Teenchy[1] is a character who was featured in the 1946 Disney film Song of the South.
Background
Teenchy serves as Ginny Favers' pet dog who lives with her and her two troublesome brothers Jake and Joe. Whenever Teenchy feels threatened, Ginny would become furious to those who hurt her dog such as the case of the Favers brothers harassing Teenchy in a rude manner. In spite of Ginny and her dog living with the Favers brothers, Ginny also allows those to hold Teenchy but only if they are very nice to Teenchy so that such as the case of Ginny's encounter with Johnny who holds him gently.
Role in the film
Teenchy is first seen being harassed by Jake and Joe Favers and as Ginny notices her brothers harassing her pet dog, she yells at them, "This here's my puppy, leave him alone!", keeping Teenchy away from the Favers brothers. Later when Ginny approaches Johnny, he asks Ginny if he can hold her puppy, which she allows him to do so if he is nice to him unlike her brothers Joe and Jake who show a rude personality to Teenchy just as Johnny happily reacts to Teenchy who calmly takes care of Ginny's puppy in a very gentle manner. The two then chase Teenchy into a rowboat and as the two go on a boat ride as Johnny and Ginny introduce themselves to each other as Johnny sings a reprise of "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" to Ginny while rowing across the pond. As the two chase Teenchy into a boat shack and Teenchy ends up on a boat, Johnny thinks Teenchy wants a boat ride, just as Johnny gives Teenchy and Ginny across the pond.
Later, Johnny approaches Aunt Tempy who tells him to return Teenchy to his owners, much to Johnny worried that if he brings him back to the Favers brothers, he fears that Jake and Joe will harass him again. As Johnny approaches Uncle Remus singing "Who Wants to Live Like That?", Johnny asks him to know if he can take care of Teenchy which Uncle Remus refuses at first, much to Johnny trying to clarify that he was trying to protect Teenchy from the Favers brothers. After understanding what Johnny is really saying to him, Uncle Remus agrees to take care of Teenchy. Later, Uncle Remus approaches Jake and Joe Favers, telling him that if they treat Teenchy in a bad manner, he warns them that they will face the consequences if they continue to do so. Johnny approaches Ginny who tells him to not pay attention to the Favers brothers, telling him to tell her mother about this the more the Favers brothers cause trouble. Johnny, who is holding Teenchy, enters Uncle Remus' shack where Uncle Remus tells the story of Br'er Rabbit and the Tar Baby while Toby listens. After telling the story, Uncle Remus tells Johnny to find something Teenchy can chew on besides his shoe. Later when Johnny takes a bone from Aunt Tempy's kitchen to find a bone for Teenchy, Johnny finds out that Teenchy is not here. As Johnny approaches Uncle Remus, he explains to him that he fears that he is back with Joe and Jake just as Johnny feels sad that he learns about Teenchy's disappearance.
At the end of the film, Teenchy is shown to be alive as he appears during the finale reprise of "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" following Johnny, Ginny, and Toby across the countryside where he strolls past the three, alongside various animated characters. Teenchy then approaches Br'er Frog happily interacting with him just as the three children continue strolling along various animated characters and later with Br'er Terrapin. Teenchy is last seen catching up with the three children as they stand next to Uncle Remus before the film ends.
References
