HIPPO

This scene is all about a fastidious Hippo. The humour is inher forlorn attempts to stay clean, despite it being animpossible task.

Open on the boy walking along the side of a brown, muddyriver. Theres not much water - its basically just mud.

NARRATORBy 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 itall. She is very ungainly and very, very bad at balancing.

NARRATOR...huge and brown, with enormousteeth...

The Hippo slips and falls in the mud, getting completelycovered.

NARRATOR...and very, very dirty.

The poor Hippo sits wretchedly in the mud, looking deeplyunhappy. The little boy, kind as he is, cant help but checkon her.

BOYUmmm, hello there... are youalright?

The Hippo has not seen the boy yet, and looks up to seewhos talking to her. She spots the boy.

HIPPOAlright? How will I stay clean?

She gets up and shakes herself, mud flying everywhere. Sheshakes most of the mud off her.

HIPPOThis riverbank, the state of it!The muddiest Ive seen!

She resumes her journey across the stepping stones, thenonto a log. The log rolls ominously beneath her wait and shestruggles to keep her balance.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 2.

HIPPOIm a Hippo, and muds our thing- but I hate being mucky.

The boy watches the Hippo in trepidation as she tries tonegotiate the log. Shes going to go over any minute.

BOYWell, I lost my name last night. SoI guess were both...

Inevitably, the Hippo loses her balance and once againsploshes down into the mud.

BOY...unlucky.

The Hippo shakes her head in despair. Shes covered in mud.The boy looks around and spots something.

BOYBut oh, you see that waterfall?Its like natures shower!

Cut to a beautiful waterfall, cascading down, steam risingfrom 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.

HIPPOClean! Im clean! Oh lovely boy,you are so very clever!

NARRATORAnd she gave him a letter H - forthe cleanest Hippo ever!

The Hippo passes the boy and H from her shower, and hetakes it happily, then continues on his way.