Directed by

Frank Tashlin
Made by
Walt Disney Productions
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Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Timber (1941). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
A hungry, wandering Donald Duck drifts along the railroad tracks, whistling and singing the tune that will become his call of the day. His nose catches the scent of something tasty and leads him to a log cabin that is also the home of the lumberjack Peg-Leg Pete. The moment he steps in, chaos begins to simmer.
She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain
Pete, trying to enjoy a quiet lunch, finds his meal snatched away by the feisty visitor. In a flash of frustration, he hands [Donald Duck] a stick of dynamite, a weapon the duck mistakes for food. The resulting explosion rattles the cabin, and Pete (speaking in a French Canadian accent) asks if Donald wants more food. When the duck again says yes, Pete hurls an axe in response, telling him to get to work. The axe is so heavy that it drives Donald straight into the trunk of a tree.
A stubborn exchange of improvisation follows: Donald breaks the axe with a stone and shows it to Pete, who in turn hot-woodes a blade onto a wooden handle to keep the tool going. Donald swings with reckless abandon, and the blade snaps off, flying past Pete and leaving a patch of ripped pants in its wake. Not discouraged, the duck searches the lumberjack’s tree for a more modern method and finds a crosscut saw, which he begins to use instead.
The saw soon jams deep in the thick bark, and Donald’s attempt to yank it free blasts him backward, tossing him into Pete and taking them both to the ground. The chaos escalates as Donald ends up inside Pete’s shirt, with the saw wedged against Pete’s midsection. He begins to pull the saw free, and the tickling sensation only fuels the comic mayhem. Pete rises, furious, and chases Donald, warning him of dire consequences.
As the chase continues, the saw vibrates with wild speed, and Donald bounces on the ground, the saw’s ends striking Pete and driving his head into the dirt. Pete spots his foe and retaliates by snapping off a tree branch, which promptly falls onto Pete himself, who rises again only to be kicked by Donald. The impact leaves Pete’s head wedged between the saw’s ends, a precarious moment that Donald uses to his advantage. In a further burst of accidental invention, Donald chops down a huge tree, and it collapses onto Pete, enraging him even more.
With a roar that fills the woods, Pete gives chase once more, now down a railroad line. The pursuit becomes a chaotic sprint on handcars, with Pete eagerly trying to grab Donald by the tail but repeatedly missing. Pete uses the flatcar’s momentum to try and bump Donald’s rear, increasing the danger with a sharpened peavey. He wires his plan with heat by pressing the weapon against a wheel, intending to burn Donald, but the scorching heat only seems to push the duck to speed.
Donald jumps clear and slams a lever at a station, triggering a coal-storage door that showers Pete with coal. The heavy clumps crash onto Pete’s flatcar, dismantling it and leaving him to ride on one wheel. Now on foot, Donald darts away, but not before he pulls another lever that reverses the track. Pete, unable to steer in time, careens off course and crashes through a line of boxcars.
With the danger behind him, Donald looks back briefly and waves farewell through a boxcar hole, then strides into the sunset, continuing to sing the tune that began this wild encounter.
This short is a brisk, slapstick showcase of physical humor and clever, escalating gags, built around the classic rivalry between a hungry mischief-maker and a determined lumberworker. The action moves rapidly from a clever lunchroom theft to improvised weapons, improvised repairs, and a high-stakes chase that ends with a dramatic, comic crash and a peaceful, ending song as the sun sets.
Follow the complete movie timeline of Timber (1941) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
Donald traces a tasty scent to Peg-Leg Pete's log cabin
Donald the hobo travels along the railroad tracks, whistling and sniffing out tasty aromas. He follows the smell to Peg-Leg Pete's log cabin, where the food seems to be coming from. This moment sets up the clash between hunger and Pete's gruff temperament.
Donald steals Pete's lunch
Inside Pete's cabin yard, Donald grabs and pockets Pete's lunch while Pete is prepping to eat. Pete is furious at the theft and confronts the intruder, escalating their feud. The theft triggers immediate hostility.
Pete offers dynamite, mistaking it for more food
Pete hands Donald a stick of dynamite, speaking in a French-Canadian accent and asking if he wants more food. Donald naively accepts, thinking it's edible. The dynamite explodes, shattering the moment and drawing Pete's anger.
Pete hurls an axe and orders Donald to work
Pete throws an axe at Donald and orders him to get to work, signaling the start of a brutal, slapstick labor dispute. The axe is so heavy that it knocks Donald into a tree trunk. The confrontation quickly spirals into a painful, comic brawl.
Donald defeats the old axe and improvises a new tool
Donald uses a stone to break the heavy axe and then shows it to Pete as proof of his invented method. Pete shapes a new handle from wood, upgrading his tool in response. The improvised weapon swap deepens the ridiculous clash.
Donald switches to a crosscut saw; ends up in Pete's shirt
Donald switches to a crosscut saw, but it jams in the thick bark. After a tug, he ends up wedged inside Pete's shirt with part of the saw still inside Pete's belly, and he starts tickling Pete as he tries to free himself. Pete rises and gives chase, furious at the intrusion.
