Rikki-Tikki-Tavi (1975) - full transcript

( music playing )

( thunder crashes )

( squawks )

( chittering )

( thunder crashes )

Narrator:
This is the story
of the great war

that Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
fought single-handed

through the bathrooms
of the big bungalow

in Segowlee cantonment
in India.

Darzee the tailorbird
helped him.

And Chuchundra
the muskrat,



who never comes out
in the middle of the floor

but always creeps
around by the wall,

gave him advice.

But Rikki
did the real fighting.

Boy:
Here's a dead mongoose.
Let's have a funeral.

Father:
No, no, let's take him in
and dry him.

Perhaps he really
isn't dead.

I think--

I think he's breathing.

- Do you suppose he--
- I don't believe he's dead.

He's just half-choked
with water.

There, that should
warm him up.

Poor little chap.

( sneezes )



Father:
Now, don't frighten him

and we'll see
what he'll do.

( chittering )

( laughs )

( chittering )

Father:
Don't be frightened,
Teddy.

That's just his way
of making friends.

Ouch. He's tickling
under my chin.

( laughs )

- What's he doing?
-
( parents laugh )

I suppose he's so tame

because we've been
kind to him.

And this is a wild thing.

Father:
All mongooses
are like that.

If Teddy doesn't
pick him up by the tail

or try to put him
in a cage,

he'll run in and out
of the house all day.

Let's give him
something to eat
so he'll stay.

Rikki certainly seems
to agree with you.

Rikki-Tikki.
That's what we'll name him.

Narrator:
It was a temptation
to eat the whole banana,

but Rikki remembered what
his mother had taught him.

A full meal makes
a slow mongoose.

And if he wanted all his
strength and quickness ready,

he must keep himself thin.

Is he going to run away?

Father:
No, no, no.
He's just exploring

and getting acquainted.

Narrator:
It is the hardest
thing in the world

to frighten or surprise
a mongoose

because he is eaten up
from nose to tail
with curiosity.

The motto of
the mongoose family is

"run and find out,"

and Rikki
was a true mongoose.

Rikki:
There are more things
to find out

about this house
and yard...

Narrator:
He said to himself.

Rikki:
...than all my family
could find out

in all their lives.

( chittering )

Teddy:
♪ When I was a lad,
I served a term ♪

♪ As office boy
to an attorney's firm ♪

♪ I cleaned the windows
and I swept the floor ♪

♪ And I polished up the handle
of the big front door. ♪

Why, Rikki, do you
need a bath, too?

Watch out or you'll
get one whether you
need it or not.

Watch your step, Rikki.

Rikki, it's very slippery.

Whoops.

Oh, Rikki,
won't you ever learn?

Oh, Rikki.

You look like goose down,
not a mongoose.

( door opens )

Oh, I don't like that.

He may bite the child.

He'll do no such thing.

Teddy's safer with
that little beast

than if he had a bloodhound
to watch him.

If a snake came into
the nursery now--

Mother:
Oh, please, don't.

I don't want to think
of anything so awful.

( door closes )

Narrator:
Early next morning,

Rikki-Tikki came
to early breakfast

riding on
Teddy's shoulder.

And they gave him
a little more banana
and some boiled egg.

And Rikki sat on
all their shoulders
one after the other

because every
well-brought-up mongoose

hopes to be
a house mongoose someday.

Boo.

( laughs )

Narrator:
Rikki went out
into the garden

to see what was
to be seen.

It was a large garden
only half cultivated,

with bushes as big
as summerhouses

of Marshal Neil roses,
lime and orange trees,

clumps of bamboo,
and thickets of high grass.

Rikki:
This is splendid
hunting ground.

Narrator:
Rikki said to himself,

and his tail
grew bottle-brushy
at the thought of it.

( bird chirping )

Narrator:
It was Darzee
the tailorbird

and his wife on a beautiful
nest they had made

by stitching two big leaves
together with fibers

and filling the hollow with
cotton and downy fluff.

What's the matter?

We are very miserable.

One of our babies fell out
of the nest yesterday

and Nag ate him.

Hmm.

That is very sad.

But I'm a stranger here.
Who's Nag?

Who is Nag?

I am Nag.

( chirping )

Narrator:
It was a horrid,
cold sound.

Then inch by inch
out of the grass

rose the head
and spread hood

of Nag the big
black cobra.

Nag:
I am Nag.

The great god Brahm

put his mark
upon all our people

when the first cobra
spread his hood

to keep
the sun off Brahm.

Look and be afraid.

Narrator:
Rikki was afraid
for a minute.

But then he remembered
that all a mongoose's
business in life

was to fight
and kill snakes.

