Chief Wulisso

Chief Wulisso
In-universe information
Species	Mouse
Gender	Male
Relatives	Cholena (daughter)
Real world information
Debut	An American Tail: The Treasure of Manhattan Island
Appears in	An American Tail: The Treasure of Manhattan Island
Voice actor	David Carradine

Chief Wulisso is a character in An American Tail: The Treasure of Manhattan Island. He is the sachem of the Lenape village and the father of Cholena. Despite his distrust of the Europeans, he is an avowed pacifist and extends his hospitality to Fievel's friends when they arrive at his village. He was voiced by David Carradine.

Appearance

Chief Wulisso is a large and barrel-chested mouse, being noticeably taller than other mice and even some rats. He wears a feathered headdress, brown pants, a necklace, and warpaint. He sometimes wears a long cloak but is usually shirtless.

An American Tail: The Treasure of Manhattan Island

Wulisso first appears when an expedition consisting of Fievel Mousekewitz, Tony Toponi, Tiger, Dr. Dithering, and Scuttlebutt stumbles upon the Lenape village. Although initially distrustful, he accepts Fievel's peace offering of matzo ball soup and explains that his people had withdrawn underground after witnessing the cruelty of the European settlers towards the human Lenape, not wanting to meet the same fate. He appoints his daughter, Cholena, to guide the visitors around the village and organizes a feast in their honor, only to learn that Scuttlebutt had been caught stealing from the clan. Despite his anger, he accepts Tony's assurances that Scuttlebutt was acting alone and allows the visitors to remain in the village, and he even takes the time to explain his clan's agriculture to Dr. Dithering. When Fievel suggests that Cholena should accompany the expedition back to the surface, he agrees to the proposal but instructs his daughter to observe the Europeans and determine whether or not they have changed their ways.

Wulisso is next seen when Fievel, Tony, and Tanya escort Cholena back to the village. He assures his daughter that the actions of the Europeans are not her fault and comforts a dispirited Fievel. He vows to defend his village despite his lack of knowledge about warfare and accepts Fievel's plan to ambush the police. Although the ambush is successful, he concludes that the village would not withstand another attack and decides to collapse the tunnel connecting them to the surface. He then reveals the existence of other paths to the surface and assures Fievel that one day the Europeans will learn to share the world with others and that perhaps he could teach them. He gives the trio a gunpowder bomb and instructs them to destroy the tunnel wall near the river.

He is last seen at the celebration of the factory workers' successful strike, watching from a nearby statue as his daughter waves to Fievel before withdrawing into a secret passage.

Trivia

• Wulisso was voiced by the late David Carradine, who is best known for starring in the TV series Kung Fu, as well for his role as the titular antagonist of the Kill Bill duology.
• This was David Carradine's only appearance in a Don Bluth franchise. His father, John Carradine, had previously voiced the Great Owl in Bluth's first independent feature film, The Secret of NIMH.