''Hare We Go'' is a 1951 Warner Bros. ''

Merrie Melodies ''Merrie Melodies'' is an American animated series of comedy short films produced by Warner Bros. starting in 1931, during the golden age of American animation, and ending in 1969. Then some new cartoons were produced from the late 1970s to the ...

'' cartoon directed by

Robert McKimson Robert Porter McKimson Sr. (October 13, 1910 – September 29, 1977) was an American animator and illustrator, best known for his work on the ''Looney Tunes'' and '' Merrie Melodies'' series of cartoons from Warner Bros. Cartoons and later DeP ...

. The short was released on January 6, 1951, and features

Bugs Bunny Bugs Bunny is an animated cartoon character created in the late 1930s by Leon Schlesinger Productions (later Warner Bros. Cartoons) and voiced originally by Mel Blanc. Bugs is best known for his starring roles in the ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merr ...

Plot

In 1492

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus * lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo * es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón * pt, Cristóvão Colombo * ca, Cristòfor (or ) * la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...

is arguing with the king of

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

whether the world is round or flat. Columbus suggests that the Earth is round like an apple or a human head. King Ferdinand insists the Earth is flat like a pancake (and Columbus' head, after flattening it with his scepter). Eventually the king kicks Columbus out of his palace. Then Bugs Bunny emerges from his rabbit hole and asks Columbus what's bothering him. Columbus says that no one believes his theory, but Bugs, after looking at Columbus' globe, says "She looks round to me, Doc." Queen Isabella speaks (like

Mae West Mae West (born Mary Jane West; August 17, 1893 – November 22, 1980) was an American stage and film actress, playwright, screenwriter, singer, and sex symbol whose entertainment career spanned over seven decades. She was known for her breezy ...

) to Bugs and Columbus from a window, offering him her jewels if he can prove the world is round. Bugs tells Columbus that he can prove that the world is round. He takes out a baseball and glove and throws the ball “around the world.” When the ball returns to

, it is covered in travel stickers from all over the globe, proving Columbus’ claim. After this, Columbus sets sail and Bugs accompanies him as a mascot. The crew thinks Bugs is bad luck and as time passes and there is no sight of land, these feelings grow stronger. When Columbus tells Bugs that they will hit land the next day, he hurries to tell the crew and celebrate with them. Many weeks pass by without finding any land. The crew decide it is all Bugs' fault, and chase him around the ship, with the intent to kill him. Bugs tricks them into jumping overboard by having them look through a telescope pointed at pictures of landscapes, and jumping through a painting on the side of the ship. After this, all the boats that were following Columbus leave. Now it is only Bugs and Columbus. As Bugs serves Columbus the little portion of food left, Columbus pictures Bugs as a piece of meat and begins to chase him with the intent to eat him. As this chase is going on, the boat hits land and Bugs falls overboard onto it. As he claims to have discovered America, Columbus (standing on high ground with the Spanish flag) makes the same claim. Bugs lets Columbus have the credit as there's "no use changing all the history books just for little ol' me."

Notes

The joke where a baseball is thrown around the world to prove that the world is round, returning with travel stickers on the ball was used in an earlier Looney Tunes cartoon, namely

Bob Clampett Robert Emerson Clampett Sr. (May 8, 1913 – May 2, 1984) was an American animator, director, producer and puppeteer. He was best known for his work on the '' Looney Tunes'' animated series from Warner Bros. as well as the television shows '' ...

's '' Kristopher Kolumbus, Jr.'' (1939), which starred

Porky Pig Porky Pig is an animated character in the Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' and '' Merrie Melodies'' series of cartoons. He was the first character created by the studio to draw audiences based on his star power, and the animators created many criti ...

Sources

External links

* {{Authority control 1951 films 1951 animated films 1951 short films Merrie Melodies short films Films directed by Robert McKimson Cultural depictions of Christopher Columbus Cultural depictions of Isabella I of Castile Cultural depictions of Ferdinand II of Aragon Age of Discovery films Animated films set in Spain Films set in pre-Columbian America Fiction set in 1492 Films set in the 1490s Animated films set on ships Films scored by Carl Stalling Bugs Bunny films 1950s Warner Bros. animated short films 1950s English-language films Animated films set in the 15th century Films with screenplays by Warren Foster Films produced by Edward Selzer