Tikki Tikki Tembo facts for kids
Cover
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| Author | Arlene Mosel |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Blair Lent |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's picture book |
| Publisher | Holt, Rinehart and Winston |
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Publication date
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1968 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover) |
| ISBN | 0805006621 |
| OCLC | 303376 |
| 398.27/0951 | |
| LC Class | PZ8.1.M8346 Ti |
Tikki Tikki Tembo is a popular children's picture book. It was written by Arlene Mosel and illustrated by Blair Lent in 1968. The story is about a Chinese boy with a very long name who falls into a well. It's like an old tale that explains why Chinese names are usually short today.
Contents
The Story of Tikki Tikki Tembo
The story of Tikki Tikki Tembo takes place in ancient China. In this story, parents gave their first-born sons very long and special names. Everyone had to say the full name, without any shortcuts! Second-born sons, however, got short, simple names.
One boy's name was Tikki Tikki Tembo-no Sa Rembo-chari Bari Ruchi-pip Peri Pembo. This long name meant "The Most Wonderful Thing in the Whole Wide World." His younger brother's name was Chang, which meant "Little or Nothing."
The two brothers were playing near a well, even though their mother had told them to stay away. Suddenly, Chang fell into the well! Tikki Tikki Tembo ran to tell their mother. She told him to get the Old Man with the Ladder. Tikki Tikki Tembo quickly found the Old Man, and Chang was saved. He got better very fast.
Some time later, the boys were playing near the well again. This time, Tikki Tikki Tembo fell in! Chang ran to his mother to tell her. He tried to say, "Tikki Tikki Tembo-no Sa Rembo-chari Bari Ruchi-pip Peri Pembo has fallen into the well!"
His mother couldn't hear him at first. Chang was out of breath from running, so he sputtered the long name. His mother told him to say it again, but with respect. Chang tried many times, but it took so long to say the name. Finally, his mother told him to get the Old Man with the Ladder.
Chang rushed to the Old Man, who was asleep. It took a while to wake him up. The Old Man was annoyed at first. But Chang kept repeating his brother's problem. Eventually, the Old Man went with Chang to save Tikki Tikki Tembo.
They pulled Tikki Tikki Tembo-no Sa Rembo-chari Bari Ruchi-pip Peri Pembo out of the well. But because he had been in the well for so long, it took him a very long time to get well again. The story ends by saying this is why people in China started having short names.
Where Did the Story Come From?
The book's publisher says that the author, Arlene Mosel, first heard this story when she was a child. She then retold it in her own way.
However, many people think the story actually came from Japan, not China. It is very similar to an old Japanese story called rakugo. This Japanese story is about a boy named Jugemu Jugemu Gokō-no surikire Kaijarisuigyo-no Suigyōmatsu Unraimatsu Fūraimatsu Kūnerutokoro-ni Sumutokoro Yaburakōji-no burakōji Paipopaipo Paipo-no-shūringan Shūringan-no Gūrindai Gūrindai-no Ponpokopī-no Ponpokonā-no Chōkyūmei-no Chōsuke. He also has a super long name!
An older version of the story, called "Tiki-Tiki-Tembo," was published in 1924. In that version, the boy was from "old Japan."
The Story in Other Forms
The story of Tikki Tikki Tembo has been shared in many ways:
- In 1968, a record of the story was released.
- In 1970, Weston Woods Studios made a filmstrip and cassette tape version. Later, this was put on VHS and DVD.
- The book has been translated into many languages. These include Afrikaans, Zulu, Spanish, and Xhosa.
Tikki Tikki Tembo in Pop Culture
You might have seen or heard references to Tikki Tikki Tembo in other places:
- In 1971, a Canadian composer named Harry Freedman created music for the story.
- A 1975 jazz album by Don Cherry has a song that mentions Tikki Tikki Tembo.
- A 1990 punk rock album by the band Cringer was named after Tikki Tikki Tembo's full name.
- In 2003, the White House Christmas decorations included a scene from the book.
- A song by the Welsh group Anweledig in 2004 tells part of the story.
- The 2010 song "Wildstyle Method" by Bassnectar says Tikki Tikki Tembo's full name.
- A version of the tale was shown on an episode of Lamb Chop's Play-Along.
- An older version of the name, "Nicki Nicki Tembo," is sung in the song "(You Got) The Gamma Goochee."
