Yeah, Pumbaa, but it ain't pretty. [Timon sullenly lifts the remote and clicks it. The movie resumes. Timon's voice is heard over the footage.] Please remain seated while the camera is in motion. [The camera pans out rapidly from Pride Rock, passing multiple animals and locations, including the Elephant Graveyard, Rafiki's tree, and the gorge. It stops in an empty barren field.][from off-screen] Here we are. [A tumbleweed blows by.] From Pride Rock to the pit of shame. We're so low on the food chain, we're underground!
C Chorus
♪ [in the background] Semon pute! ♪
[from off-screen]
But you don't have to take my word for it. I'll just let my fellow meerkats do the talking.
M Meerkat
[A one meerkat emerges from a hole in the ground.]
♪ What was that? ♪
M Meerkats
[Several meerkats emerge from holes in the ground.]
♪ What was what? ♪
M Meerkats
[Several meerkats emerge from holes in the ground.]
♪ What was that? [Several meerkats emerge from holes in the ground.] What was that? [More and more meerkats emerge.] Where? What? Where? Where? What was that? Shhh! [The meerkats look left, then right. Still more meerkats stand on nearby rocks as sentries.] Quick, before the hyena come. ♪
M Meerkats
[The meerkats duck back underground and start digging tunnels.] [singing]
♪ Digga tunnah, dig, digga tunnah. [The meerkats crisscross their tunnels.] When you're done, ya digga bigger tunnah. [The meerkats all begin digging downward so their tunnels run parallel.] Digga tunnah, dig, digga tunnah. [Below ground, the colony carries small rocks through a tunnel.] Quick, before the hyena come. Dig! Digga tunnah, dig, digga tunnah. [Several meerkats dig down into an open tunnel, then tunnel into the floor.] You could dig and never get done. Digga tunnah, dig, digga tunnah. [Several meerkats stick their heads into the tunnel.] What was that? [The meerkats look right, then left, then forward.] Quick, before the hyena come. Dig! [Several meerkats march single-file into the tunnel.] Digga tunnah is what we do. [The meerkats begin passing rocks down a line.] Life's a tunnah. We're diggin' through. [Several meerkats stick their heads through holes in the tunnel wall.] Digga tunnah is what we sing. [A line of meerkats carrying a stick marches by.] Digga tunnah is everything. [Several lines of meerkats carrying sticks approach a wall of the tunnel.] Mud and clay is a meerkat's friend. [The meerkats prop the sticks against the floor and ceiling.] Always more around every bend. [Several meerkats dance out of slits in the tunnel wall.] And when you get to your tunnah's end, hallelujah! Let's dig again! [The meerkats splay their fingers.] Dig! [Several meerkats march in place in a row.] Digga tunnah, dig, digga tunnah. [The meerkats pass rocks down the line.] When you're done, ya digga bigger tunnah. Digga tunnah, dig, digga tunnah. [Several meerkats emerge from the ground and ceiling.] What was that? [The meerkats look one way, then another, then forward.] Quick, before the hyena come. ♪
[The scene transitions to the open savanna. Timon and Uncle Max stand on a rock beneath a short tree. Uncle Max scurries along the ground, sniffs the air, then flinches.]
Uncle Max: Scurry, sniff, flinch! [Uncle Max repeats the demonstration. Timon stands on the ground nearby, leaning one-armed against the tree.] Scurry, sniff, flinch! [Timon rolls his eyes.] Scurry, sniff, flinch! [Uncle Max tucks a stick under his arm like a he's a drill sergeant.] Good. Now, [Uncle Max slides down the rock to the ground and walks side-by-side with Timon.] what do we do if we see a hyena?
Scream, "Mommy!"?
[Timon and Uncle Max pause. Uncle Max points his finger at Timon.] Uncle Max: That's right, mister! Because [Uncle Max grabs Timon by the shoulder and points a finger again at the savanna.] the world out there is fraught with danger. [Uncle Max shakes Timon.] Fraught, I tell you!
Oh, boy. It's the fraught fest.
Uncle Max: [in the background] Even all bloodthirsty hyenas are waiting to rip us limb from limb!
Bravo, Uncle Max. [Timon claps.] Way to sell it to the cheap seats.
[Uncle Max seizes Timon by the wrists.] Uncle Max: Applaud now, sonny boy! [severely] But try clapping when you don't have any hands.
