs out of the room] Mum!
My Liege.
Fergus.
BEAR!
[After Elinor runs off and gets spotted by the lords, she quickly makes it out of the castle grounds as they start to attack her, back in the castle Fergus comes to.]
Merida: Dad!
Fergus: Oh, count your stars, lass! It almost had you! Are you hurt⁈
Merida: It’s your wife, Elinor!
Close the gate!
Fergus: You’re talking nonsense!
Merida: It’s the truth! There was a witch and she gave me a spell! It’s not Mor’du!
Fergus: Mor’du or not, I’ll avenge your mother! I’ll not risk losing you!
Merida: No, dad! Just listen to me! [Fergus locks her in the tapestry room and goes after Elinor] Listen, you can’t! It’s your wife, Elinor!!
Maudie, keep this and don't let her out.
Maudie: What about the bear?
Just stay put.
Come on, you sorry bunch of galoots! Yeah!
Merida: MUM!
[after getting locked in the tapestry room and finding no way out, Merida starts crying and tries to call out to Maudie for help.]
Merida: Maudie? MAUDIE! I NEED YOU! NOWWWW! Oh, no! [she realizes the triplets have been turned into little bear cubs after eating the witch’s tart] MAUDIE! [suddenly Maudie notices the three little bears and screams with terror and Merida instructs the triplets] Get the key.
[Maudie hides the key down her dress and then runs off in terror as the triplets go after her.]
Merida: Needle and thread. Needle and thread. Needle and thread.
There he goes!
Merida: Needle and thread. Needle and thread. Ah, you beauty!
Merida: Steady, Hamish!
There he goes!
Angus! Easy ladie! Hubert, Harris, help Hamish!
Watch your blade! You're going to take somebody's arm off!
Merida: Done!
[After the triplets help her escape, they find Fergus and the lords have captured Elinor and just as Fergus is about to strike Elinor, Merida stops him by shooting her arrow at his sword]
Merida: Get back! That’s my mother!
Fergus: Are you out of your mind, lass⁈
Merida: Mummy, are you hurt⁈
[suddenly Fergus knocks Merida out of the way and goes to strike Elinor again when Merida grabs hold of a sword and stops him]
Fergus: Merida! [she pushes her father back]
Merida: I’ll not let you kill my mother! [suddenly the triplets jump on top of Fergus] Boys!
Fergus: Boys⁈
[at that moment Mor’du appears]
Merida: Mor’du! [Fergus shouts to the lords]
Fergus: Kill it!
[they all go after Mor’du and start attacking him,]
Come on! I'll take you with my bare hands!
[the bear then captures Merida, when Elinor notices this she breaks free from her bonds and attacks Mor’du,]
Merida: MUM!
[she smashes him against a stone pillar which then cracks and crushes him to death, then the spirit of the prince is released and he nods to Elinor and Merida to thank them before disappearing]
[after Mor’du is killed, Merida notices the sun has risen]
Merida: The second sunrise!
[she runs and grabs the tapestry that she’s mended and throws it around Elinor, but realizes nothing’s happening]
Merida: Oh, no! I don’t understand. I… [Merida begins to cry and kneels in front of Elinor] Oh, mother, I’m sorry. This is all my fault. I did this to you, to us. [she tearfully hugs Elinor] You’ve always been there for me. You’ve never given up on me. I just need you back. I want you back, mummy. I love you.
[as the sunrise washes over them, Merida feels her mothers touch on her hair and looks up to see Elinor had turned human again]
Merida: Mum! You’re back! [Elinor hugs Merida and kisses her face repeatedly] You’ve changed!
Elinor: Oh, darling. We both have. [Elinor kisses Merida again and Fergus comes up running towards them]
Fergus: Elinor! [he hugs both Merida and Elinor, then grabs Elinor and kisses her on the mouth]
Elinor: Oh, dear! [as the lords come towards them, Merida notices her mom is naked under the tapestry]
You're back.
She came back to us.
It's a great day for this kingdom. the curse is broke.
Merida: Oh, mum!
Elinor: [to Fergus] Ooh! Um…Dear?
Fergus: Huh?
Elinor: I’m naked! Naked as a wee baby. [Fergus just stares at her] Well don’t just stare at me! Do something! [Fergus turns and notices the lords have comes upon them]
Fergus: What the…⁈ [he quickly holds his hands in front of Elinor] Back your eyes, lads! Show some respect!
[the lords turn their backs, suddenly the three triplets, now human again, run over to them, naked, Fergus laughs and catches one of them, holding him up]
Fergus: Now that’s what I call a wee naked baby!
Merida: [voice over] Some say fate is beyond our command, but I know better. Our fate lives within us. You just have to be brave enough to see it. [we see Merida rides off through the forest with her Elinor, making their bond stronger]
[after credits scene; the guard in front of the castle is awakened by the witch’s crow]
The Crow: Delivery! Sign here, sign here. [a scroll and feather hover in front of the crow, then we see the whole of the witch’s massive collection of bear sculptures which Merida had bought earlier behind the crow] Come on, Bird-brain. I haven’t got all day. [in shock, the guard just drops his spear]
[End of Brave]