Rastamouse - The Crucial Plan and Da Bag-a Bling Jackanory Junior

This is Jackanory Junior.

Hi, I'm Lenny,

and I've got two stories for you.

They're both about a cool crime-busting mouse,

Rastamouse!

Meet Rastamouse, Scratchy and Zuma,

also known as the Easy Crew,

crime-fighting special agents, with important work to do.

They solve mysteries and have adventures.

They're the best in the land, so cool, brave and funky.

And they play in a reggae band!

REGGAE MUSIC

They're jamming in the back yard, when suddenly they hear

a transmission through the radio, loud and clear!

Rastamouse, come in, come in, are you readin' me?

Message from the President. Come immediately!

So off speed Easy Crew, to the President's house.

No time to jam! No time to waste! He's a very important mouse.

Wensley Dale, the President, begins to show the crew

a video of a cheesy thief,

and asks what he should do.

He goes by the name of Bandulu, has a bite out of his ear,

wears a red and white bandana, and he's making a career

of stealing from the dairies and shops ALL the city's cheese.

I haven't been able to trap him yet.

So Rastamouse, help me, please!

Me want to catch this t'ieving mouse,

so give me your advice.

He stole the last cheese that there was, from poor little orphan mice!

Them little mice walk hungry. It makes me very sad,

cried Wensley Dale, the President,

This t'ief is super-bad!

Rastamouse agrees to assist.

Of course I will, irie, man.

So he asks the help of the Easy Crew,

to work up a crucial plan.

Yo, Easy Crew, listen up. This is how it rests.

Scratchy, you need a city map, and Zuma, your gymnast vest.

Scratchy flies the President's plane,

while Zuma hangs by his feet.

They flypost the city with party invites,

to ensure one reaches the thief.

NEE-YAOOOW

To gain entry to this party,

an impossible request.

Because a CHEESY dish is what you need, to be welcomed as a guest.

No-one else HAS any cheese, no-one anywhere,

Bandulu is the only mouse, who'll be expected there.

As the thief is in this secret den,

wondering what to bake -

with all the cheese he has, there's lots he could make!

When in flies a piece of paper.

It's the word "cheese" that catches his eye.

He sets to work immediately,

to create a spectacular pie.

With a dash of divine inspiration,

he slices and crumbles and grates,

a creative concoction of cheese,

which he puts in the oven to bake.

Meanwhile, back at the President's,

preparations are nearly complete,

for a pretend prize-giving party, that will lure the rotten cheat.

At seven, Bandulu puts on his tux, and straightens his red bow tie.

Looks in the mirror, smiles at himself,

then goes off to check on his pie.

The pie is ready, and so is he,

as the taxi whisks him away.

When he arrives at the President's door,

he feels it's his lucky day!

His heart full of pride for his wonderful dish,

he steps across the floor, unaware that his awesome pie,

proves he's been breaking the law.

When the spotlight falls on Bandulu,

he thinks he's got the prize

for the tastiest cheesy pie.

So imagine the crook's surprise,

when he doesn't get a prize at all, or any acclaim.

Rastamouse stares him in the eye, and asks him to explain.

The cheese has gone from everywhere, so come tell us, please,

how you create this irie dish that's clearly made of cheese?

OK, it was me. I t'ief all the cheese.

I promise me not do it again.

So Bandulu is handcuffed, taken outside,

and frogmarched back to his den.

Inside, his den is filled with cheese of every different sort.

Who was going to eat the cheese, presuming you didn't get caught?

-Just me alone,

-Bandulu replies.

-Me really love to cook,

but me no have no friends at all. That's why I get fat - look.

You'll have to take it back, every single piece.

To them dairy and the orphanage.

Then I'll call the police.

Our hero unlocks Bandulu's cuffs, and tells him what to do.

Give back them cheese to the baby mice,

and no-one must do it but you.

As the mice jump up and play around,

one gives the thief's tail a tug.

Then a teardrop falls from his eye,

as they queue up to give him a hug.

On seeing the baddy's remorseful look,

Rastamouse has an idea.

If Bandulu can have a change of heart

perhaps he could change career?

So Rastamouse makes a different call,

direct to Wensley Dale.

And he consents to the crucial plan,

the plan that cannot fail.

Later on at the orphanage door, Bandulu is crowned head cook,

on condition he ends his thieving ways,

and he gives up his life as a crook.

Bandulu teaches the orphans to bake, in a patient, happy way.

The mice teach Bandulu how to love, through their laughter and play.

Easy Crew, come in, come in! Are you reading me?

A message from the President. Listen up you three!

Rastamouse, come in, come in,

love your crucial plan!

Thank you for a job well done,

or as you would say, irie, man!

Rastamouse always catches the t'ief,

when he's taken a watch or a ring.

But how do you stop a t'ief from t'ieving a great big bag of bling?!

Rastamouse, Scratchy and Zuma,

also known as the Easy Crew,

are crime-fighting special agents

and a red-hot reggae band too!

Speeding through the darkness,

by the light of a luminous moon,

they're off to Nuff Song studio, to record their latest tune.

But across the road, through the woods,

on the other side of town, the orphans are getting up,

when they should be settling down!

Those babies should be asleep! Instead they're in a trance!

Moving to an irie beat, that makes them dance.

Bandulu, the chef, is up late, baking a pie.

So he doesn't hear the orphans wake,

or see them dancing by.

