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01x11 - Catch the Tail by the Tiger

Episode transcripts for TV show, "Fraggle Rock". Aired: January 10, 1983 – March 30, 1987.*
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Children's musical fantasy comedy puppet series about interconnected societies of Muppet creatures, created by Jim Henson.

01x11 - Catch the Tail by the Tiger

Post by bunniefuu »

Dance your cares away

Worry's for another
day Let the music play

Down at Fraggle Rock

Work your cares away

Dancing's for another
day Let the Fraggles play

We're Gobo, Mokey,
Wembley, Boober, Red!

A Fraggle!

Hey, look, Ma.

I caught a Fraggle!

Dance your cares away

Worry's for another
day Let the music play

Down at Fraggle Rock

Down at Fraggle Rock
Down at Fraggle Rock

Down at Fraggle Rock.

The majesty of a spring storm.

It's perfect weather
for a brisk walk.

Don't you think, Sprocket?

It's only water, Sprocket.

It'll be like taking a bath.

You mean you really don't
want to go outfor a walk with me?

What am I going to dowith
this piece of red licorice?

That's the spirit.

And...

got you.

Close your eyes
and count to three.

I've got just the thing for you.

You can't even guess?
You can't even guess?

It's a lightning deflector.

Now, in the unlikely eventthat
you were struck by lightning,

this rod would
collect the electricity

and channel it down throughthe
coil of this transformer.

Course, I haven't
testedthis invention yet.

What are you doing, Wembley?

I've got to go out
there and get my mail.

But one of the creatures
out therehas a helmet on.

-A helmet?-Yeah,
he's dressed for battle.

It started.

Wembley.

He's exaggerating.

Why, there's nothing
out thereto worry about.

Gobo, you can't go out there.

Wembley, a Fraggle's got
to liveby the Rule of the Rock.

Why, sure, it's
dangerous out there,

but I've got my
duty to think about.

Think aboutgetting an
acting teacher, Gobo.

Very funny.

I just hope there's a postcardfrom
my Uncle Travelling Matt.

I'm starting to get worried.

I hope he's going to be okay.

Hey, where are you going?

I can't stand the tension.

So that's howyour
lightning deflector works.

You see, simple as pie.

I know you're not convinced.

No postcard again today.

I don't believe this.

Will you come for a
walk tomorrow, then?

You will? That's fantastic.

The newspaper saidit's going
to be really stormy tomorrow.

Oh, there, there. Here,
have another piece of licorice.

Lint.

Sorry about that.
Sorry about that.

Sometimes those
creaturesare really bizarre.

Hey, what are you
guys doing here?

We wanted to see
if you got the card.

Yeah. It's been
almost two weeks.

Well...

No.

Nothing.

Gee.

I hope nothing happened to him.

Maybe he's in trouble.

Oh, maybe he just forgot.

No. My Uncle Matt never forgets.

Well, maybe a big
crackopened in the earth

and swallowed him up,

just like in this
nightmare I had.

Boober.

Oh, wait a minute.
Face it, folks.

We're talking about a Fragglewho's
too cheap to buy stamps.

Hey, Red, this is serious.

If anything happened
to my Uncle Matt,

it would be my jobto
go out and rescue him.

You, a rescue mission?

That's hilarious.

Yeah, pretty funny, all right.
Yeah, pretty funny, all right.

Yeah. Very funny, Red.

I mean, what's so
funny about that?

He can't even find his
wayout of that room back there.

I can figure that out.

As a matter of fact,
I'd better do that.

Yeah. 'Cause I promised my
Uncle Mattthat I'd go looking for him

if the postcards
ever stopped coming.

Yep. I better do like a Doozer
doesand get on with the job.

You mean you're going to
go awayand leave us, Gobo?

Yep. That's the wayit's
got to be, Wembley.

Sure, it's a tunnel to
nowhereout there, but...

Well, why go, then?

Wembley, let me
explain something to you.