[Uncle Max stalks offscreen. Timon stares at his hands.]
*gulps* [Timon darts onto the rock. He scurries along the ground, sniffs the air, then flinches.] Scurry, sniff, flinch. [The savanna is peaceful and quiet. Timon looks back and forth. He repeats the exercise.] Scurry, sniff, flinch. [The savanna is peaceful and quiet. Music starts playing softly.] Huh. [Timon smiles.] I like the sound of that. [Timon repeats the exercise.] Scurry, sniff, flinch. [The savanna is peaceful and quiet. Timon continues to repeat the exercise. As he does so, he begins to dance, more and more flamboyantly.] Scurry, sniff, flinch. Scurry, sniff, flinch. Scurry, sniff, flinch! ♪ There's more to life than panic and bein' some other guy's snack. [Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed emerge from behind a nearby rock.] Eugh! [Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed duck out of view.] I may be delicious, organic, [Timon swings his fists at the air.] but this little entree's fightin' back! [Timon swings his fist so hard that he spins around several times. He begins strutting across the rock, then grabs onto the tree's trunk.] I'm gonna put diggin' tunnels behind me and live at a new altitude. [Timon climbs up onto a branch and throws an armful of leaves into the air.] I'm gonna reach for the stars to remind me that meerkats are not merely food! [Timon steps onto a nearby cloud.] For once I'll be [Timon surfs away on the cloud.] lookin' out for me. [The cloud drifts into an idyllic jungle paradise.] Yeah! [Timon dives off the cloud into a waterfall below.] I'll tell you what I want. [Timon slides down the waterfall.] This cat is movin' on, [The momentum of Timon's fall throws him into the air.] where he's a bon vivant [Timon dives into a pool below.] who's missin' out on bon. [Timon swims underwater.] I'd be a bigger cheese far from the desert scene. [Timon disappears into a school of fish, which turns into a pile of butterflies.] A little cooling breeze. [The butterflies part one by one.] A little patch of green! [The butterflies part fully to reveal Timon holding a drink and lounging in a hammock by a waterfall. Two peacocks fan him with their tails.] And I'll be snoozin' in my hammock by a rippling stream, many miles from any tunnel and the digging team. [A pile of grubs dominates the screen. The grubs partially morph into Timon's face.] Looking after number one will be my only creed. That's all I need. [Timon eats the grubs.] *slurps* [Timon lifts his hands into the air.] That's all I need! [Timon dances the "Shuffle Off to Buffalo" atop a mound of grubs.] I've always been good at runnin' away. [Timon switches directions and repeats the dance.] Well, now, I'm gonna run the show-oh! [The lights darken overhead, and the jungle backdrop slides offscreen, as if it's part of a theater production. Timon stands alone on his rock in the savanna.] I've always been seen as the ultimate prey, [Timon lifts his hands into the air.] but now, my status ain't so quo! [Banzai and Ed emerge on either side of Timon.] A dream sublime. [Shenzi emerges behind Timon, who lifts his hands into the air.] It's hyena time! [Shenzi claps, startling Timon.] Oh! ♪
S Shenzi
[After the That's All I Need song] [applauds]
Oh, look, it's dinner and a show.
B Banzai
[snickers evilly]
And I thought beans were the only musical food. [Ed laughs evilly]
S Shenzi
Well, hi to you, too. [smacks Timon with her paw, who rolls down the hill]
[bumps into Uncle Max]
Aw. I'm okay.
This is no time for horseplay, Timon. You're supposed to be up there looking out for... [Shenzi, Ed and Banzai the hyenas go near] HYENAS!!!
B Banzai
[The meerkats gasp, then run and scatter in panic, while screaming and waving their hands in the air.] [Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed stand over the meerkat colony running in horror and fear, watching them.]
Whoa, look at 'em scramble!
S Shenzi
[Shenzi crouches.]
And that's just how I like them...
[Uncle Max, who is running, pulls up short.]
*screams*
M Meerkats
[Behind him, several meerkats crash into him, pushing him into Shenzi's snout.]
*grunt*
S Shenzi
Scrambled...
[Shenzi licks Uncle Max, lifting him into the air.] Uncle Max:' *screams*
S Shenzi
And a little bit runny.
M Meerkats
[The colony runs around in a panic.]
*scream* [Several meerkats race past Timon, who ducks, with his hands covering his head.] Hyenas!