Nag knew that, too.

At the bottom
of his cold heart,

he was afraid.

( chittering )

Behind you!
Nag's wife!

Look behind you!

Wicked, wicked bird.

Narrator:
Hisses Nagaina,

for she knew that a live
mongoose in the garden

meant death sooner or later
for her family.

Rikki chattered with rage,

but Nag and Nagaina
had disappeared

and he realized
that he could not handle
two snakes at once,

particularly
in the tall grass.

Rikki took
a stroll to think.

It was a serious
matter to him

because there is no herb
that a mongoose can eat

that will protect him
from a cobra's bite.

Victory over the cobra
is only a matter

of quickness of eye
and quickness of foot--

snake's blow against
mongoose's jump.

And as no eye can follow
the motion

of a snake's head
when it strikes,

this makes things
more wonderful

than any magic herb.

Rikki had managed to escape
a blow from behind

and it gave him
confidence.

Rikki, where have you been?

I'll bet
you've been playing.

Here.

Be careful.

I am death.

Narrator:
It was Karait,
the dust-brown snakeling

whose bite is as dangerous
as a cobra's.

-
( chittering )
- ( hisses )

Narrator:
If Rikki-Tikki
had only known,

he was doing a much more
dangerous thing

than fighting Nag.

For Karait is so small
and can turn so quickly,

that unless Rikki
bit him close to the head,

he would get the return
stroke in his eye or his lip.

Father, look here!

Our mongoose
is killing a snake.

- ( chittering )
- ( hissing )

He saved your life, Teddy.

Narrator:
Teddy's mother said he was
a providence.

Oh, Rikki.

You're so handsome.

And so brave.

Narrator:
Rikki was rather amused
at all the fuss.

Teddy's mother might just
as well have petted Rikki

for playing in the dust.

Rikki was thoroughly
enjoying himself.

As soon as Teddy
was asleep,

Rikki went off
for his nightly walk
around the house.

In the dark
he discovered Chuchundra
the muskrat

creeping around
by the wall.

( chomps )

( crying )
Don't kill me,
great mongoose.

Don't kill me.

Do you think a snake killer
kills muskrats?

Those who kill snakes
get killed by snakes.

How am I to be sure
that Nag won't mistake me
for you some dark night?

There's not
the least danger.

Nag is out in the garden

and I know you
don't go there.

( whimpers )
Yes.

Yes, but my cousin
Chua the rat

told me--

Told you what,
Chuchundra?

( whimpering )

Nag is everywhere.

Oh, dear.
Oh, dear.

You should have
talked to Chua.

I didn't.
So you must
tell me quick.

Quick, Chuchundra,
or I shall bite you.

- ( chomps )
- ( whimpers )

I'm a very poor
and humble man.

I never have spirit
enough to run out in
the middle of a room.

I mustn't tell you
anything.

Can't you hear,
Rikki-Tikki?

Narrator:
The house was still
as still,

but he thought he could
just catch

the faintest scratch-scratch
in the world--

a noise as faint
as that of a wasp

walking on a windowpane.

Rikki:
That's Nag or Nagaina.

Narrator:
Rikki said to himself.

Rikki:
He's crawling into
the bathroom sluice.

You're right, Chuchundra.

I should have
talked to Chua.

Nag:
I will go

and I will kill
the big man and his wife

and the child if I can.

Then the bungalow
will be empty

and Rikki-Tikki
will go.

Nagaina:
When the house
is emptied of people,

the mongoose
will go away.

Nag:
So there is everything
to be gained

by killing the people.

When the bungalow
is empty,

we again will be king
and queen of the garden.

As soon as our eggs
in the melon bed hatch,

our children
will need room.

Nag:
This is good.

Narrator:
Nag said to himself.

Nag:
The big man
has a fire stick.

But when he comes in
to bathe in the morning,

he will not have
that stick.

I shall wait here
until he comes.

( clock chiming )

Rikki:
If I don't break his back
at the first jump...

Narrator:
Thought Rikki.

Rikki:
...he can still fight.

And if he fights...

oh, Rikki.

It must be the head.

The head above the hood.

And once I'm there,
I must never let go.

( chittering )

( thudding )

( Rikki chittering )

( gunshot )

( sneezes )

It's the mongoose
again, Alice.

The little chap has
saved our lives now.

What was all that noise
about downstairs?

Never mind.
I'll tell you in
the morning, dear.

Oh, Rikki.

You are brave
and beautiful.

Narrator:
In the morning,
Rikki was very stiff,

but very well pleased
with himself.

But he didn't wait
for breakfast

because he knew that now
he had Nagaina to settle with.