No one knows where we're going

No one knows where we've been

Strangers follow us
Dangers fall on us

Life plays tricks,
and they're mean

Only one thing can save us

Only one thing will do
Only one thing will do

Stand up nice and
straight Don't capitulate

Courage lives, and it's you

Catch a tail by the tiger

Take the horns by the bull

A bird in need
is a friend indeed

So pull the eyes over the wool

Gobo, I think you
got it backwards.

Well, the saying is that, "You
gotta catch a tiger by the tail."

Sure, if you wanna
do it the easy way.

On the other hand, if
you really want bravery,

then you got to...
Catch a tail by the tiger

Take the horns by the bull

A bird in need
is a friend indeed

So pull the eyes over the wool

Steely gaze in a sunrise

Lonesome walk in the dawn

Sometimes lonely
But living only for truth

When truth may be gone

Danger lurks at the crossroads
Danger lurks at the crossroads

Shadows loom on the wall

Sounds behind us
And hounds will find us

And death and taxes and all

So catch a tail by the tiger

Take the horns by
the bull Yee-haw!

A bird in need
is a friend indeed

So pull the eyes over
the wool One more time!

Catch a tail by the tiger

Take the horns by the bull

A bird in need
is a friend indeed

So pull the eyes over the wool

How are you gonnaget
down from there, Gobo?

That's a good question.

I've been trying to tell you, sometimes
you dream stuff that comes true,

and I had this nightmarewhere
the earth cracked open

and there was this
big pit full of germs.

Do you think that's what
happenedto Travelling Matt?

Boober, you're
fantasizing again.

This was no fantasy. This
was a prophetic nightmare.

This was no fantasy. This
was a prophetic nightmare.

Boober!

Believe me, it was not pretty.

Hey. You're still here. Did you
get a postcard or something?

No. I mean... Not a word.

Well, I guess you must
begetting ready to go?

Yep.

Aren't you scared?

Nope.

Why, I was born for adventure.

Yeah. It's in my blood.

Well, when are you going?

I don't know.

Got to talk to the Trash
Heapone last time,

organize my gear.

Why, I reckon I'll be dusting the
tunnelsaround about Doozer dawn tomorrow.

How can you say that
stuffwith a straight face?

Gobo, you can't go.
We need you here.

Well, we'll just have to learnto get
along without each other somehow,

Well, we'll just have to learnto get
along without each other somehow,

until I can rescue my Uncle
Mattfrom whatever trouble he's in.

He's the bravest
Fraggle in the universe.

He's got ice water in his veins.

He's going to be up
to his neck in germs.

He's the biggest
bluffer I've ever seen.

Come on, Red. That's not true.

You'll see. He's too
scared to go out there.

He's got cold tootsies.

Boy, how'd I ever
get myself into this?

That Red. She's
got some nerve, boy.

She doesn't understand how it
iswith me and my Uncle Travelling Matt.

Why, I'm supposed to worry
about himif I don't hear from him.

And it says so right here
And it says so right here

in this very first postcardl
ever got from him.

"Dear Nephew Gobo,

well, my adventurehas
officially begun..."

now that I'm in
the outside world.

The first job is to
learn the language

spoken by some shiny
creaturesl've met here.

It said.

Before I could reply,

another shiny creaturegreeted
me with exactly the same words.

The shiny creatureswere
trying to communicate.

They wanted to make friends.

Fortunately, I have an excellent
earfor foreign languages.

In no time, we were
conversing fluently.

After a few exchanges...

I was able to compile
a Fraggle dictionary

of shiny creature language.

It consists of a single word...

Translated loosely
into Fragglish,

it means, "Howdy,
neighbor, move it or lose it."

it means, "Howdy,
neighbor, move it or lose it."

"Anyway, I'm all right for now,

but if you ever stop
getting postcards,

then you'll know I'm in trouble.

Love, Travelling Matt."

I'm so confused.

I got to go talk to
the Trash Heap.

Rise and shine,
fellows. We got a seeker.

-What?-There's one
born every minute.

You are in the presence
of... Her cosmic cruddiness...

