Ducking the Devil 1957

At a zoo, a cage was reserved for the Tasmanian Devil. He soon escapes and runs amok, scaring visitors and staff and driving the crowd away from the zoo in the process. Meanwhile, at his duck pond, Daffy Duck is at home, reading about Taz’s escape in a newspaper. The two unlikely rivals are on a collision course as the chase begins.

A news bulletin announces a reward of $5,000 for the Tasmanian Devil’s return, and it also notes a curious detail: Taz becomes docile when exposed to music. That clue sets the stage for Daffy’s unconventional plan to recapture the beast. The reward amount is listed as the equivalent of about $45,686.65 in 2022, a reminder of how valuable the capture is in the cartoon world.

Daffy tries several tricks to calm the wild animal. He first tests a radio, but the extension cord doesn’t reach far enough. Then he wields a trombone, only to discover he has accidentally lost the slide. Next comes bagpipes, which happen to be the one sound Taz genuinely dislikes. With each failed attempt, the tension and humor build, and Daffy’s nerves grow more obvious.

Eventually, Daffy resorts to his own singing voice. He serenades the Tasmanian Devil, hoping melodies can soothe the raw energy of the creature. The plan works slowly but surely as he continues the performance, guiding Taz along a long, winding path for about 10 miles (16 km) toward the safe enclosure.

As the song nears its end and Daffy’s voice begins to fade, a small accident shifts the balance: Taz grabs some of the reward money that had slipped to the ground. Seizing the moment, Daffy dives into the cage, shouting his famous line with breathless intensity:

“It’s mine! Mine, all mine!”

The victory is brief and chaotic. Daffy ends the sequence by overpowering the beast, and he reassures the audience with a boastful, if self-deprecating, verdict: he may be a coward, but he’s a “greedy little coward” who will do whatever it takes to claim what’s his. The tale blends slapstick humor with a cheeky reminder of Daffy’s self-serving stubbornness, all set against the zany backdrop of a comedy about a wild chase and an unlikely rescue.