The Ogglebogs Short Story & Audiobook Series: Episode 38 - Tommo the Tigeroo

Tommo the Tigeroo

It was a lovely sunny morning at the Oggle Café on Planet Ogg. Rocco, Blobbo, Coco, Oddo, Beepo and Twinko had just munched their favourite ogglecake breakfast.

Twinko said, “I’ve got a surprise, everyone.”

“Oooh, what’s the surprise, Twinko?” asked Blobbo.

“Oh, what is it?” asked Coco.

“Yes, please, what is it?” asked Oddo.

“If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise, would it?” said Twinko.

“Twinko is right, you know,” said Rocco, with a big smile.

“Well, I’ve just got one little question. Does this surprise have ogglecakes in it?” asked Blobbo.

“It’s a circus, not a baker’s shop!” said Twinko, who was getting a bit cross with Blobbo.

“Bzzz, bzzzz, bzz!” said Beepo.

“It’s not a surprise now, Twinko,” said Coco, giggling.

“Not now it isn’t – hee-hee!” said Oddo.

“Blazing bananas, Twinko, now everyone knows,” said Rocco, with a laugh.

“Silly me,” said Twinko. “I’d better tell you all about it now.”

Twinko then told them that a circus had arrived on Planet Ogg. They all had tickets for that evening. You can imagine how excited the Ogglebog friends were!

Then Twinko told them about some of the amazing things they would see. There were the jigglers, who looked a bit like red caterpillars. They threw jelly in the air and tried to catch it. Then there were the goat rope walkers, who were aliens from Planet Boing. They looked a bit like goats, but were purple and had six legs. They could walk along a piece of rope high up in the circus tent. Then there were the slackrobats and they were the funniest of the lot. They showed the audience all the different ways there were to fall over. And at the end, there was always the pie-ramid. This was where a very large red Ogglebog with huge white eyebrows tried to balance as many pies as possible, one on top of the other. After about three pies, they always fell down!

“I’m laughing already,” said Blobbo, chuckling.

“Me too,” said Rocco, also laughing.

“I can’t wait for this evening!” said Coco with a big smile.

“Me neither,” said Oddo.

“Bzzz, bzzzz, bzz!” said Beepo.

But there was something that Twinko had kept as a real surprise. It was Tommo the tigeroo.

Now, Tommo was a very strange animal. No one knew which planet Tommo came from. Looking like a cross between a tiger and a kangaroo, Tommo had stripy fur and a kangaroo’s long bouncy legs.

Tommo was the circus ringmaster, who always introduced the different acts at the circus. Everyone always laughed at the tigeroo’s voice because it sounded a bit like a lion, with great big ROARS!

No matter which planet the tigeroo was on, Tommo spent every day in places like the Mushmallow Forest. Tommo liked hopping from tree to tree, practising fierce roars. Everyone loved Tommo because Tommo was a very friendly animal.

But on the morning of the circus on Planet Ogg, Tommo woke up with a scratchy throat. Oh, flaming fishsticks! the tigeroo thought. Tommo tried to roar but only a little squeak came out. Tommo tried again. This time, nothing at all came out.

Who was going to introduce the acts at the circus now that Tommo had no voice?

Back at the café, Rocco said, “I expect there will be pipcorn and handyfloss this evening at the circus.”

“Yummy,” said Blobbo.

Oh, I’d better tell you. Pipcorn is a tasty treat made from the pips of the Grurdle Tree. It’s very crunchy and tastes like strawberry jelly. Handyfloss is a cloud of pink yumminess on a stick. It tastes a bit like floaty pies. 

The Ogglebog friends thought about all the exciting things they would see at the circus.

But, just then, someone came rushing into the café.

It was an alien that looked like a little purple lizard, who was called Kloop.

In a squeaky voice, Kloop said, “I have to tell everyone the bad news. The circus won’t be happening this evening.”

“Oh no,” said Twinko, “now I’m sad.”

“Blazing bananas,” said Rocco, “why not?”

“Because Tommo the ringmaster has no voice,” answered Kloop.

“Where is it?” asked Coco.

“Did Tommo leave it somewhere?” asked Oddo.

“It means Tommo can’t introduce all the acts,” replied Kloop.

“Oh no,” said Blobbo, “that means no pipcorn and handyfloss for me.”

Rocco had a thinking face on. “I’ve had an idea! We can do it instead! We’ll take it in turns.”

Kloop thought for a moment and said, “That’s a very good idea! Come to the circus a little early and I will tell you what to do.”

Later that evening, the Ogglebog friends went down Bubble Mountain. Pasto the baker had a big basket full of ogglecakes.

They went past the Mushmallow Forest and soon they were in a big wide-open field. And there was the circus tent. Fun music was playing. The circus tent was bright red with big white stripes and the air was filled with the yummy smells of pipcorn and handyfloss.

Kloop told the Ogglebogs what they had to do. It seemed very easy.

“You don’t have to roar like Tommo does,” said Kloop.

“That’s good because I can’t roar,” said Coco.

“Nor me,” said Oddo.

Ogglebogs started coming in from all parts of Planet Ogg. The time had come for the circus to begin.

Tommo the tigeroo was sitting in the audience and didn’t look very happy.

Twinko stood in the middle of the circus ring and spoke into a microphone.

“Ogglebogs and aliens, the first act tonight is the jigglers!”

Out came the six jigglers with buckets of jelly. They threw jelly up in the air and at each other, but not one of them actually caught any jelly.

The audience laughed and laughed. Soon, the jigglers were covered from head to toe in jelly.

Then Rocco came out and spoke into the microphone.

“Here’s the next act that will make you amazed. They are called the… um… called the… um…”

Blobbo came out and whispered in Rocco’s ear.

“Oh yes, thanks Blobbo,” said Rocco, “the goat rope walkers!”

High up in the circus tent, the goat rope walkers were walking along a rope. The audience gasped and could hardly believe their eyes.

After they had finished, Beepo came out and spoke into the microphone, “Bzzz, bzzzz, bzz!”

Then, out came the slackrobats. The audience couldn’t stop laughing at them as they kept falling over.

“I never knew there were so many ways you could fall over!” said Rocco, laughing.

In the audience, Tommo was beginning to smile. The tigeroo could see that the audience were having such fun.

The last act was about to come on. Coco and Oddo went to the middle of the ring.

Coco said, “The last act of the evening, Ogglebogs and aliens, is…”

Oddo went on, “The act you have been waiting for - the pie-ramid!”

Out came the big red Ogglebog with a tray of pies.

The very large red Ogglebog kept trying to balance pies on top of each other. It worked! Then, the Ogglebog put another pie on top of those two. They all fell over. The Ogglebog kept trying this, but never got further than three.

The audience were really laughing now.

Blobbo turned to Rocco and said, “I could just yawn up the pies. I bet the audience would like that!”

By now, Tommo was smiling. The tigeroo could see that the audience were having a great time.

Then Blobbo went out and spoke into the microphone. “Ogglebogs and aliens, please now go outside for the fireworks!”

Planet Ogg’s two suns were setting and it was getting dark. The audience gasped as they watched the fireworks. They went woosh and sheeew and flash! They lit up the night sky, making dazzling patterns of stars and colours.

And even without a voice, Tommo the tigeroo had found something brilliant – some new Ogglebog friends.

Tommo whispered, “Thank you, Ogglebogs. You helped us this evening. Without you, there would have been no circus at all. Oh, do you know, I think my voice is slowly coming back!”

“That calls for ogglecakes to celebrate,” said Blobbo.

Pasto opened the basket and everyone soon started munching.

The End