#scenes based directly off stillshots from the first movie

[hwestalas]

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr., here is a drawing I did two years ago on MLKJ Day: Littlefoot and the friends he won by being kind and loyal even when they didn't deserve it.

(The foreground is after he and Cera get in a fight over which way to go. After she defeats him and convinces the others to follow her [she has no idea where she's going, just bossy], Littlefoot gets up, crying, and leaves them to their foolish choice. As soon as they find themselves in trouble and call for help, he runs back to rescue them, [see the left-hand background scenes], including Cera, as if they hadn't abandoned him. I thought his actions were beautiful, but I'm not sure I drew him very clearly.)

Martin Luther King Jr.'s courage to meet danger with gentleness - to drive out hate with love, as he put it - awes and inspires me. Ever since I finally saw the first Land Before Time movie as a teenager, I've thought that Littlefoot reflects that. I have always been completely obsessed with him, even when I'd only seen the next few movies; but that one confirmed that he was really, seriously admirable, regardless of being an animated talking Apatosaurus. (Which I love, but I know it sounds childish.)

Littlefoot was my favorite fictional character from around age 5-20, and would be still if not for Aragorn, and possibly Beleg... and maybe even Faramir. (The latter two also impress me with their forgiveness or gentleness in the face of danger, which is one big reason I like them so much. All of them. They're wonderful.)

Anyway, all that to say, let's be like Littlefoot, who was like Martin Luther King Jr., who was like Jesus! (Which is a very scary prospect... they had a lot of courage!)