kadyellebee

The version I remember is the one in the book Eric’s mom gave you!

same here.... except i remember rikki tikki tembo, not tikki tikki tembo.

With my sister and I (and I e-mailed her to make sure!) it was Tikki-Tikki-Tembo, the version in the book that E’s mom gave you. Another one of favorite childhood books was "Where the Wild Things Are"

I have that book! Loved it as a kid... i think it’s the name

I remember the same version as the book...

Hello,
My son forwarded this e-letter exchange to me. He was the one that listened to a tape of this story as a child, that I got somehow. A copy. I don’t know who the narrator was, but it could have been someone like Art Linkletter. The storyteller was definitely comfortable with media performance.

I still have it, but I would have to dig for it. It was tikki tikki tembo no sarembo, oh ma mu-tchi, gamma gamma gu-tchi...like you remember. Of course, there is this sing-song lilt to the whole thing.

I think the storytelling is nicer than the book, except that there is a reference to the stereotype of a Chinese Laundry. The background "music" makes the story and the pauses and the predictable parts always warm a child’s heart.

I loved listening to the story quite myself. I dug the tape out a couple of years ago and my son and I enjoyed the listening.

How would you get in touch? The e-address won’t be displayed when I post this.
Well, ... I have a Christian faith webpage. You can send an e-mail through the guestbook or e-mail function. That way I don’t have to reveal more than I want.

http://www.ourchurch.com/member/l/language/

Love,
MoM xoxoxoxoxo
Mother to Vaughn TM

Hi, again,

Oh,...I re-read the last posting and it was clear as mud.

There is the book that most of you remember. I was written long after the record came out. I venture to guess that the name change to publish the book came about, because of copyright reasons.
I have seen this book, but was NEVER tempted to buy it, since the other version is the one close to our hearts.

Three cheers to: Long-Name-No-Can-Say!

By the way, we gave short names to our children!
The story was of course to explain why Chinese children and families now have short names.

On the record, the child with the long name was always accompanied by musicians who had to play this particular tune everytime his name was said. The record has the tune repeated for our fun. Now, when he fell into the well, they couldn’t get him out, since they had to play every time his name was said. The other helpers were also bunglers.
The poor overweight boy was in the well many days. He was brought food...and his whims were probably catered to...and then of course, there is the happy resolution.

Bye for now.
GGK

Hello, once again.

I just KNEW where to find this tape. Having fun listening once again!

Hey, the NAME was NICKY-NICKY Tembo,.....

The narrator identified himself as Paul Wing.
(This may be a pseudonym.)-
The record label RCA - Camden CAL 1044.

Well, I wonder if the CBC Music library has a copy!?!
I wouldn’t mind having a copy of the label.
Love, MoM xoxoxo

Hi, again,

Talking about favourites, there is of course,
"Rikki Tikki Tavi" by Rudyard Kipling.

Disney has an adaption for children.
The mongoose-hero-saviour is the best!
Then again, the story is set in colonial India with an English nuclear family.
Have a great day.
Love, MoM xoxoxo

I grew up in South Western ontario, where PC isn’t a statement its a way of life, so listening to this record as a chile helped shape my wit and sense of humour.

My grandparents bought that record for my aunt back in 1950 and I was listening to it in 1980. Just to read the comments on this record you have left gives me little goose bumps, bringing back fond memories of times long forgotten, thank you for this little time to smile and relax.

P.S. I never was able to find that record after 1983.

I remember a record with Long Name No Can Say. Something about him being too large to get out and having to stay in the well untill he lost enough weight to be pulled out. I remember it a Nikki Nikki Tembo... 'tho

I’ve been looking all over for the record "Long-name-no-can-say". It was Nicky-Nicky-Tembo-no-so-Rembo.... The Ticki Ticki Tembo is the new "politically correct" version. I do know that it was a 1965 RCA record with Snow White on the other side. My eight siblings and I loved to listen to that record. If anyone knows where to find a copy... please post the info.

Thanks

Hello, again,
Listen.... I have a copy of the Long-Name-No-Can-Say/Nicky-Nicky Tembo version. I copied it unto casette many years ago. Narrator: Paul Wing.
As stated it is a RCA-Cambden CAL 1044 label.
I dutifully wrote this info on my casette copy.

