HIPPO

This scene is all about a fastidious Hippo. The humour is in

her forlorn attempts to stay clean, despite it being an
impossible task.
Open on the boy walking along the side of a brown, muddy
river. Theres not much water - its basically just mud.
NARRATOR
By a creek the boy spied a beast,
looking rather shirty...
A Hippo is tip-toeing across some rocks in the muddy river,
trying to avoid the mud and not looking too happy about it
all. She is very ungainly and very, very bad at balancing.
NARRATOR
...huge and brown, with enormous
teeth...
The Hippo slips and falls in the mud, getting completely
covered.
NARRATOR
...and very, very dirty.
The poor Hippo sits wretchedly in the mud, looking deeply
unhappy. The little boy, kind as he is, cant help but check
on her.
BOY
Ummm, hello there... are you
alright?
The Hippo has not seen the boy yet, and looks up to see
whos talking to her. She spots the boy.
HIPPO
Alright? How will I stay clean?
She gets up and shakes herself, mud flying everywhere. She
shakes most of the mud off her.
HIPPO
This riverbank, the state of it!
The muddiest Ive seen!
She resumes her journey across the stepping stones, then
onto a log. The log rolls ominously beneath her wait and she
struggles to keep her balance.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

2.

HIPPO
Im a Hippo, and muds our thing
- but I hate being mucky.
The boy watches the Hippo in trepidation as she tries to
negotiate the log. Shes going to go over any minute.
BOY
Well, I lost my name last night. So
I guess were both...
Inevitably, the Hippo loses her balance and once again
sploshes down into the mud.
BOY
...unlucky.
The Hippo shakes her head in despair. Shes covered in mud.
The boy looks around and spots something.
BOY
But oh, you see that waterfall?
Its like natures shower!
Cut to a beautiful waterfall, cascading down, steam rising
from the bottom.
BOY (O/S)
Jump right in and have a scrub...
The Hippo leaps into shot, wearing a fetching shower cap.
BOY (O/S)
...youll smell like a flower!
The Hippo scrubs herself happily. Shes in seventh heaven.
HIPPO
Clean! Im clean! Oh lovely boy,
you are so very clever!
NARRATOR
And she gave him a letter H - for
the cleanest Hippo ever!
The Hippo passes the boy and H from her shower, and he
takes it happily, then continues on his way.