Tikki Tikki Tembo

Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo is given such a long name because he is the first son, and long names are an honor in China. His brother Chang does not have the burden of a name so long, because he is the second son. 

One morning, the two little boys go with their mother down to the stream. Ignoring their mother's warning, they play on the well, and Chang falls in. Tikki tikki tembo runs to get the Old Man With The Ladder to climb into the well and pull Chang out. Since it takes so little time to say Chang's name, the Old Man gets to the well very quickly and Chang is saved. But what will happen if Tikki tikki tembo falls into the well?

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Boston Globe-Horn Book Award winner