Tiger Tally Teacup Travels

Here they come! My two intrepid explorers -

Charlotte and Elliott.

I'm their Great Aunt Lizzie, you see.

And I wonder which one is coming to see me today...

Ah! So, it's Charlotte's turn.

Here she comes!

Racing to hear another tale from an epic adventurer.

CLINK, CLINK, CLINK!

And what wonderful adventures they were!

So long ago and so far away...

I collected a few souvenirs along the way.

But my most precious possession of all is my extraordinary

collection of teacups.

You've still got your coat on, Charlotte. Come on!

No time to count the clouds. We've got stories to tell!

Now, let's have a lovely cup of tea.

-But first, we need...

-A teacup!

But which one?

That one!

Mmm... The Tiger Tally.

What a choice, Charlotte.

I REALLY do love that story.

This will be just perfect to drink now.

-So, are you ready?

-Ready!

Then let me tell you the story of Great Aunt Lizzie

And The Tiger Tally Mix-up.

Ahem!

Oh, yes, of course!

Let me tell you the story of CHARLOTTE

And The Adventure Of The Tiger Tally Mix-up.

It all started long, long ago,

in the magnificent Empire of China,

with its towering Himalayan mountains,

lush scented fields and thick green forests.

MAGICAL ADVENTURE MUSIC

After journeying for days among the mountains, Charlotte came

at last to the longest wall ever built in the history of the world...

The Great Wall of China.

As she entered one of the fortresses, she found herself

in the middle of a courtyard, where something caught her eye.

An old lady was busy mixing all sorts of ingredients together.

Flowers, roots and seeds. Was she making a magic potion?

Or maybe a special salad dressing? Perhaps a perfume?

There you go, Mr San. Please, take it three times a day.

Thank you very much, Doctor Jiangnu. I'll let you know if it improves.

Please do. And take care.

Right. Time for some more supplies, I think.

-RATTLING

-Oh! Oh, dear!

Charlotte rushed to help the old lady.

Oh, thank you very much!

What do you use all these things for?

Well, this is my great collection

of wonderful Chinese herbs.

All these are to help people when they are not well.

Each herb treats something different.

-Do you have any problems I can help you with?

-Erm, no.

-That's good.

But if you ever do need any help,

I live just round the corner.

And have a good day!

Thank you very much for your help.

You're very welcome. Bye!

-Suddenly, out of nowhere...

-MAN:

-Here, here! Here, here!

-Charlotte heard a loud voice.

-MAN:

-Here, here!

It sounded like someone was making a very important announcement.

Here, here! Here, here!

I'm the messenger of Her Majesty, Lady Wang,

the Great Empress of China.

Whoever carries a Tiger Tally must step forward now.

At that point, Charlotte didn't know what a Tiger Tally was.

So, she ignored the messenger's announcement.

Instead, her eye was caught by something on the ground,

where the old lady had been standing a minute ago.

It was a tiny, beautifully carved tiger.

Or, in truth, it was HALF a tiger. How strange!

The old doctor must have dropped it while she was packing her things.

Charlotte was about to go and return it to the doctor

when the tiger figure was suddenly snatched from her grasp!

-Thank you very much!

-Hey, what are you doing?

-Confirming your identity.

You're most definitely the Empress's Doctor.

-Could I have it back, please?

-Of course!

But first, you must complete a mission.

I've to read you a special message from Her Majesty, Lady Wang,

-the Great Empress of China.

-Wait - you've made a mistake.

No, your Tiger Tally matches mine perfectly.

But it's not MY Tiger Tally.

The doctor who was here must have dropped it by mistake.

But Charlotte's attempt to explain

she wasn't the doctor fell on deaf ears.

Back then in China, a Tiger Tally was

all a messenger needed to prove who someone was.

Her Majesty, Lady Wang, the great Empress of China,

will soon arrive at this fort.

She has unfortunately developed a rash on her arms,

while walking on the Great Wall.

You are required to make a medicine that will heal the rash.