If Maureen’s info meshes with mine, then this record was issued in 1965 with a Snow White story on the other side. I do not have the Snow White story.

Jason Miners says that his grandparents bought the record in 1950.

I don’t know how to reconcile the publishing date info.

Anyway,... if you want to hear the story, contact me through
http://www.ourchurch.com/member/l/language/
Luv',
MoM/GGK

I remember that record, with Paul Wing’s kindly voice making every word enjoyable. (I understand Mr. Wing passed away last month.) I remember the full name being "Nicki Nicki Tembo-No So Rembo-Ooo Mah Moochi-Gahma Gahma Goochi."
I forgot what was on the other side. I did recently find Wing’s rendition of "The Little Engine That Could", which is combined with three Winnie the Pooh tales read by Jimmy Stewart. As I write, at least one copy of that record is available on eBay and can
be found by doing a search for "Little Engine That Could" on the main page. Good luck, and thanks for sharing!

Just looked up "long name no can say". We had a recording in the early 40s. I remember it as "Nicky Nicky Timbo Umamuchi gamma gamma guchie, long name no can say"
In the 70s I happend to hear a native in the Marshall Islands saying the same thing more or less as a joke. If I remember correctly, he said he heard it on a record as a song.

As children we LOVED Nikki Nikki Tembo and by co incidence my sister and I were discussing it ... if anyone has found a copy of the words on computer (or something) PLEASE let me know

rogerandgill@jivenet.co.uk

Oh wow - I know so few people that have even heard of this book! I still have the copy my mother purchased when I was a child (over 25 years ago) and the name is Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo. Too cool!

*hugz*

maureen or anyone that knows about nikki nikki tembo,
has anyone found this or know the record it came off of? I had it as a kid. I seem to remember the cover being llike a patchwork quilt, lots of pictures to look at. Teddybears picnic was on that record too. It was a big LP 33 1/2. I loved looking at that cover. Anyone with info, please email me at sockie24@iowatelecom.net and put long name no can say in the subject line so I don’t delete it when I don’t recognize your name. Thank you!!!

Can anyone create a MP3 file of the story and post it somewhere? Some of you say you actually have the tape.

Thanks

We were read that book at school. I never heard the record.

I am looking, too for books I had as a child (or ones that were on Playschool, LOL). Did you read the story of Ping, the duck who got trapped on the Yangtsee (sp) river? Oh, fond memories.

My first grade teacher used to read this all the time and I loved it so much that my mother found a copy of the book for me. Our version was Rikki-Tikki-Tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo.

I just loved that story and never tired of hearing it much to my mother’s dismay! =)

I vaguely remember performing Ticki-ticki-tembo as a play all the way back in first grade (I was the narrator). But for whatever reason, I distinctly remember the name being Ticki-ticki-tembo-no-so-rembo-ick-ah-nah-noo-nah-call-ah-rah-tembo.

I recall the name as being pronounced:
Niki-Niki-tembo-no-so-rembo-oo-ma-muchi-gamma-gamma-guchi.

There are two different versions: the older version was Nicki Nicki Tembo and the new (more politically correct) version is Ticki Ticki Tembo. I’ve heard both stories and they have similarities but I prefer the first version.

http://cs.smith.edu/~cmildenb/tikki.html

and there ya are

Well thanks to MoM/GGK who sent me the Nikki Tikki Tembo tape I recorded it onto my computer and cleaned it up a little and created an MP3 of it. Mind you the story is long so the MP3 is 21 Megs, but I will have it available to those who wish to download it for as long as I can. The URL will be
http://www.bonedaddyband.com/mp3/nikkitembo.mp3. This is the original Paul Wing version with the not so PC storytelling.
There you go..

MrSlate

It seems some people are having trouble with the above link supplied so I am pffering it again.

http://www.bonedaddyband.com/mp3/nikkitembo.mp3

Copy the above link and place it into your browser’s address window.

Hi, My kids were telling me the story (book) of Tikki Tikki Tembo, and it sounded similar to the record I knew as a child, but with a lot of differences. They laughed when I told them my version of the name. Now that I have read the above posts, it all makes sense. I am downloading the MP3 so they can hear the original version.

