Why Aardvark Has a Sticky Tongue Tinga Tinga Tales

# Tinga Tinga Tinga Tinga-a

# Tinga Tinga is a land

# Full of stories and surprise. #

Tell me about it!

If you like to wonder why Tinga Tinga is a land of whys

# You won't believe your eyes

Why I swing from tree to tree.

Why my trunk is long.

-Why I'm so slow.

-Why I tick.

-Why my skin is smooth and slick.

# You ask why, why, why, why, why. #

Why?!

# You ask why, why, why, why, why.

-# There's a story. #

-Lots of stories.

# Beneath the Tinga sky

# Tinga Tinga Tinga Tinga-a. #

Tales from Africa.

# Tinga Tinga Tinga Tinga-a. #

Tales from Africa.

# Tinga Tinga Tinga Tinga-a. #

Look at all my friends!

I'll tell you why...

..why Aardvark has a sticky tongue.

But you see, there was a time

when Aardvark didn't have a sticky tongue.

When eating was a bit of a problem.

-Try holding the corn like this.

-And then nibbling the corn like this.

Here we are...

..nearly there. Oh!

My paws are too big,

and my mouth's too tiny.

I know, let's ask Elephant. He's got a big nose like yours.

-Yes, maybe Elephant can help.

-Yes, Elephant!

Right, well, the first thing is to find a nice ripe mango.

Not too hard and not too soft.

Then you wiggle your trunk around the mango, like so.

Then pop it in your mouth.

I can wiggle my nose, look.

Ha-ha, that's good. Your turn.

Oh, there's a good one.

It won't curl.

Try snuffling.

OK, I'll give it a go.

It's stuck!

-Some beast pat Aardvark on the back, please.

-I'll do it!

Ho-ho, ooh! Yummy.

Will I ever find something that I can eat?

Hmm, perhaps Mamma Cheetah can help.

She is the best hunter in Tinga Tinga.

That's brilliant.

Run, Aardvark, run!

I am running.

Run!

-Oh, dear.

-I could do better than that.

AARDVARK PANTS

I don't think Aardvark will ever make a good hunter.

What about Mamma Hen, hmm? I'm sure she would give Aardvark an egg.

-Now I'm even more hungry.

-Mamma Hen it is.

There you go. Please help yourself, Aardvark.

Oh, a lovely egg. Thank you, Mamma Hen.

Asante.

Careful now, Aardvark. Just poke a small hole in it.

-Try and catch it!

-Careful, Aardvark!

Easy, it's an easy catch. Carefully does it.

Got it!

-Oh!

-Oh.

-I'm never going to find anything to eat.

-Yes, you will, Aardvark.

After a good night's sleep we'll definitely think of something.

-Now, lala salama, everyone. Goodnight.

-Lala salama.

-Sleep well.

Oh, it's no use. I can't get to sleep. I'm so hungry.

Oh! Cheetahs hunt, monkeys eat corn, elephant has mangoes.

But me, what do I have?

Nothing in my tummy!

Oh!

Oh, what's the matter, Aardvark?

-You should be fast asleep.

-I can't sleep. I've got nothing in my tummy.

Nothing in your tummy?

That's not good. That's not good at all.

Have you tried mangoes?

I've tried everything, but I either drop it or snuffle it or break it.

It's a big problem.

Well, we can't have that. Let's get all the night animals to help.

Twit-twoo!

Twit-twoo!

-Jambo, everyone.

-Jambo, everyone!

-What's the problem?

-Aardvark can't find anything to eat.

-And I'm really hungry.

-Any suggestions?

One, two, one, two, three, tell Aardvark what we all like to eat.

-Me, I like eggs, egg is a treat.

-I like mosquitoes.

-Me, I like flies.

-The best is a moth but depends on size.

For moles, a worm or a slug.

Yes, worms, they are nice but you can't beat a bug.

# So it's insects and worms that you really can eat

# Insects and worms that we all like to eat

# Insects and worms that's a treat! #

Ha-ha!

-Worms and bugs? That sounds horrible!

-I know! What about honey?

Every beast loves honey and it's the easiest thing to eat in the world.

You just lick.

Oh, I saw the bees hide some honey in this log earlier.

I'm sure they won't mind.

I agree. I know the bees will be the first to help poor hungry Aardvark.

Now, come on, just put a tiny bit on the tip of your tongue.

-Mmm...

-What's the matter?

My tongue's really small. I'll never be able to get it into that log.

Look!

-Oh, that is tiny.

-That's even smaller than mine.

-That isn't good at all.

-Animals, please!

Now, come on, Aardvark, we don't want you to waste away.

OK, but it's not going to work, I tell you.

Don't be such a doomy gloomy!

Oh, it's all sweet and squidgy and sticky.

It's so sticky that I'm... I'm...

I'm stuck!

Aardvark's stuck!

Aardvark's stuck? That's not good. That's not good at all.

-Pull!

-Pull!

I am pulling!

Bush baby, Skunk, let's all work together

so we can all pull Aardvark off the honeycomb.

Pull! Vuta! Pull!

Pull! Vuta! Pull!

Pull! Vuta! Pull!

Pull! Vuta!

Pull!

Oh!

Uh-oh!

-Oops.

-Oh, no.

-Is that my tongue?

-Oh, dear.

What am I going to do with that?

Try rolling it up, Aardvark. It might roll back in.

Look at Aardvark's tongue.

Mmm, oh, it's all sweet and sticky. Delicious!

I wonder if I can roll it out.

I can! I can unroll

and roll my tongue, look!

Look at this!

In...

and out.

I bet that long, sticky tongue of yours

will be perfect for catching termites.

Termites? Eugh!

No, Aardvark, termites are delicious.

I manage to get a few digging, you know, with these big paws of mine.

Oh, I've got big paws like that.

Oh, and with that long, sticky tongue of yours,

you could snaffle them up.

Come on, let's give it a try. Dig, dig, like this.

-I can see lots of tunnels. Now what?

-Roll out your new sticky tongue.

Ah, rolling out now.

Mmm.

Oh, they're delicious!

-Aw, this is perfect.

-Ha-ha!

Aw!

These termites sure taste good.

No more empty tummy for Aardvark. Thank goodness for that.

Told you! Let's get some more.

-Me!

-Your turn!

Oh, jambo, Aardvark! What are you doing?

Snuffling for termites with my new sticky tongue!

Look!

-Whoa!

-Wow!

That's amazing. Do it again!

Do it again, do it again!

Ta-da!

And, with my new sticky tongue,

I won't be hungry ever again.

And that's why Aardvark has a sticky tongue!

Ha-ha-ha!

Well, that's enough food for now. I'm going to have a rest.

And do you know from that night on, Aardvark always came out at night

to eat termites with his new friend Mole.

Hey, Aardvark, this is my hole. Ha-ha!

And Mole, living underground, well, that's a WHOLE other story! He-he!

# Beneath the Tinga sky. #

Tinga Tinga Tinga Tinga!

Tales from Africa!

# Tales from Africa. #