What a conundrum! Charlotte was not a doctor.

She couldn't make the Empress feel better. What on earth could she do?

Excuse me, shouldn't a doctor carry a special doctor's bag?

-Where's yours, if I may ask?

-But I don't have

a special doctor bag because...

You must go and get whatever you need.

-Be quick, before the Empress gets here.

-This was it.

-This was her chance to get the real doctor.

-I'll be as quick as I can.

As soon as Charlotte found the doctor's house,

she thought that fixing this mix-up would be as easy as ABC.

But, of course, it was never going to be as easy as that.

-Are you looking for Dr Jiangnu?

-Yes.

I'm afraid she left a while ago to pick up some herbs in the mountains.

She won't be long. Just a day or two.

It was only just past breakfast.

How had she got into such a pickle already?

-She had helped the doctor pick up the herbs.

-Thank you very much!

She had found the Tiger Tally lying by the bench.

She had tried to explain to the messenger that she wasn't

-the doctor but he wouldn't listen.

-What? Wait. You've made a mistake.

And she had thought bringing the doctor to clear up

the confusion would be a doddle.

She couldn't go back to the messenger, or worse,

the Empress, without the doctor, could she?

There was nothing else for it but to get

a wriggle on to the hills to find the doctor and bring her back.

So, off went charlotte in her old battered boots.

She scrambled up the misty mountain paths until,

when she was almost out of breath,

the path ran out!

ROCKS TUMBLE

BIRD CRY ECHOES

There was only one way to get to the other side.

Charlotte took a deep breath...

DRAMATIC MUSIC

BOARDS CREEK

Safely across, Charlotte soon found herself overlooking

the most beautiful landscape.

But there was no time to stop and admire the view.

Charlotte had to find that doctor.

-Hello!

-I'm so glad I found you.

How can I help you?

I found your Tiger Tally on the floor

and then the messenger thought I was you

-and then he told me I had to cure the Empress from a rash.

-A rash?

-Oh, dear!

-Do you have anything that would cure her?

-Yes, I think so...

No, wait...

I don't have any astragalus root.

-Without that, I won't be able to help the Empress.

-Oh...

-So, do you know where we can find some?

-Yes.

Somewhere here but I haven't seen any.

I could look while you go to the Empress.

-Do you know what you're looking for?

-For a moment, Charlotte was stumped.

But then she looked in her bag for a bit of inspiration

-and pulled out...

-I've got this book of flowers.

-It should help me find the astragalus flower.

-Wonderful!

I'll go now and meet you at the fortress by the Great Wall.

As Doctor Jiangnu set off to the Empress, Charlotte

set about looking for an astragalus flower.

She checked each plant and flower until finally,

hidden behind a rock, she found what she was looking for.

TRADITIONAL CHINESE MUSIC

Back came Charlotte in her old battered boots,

over the open fields and down the mountainside.

She pressed on back to the fortress with her important package.

-I've got it!

-Thank you very much!

Now your mission is complete, I will give you back your Tiger Tally.

Oh, no, I told you. It belongs to the doctor.

-I think you helped just as much as I did.

-Yes, I agree.

-Thank you both ever so much for your help.

-It's a pleasure.

And now you've had your medicine, Empress,

let's all have a nice cup of tea!

Yes! Let's!

And that was that. The whole kit and caboodle.

Charlotte And The Adventure Of The Tiger Tally Mix-up.

I was a bit worried when the messenger thought

-I was a Chinese doctor.

-Well, you did have the right Tiger Tally -

the only thing he needed to prove your identity.

Lucky I managed to escape and find the real doctor.

-And the astragalus root too.

-Yeah.

-You were so helpful!

I would have given you a Tiger Tally myself if I was the Empress.

Well, I'll be blowed! Is that the time already? Come on!

Your mum will be here in a minute.

Your coat.

Now, how did that get there?

Home time now, Charlotte.

-Thanks, Great Aunt Lizzie!

-Cheery-bye, Charlotte!