The Seemingly Never-Ending Story

"The Seemingly Never-Ending Story" is the thirteenth episode of the seventeenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on March 12, 2006. The episode won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming less than One Hour). At the 34th Annie Awards, episode writer Ian Maxtone-Graham won the award for "Best Writing in an Animated Television Production." The episode contains many levels of nested storytelling, much like the novel The NeverEnding Story by Michael Ende, which the title references. Plot While visiting a cave, Homer meddles with a very fragile stalactite, causing the family to fall deep into the caves. Homer is stuck hanging upside down from a narrow hole, and while Marge and Bart try to find a way out, Lisa tells him a story to pass the time. In Lisa's story, a bighorn sheep begins to attack her. She runs to the nearest shelter, Mr. Burns' house, and they hide in the attic. There, Lisa finds a photo of Burns as an employee at Moe's Tavern, and he tells her the origins of it. Burns explains that he and Rich Texan were once involved in a scavenger hunt, with the winner getting all the possessions of the loser. Burns was able to get every item besides one: a picture of himself with a smiling child. The Texan won, and Burns had to get a job at Moe's to regain his fortune. While working, he finds a letter by Moe about his secret treasure. The summer before Edna Krabappel was to begin teaching, she and Moe met and fell in love. Moe wanted to leave Springfield with her but had no money, only for Snake, a polite idealistic archaeologist, to bring a large amount of gold coins he intended to donate to a museum. Moe stole them from Snake, leading him to begin a life of crime. Before Moe and Edna are about to leave, Edna stops by Springfield Elementary School and finds Bart with detention over the summer, claiming he does bad in school because nobody believes in him. Edna tells Moe that she will stay in Springfield to help Bart succeed. Back in the cave, Bart explains that he was lying to distract Edna and help Nelson steal classroom equipment.