Thanks for prooving I was not imagining things!!

I have an original copy of the lp/record. Nicki Nicki Tembo... Is indeed on the flip side of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs on the RCA/Camden Cal 1044 label. It is a Chinese fable by H. Cramer adapted by Paul Wing and told by Paul Wing.
Our family has told this story since the 1960s and now all of our kids (now 4 and older) can recite the name of Nicki Nicki Tembo No So Rembo OO Ma Moochi Gumma Gumma Guchi.

Hello everyone. This was my FAVORITE story growing up, I remember it as rikki tikki tembo . It is heart wrenching that I cannot find my version on print, but I am still going to purchase the new version and (giggle,giggle) read it using rikki...ha..ha..
This was definately a classic in my eyes......I have enjoyed so much reading everyones memories about the all favorite fable..
Denise

Me again. I have to tell you I feel like such a tool. If the record in question is in fact on the flip side of the Snow White album, then I have had it in my hands as recently as last year. But damnned if I can’t remeber where I put it or what I did with it. I am going to comb the basement to find it. Wish me luck.

Oh I also tried to find the "ooh ma muchi" version on numerous record coolector sites but to no avail. If anyone has any info on where I can order this record or say pay another owner a hefty sum to aquire it, I would be more than happy to hear from them.

What a coincidence. My brother just flew in to town after a worldwide trip of about 9 years.we reminisced on a bottle of fair scotch whisky till we remembered some old danny kaye stories and of sourse...Long name no can say.we laughed hysterically and set out to find a copy for my kids to listen to.Not this week.its easier to find chicken teeth!Thanks for the mp3.

Hi - My kids when they were little (now 27 & 28) used to listen to Nicki Nicki Tembo on a cassette in the car when we took trips. The tape had Snow White on the other side - I just got the LP from Ebay (it’s a little warped), but can’t find the cassette - anyone know where I might be able to get it - the original was produced by RCA. I would like a copy for when I ever have grandchildren!!!

My four brothers, and I, also had the LP with the Story of Long-Name-No-Can-Say on it. I’m sure we wore it out from overuse, and, I’m sure that I can still recite large parts of it from memory 38 years later. The boy’s name (phonetically) was "Niki niki tembo no so lembo oo ma muchi gamma gamma gucci." His sisters were "Humpf, Mumpf, Gumpf and Lumpf," and his younger brother was Yen. There were lots vividly descriptive, very politically incorrect, lines in the story: I can still picture Niki Niki Tembo walking down the street, with the "sweat pouring down his chins, like a cascade of waterfalls," with the village people whispering "Fat Boy very very funny. He all wet. Look like drowned Rat" behind his back. I laugh now remembering the narrator, Peter Wing, explaining in very serious tones, that "that is why Chinese people have such short names, like Lee and Wu and Po, and other names that you see on Chinese laundries." Thanks for the memories.

I remember the nikki nikki tembo version as well. This was my favorite record as a kid. I took my record to school in grade one to share with with classmates for show and tell and some one stole it. I cried and cried. I am now 25 years old and will never forget the story. Thank you so much to the person who posted it for us to download. You made my day.

Thank goodness I’m not losing my memory!! There is an Oriental woman who works with me who told me that the name is Tikki Tikki Tembo-cheri bari ruchi-pip peri pembo, but that wasn’t the way I remembered it: I remembered Niki Niki Tembo-oo ma moochi-gamma gamma goochie! It was told on a Danny Kaye record album and I like his version better. It’s easier to remember.

Thank goodness I’m not losing my memory!! There is an Oriental woman who works with me who told me that the name is Tikki Tikki Tembo-cheri bari ruchi-pip peri pembo, but that wasn’t the way I remembered it: I remembered Niki Niki Tembo-oo ma moochi-gamma gamma goochie! It was told on a Danny Kaye record album and I like his version better. It’s easier to remember.

I seem to remember (bear with me it’s been years!):
Rikki tikki tembo no sarimbo hoi poi box nee poi pon pon rikki pon pon nikki no me adam poi.....does this sound familiar to anyone?

I seem to remember (bear with me it’s been years!):
Rikki tikki tembo no sarimbo hoi poi box nee poi pon pon rikki pon pon nikki no me adam poi.....does this sound familiar to anyone?