SA Shenzi and Banzai
[Shenzi and Banzai race after the meerkats, ignoring Timon.]
*laugh*
E Ed
[Ed races after Shenzi and Banzai, ignoring Timon.]
*laughs*
[After the hyenas pass, Timon lowers his hands and relaxes.]
*sighs*
[From behind, a hand grabs Timon and starts to drag him into a hole in the ground. He resists, but is eventually pulled underground. It is revealed that the hand belongs to Ma.]
Get in here! What are you, a meshugginah? [shakes Timon]
M Meerkats
[Several meerkats dive for cover in a hole in the ground, while Ed snaps at them.]
*whimper* [Ed continually misses the meerkats, who slip by him to safety.] *screams* Whoa!
E Ed
[Uncle Max runs for the hole, but Ed covers it with both paws and grins evilly.]
*laughs*
[Uncle Max skids to a halt.]
*gasps*
E Ed
[Ed grins down at Uncle Max, tongue lolling.]
*laughs*
[Underground, the meerkat colony gathers in a tense huddle around Ma and Timon.]
Stumpy?
S Stumpy
[from offscreen]
Here!
F Flinchy
[from offscreen]
Here!
S Swifty
[from offscreen]
Here!
[Ma rubs her forehead.]
Oh, what a relief. Everybody's... *gasps* Where's Uncle Max?
[Uncle Max runs from Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed.]
*screams*
SB Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed
*yip*
M Meerkats
[Several meerkats emerge from a hole in the ground and spot Uncle Max.]
*gasp*
M Meerkat
[Uncle Max dodges several attacks from Shenzi and Banzai.]
Max! Run for your life!
M Meerkat
[from offscreen]
Play dead!
M Meerkat
[from offscreen]
Ándale!
M Meerkat
[from offscreen]
Almost there!
[The channel suddenly changes to the show, revealing a woman talking about the purse.]
Hey, what's going on? Pumbaa, you're sitting on the remote?
[realizes]
Huh? Oh, sorry. I thought it was a brownie. [changes it back to Uncle Max being chased by hyenas]
Uncle Max: Crane... [The meerkats imitate Uncle Max. He lowers his arms and lifts one leg.] spreads its wings... [The meerkats imitate Uncle Max. They all turn toward the camera.] turns with dainty hands.
M Meerkats
[Cut to several meerkats standing on a root. One by one, they dive into a nearby pool.]
♪ Digga tunnah, dig, digga tunnah. [More meerkats dive into the pool.] We're never gonna dig another tunnah. Digga tunnah, dig, digga tunnah. [Several meerkats hold butterflies in a chorus line. They move the butterflies out of the way as they sing.] Nevermore, the hyena come. [Timon dances in a grub hat.] Sing the praises of brave Timon, [Timon spins, sending grubs flying.] the bravest meerkat [Grubs fall from the sky as meerkats lounge in leaf hammocks.] we've ever known. [Uncle Max holds a coconut filled with grub mush. He catches a falling grub.] Never dreamed he'd [Cut to clouds in the sky. Three meerkats fly into the air as they sing.] help Simba shine! ♪
[Pumbaa flies into the air.]
♪ Proved it's cool to hang out with swine! ♪
M Meerkats
[Cut to a log, with meerkats digging under it.]
♪ Accidentally [The meerkats pop up on the other side, their mouths full of grubs.] saved the day. ♪
[Timon gestures to himself.]
♪ Planned it so it would look that way. ♪
M Meerkats
[Pumbaa stands at the top of a waterfall, with Ma and Timon in his mane. He jumps.]
♪ Brought us out of the dirt and sand, [Pumbaa splashes into the water and rides along the current.] led his family to the [Pumbaa falls off another waterfall.] promised land. [Timon, Pumbaa, and Ma dive into the water.] Sing the praises of brave Timon, [Timon swims for the surface, grinning at the camera.] bravest meerkat we've ever known. ♪
[Ma and Timon stand atop Pumbaa, holding each other. Pumbaa stands on Young Simba's stomach, while Young Simba floats on his back in the pool. Meerkats swim in two concentric circles around them. Meanwhile, on the banks, meerkats dance in a conga line, watch the festivities, play a game with a large grub, get fanned with leaves, paraglide with leaves, toast a coconut drink, and hang in vines.]
