[The episode begins on a birds-eye shot of the cottage. It's Autumn, and Mugman is out chopping wood, Elder Kettle supervising from behind]
Mugman: Whew! Chopping fire-wood sure is hard work.
Elder Kettle: True, true, my boy. But if you work hard today...
Mugman: ...You can rest easy tommorow! Being prepared is my middle name. Don't forget, [pulls out a merit badge sash] I was the most decorated cub scout in my troop! [he wears the sash proudly]
Elder Kettle: And don't you forget: [enter ominous atmosphere and tone] Winter is a merciless killer. We must procure enough firewood to last us through the long, dark, nights... [normal] But, with you and your brothers hard work, I'm sure we'll have more than enough to keep us warm. Isn't that right, Cuphead?
[Cuphead isn't where he's supposed to be, in fact he's nowhere in sight]
Elder Kettle: Cuphead...? [searching around] Where is that boy? [notices uncut firewood] And WHY hasn't he chopped a single piece of firewood?
[Crackling flames can be heard offscreen. Elder Kettle turns to find Cuphead anticipating a set of firewood to be set off. And exactly that happens, wood gets blown off into the sky tied to, of course, rockets. Cuphead laughs]
Elder Kettle: Oh, consarn it, Cuphead! Can't you see that winter's comin'? This is the time to work hard so we can enjo...
[He's cut off by that crackling sound to find Cuphead launching another set of wood off into the sky. The latter laughs]
Elder Kettle: [grabs him by the hand] That does it! You think this is so funny? Well, now YOU are gonna take this piece of firewood, and stack it neatly...
[He gets cut off again to Cuphead launching the last batch of firewood into the sky. He cackles, and Kettle gives a stern look at him]
Elder Kettle: Do you have any idea what you've just DONE?
Cuphead: Yeah! I just got rid of all that stinkin' hard work!
Elder Kettle: [sadly] And now we don't have any firewood for the winter!
Cuphead: Eh, I ain't too worried about it.
Elder Kettle: Oh, is that so? Well, now you're gonna have to collect all the seasons worth of firewood by yourself! [booming] SO GET CHOPPING!
Cuphead: [defeated] ...Yes, Elder Kettle.
[Cuphead walks off. Mugman stands behind Kettle]
Mugman: Uh... you do realize he didn't even carry an axe? [beat, then sigh] I'll go with him.
[Mugman follows him. Elder Kettle groans, exhausted]
[Cut to the top of the trees. Cutting of firewood can be heard in the distance, which eventually gets blown off into the sky tied to, you guessed it, a rocket. Again, cut to reveal Mugman chopping the firewood and Cuphead launching it off. This continues until Mugman has had enough.]
Mugman: WOULD YOU CUT THAT OUT?!
Cuphead: Aw, come on, Mugsy! Don't be sore! I'm just having a little fun.
Mugman: We're not here to have fun. We're here to chop firewood.
[Mugman shoves the axe in Cuphead's arms and goes to carry another batch]
Mugman, CONT'D: Stupid rockets. "Having a little fun!".
[He returns to find his axe tied to a rocket—courtesy of Cuphead—launching into the sky]
Mugman: DID YOU JUST LAUNCH MY AXE?! You're lucky we still have yours!
[That just gives Cuphead another idea; He goes on ahead and launches his axe]
Mugman: Unbelievable! Now we'll have to go home and get another axe!
Cuphead: Okay, let's go. [forgets where home was] ...Uh, which way was home again?
Mugman: It's obviously... Uhm... [doesn't remember either] ...I'm not sure. Hand me the compass.
[Mugman turns to find the compass tied to a rocket in his hands. He flinches before it launches. For a moment, he gives Cuphead a crazed look]
Mugman: [completely lost it] Why... would you launch our only compass?
Cuphead: ...I guess I didn't think that one through.
Mugman: Without that compass, we really are... [zoom out] LOST IN THE WOODS! [echo on "WOODS!"]
Cuphead: Eh, I ain't too worried about it.
Mugman: Oh, you're not, huh? [walks up to him] Well it must be nice. The only reason you're not worried about anything is because me and Elder Kettle worry about everything for you! In fact, WE do EVERYTHING FOR YOU!
Cuphead: Oh, relax, will you? Me not worrying about stuff is the only reason we have any fun around here.
Mugman: You wouldn't make it ONE day without my worrying.
Cuphead: Ah, banana oil! I've had it with you and your worryin'!
Mugman: Oh, is that so? Well, I'll keep worrying about stuff, and you keep not worrying about stuff, AND SEE WHERE THAT GET'S YOU!
Cuphead: FINE! I WILL!
Mugman: [mock smiling] Good! I'm outta' here!
Cuphead: [also mock smiling] Great! Me too!
Mugman: Good!
Cuphead: Great!
Both: GRRR! Hmph!
[The two walk their seperate ways... only to come back seconds later]
Mugman: Heh-heh... meant to go this way.
Cuphead: I meant to go that way...
Mugman: Best be on our ways then.
Cuphead: Yeah...
[Screen fades to black. Cut to a knock on the door; Kettle opens it to find a dying Mugman on the doorstep]
Elder Kettle: [gasps, horrified] Mugman! [picks him up] What happened?!
Mugman: I... worried... too much... aeugh... [he dies]
Elder Kettle: Oh, he learned it from MEEE!
[Kettle sobs as the camera pans to Cuphead, sitting on a chair by the fire]
Cuphead: I tried to tell 'ya! [chuckles, puts wood on the fire] What a couple of jerks!
[He continues laughing, and the scene fades to him out in the cold, lying on wood and snow]
Cuphead: [shivers] So.. cold. [he wakes up from the dream, and he shivers again realizing how cold it really is] It's Ff-freezing!
[He groans and gets up, walking around]
Cuphead: Okay, getting a little hungry. [his stomach growls] Not too worried. Just need to find some—
[An acorn lands on him. Cuphead turns behind him to find a hole filled with acorns]
Cuphead: Food!
[He stuffs his hand inside, struggling to pull a few out. Couple seconds later, he hears chittering. He looks above him to find three angry squirrels looking down at him]
Cuphead: Oh, hello..! [chuckles nervously]
[They beat him up offscreen, then toss him down a cliff. We hear him break through several branches. The squirrels run off laughing. Pan down about six fields to find his heavily disfigured body covered in thorns. He's missing teeth too.]
Cuphead: [weary] Still... ain't... too... worried!