I seem to remember (bear with me, its been years!):
rikki tikki tembo no sarimbo hoi poi box nee poi pon pon rikki pon pon nikki no me adam poi........does this sound familiar to anyone?

Hello, Mr. Slate at bonedaddyband.com,

I hope I’m not too late to get in on that mp3. I have my brilliant son working on the download from his room at college. I can’t seem to find it/get to it.

It could be incredible to have this recording at my parents 50th wedding anniversary celebration in St. Cloud MN this summer. I have 8 siblings and one of my brothers lives in China with his wife and 3 little boys so there would be special meaning in having access to this folktale once again.

Thank you so much.

I had the album as a kid and I remember it as Niki-Niki Tembo o so rembo ooma muchi gumma gumma guchi. I would love to find a copy of this album for my daughter and neice and nephew if anyone knows where to find it.

the book i read in our grade school library circa late 1960’s had the name "Tikki Tikki Tembo No-sa-rembo Chari Bari Roochi Pippi Perri Pembo". I have had it memorized the last 40 years and now I can feel complete. i hate to ruin your childhood fantasy, but if i recall Tikki was a Maoist.

This is sooooooo funny...... Was just emailing to a cousin of mine who used to sing that song with me ....... We sang it as 'Niki Niki Tembo No So Rembo Oooo Ma Moochie Gamma Gamma Goochie' (with quite an accent on Goochie) !!!!!!!!!!! We would sing it while jumping on the bed and fall to our behinds at the Goochie part !!!!!!!!! That’s what brought me to this site.......curiosity if others sang this, too !!!!!!!!! I am smiling at how differently everyone remembers this.............

I’m looking for a copy of nikki nikki tembo...
to read to my grand kids.
does anyone know where I can get a copy
of the book or of a recording on record or tape?
thanks for the help...

I’m looking for a copy of nikki nikki tembo...
to read to my grand kids.
does anyone know where I can get a copy
of the book or of a recording on record or tape?
thanks for the help...

where can i find a copy of this book or recording by paul wing , my mother used to read this to us and we listen to it on a record back in the 60s

I happened upon this site because I was looking for "Toto Timbo" which was the name of our cat when I was a child 70 YEARS AGO and our mother had said the name came from Rudyard Kipling! I’ve searched the web to no avail - what a strange mystery - does anyone know about TOTO TIMBO (or Tembo, never knew the spelling.......)?

I remember listening to the record some 35 years or so ago at a family friends house. I only heard it once but it was so funny I remember going to school the next day and shared it during show and tell. As I recall, his name was Nikki Nikki Tembo No So Limbo Uma Goochie Gaba Gaba Uchi. It was about an over weight Chinese boy who fell into a large hole. He was so heavy that he had to slim down before they could get him out.

I remember listening to the record some 35 years or so ago at a family friends house. I only heard it once but it was so funny I remember going to school the next day and shared it during show and tell. As I recall, his name was Nikki Nikki Tembo No So Limbo Uma Goochie Gaba Gaba Uchi. It was about an over weight Chinese boy who fell into a large hole. He was so heavy that he had to slim down before they could get him out.

My brother and sisters and I loved this story when we were kids. I’m not sure which version we had—Paul Wing or Danny Kaye—But I am sure it was "gamma gamma goochie" I thought it had Riki Tiki Tavi on the other side. Does anyone remeber that version?

My brother and sisters and I loved this story when we were kids. I’m not sure which version we had—Paul Wing or Danny Kaye—But I am sure it was "gamma gamma goochie" I thought it had Riki Tiki Tavi on the other side. Does anyone remeber that version?

To Steve Justino...our stories are exactly the same! I even have four brothers...wish I still had my album though.
Does anyone remember a record set of 12 LPs that had a different theme on each record? One had bible story songs; one had traditional folk songs; one was highlights from Gilbert and Sullivan’s Mikado, Pirates of Penzance, HMS Pinafore; one of the best was of fairy tales like Puss and Boots and the Ugly Duckling...does any of this sound familiar?

I have the Paul Wing version of Nikki Nikki Tembo on my hard drive. It is a large MP3 file (21MB), but I am happy to send it to anyone that wants it!

