The Story of Wally the Wombat 64 Zoo Lane

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# 64, 64, 64 Zoo Lane 64, 64, 64 Zoo Lane... #

Hello, I'm Lucy. I live at 64 Zoo Lane

and I have very special neighbours. Look!

# There's one with a hump, one who can jump, and one who is plump

# 64, 64, 64 Zoo Lane

# Some like it hot, some like it chilly, some like it silly

# 64, 64, 64 Zoo Lane

# Some are friendly, some are scary But not one is ordinary

# 64, 64, 64 Zoo Lane

# Some are spotty, some are stripy Prickly...woolly...furry...slimy

# Some are quite big, some are small And Georgina is incredibly tall

# 64, 64, 64 Zoo Lane # 64, 64, 64 Zoo Lane. #

Bedtime, Lucy! >

OK, Mum.

-Hi, everyone!

-ANIMALS: Hi, Lucy!

Brr-rr! It's a cold night.

I thought you'd all be inside, all curled up and warm.

We don't mind the odd frosty night. You get used to it.

You lived in Africa. Don't you miss sunshine?

Sometimes, but sunshine can get boring, too.

Yes, it's nice here at the zoo. We get different types of weather.

Speak for yourself, Boris. We hate the cold weather!

Yeah, we hate it! Let's have a story with sunshine!

Boris, do YOU know any hot-weather stories?

Hmm... Well, there is ONE I remember.

It takes place in Australia,

-which is quite a hot spot, so they tell me.

-Sounds good!

Yeah, let's hear it!

Brr!

In the middle of the Australian outback,

there was a Great Red Rock. Some animals thought it might be magic

because it was such a strange shape and colour.

In its shadow, there were two gum trees where a wombat lived.

He was a very old wombat,

and the other animals called him Wally Two-Trees.

Ohh!

Old Wally had some very strange habits.

WALLY MUTTERS

He was always collecting strange things.

Do you mind?!

Sometimes Wally would dance strange dances.

Rain, plain, come again!

GIGGLING

Did you ever see such a silly dance?

Look! Look at the way he wiggles his bottom!

WALLY SINGS

Who's this? Any guesses?

Wally! GIGGLING

# I'm a silly old wombat

# I'm a silly old wombat, I am! #

Be careful. He might hear.

GALES OF LAUGHTER

It was a hot summer. The days were long,

and Joey and his friends played from dawn until dusk.

-Hey, watch this!

-Right! I'm going to get you for that!

You kids shouldn't be playing here. You're wasting water.

# We're wasting water! We're wasting water! #

The summer was hot and dry.

The sun baked the earth until it was hard as stone.

Now there wasn't a drop of water to be found anywhere,

not even in the billabong.

The animals began to get thirsty.

We must find water. Let's split up.

-Let's see who can find the most water. Bet it's me.

-Bet it's not!

Phoebe knew that sometimes you could find water in the trunks of trees.

Oh-oh!

Useless tree!

Ribbit!

Jimmy looked for water beneath rocks.

-Do you mind? I was having a little snooze. Turn the lights out.

-Sorry.

Stupid snake!

Joey and his mum had travelled miles to a pool far from the Red Rock.

But how will we get it home, Mum?

Easy. I'll put it in my pouch!

Great idea!

Let's go, Joe!

Oh, no!

ALL: Ohh!

Wally was right. We shouldn't have wasted water.

Hey! Didn't Wally used to do a rain dance?

He's not here.

Look - paw-prints, and they're heading for...

ALL: The Great Red Rock!

This place...is really creepy!

Ssh! What's that? EERIE MUSIC ECHOES

It's all right, Phoebe. It's Mr Two-Trees.

You like the paintings?

Er, very good. Did you do them yourself?

-WALLY LAUGHS

-No!

They were done many thousands of years ago.

It's the ancient wombat rain dance.

That's what WE want you to do!

Wally agreed to help Joey and his friends,

but first, he decided to teach them a lesson.

-I need your help on this one.

-OK, what do we do?

-Joey...

I want you to begin by jumping up and down on one leg.

No problem!

Wally had tricked Joey into performing a SUN dance,

not a rain dance.

Jimmy, I want YOU to cross your arms

and kick out your legs. Can you do that?

No worries, Wally!

What's that white stuff?

Wally had taught Jimmy a Russian SNOW dance!

Brr-rr!

Right, Phoebe, now it's YOUR turn!

Er, I'm not a very good dancer.

No, you'll be fine. All you have to do

is spin round and round as quickly as you can.

Wally had played his last trick.

Phoebe was performing a WIND dance.

Help! Help! Get us down!

PHOEBE: We're sorry we laughed at you!

Yeah, we'll never waste water again!

Umma-dumma-dum, down they come.

Umma-dumma-dum, down they come.

Now you've learnt your lesson, it's time for one last dance.

Oh, no! What is it this time?!

Don't worry. This is the real thing.

The ancient wombat rain dance.

WALLY HUMS QUIETLY

# Rain, plain, come again

# All around... #

It's getting dark!

It's raining! Hooray! >

Wally's dance had worked

and, at long last, rain began to fall on the great plain -

beautiful, fresh, sweet-tasting rain.

That was a GOOD story, except for one thing.

Yeah, it ended up raining. You promised us a story full of sunshine.

Sorry. I'd forgotten it ended up with a rainstorm.

Never mind. It was a lovely story.

-I know the best place to be if you're still feeling cold.

-Bed.

ALL: Good night, Lucy!

# 64, 64, 64 Zoo Lane... #

Subtitles by Judith Simpson BBC Scotland 2001

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