Individuals with a sunny attitude understand that the ending of one opportunity in life often opens the door for a new one. Carrying big loads of grain is easy for young donkeys, but what happens when they get too old to be of use? One old donkey takes off on a journey of rediscovery, picking up an old dog, cat, and rooster along the way.

The miller Elmo and his son Mort have a problem—instead of standing up for what they know is right, they follow everyone else’s opinions. When a farmer complains that Elmo is overworking the donkey, Elmo and Mort mill the grain. When others complain that his prices are too high, Elmo reduces the price, even if he’s losing money. When a friend suggests Mort steal apples with him, Mort goes along with the plan.

Mom and Dad Fox try to set a healthy example for triplets: Freddy, Fay, and Flip. Even though Mom cooks nutritious meals, Freddy prefers to stuff himself with sugary treats, and refuses to participate in healthy family exercise. One bad choice leads to another, and in spite of Dad and Mom’s efforts, Freddy finds himself part of a crooked gang of foxes. When the leader recruits Freddy as a decoy to help him outwit a lion and a donkey, the plan backfires.

Tombo the tadpole declares himself King of the Pond. He brags that he’s the biggest, the fastest, and the strongest tadpole, and he teases and chases all the other tadpoles. But one day while showing off doing a triple flip, Tombo’s life takes a major turn. He’s captured by a boy and taken from his lush pond to a fish tank. There Tombo is fed dry fish flakes, a food he despises.