Steve Justino,
Could you please send me the mp3 file. I just ordered the hard cover version of the Tikki Tikki version as my 4yr old daughter has been coming back from daycamp singing it, but I would also like to be able to play the version that I heard when I was a kid (Nikki Nikki)

gatto DOT r AT insightbb DOT com

Just remove the spaces, change DOT to . and AT to @
Need to write it that way to avoid all the spam from those #@!$ webcrawlers! The link on my name is invalid also.

Thanks for the file!

};^)>

Hi! I love that old Nikki recording!! My sister and I used to listen to it as kids and recite it when we played outside. She recently divorced. I’d love to get a copy and send it to her to remind her of simpler times. Anyone know how to get an MP3 of it?

Here it is, The Nikki Tikki Tembo Web Page. Here is where you can go to download the story you all remember, but not accurately. I got the download to be 10 MB or so without loss of quality. The tape I from which I made the MP3 was not the greatest quality, so I beefed it up in my studio, hopefully it is good enough to correct your siblings on who was really right.. Nikki Tikki, or Rikki Tikki.

The Link: http://www.visi.com/~tmarx/index.htm

Right click over the Rickshaw or the link and choose "Save Target as..." and save it to your hard drive. The download it 10.48 MB. Better then the original 21 MB.

MrSlate

I used to listen to that story on an old audio tape. I remember the name quite well because I told it my English-speaking friends.

It’s really great how Paul Wing related it.

I remember that both songs were on the same LP but I was really young and usually not in charge of the old record player we had so I remenber rikki tikki tavy nu so rimbo uh ma moochie gamma gamma goochie, but after consulting with my older brother he said that there were two audio LP’s we had that were slightly different. One was about rikki tikki tavy a mongoose, and one was about nikki nikki tembo.... ... ... ...goochie, afat little boy, and the rikki tikki tavi one had the tom t hall song sneaky snake on it, as well as the story of how rikki tikki tavy battled with the snake. We however cannot find this Lp and are unsure if it was just our immaginations or what. Does anyone remember this album if so I would love to get an mp3 of the entire album.

I remember listening to the LP with my 5 brothers and sisters.
it was the nikki nikki tembo version.We all still talk about him. ha ha. What good times. I sure would love to find a copy to share with my grand daughter and my family at our next reunion. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I’m 19 years old now, but I remember when I was 7 my second grade class was told the story of Rikki Tikki Tempo No-sa rembo....... I vaguely remember the story (although for some reason climbing a rope seemed part of it), but I specifically rememeber the first part of the name because the whole class had a kick out of repeating it.

I had been trying to find info on that book cause i hadnt read it in soooo many years. Thanks for the memories!

Thank you! I thought I was going nuts!

I have told so many people the story of Riki-Tiki Tembo, and NO ONE had ever heard of it. I thought maybe I had made it up in my dreams or something. It just happened to pop in my head, and I decided to look it up on the internet.

Good to know I am not crazy!

How fascinating... I had no idea this story had such a following! I read it in the late 70s as Niki Tiki Tembo No Sa Rembo Cheri Beri Ruchi Pip Peri Pembo and now I’m quite curious why there were two versions. Upon some investigation, I found there are actually many different incarnations of this story and it seems to have originated from a *Japanese* folk story. If you’d like more information on it, here’s the page: http://www.dalton.org/libraries/fairrosa/disc/tikki.html

Hello,

I remember very well reading this long long story to my children at bedtime, it was one of their favorites stories. In fact, I have an 11 year old Pomeranian that my children gave to me as a Christmas Present and her name is
Rikki Tikki Tembo NoSa Rembo Chari Bari Roo Chee Pip Peri Pembo..... now my children are grown with children of their own and I want several copies of this book to give them as a memory gift. It is a Chinese fable about the two little boys, one with the great long name the other named Chan. I do not remember the author, if anyone does, please e-mail me. Thank you very much.

I had the book and 45 record as a kid in the 70s but it was Rikki Tikki Tembo No Sa Rembo Chari Bari Ruchi Pip Peri Pembo. I am amazed at how many versions there were.Was the little brother in the Sam in all the various versions or did his name change too?