Rikki:
And she will be worse
than five Nags.

Narrator:
Said Rikki to himself.

Rikki:
And there's no knowing

when her eggs will hatch.

Narrator:
Darzee was singing
a song of triumph

at the top of his voice.

( vocalizing )

♪ Who has delivered us?
Who? ♪

♪ Tell me his nest
and his name ♪

♪ Rikki the valiant,
the true ♪

♪ Tikki with eyeballs
of flame ♪

♪ Rik-Tikki-Tikki...

Oh, you stupid tuft
of feathers.

Is this the time to sing?
Where's Nagaina?

♪ Sing to your
fledglings again ♪

♪ Mother, oh, lift up
your head ♪

♪ Evil that plagued us
is slain ♪

♪ Death in the garden
lies dead ♪

♪ The terror that hid
in the roses is gone ♪

♪ He lies on
the rubbish heap dead... ♪

Stop.
Stop it, Darzee.

Where's Nagaina?

For the great,
the beautiful Rikki's sake,

I will stop.

What is it, O killer
of the terrible Nag?

Where is Nagaina,
for the third time?

On the rubbish heap
by the stables

mourning for Nag.

Great is Rikki-Tikki
with the white teeth.

Bother my white teeth.

Where does she
keep her eggs?

♪ Give him the thanks
of the birds ♪

♪ Bowing with
tail feathers spread ♪

♪ Praise him with
nightingale words ♪

♪ Nay, I will praise
him instead ♪

♪ Here I will sing you
the praise ♪

♪ Of the bottle-tail
Rikki with eyeballs of red. ♪

Narrator:
Darzee's wife
was a sensible bird

and she knew that
cobra eggs in the garden

meant young cobras
later on.

In the melon bed
on the end nearest the wall.

Quickly, fly off and pretend
your wing is broken

and let Nagaina chase you
back here.

I must get
to the melon bed.

( whimpering )

Oh, my wing
is broken.

The boy in the house
threw a stone

and broke it.

You warned Rikki-Tikki

when I would
have killed him.

Indeed and truly,

you've chosen a bad place
to be lame in.

The boy broke it
with a stone.

Oh, dear, oh, dear.

What is the use
of running away?

I am sure to catch you.

Little fool,
look at me.

Narrator:
Darzee's wife knew better
than to do that.

For a bird who looks
in a snake's eyes,

they get so frightened
that she cannot move.

( hisses )

Rikki had found
the cobra's nest

and had crushed all but one
of the deadly eggs

when...

Rikki-Tikki, Nagaina has
gone to the house and--

oh, come quickly.

She means killing.

( hissing )

Sit still, Teddy.

You mustn't move, Teddy.

Keep very still.

Son of the man
that killed Nag,

if you move,
I strike.

And if you do not move,
I strike.

Oh, foolish people.

Turn around, Nagaina.
Turn and fight.

All in good time.

I will settle my account
with you presently.

If you come
a step nearer,

I will strike the boy.

What price
for a cobra's egg?

For a young cobra?

( hisses )

Give it to me,
Rikki-Tikki.

( shatters )

Tricked! Tricked!
Tricked!

( chitters ) Tricked!
Tricked! Tricked!

And Nag was dead
before the big man
blew him up.

I killed Nag.

Come and fight
with me, Nagaina.

( hisses )

( chitters )

Narrator:
Very few mongooses,

however old and wise
they may be,

care to follow a cobra
into its hole.

You never know when the hole
might open out

and give the cobra
room to strike.

It's all over
with Rikki-Tikki.

We must sing
his death song.

♪ Sing him a sad song
of birds ♪

♪ Bowing with
tail feathers spread ♪

♪ Sing to your
fledglings again ♪

♪ Mother, oh, bow down
your head ♪

♪ Nagaina will hunt

♪ In the garden once more

♪ For Rikki the valiant
is dead. ♪

( sneezes )

It's all over.

Nagaina will never
come out again.

♪ Who has delivered us?
Who? ♪

♪ Tell me his nest
and his name ♪

♪ Rikki the valiant,
the true ♪

♪ Tikki with eyeballs
of flame ♪

♪ Rik-Tikki-Tikki

♪ The ivory-fanged

♪ The hunter

-♪ With eyeballs...
- ( door opens )

♪ Of flame.

He saved our lives
and Teddy's life.

He saved all our lives.

Narrator:
Rikki had a right
to be proud of himself.

But he did not grow
too proud.

And he kept that garden
as a mongoose should keep it,

with tooth and jump

and spring and bite

till never a cobra
dared show its head

inside the walls.

( music playing )