Now which one of you naughty children been messing with the Shadow Man?The Princess and the Frog · 2009 — Chapter 10 of 14 · 6'20" · B2
Mama Odie Tells Them to Dig Deeper, Explained: dig a little deeper
Mama Odie sees straight through her guests: "Y'all want to be human but you're blind to what you need!" Her song keeps repeating one instruction — dig a little deeper — and insists that knowing who you are comes before knowing what you want. Then she names the only real way forward.
What happens
Deep in the bayou, the heroes find Mama Odie, a blind voodoo woman who lives in a boat in a tree. She teases them with candy, then tells them the truth: they are chasing what they want instead of what they need. To become human, they must dig deeper — and win a princess's kiss before midnight.
Listen for
blind to what you needpeace of minddig a little deeperHow on Earth
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Phrase of the scene
dig a little deeper
to search within yourself more seriously
奥蒂妈妈唱着歌告诉两人：想知道自己真正需要什么，就得往自己内心深处再挖深一点，答案其实并不远。
If the numbers don't add up, dig a little deeper before you conclude.
Also in this scene
- blind to what you need
unable to see or realize what one truly needs
- peace of mind
a feeling of calm and freedom from worry
- How on Earth
used to express surprise at how something happened
Everything marked in this scene
24 notes across 96 lines
We've been traveling quite a long way, and you can't imagine what we've been through.Come on over here, you bad boy.Give us a little sugar, now.She's fine. Got in a little trouble for flashing the neighbors again.Oooh, I like that gal's spunk!We don't want to take up too much of your time...How on Earth did you know that we wanted to turn back...Can't believe this. Got to do everything around here.Hit it hard with a couple of shots of Tabasco and it's the bee's knees.That's got some zang to it!Now, y'all figure out what you need?Y'all ain't got the sense you was born with!unable to see or realize what one truly needs
Y'all want to be human but you're blind to what you need!What we want? What we need? Is all the same thing, yes?Find out who you are You got to dig a little deeper It really ain't that farWhen you find out who you are You'll find out what you needMoney ain't got no soul Money ain't got no heart All you need is some self-controlMake yourself a brand-new start You got to dig a little deeper Don't have far to goa feeling of calm and freedom from worry
Can't tell you what you'll find Maybe love will grant you peace of mindYou ain't dug near far enoughWell, if y'all are set on being human, there's only one way.but only till midnight when Mardi Gras is over.- Midnight? - That doesn't give us much time at all.Mama Odie Tells Them to Dig Deeper, explained
What's really going on
The whole scene turns on one distinction, and Mama Odie will not let it go: wanting and needing are not the same thing. She delivers the point with a laugh — "Y'all want to be human but you're blind to what you need!" — and then gives them the method instead of the answer: "You got to dig a little deeper." The promise attached is modest and mature: not that they will get everything, but that knowing themselves will show them what actually matters, and that love may grant them peace of mind. The scene also does practical work, setting a midnight deadline for the princess's kiss, so that the philosophy has a clock attached.
Theme
IdentityMama Odie insists you must know who you are before you can know what you truly need.
DreamsThe scene separates shallow wants from real needs, teaching that a wish is not the same as fulfillment.
Y'all want to be human but you're blind to what you need!The blunt thesis of the scene: chasing a goal can hide the deeper thing that would actually make you whole.
When you find out who you are You'll find out what you needThe method behind the advice: self-knowledge comes first, and real needs follow from it.
Can't tell you what you'll find Maybe love will grant you peace of mindA rare soft note in the lesson: she cannot promise an answer, only that love might bring ease.
I need to dig a little deeper and work even harder to get my restaurant.Tiana's takeaway, turning the song into a plan: know yourself, then work harder for the dream.
Well, if y'all are set on being human, there's only one way.The turn from philosophy to plot, as Mama Odie finally names the single route back to human form.
Questions about this scene
What is Mama Odie trying to teach them?
That what you want and what you need are not the same. Chasing the obvious goal can blind you to the deeper thing that would actually make you happy.
Why does she keep saying dig a little deeper?
Because the answer is not something she can hand over. It means look past the surface, figure out who you really are, and the thing you actually need will become clear.
What is the only way to become human again?
A princess must kiss the frog before midnight on Mardi Gras. Since Lottie only counts as a princess until the parade ends, that gives them very little time.
Who is Mama Odie?
A blind voodoo woman who lives in a boat in a tree in the bayou. She is the film's source of straight talk and, in this scene, its source of wisdom.
The Princess and the Frog · 14 chapters
All chapters →
Up next · Chapter 11do whatever it takesNaveen Confesses to Tiana
Chapter 1lived happily ever afterMama Reads the Frog Prince
Chapter 2set your mind toTiana's Father Teaches Her to Dream
Chapter 3two left feetTiana Works Toward Her Restaurant
Chapter 4do you one betterTiana Dreams of Her Restaurant
Chapter 5friends on the other sideThe Shadow Man Offers a Deal
Chapter 6cutting a rugTiana Meets the Frog Prince
Chapter 7had the gall toTiana and Naveen Argue as Frogs
Chapter 8would give anything toThe Frogs Meet a Jazz Gator
Chapter 9a stick in the mudTiana Teaches Naveen to Cook
Watching · Chapter 10dig a little deeperMama Odie Tells Them to Dig Deeper
Chapter 11do whatever it takesNaveen Confesses to Tiana
Chapter 12forever hold your peaceThe Wedding Gets Interrupted
Chapter 13the crown jewel ofFacilier Tempts Tiana with Her Dream
Chapter 14Warts and allTiana Chooses Love Over Her DreamChapter 10 of 14 · about 10 min to go