I had this record back in the 60’s. I’ve been saying it to my son and he loves it. I’m like a lot of others posting, I thought I was going crazy. I had the gamma gamma goochie version. I Googled the title and that how I found you.

I had this record back in the 60’s. I’ve been saying it to my son and he loves it. I’m like a lot of others posting, I thought I was going crazy. I had the gamma gamma goochie version. I Googled the title and that how I found you.

I also had a version of the record as a child during the sixties. That I still have today at 43yo. It was called the story of long name no can say. Told to us kids by a story teller by the name of Paul wing. Who let us know of the little chinese boys real name wich was, "Niki Niki Tembo noso rembo uma muchi goma goma guchie". In my version. VERY scratched but it had been playable enough to make a recording of the story for my three sons who listend to it all the time as young children.

You are the best!! Our family debated because 2 generations remembered 2 stories...thanks for straightening it out for us!! And thanks for the info 'bout the records...we’ll go on a hunt now!

I remember (phonetically) rikki tiki timbo no sa rimbo cherry berry richi pip perry pimbo. I have tried to access some of the links posted, but I can’t actually find the books or MP3s or . . . Does anyone have any advice for a not so tech savvy person?

Hi Doug !
i just got the original (non PC) recording off of bonedaddy’s link...it’s the "Nikki Nikki Tembo" version, in MP3

http://www.bonedaddyband.com/mp3/nikkitembo.mp3

You will need the Winamp Player to play it. Open your Winamp Player and then push the bonedaddy link.
When the box pops up.... push "Open"... let it download to your puter... and then go to Winamp and find the download ( I went to "Recent Items" and found it there) If you need any help.... let me know!
Good luck !

-Erin

Erin,

Thanks so much for the help. I tried it and it worked. The name in that version is different from the version I remember, but the story itself seems similar enough. Thanks again

Doug

I was on a similar quest for info on the Rikki Tikki Tembo story that I remember...this forum has been great. I learned the story in school while learning to read. We had either a phonograph or a cassette tape (can’t remember which) with headphones and a copy of the book. You listened to the narrator and read along. It was the "no sarembo cheri beri ruchi pip beri pembo" version. This would have been around 1972 - 1974 in Michigan.

hi,
i remember this book as a seond grader in elementary school. it was offered as a schoolastic selection. if any one born from 1964 or later will remember. it had no record as i recall because, some of the schoolastic things did come with a flimsy cheap vinyl disk. the version i remember was around the same time as where the wild things are around the early 70’s. i loved this book soooo much and still chant this phrase today. i am a buhdist and use this as may own personal mantra as i am sure many people my age do. it just sounds right and has the right rythym to it.
cheers
scott

No problem, Doug... glad that it worked for you !
- Erin

Wow...My brother & I have talked about this song for years. My Mom has the LP at her house and I did record it onto a cassette some years ago for my children so they too could enjoy the story. They are now 10 & 7 yrs and can recite it pretty much by memory. Thanks so much for the download!

Jodie

Hi, this thread is amazing. I started out trying to remember the full name of Nikki Nikki ... and did a Google search and ended up finding numerous variations and was able to download the recording.
I remember transferring the recording from vinyl to a reel to reel tape deck at my friends house when I was 11 (1970) . Pretty "techie" stuff at the time. We then went through the tape and erased the name Nikki ... everywhaere and replaced it with the shortest name we could think of , Ed.
At the time we thought it was the funniest thing we had every heard. I’m looking forward to sharing this story with my own kids.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for the bonedaddy link. I was transported back 35 years when I heard the melody at the beginning of this story. I had to call my sister immediately so she could hear it too. I had been searching all over the web for this story! I am also looking for Wynken, Blynken and Nod. Anyone remember that one?

Re: Tikki Tikki Tembo by Arlene Mosel
Hi as a teen a friend and I used to drive Arlene to area librarys to tell her story of Tikki Tikki Tembo if I remember correctly Tikki Tikki Drowned because by the time his brother said all of his names it was too late to save him. I’m referring to Arlene’s book a retelling of this story by Arlene Mosel

Here is a link to the version I remember

http://www.columbia.k12.mo.us/pke/helmka/reading.html

Okay here it is, I am the guy who created the MP3 of Nikki Tikki Tembo, and created a Nikk page.