The Trash Heap.

Please, all-seeing one.

I'm going off on a dangerous
trip, and I need your advice.

You're going off on a trip?

Yes, all-knowing one.

And it's going to have dangers?

What kind of dangers?

Well, the earth opens up, and
there's this big pit full of germs.

Oh, did you hear that?

Yeah. A big pit full of germs.

-Nice.-Yeah.

You want my advice?

Don't go.

But I have to go. It's my duty.

What's this with the
duty all of a sudden?

Well, I think my Uncle Matt's
in troubleout there, and I...

You're Matt Fraggle's nephew?

Why didn't you say so?

I don't believe this.

I knew his Uncle Matt
when he was so high.

Yeah. He was all
the time bugging me

about advice for this
triphe wanted to take.

And what did you tell him?

My advice to him was,

"Go, already. Enjoy
it while you're young."

But now he's in trouble.

Trouble?

Why look for trouble?

My advice to you,

"Don't go." "Don't go."

Don't go?

The Trash Heap has spoken.

Well, thank you very muchfor
helping me make up my mind.

I actuallydidn't want to
go very much, anyway.

No problem. Not to worry
about your Uncle Matt.

He's probably just got the flu.

Boy, what a relief.

I was not ready to
leave Fraggle Rock.

What am I going
to tell the others?

Look out!

Boober coming through!

Look out. Careful, Wembley!

You'll break the streamer.

Hello, everybody.

Silence!

Everybody!

Silence.

Quiet!

Thank you.

Now, has everybodygot a good hiding place?
Now, has everybodygot a good hiding place?

Yeah!

Watch out. Here he comes.

Charge!

Let's see.

Sure, Red, I was all readyand
the Trash Heap told me, "Forget it."

You know how it is. What
the Trash Heap says, goes.

Yeah. Sure. They'll buy that.

Wembley?

Red?

Mokey?

Boober?

Gee, where is everyone?

Surprise!

Surprise!

Have you got your hat?
Have you got your coat?

Do you really have to go?

There's a storm out
thereSo you must prepare

For the freezing rain and snow
For the freezing rain and snow

The earth will quakeThe
world will shake

And the seas will rise around

And a great big
germLike a slimy worm

Will come to drag you down

And you'll be
rollin'Rollin', rollin' on

You'll be rollin', rollin' on

You'll be rollin',
rollin', rollin' on

You'll be reelin',
rollin'Squealin', strollin' on

Here you are, Gobo.

This will scare away germs.

Oh, Gobo.

Tonight will be sucha
wonderful memory for you.

Well, actually, I was
going to tell you that I...

No, no. You don't
have to tell us a thing.

Tomorrow you face
the unknown alone.

And we think you're heroic.

Don't we, Fraggles?

Yeah!

But we wish you
wellAs we say farewell

And we're full of jealousy

You can take your
hatYou can leave like that

And be home in time for tea

Then we'll gather hereAnd
we'll give a cheer and cry...

Hooray for you!

And we'll toast our toes

And we'll all supposeYou
somehow blundered through

And you be rollin'Rollin', rollin' on
And you be rollin'Rollin', rollin' on

You'll be rollin', rollin' on

You'll be rollin',
rollin', rollin' on

You'll be rollin', rollin' on

You'll be rollin',
rollin', rollin' on

You'll be rollin', rollin' on

You'll be rollin',
rollin', rollin' on

You'll be reelin',
rollin'Squealin', strollin'

Rumblin',
ramblin'Stumblin', shamblin'

-Bumblin'!
Tumblin'!-Grumblin'! Scramblin'!

Rollin', rollin' on

Gobo!

Gobo!

Hey, Gobo, where are you going?

This is your party.

I got to go to the roomat
the end of the tunnel

and practice for
tomorrow when I leave.

Oh, Gobo. You don't have
to keep pretending with me.

I know you're not
going anywhere.

See you later, Red.

But...

But... Come on,
Gobo. Come on, Gobo.

