Fan Casting

young boy living in a town in a gloomy woodland area wanders down the Street of the Lifted Lorax, where he meets a mysterious person known as the Once-ler. The boy pays the Once-ler "fifteen cents, a nail, and the shell of a great-great-great-grandfather snail" to hear the tale of how the Lorax was lifted away. Many years ago, the Once-ler arrived in a beautiful valley teeming with Truffula Trees and playful fauna. Having long searched for a tree like the Truffula, he chopped one down and used its foliage to create a highly versatile garment known as a Thneed. A creature known as the Lorax emerged from the tree's stump and expressed disapproval of the Once-ler's actions. Ignoring the Lorax, the Once-ler sold his Thneed for $3.98 and enlisted the help of his relatives to expand his business. The Once-ler's shop grew into a large industrial complex, and new machines were built to log the Truffula forest and distribute Thneeds. Over time, the valley was ravaged by pollution, and the Lorax sent the fauna away to find safer habitats. The Once-ler vowed to continue "biggering" his operations until one of his machines felled the last Truffula tree, forcing the factory to close down. The Lorax disappeared into the sky, leaving behind a pile of rocks inscribed with the word "UNLESS". For years afterwards, the Once-ler lived in isolation, pondering the Lorax's message. Upon finishing his story, the Once-ler finally grasps the message: change and improvement cannot occur unless someone takes action out of care. He gives the boy the last Truffula seed and urges him to cultivate a new forest, hoping that the Lorax and the animals will return.