I am thinking about pulling the Nikki TIkki Tembo page and download. If anyone wants me to leave it up still, please let me know and I will consider it. Otherwise, please download the MP3 before it is pulled. It is 10 Megs and just sitting on one of my servers. Glad I could help bring back some memories. That was a fun one.

I remember Nicky Nicky Tembo from my childhood when visiting my cousins in Salinas, California. What a great memory!

I just recited part of the story to my daughters, now 13, 15, and 18. (they thought I was speaking in tongues and were going to get a Bible out to interpret!
So glad to have found you here- where can we hear the story again so that my daughters won’t institutionalize me?

I loved that story, but the way i always said it was:
Rikki-Tikki-Tembo-No-Sir-Rembo-Adamberry-Hadampop-Pep-Perry-Pimbo

it goes like this: riki tiki tembo no sa rembo chari bari ruchi pip perry pimbo fell in the well....

Thanks Erin,
I have the album but it is in rough shape (child abuse). I was able to download and save it and will share it with my family thanks to you and "Bonedaddy?"

Un-fricken believible! I can’t believe I found this! I downloaded it and it’s the same one I listened to 40 years ago! It was on the flip-side of Snow White.

It definitely was Rikki Tikki tembo, I dont have a copy of the book, but I remember specifically and this whole Tikki Tikki tembo new version really threw me off.

I was starting to think that I was the only one that ever heard that song as a kid. It is amazing to me to see this many posts on a subject like this.

Thank you so much for posting this page. I am going to try and download the mp3 version. My mother and I have been looking for this everywhere. She, of course, wanted it for her grand children, and I want it for my boss, who very much reminds me of Nikki Nikki. The version we had when I was very little, some 40+ years ago, had the "Snow Queen" on the flip side. Both records were very memorable.

It was RIKKI (then the same as your book. I havent thought of it in over twenty years before tonight and got the whole thing exactly right, ie the same as in your book. i KNOW it was RIKKI Tikki Tembo with an R!!

Long live this kid’s story!! More parents should read it, seems kids are always falling into wells these days.

Great Memories! The version I heard as a kid was Riki Tiki Tembo. It seems there were four different versions of this story, as well as various readings and writings. Each a little different than the others, and each one written or performed by a different artist. One thing remains constant thoughout every version........we all loved the story - as politically incorrect as it was - we loved it!

Wow - My search really uncovered a goldmine !!

For what its worth, my recollection from 35 years ago is:

Rikki Tikki Tembo
No So Rembo
Ooh Mah Moochie
Gamma Gamma Goochie

I hope it is right because now my three year old is singing it along with me...

My 7yo daughter has a new friend named Nicky. Every time I see her I call her Nicky Nicky tembo-no sa rembo-oo ma moochi-gamma gamma goochi. They always laugh but I had no idea where that name came from I explained. Just a memory from my childhood. I am so excited to have found this page with the story and the MP3. I am going to be a hero at my house tonight!

That was one of my favorite books as a little kid. "Where the Wild Things Are" was perhaps my favorite. It was definitely Tikki-Tikki-Tembo. Another amazing book was called something like "The Midnight Bakers" or something. There was another book where the little black boy saves a snowball and it melts in his coat, I loved that, the illustrations were great. haha "Peter Cottontai" was fantastic, as was "The Little Prince". Yet another perfect children’s book was "The Star Cleaners", that was soooooooooo good. Hadn’t thought of that one in years. These memories are simply awesome.

I have found a webpage to BUY new and/or used books of Ticki ticki tembo no sa rembo chari bari ruchi pip peri pembo!!! for all those who have the same fond memories I do as a child but haven’t been able to find the book anywhere. Here it is: www.alibris.com. You can also use your search engine for the author’s name: Arlene Mosel. Good Luck Everyone. Mine will be delivered in hardcover on Nov. 14. I can hardly wait. I am so excited. I have searched garage sales, auctions, fair merchant buildings and everyother place imaginable.

