The Stolen Chicks

NARRATOR:  The sun was setting and only Mama Ostrich was at the ant-hill. Would the creatures back out on their promises? No, wait – here comes Mongoose!

MAMA OSTRICH:  There you are, Mongoose. Thank goodness!

MONGOOSE:  Tell me, did you dig the two holes and connect them with a tunnel as I asked?

MAMA OSTRICH:  Yes. And I told Mama Lion about coming here tonight. But what does this whole thing have to do with getting back my chicks?

MONGOOSE:  You’ll see.

MAMA OSTRICH:  What if no one comes?

MONGOOSE:  They’ll come.

MAMA OSTRICH:  What if Mama Lion doesn’t bring my chicks?

MONGOOSE: She’ll bring them! Don’t worry. Look! Here comes the other animals.

ZEBRA:  I hope this is worth it.

WARTHOG:  I left my mud puddle for this?

ANTELOPE:  I left my tall grasses for this!

ZEBRA: All day long, you do nothing but snack on tall grasses. 

ANTELOPE:  Look who’s talking! I don’t see you doing much else.

BABOON:  Folks! Brought the sweet potatoes!

ANTELOPE:  Wow, they look amazing!

WARTHOG:  Let’s dig in!

MONGOOSE:  Hold on, everyone. Look over there!

NARRATOR:  Mama Lion stepped out from behind a grove of trees. She held tight to the two baby chicks.

MAMA LION:  So, Mama Ostrich! I see you gathered all your friends for this meeting. Now we will prove once and for all that these are MY cubs!

MAMA OSTRICH:  They are NOT—!

MAMA LION:  Quiet! Which one of you animals is going to look me in the eye and tell me these are not my cubs? Warthog, is it you?

WARTHOG:  Um. I mean – their two little legs are cute like baby ostrich legs. They have long necks like baby ostrich necks—

MAMA LION:  Exactly what are you saying, Warthog?

WARTHOG:  Right. Well! They may look in some very SMALL ways like ostrich chicks. But without a doubt…they are – cubs…

NARRATOR:  Warthog backed up a few steps, and quickly sprinted away.

MAMA LION:  Zebra, are YOU the one who’s going to tell me these are not my cubs?

ZEBRA:  Not today, is what I’m thinking. Or tomorrow. Yeah, not a happening thing. Gotta go!

NARRATOR:  Zebra dashed off.

MAMA LION:  Zebras can run fast. Though not as fast as a lion, if you know what I mean.

BABOON:  Baboon here.

MAMA LION:  I know who you are.

BABOON:  How about a sweet potato?

MAMA LION:  I prefer the taste of steak! And Antelope or Baboon are equally tasty, as I recall…

BABOON:   Out of here!

NARRATOR:  In a wink, both Baboon and Antelope were gone.

MAMA LION:  And then there were none. Well, Mama Ostrich, I win! From now on, stay away from my cubs or else!

MONGOOSE:  Not so fast!

MAMA LION:  What?

MONGOOSE:  Down here!

MAMA LION:  You little rodent! Why should I pay attention to you?

MONGOOSE:  I live in the forest, too! Mama Lion, have you ever seen a mama with fur that had babies with feathers? Think of it! Lions have FUR! The babies have FEATHERS! They belong … to the OSTRICH!

NARRATOR:  At once, Mongoose jumped down the hole in front of the ant-hill, through the tunnel, up the hole in back, and scampered off to the tall bushes. Hidden by the tall ant-hill, Mama Lion saw nothing of this.

MAMA LION:  I’ll get you, Mongoose!

NARRATOR:  Mama Lion pounced at the hole where Mongoose had jumped in. In doing so, she let go of the two ostrich chicks. They were free!

MAMA OSTRICH:  Babies, come here! Quick!

NARRATOR:  Meanwhile, Mama Lion paced and paced around the entrance hole.

MAMA LION:  Mongoose, you rodent! You’ll have to come back up sooner or later. I’ll wait, no matter how long it takes!

NARRATOR:  Yet Mongoose was already far away from there. Mama Ostrich sprinted home to safety, holding tightly to her two dear chicks. And Mama Lion was left pacing in front of the ant-hill for a very, very long time.