Why Hummingbird Hums Tinga Tinga Tales

# Tinga Tinga Tinga Tinga-ah Tinga Tinga Tinga Tinga-ah

# 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-ah

-Tales from Africa

-# Tinga Tinga Tinga Tinga-ah

-Tales from Africa

-# Tinga Tinga Tinga Tinga-ah... #

-Look at all my friends!

-# Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh. #

-I'll tell you why...

..why Hummingbird hums.

HUMMING

He-he! He-he!

Aah.

SNORING

# So night

DISCORDANT: # Sleep tight! #

Songbird!

BIRD CONTINUES TO MAKE A DIN

But you see, there was a time

when Hummingbird didn't hum.

She was called Songbird.

And she sung,

just like all the other birds.

BIRD CONTINUES TO MAKE A DIN

Well, not exactly like all the other birds.

-Songbird!

-Yes, Monkey?

MONKEYS ALL YAWN

We're sleepy enough now. Thank you.

Very good.

More animals to sing to sleep.

A bird's job is never done. Ah!

Crickets... A one, two, three, four...

# Rest your head and close your eyes... #

Mmm. Aah...

-# Sleep beneath the Tinga sky... #

-Oh, that's so nice.

Makes me feel all sleepy.

It is nature's way.

A lullaby finishes the day,

so we can all have a peaceful sleep.

# Rest your head and close your eyes

-DISCORDANT:

-# Rest your head and close your eyes. #

-Euch!

-Make it go away!

DIN CONTINUES

Believe me, there is no escape.

-Listen, Songbird.

-Yes, Tortoise.

-The thing is, we can't get to sleep when you...

-Sshh! Sshh!

-Tortoise!

-Oh, please, sing on, sing on.

Thank you.

DISCORDANT: # Rest your eyes and close your eyes

Oh, I give up.

DIN CONTINUES

-Too much.

-Oh!

Night, night. Everyone sleep tight.

Whee!

Oh... Now let's try and get some sleep.

Crickets... A one, two, three and a four...

# Rest your head and close your eyes... #

Wanyama! Animals.

It is midday.

Crickets... A one, two, three, four...

# Midday, midday, too hot to think

# Stop your work 'neath the heat

# Come and have a drink

# Midday, midday, too hot to think

# Stop your work 'neath the heat

# Come and have a drink

-DISCORDANT:

-# Midday, midday

# Too hot too think... #

That's when we knew that something had to be done.

-She's awful.

-She's ghastly.

Oh, I'm afraid, Eagle,

that Songbird's singing

has become...a bit of a problem.

She, er, well... She...

Sounds like a squashed parrot?

LAUGHTER

I couldn't have put it better myself.

We just don't know what to do.

You see, Songbird just loves her singing.

But the entire animal kingdom doesn't.

-Peacock.

-Your Majesty,

may I make a suggestion?

Please do, Tortoise.

Perhaps we could all help Songbird

improve her singing.

Ooh, I could teach

Songbird to gargle.

GLUG, GLUG, GLUG!

Very good, Hippo.

Oh, honey is good for a voice, too.

Makes it sweet.

Maybe the bees can help?

I'll ask them.

We crickets will improve Songbird's rhythm

and Songbird's beat.

Excellent, everyone!

Soon we will have Songbird singing

like a...like a...Songbird! He-he!

Eagle, you must oversee the progress

of your little bird.

It's my duty.

Twentalay, twentalay.

Carry on, carry on.

GLUG, GLUG, GLUG!

Songbird, Hippo has offered to teach you to gargle.

It's very good for the voice.

My voice is how I spread joy.

-SPITS

-Have a go.

Try this.

GARGLES

Now you are all warmed up.

Please, sing.

-DISCORDANT:

-# Mayday, mayday

# Too hot to think

# Leave your work, leave the heat

# Come and have a drink. #

Yes, I do believe my voice is even better.

Thank you, Hippo.

TUTS

Just one drop of honey can make your voice sound sweet, Songbird.

Even sweeter than it is already.

-DISCORDANT:

-# Mayday, mayday

# Too hot to think

# Stop your work and come leave the heat. #

My voice does sound sweeter.

Thank you, Bees.

TUTS

-DISCORDANT:

-# Mayday, mayday... #

No, no, no. And one and two...

-DISCORDANT:

-# Mayday, mayday...#

Oh, my!

Oh, lovely, everyone gathered for a sing-song.

I wonder what it will be?

But it can't all be bad news?

I'm afraid it is.

There we are.

Songbird will never be able to sing.

(Never sing. That's me!)

We can't get to sleep when she sings.

I don't want to wake up if she is singing.

Oh, no!

Somebody has to tell Songbird, "No more singing."

ALL: No more singing.

Songbird, we were just, erm....

It's all right, everyone.

I heard what you said and I won't sing any more.

-SOBS:

-I am so very sorry that my singing upset you all.

And I... Oh dear! Oh, dear, dear, dear.

We have taken away the one thing that Songbird loves

more than anything in the world, her song.

-If only she could sing without...

-Opening her beak.

I think I have an idea that will please everyone, including Songbird.

Elephant, let's go and find her.

All right, Tortoise, let's go.

Oh, dear!

SONGBIRD SOBS

There you are, Songbird.

Songbird, we have come to tell you something.

I know, no more singing.

Now, wait, Songbird. You did not let us finish.

What we were trying to say was no more singing with your mouth open.

-Really?

-Really?

-Yes, Elephant.

You remember what we were saying earlier?

TOGETHER: No more singing with your mouth open.

That was it. Big head, see?

Tiny brain, ha-ha.

You see, Songbird, we all think your singing

would sound even more wonderful if only you'd sing with your beak shut.

With my beak shut?

You know, sort of like a hum. HUMS

Hm. Well, I never thought of that before.

But I'm always keen to try something new for my music.

So you'll try it tonight at the lullaby?

Humming. Try humming us to sleep.

Absolutely!

No singing, just humming.

Just humming.

Here she is.

Block your ears, everyone.

Over to you, Songbird.

Remember, don't open your beak.

CLEARS THROAT

Ooh!

ALL: # Rest your head and close your eyes. #

HUMS BEAUTIFULLY

That's beautiful.

Pretty, isn't it?

Now, that's a lullaby.

OTHERS: # Rest your head and close your eyes

Excellent, Songbird, excellent.

Your Majesty, would you mind calling me Hummingbird from now on?

-Hummingbird.

-HUMS SWEETLY

Suits you perfectly.

And that is why a hummingbird hums.

From that day on, she closed her beak and she hummed,

always humming Tinga Tinga into a deep, deep sleep.

Ahh! My hum is how I spread my joy.

Now that IS humming.

And the crickets' chirruping?

Well, that's a whole other story.

-# Beneath a Tinga sky

-Woo!

# Tinga Tinga Tinga Tinga-ah. #

Tales from Africa!

# Tales from Africa! #