Hi,
My oldest son and I were just talking about the book he took home from school when he was in 1st Grade....I thought to my self "How am I ever gonna get through this book?" LOL
I did and the name has never left my mind...and the name I remember is "Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo."
I’d love to find a copy of the book to read to my 7 & 9 year old boys ...its a must read!!
Thanks for the memories of this great book!
Virginia
and Son

Nikki Nikki Tembo o-so-rembo...etc...that was the version (on LP) my sister and I committed to memory. Now well into our 40s I received an email from her recently with a link to a soundfile...crazy thing is I was looking for the same thing at the same time (she’s in Hungary, I’m in Australia). My daughter (9) will love it!!

A great posting area.....

My brother and I listened to that record all the time when we were kids! I just gave our new kitty that name (Niki Niki Tembo...), and for that reason have had opportunity to discuss the story, which I can’t find anywhere—and most of the people my son tells it to remembers the version in the book! I’m so glad I’m not alone remembering that record! Was it narrated by Dennis Day? That seems to be stuck in my head, though we had quite a collection of story records at the time...

I have a copy of this book printed in 1974 and it has this name:

Rikki Tikki Tembo Nosarembo Oohmah Moochi Gama Gama Goochi Ala Ala Oochi Pip Pery Pembo

If anyone has the original...Nikki Nikki please send me the story by email...not audio...written out.
Gosh I too had the record...and the guy had the best voice...
He had 3 sisters...oomph, umph and something else...Remember LOL
He never died in the end...he lost weight and they finally did pull him out

This is just too great!!! I was out walking today when the name (nikki nikki tembo) kept running through my mind.

Thanks so much to mrslate and others who bring back such sweet memories of 65 years ago...listening to this. Anyone have any idea what it dates back to? I’m 66 and listened ( and listened) to this as a kid.

Thanks again.

Alan

Hello,
I just happened on your site by chance, also looking up that old record of long name no can say and I was so happy to be able to listen to that old story once again. It’s been 40 years since I heard it! Thank you to Mr Slate whoever you are. It’s mind blowing to see that so many others remember this! Does anyone have the recording of the flipside which was Dennis Day telling the story of Snow White? Thanks again for the wonderful memories of childhood.

Linda Z. from
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Canada

I’m only 13 but i remember in i think about second or third grade we all got that book read to us! The way i remember it was: ( sorry im not good at spelling ) Tikki Tikki Tembo No-Sarembo Cherry Berry Roochy Pip Berry Pembo! I also have the book. ( somewhere )

I have the book, Tikki tikki Tembo retold by Arlene Mosel/ illustrated by Blair Lent; copyright 1968. The Chinese woman’s "first and honored son, she called Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo." The old man with the ladder saves the boy, and "the moon rose many times before he was quite the same again."

Unbeleiveable !!!!
I am 47 and was telling my kids about a tory of a boy named 'long name no can say'... I remember perfectly it being Nikki Nikki timbo..no so rimbo... uuma goochi gamma gamma guchi....
But I don’t remember musch ewlse about the story.... My kids thought I was crazy and making it up, so I am so glad to be able to show them that It was indeed a memory from long ago !!!!

This is weird. My mom has been telling my kids about the story and my 6 and 4 yr old always say Nikki, Nikki tembo and sure enough I found the record in my pile of old albums with Snow White on the B side. I hooked up an old turn table in the garage to play it for the kids but from all the years of use from me and my sisters before me didn’t leave it condition good enough to play to long without damaging the needle. I still can’t bring myself to throw it away though.
If anyone knows where it can be downloaded I’d love to know. Greg

I’m a gramma now and so want to share the "old" story/song with my grandchildren. I was led here by Kididdles. Hoping we can find a recording of the Nikki Nikki Tembo version. Ours was on an 8 track--that’s a clue to how long ago it was! I tried the Bonedaddy address, but apparentely it’s no longer available.
Any help would be eternally appreciated.

I remember reading it in elementary school. one of my classes made it into a play and it was really great. I remember it as rikki tikki tembo, though.

I’m a preschool teacher and have been reading 'Riki tiki tembo no sa rembo chari bari ruchi pip perry pimbo' to all the kids. The book has the exact same pictures as on the ...columbia...website posted above.

Ricky Tikki Tembo is a completely separate story from Tikki Tikki Tembo, the one you are recalling has quite a long name but the book you have is a newer version of the story that makes it easier for young children to read it. Thanks