Meanwhile, back at the studio, the crew are in a fix.

This tune is sounding crucial but something missing from the mix.

REGGAE MUSIC PLAYS

As they play it back, this is what they hear.

A transmission through the radio, loud and clear!

Rastamouse, come in, come in. Are you reading me?

Message from President Wensley Dale. Come immediately!

So they kick out from the studio, with Rastamouse up front.

He busts an awesome Ollie Grind, and a Double Flipside Stunt!

Scratchy turns a Misty Flip, as Zuma zooms along.

And soon, they're at the President's,

to ask him, "What is wrong?"

-Wensley Dale said

-T'ings is rough. Me want you all to listen.

Me got a call from the orphanage. Them baby mice gone missin'.

Bandulu found this ransom note and it's the only clue.

Rastamouse, me need your help. Me no know what to do.

Irie, man, Just let me check that note.

The crook's demands were crystal clear

and THIS is what he wrote.

REGGAE BEAT

# Me name Baggati Baga-trouble-double-g

# Me get them babies to follow me

# Them like hip hop vibes wicked, rhythm live

# Me get them off and HIP HOP-notised!

# Me want bag of C Bag of cash, 20 Gs

# If you want them orphans to be set free

# Me want bag of bling Bag of t'ing

# And a ride that's fit for a king

# So leave the 20 Gs in the woods by the trees

# And don't let nobody come and follow me

# Signed...

# Baggati! Blu! Blu! Blu! Blu! #

Rastamouse is well impressed.

Man, this brother can really rap!

Let me go along with his greedy plan.

Keep watch and set up a trap.

So, Rastamouse collects the cash, goes home to grate some cheese,

then goes to meet the Easy Crew, who are waiting by the trees.

Next they hide, and wait and watch,

and wait and watch until...

Scratchy Ranks gets sleepy, and Zuma can't keep still!

-This waiting t'ing is boring

-Zuma says,

then starts to play. And while the crew are watching HIM

Baggatrouble slips away!

-Rastamouse says

-He'll not get far, that orphan t'ieving mouse.

Me put something extra in him bag, that will lead we to him house.

Me fix up the bag with a little hole and put in some grated cheese.

Let's look for the criminal's trail, Easy Crew, follow me, please!

Scratchy spots the cheesy trail, which leads them to a store.

When Rastamouse steps inside to ask the manager if he saw,

The one who left the cheese that's sprinkled on the floor.

Me have reason to believe that mouse broke the law.

-The manager says

-A mouse came in, rapping to a hip hop beat,

paid in cash for some trainers, then left with them on his feet.

-Zuma shouts

-Easy Crew, see what I have found.

He inspects some footprints he's noticed on the ground.

The crew pursue the villain's prints,

which end up at Fat's 4x4.

So Zuma asks the salesman if Baggati was here before?

-He was here,

-the salesman began,

-He bought the latest jeep.

He paid in cash from a big money sack,

and you know, them jeep ain't cheap.

The crew pick up the tyre track trail

and follow it quickly until...

It stops and disappears, at the bottom of Natty Hill.

-It's a mystery

-puzzles Scratchy

-how come them track just stop?

But wait! I hear an irie sound!

Some real fly, rough hip hop!

-Scratchy calls

-Come help me, here, I t'ink I found Baggati!

So the Easy Crew push back the rock, and this is what they see.

A crowd of happy orphan mice, hip hopping in the place,

screaming out for Baggati, and rocking to the bass.

Rastamouse takes the mike and questions Baggati.

Why you t'ief all that money, then not set them orphans free?

# Me name Baggati Bagga-trouble-double-g

# Me need them babies for me hard DNC

# They like hip hop vibes wicked, rhythm live

# Me wanna be famous, be recognised

# So me got nuff bling With the bag of cash you bring

# Me got the ride that's fit for a king

# But it never made me happy, the bling

# What really made me happy was this t'ing

# To see them orphans laughing Irie, dancing free

# That's the t'ing that's important to me

# Signing off...

# Baggati. Bru! Bru! Bru! Bru! Bru! #

Rastamouse listens carefully to Baggati's wicked rhyme.

He sees deep down, Bagga's heart is good,

and that he's not cut out for crime.

-So our hero says,

-You broke the law, and you have to pay the price.

You must hand back the cash and bling,

and take back them baby mice.

The Easy Crew will escort you, and make sure everyt'ing get fixed,

while I-mouse make an important call.

We'll meet at the orphanage at six.

So Rastamouse calls the President, and asks him to agree,

to a plan that will please the orphans,

and fix up Baggati.

-When they meet at six, Bandulu says,

-All them baby mice been fed.

Them washed and in them pyjamas but me can't get them to bed.

-Rastamouse turns to Baggati.

-Now this how you pay for your crime.

You settle them orphans down each night,

with a rap at story time.

And tonight, once them babies are fast asleep,

me need you to come with me.

Something's missing from the Easy Crew mix

and it's your vibes, Baggati.

So, later that night at the studio,

when the tune is nearly done,

Baggati raps on the final cut,

and in Mouseland it was number one!

Easy Crew, come in, come in! Are you readin' me?

A message from the President. Listen up you three.

Rastamouse, come in, come in. Me love your wicked plan!

And your tune is extra crucial,

or as you would say, irie, man!

And that's it from me.

See you soon.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

E-mail [email protected]