The Story of Zed the Zebra 64 Zoo Lane

# 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.

One, two. One, two. One, two.

-Lucy, what are you doing?

-Can't you see?

I'm doing exercises. One, two. One, two.

I have to get ready for the race tomorrow.

-What race?

-The potato sack race at school.

-Faster, Lucy.

-Faster!

Hey, hey, hey, hey! Wait a moment.

Put me down. I have to practise for the race.

Lucy, aren't you taking this all a bit too seriously?

But I want to win.

We all want to win. But you can't always win.

Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.

-The important thing is to have fun.

-You're the snip-snip bird.

-Yes.

I know all about races. Let me tell you a story about Zed the Zebra.

Zed the Zebra was fast. VERY fast.

He was the fastest runner in all of Africa.

Just look at those go-faster stripes!

I'm SO cool.

Hey, Nelson, you're a slow runner, aren't you?

Slow? Me?

I wouldn't say I was slow. In fact, I can run quite fast.

For an elephant. Hah-hah! But you CAN'T run as fast as ME.

-Says who?

-Says me. I'll race you to the top of that hill.

OK.

NELSON SPLUTTERS

Hah-hah!

Zed liked to race all the animals.

And he beat them all.

Hah-hah! NO-ONE is faster than ME.

Hah-hah!

Until one day...

Hi, everyone. What are you doing?

Hello, Zed. Fancy a race?

Another race? But I've already beaten you all.

This isn't just any old race.

This is a special race. An obstacle course.

Special race or not, I'll still win.

I'm the one with the go-faster stripes, remember?

We'll see.

And so, everyone got ready for the race.

-Attention, everyone!

-Where's Zed?

-Here he comes.

-Keep it up, Natalie.

Hah-hah! ..Maybe YOU two should go on a diet or something.

..Careful, Herbert!

It's not always the fastest runner who wins the race.

Attention! I will be giving the start signal in just a second.

-Everybody ready?

-Yes.

-Yes.

-Yes.

-Yes.

-Yes.

-Attention! Go!

Zed the Zebra has taken the lead.

Georgina is second, with Ronald in third place.

But this is an obstacle course, so anything can happen.

We've come to the first obstacle - the jungle.

Zed has slowed down. He's not quite sure what to do.

Here come the others. The elephant's in front. Look at that!

Nelson must be the best bulldozer in all of Africa.

-Here's Zed again.

-Nice try, Nelson. But I'm still the fastest.

The second obstacle is the river.

Zed has taken the plunge. He's struggling. Here come the others.

But it's Natalie who's jumped into the lead.

She's the best jumper in all of Africa.

I'll show HER who's the fastest.

Bye. I'll see you at the finish.

And, once again, it's Zed in front.

He's racing away. Where's he gone?

Where am I?

It looks like Zed's lost in the great grasses.

Here come the others.

HERBERT: Where am I? RONALD: It's this way.

NATALIE: No, that way.

NELSON: I've got hay fever. Atchoo!

Oh, dear. They're ALL lost now.

All except Georgina.

That way!

And, yes, Georgina has taken the lead.

Georgina is the best pathfinder in all of Africa.

This way! No, that way.

Atchoo!

Atchoo!

But now the zebra's back in the race.

It's Zed neck and neck with Georgina.

-Just look at the giraffe's neck. It's SO long.

-Bye.

I'll see you at the finish.

Zed's still winning. He's almost reached the big boulders.

Oh, he's slowed down once more.

The zebra is having problems.

But here comes Ronald.

Ronald is the best boulder-basher in all of Africa.

But Zed is NOT giving up.

Hah-hah!

He's fast approaching the last obstacle - the blue mountain.

Blue, green or red, no mountain is going to stop me.

Zed is having problems.

And here come Nelson, Natalie and Georgina.

What are they waiting for?

It's Ronald.

But even Ronald's not strong enough to beat the blue mountain.

We've got a problem.

Hey, there's Herbert! I'd forgotten about him. What's he doing?

Herbert is the best digger in all of Africa.

What a race!

Move it, wobble-bottom!

Herbert is still in the lead, but Zed is hot on his tail.

-The gap between them is getting smaller.

-Beat that, short-legs!

Zed has overtaken Herbert. Just look at that!

Way out in front, it's Zed the Zebra.

No-one can possibly catch up now. Zed the Zebra,

the fastest runner in all of Africa. He's almost reached the finish.

What's happened? The zebra has stopped at the water hole.

Look at those stripes! No-one's faster than me.

It's a photo finish. Smile!

The winners are...Georgina, Nelson, Natalie, Herbert and Ronald.

And in second place, Zed the Zebra.

The water hole wasn't one of the obstacles, Zed.

I suppose I'm not always the fastest runner.

But you ARE the biggest boaster.

-Sorry.

-Zed's learned his lesson.

Three cheers for Zed.

ALL: Hip-hip-hooray! Hip-hip-hooray!

-Hip-hip-hooray!

-After all, I DID come second. That's not bad.

-Ah! I feel tired now.

-I think you need a good night's sleep,

so you're fit for the race tomorrow.

-That's right. Bedtime, young lady.

-OK.

-Good night, everyone.

-Good night, Lucy. And good luck tomorrow.

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

Subtitles by Audrey Flynn BBC Scotland 2001

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