You wouldn't go anywhere,
not in a million years.

Would you?

Would you?

Would he?

Well, good night, Sprocket.

First thing tomorrow
morning, we go for our walk.

You want to wearyour
lightning deflector to bed?

Do you have any idea of the
oddsagainst getting hit by lightning?

Over two million to one.

Very well, then.

We won't standfor any
of these shenanigans

tomorrow morning, understood?

Sleep tight, Sprockie.

This is no problem.

This is just a pitch-black
roomwith a door in it someplace,

not unlike any number of
pitch-black roomsl've been in before.

Not unlike any number of
pitch-black roomsl've been in before.

The odd little
crack full of germs.

Nothing to be alarmed about.

What was that?

What was that?

This is even worse
than I thought.

Boy, I can't believeyou gave
me all these smoothies, Gobo.

These are real treasures. You
shouldn't just give them away.

Why not? They're only
smoothies, Wembley.

I decided I wanted you to have
themas soon as I woke up this morning.

Yeah, but why?

Why not?

You're my best
friend, aren't you?

Well, yeah, but...
Yeah, but nothing.

Here.

I want you to give
this to Redafter I've left.

Wow. What is it?

It's a prize.

Only prize I ever won.

What's it for?

Pie-eating.

Honorable mention.

I want Red to have
it after I'm gone.

Gone?

You don't mean...

Wembley, I wish I could
tell youhow I'm feeling, but...

I can't.

Just give it to her
after I'm gone, okay?

I wish I understood this, Gobo.

Yeah.

Me, too.

Now's the time for parting

Time to say goodbye

Well...

I guess this is it.

Yeah.

I feel stupid.

Me, too.

Why does everybody feel stupid?
Why does everybody feel stupid?

Well, he's being so brave.

I'm being brave?

I'm not even brave enoughto
tell you guys the truth.

-What do you mean?-What truth?

The truth about the way I feel.

I'm scared.

You are?

Well, sure I am.

Red's right.

I don't know where I'm going.

Why go, then?

Because you guys expect me to.

-Oh, no, we don't.-No,
no. You don't have to go.

Don't go.

Gosh, thanks, guys.

Time to say goodbye Nope.

I got to go.

Why?

Because my Uncle Travelling
Mattmeans a lot to me.

See you, guys.

So long, Gobo

I don't feel so good.

Neither do I.

This is a very emotional moment.

Oh, Red...

Gobo wanted you to have this.

Gobo wanted me to have this?

Oh, Red, that's beautiful.

Oh, heavens, she's crying.

I can't bear this.

I'm going to keep this
with meforever and ever.

Yes, you must.

You must keep itclose
to your heart until...

until Gobo comes back to us.

Right. No matter
how long it takes.

Oh, yes, Red. Yes.

I think I want to be
alone for a while.

Yeah. Me, too.

- Gobo!-Gobo!
- Gobo!-Gobo!

I got a card.

You got a what?

A card from my
Uncle Travelling Matt.

He doesn't need
rescuing anymore.

No kidding?

I believe this belongs to you.

What's with her?

Well, Gobo, life is...
strange and mysterious.

So I see.

Hey. Anyone want to hearwhat
my Uncle Matt has to say?

Well, I've got
some laundry to do.

Maybe later.

I got to go take a nap.

He had the flu, you see, and...

Life sure is strange
and mysterious.

Boo!

Got you, didn't I?

How'd you like to be
a flattened Fraggle?

Okay!

A two-million-to-one
shot, I tell you,

and your deflector
worked perfectly.

Tell me, how does it feel
liketo be struck by lightning?

Oh, you feel so safeyou want
to go out for another walk?

Now, come on. My
clothes are soaking wet.

Oh, come on. Oh, what
did I get myself into?

Dance your cares away

Worry's for another
day Let the music play

Down at Fraggle Rock

Dance your cares away

Worry's for another day

Let the music play
Let the music play

Down at Fraggle Rock

Down at Fraggle Rock

Down at Fraggle Rock