The vibrating saw hammers Pete; Donald escapes
Donald bounces on the ground with the vibrating saw and leaps over Pete as the tool's ends strike, pushing Pete's head into the dirt. Pete recovers and chases him again, intent on catching the intruder. The chaotic movement escalates the chase.
A massive tree falls on Pete; chase continues
Donald chops down a huge tree to hinder Pete, and it crashes onto the lumberjack. Pete roars with anger and starts pursuing Donald through the yard and toward the tracks. The pursuit resumes with comic intensity.
The chase moves to the railroad; handcars and a tunnel
The chase carries them onto the railroad, where they ride handcars and speed through a tunnel. Pete tries grabbing Donald by the tail but keeps missing, while the moving car bumps Donald along. The wild pursuit continues toward a new set of dangers.
Pete sharpens and heats his peavey; it backfires
Pete sharpens the peavey and heats the tip by placing it against a wheel, intending to burn Donald. The heat ends up driving Donald faster, turning the trap into a ridiculous boost for the fugitive. Donald uses the moment to stay ahead.
Coal falls on Pete; flatcar is dismantled
Donald triggers a coal-storage door, dumping coal onto Pete and blasting apart his flatcar. Pete staggers and ends up hopping along on one wheel. The pile of coal slows Pete down while Donald gains distance.
Donald turns the track and sends Pete crashing; sunset departure
Donald pulls a lever that reverses the track, sending Pete off course and crashing through a row of boxcars. Satisfied, Donald waves goodbye through a boxcar hole and walks off into the sunset, singing a jaunty tune. The feud ends with Donald's triumphant escape.
Explore all characters from Timber (1941). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.
Donald Duck (Clarence Nash)
A resourceful, gluttonous trickster who steals food and mutates ordinary tasks into chaotic adventures. His reckless energy and stubborn optimism keep him bouncing between escapes and new scrapes, fueling the film’s humor. He thrives on improvisation and bold, if reckless, ingenuity.
Pete (Billy Bletcher)
A hot-headed lumberjack with peg-leg bravado who presides over the harsh, workmanlike world of the camp. He relentlessly pursues Donald, using brute force and cartoon stubbornness to enforce labor, often resulting in ridiculous, exaggerated mishaps.
Learn where and when Timber (1941) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.
Location
Lumber camp log cabin, Railroad tracks
The action centers around a log cabin in a rugged lumber camp, home to Peg-Leg Pete. The setting sits beside a railway line, with sawdust, wood, and the harsh outdoors shaping the daily life. The world includes tunnels and boxcars, giving the chase a train-yard atmosphere within a frontier environment.
Discover the main themes in Timber (1941). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.
🎭
Mischief
A playful battle of wits drives the humor, with Donald and Pete countering each other’s schemes in escalating slapstick antics. Pranks, misunderstandings, and rapid escapes create a rhythm of high-energy comedy. The theme shows how mischief can be entertaining while spiraling into chaotic situations.
🪵
Labor
The narrative frames a clash over work in a rough timber setting, where Donald is forced into labor and Pete enforces a hard-working routine. Their rivalry highlights the harsh realities of a lumber-camp economy in a humorous light. Work becomes the stage for comic conflict and physical gags.
🚂
Chase
A rapid pursuit drives the plot, with handcars and tunnel roars as Donald flees Pete. The chase tests speed, ingenuity, and the environment, culminating in an over-the-top, cartoony crash. The sequence emphasizes kinetic energy and inventive escapes.

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Discover the spoiler-free summary of Timber (1941). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.
In the sun‑kissed wilds that fringe a bustling railroad, a wandering drifter wanders the tracks humming an unheard tune. Donald is a hungry, carefree soul who roams wherever the wind pushes him, his eyes constantly scanning for the next bite or a place to rest. The world around him is a blend of timber‑laden forests, rustic cabins, and the clatter of wooden handcars, all buzzing with the rhythmic pulse of a bygone railway era that feels both timeless and cartoonishly alive.
Life takes a sharp turn when Pegleg Pete—a grizzled lumberjack with a reputation as hardy as the trees he fells—catches the wandering duck in his cabin. Their encounter sparks a classic clash of personalities: the scrappy, opportunistic wanderer versus the stoic, hard‑working woodsman. Pete’s blunt, no‑nonsense demeanor meets Donald’s mischievous optimism, setting the stage for a series of slap‑slap‑slapstick exchanges that lean heavily on physical comedy and exaggerated reactions. The tone is bright, kinetic, and undeniably playful, with each character’s quirks amplified for maximum visual humor.
As the rivalry escalates, the conflict spills from the log cabin onto the very rails that first brought Donald to the forest. Pete, ever determined, puts the duck to work in the timber trade, while the duck’s inventive mishaps keep the tension rolling forward. Their showdown soon involves the clatter of handcars, the whir of wheels, and the promise of a chase that hurls both men—and the audience—along the tracks with relentless, comedic momentum. The film promises an energetic, laugh‑filled ride that revels in the absurdity of its characters and the whimsical world they inhabit, leaving viewers eager to see how far the mayhem can go.
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