Push the water out

February 19, 2010 8:56 AM

Name that kids book, little boy drowns playing in the water, kindly old man performs CPR on him, saying something like "blow the air in, push the water out".

I read it during the 70's.
I think it had an asian setting.
I'd almost swear it was a read-along story and record, 'cause I can hear the voice of the narrator saying that phrase in my head, but not 100% certain.

posted by nomisxid to Media & Arts (9 answers total)

Best answer: I'm pretty sure Tikki Tikki Tembo is what you're looking for. The "old man with the ladder" does that to the title character and his brother after saving them from the bottom of the well.
posted by Vorteks at 9:02 AM on February 19, 2010

Are you thinking of Tikki Tikki Tembo? He falls into the well, and his brother has to get the old man with a ladder to fish him out.
posted by donajo at 9:03 AM on February 19, 2010

D'oh. Too slow!
posted by donajo at 9:04 AM on February 19, 2010

Best answer: Here's a quote from a PDF of the story I found:

Narrator: And he ran as fast as his old legs could carry him. Step over step, step over step he went into the well, picked up little Chang, and step over step brought him out of the well.
He pumped the water out of him and pushed the air into him, and pumped the water out of him and pushed the air into him, and soon Chang was just as good as ever!
Now for several months the boys did not go near the well. But after the Festival of the Eighth Moon that changed.

posted by Vorteks at 9:04 AM on February 19, 2010

Response by poster: I totally remember that cover now =)

thanx
posted by nomisxid at 9:16 AM on February 19, 2010

It's weird the things we remember. That was one of my favorite books as a child but I didn't recognize it from the phrase you were remembering. I can still totally recall the entire Tiki Tiki Tembo No Sa Rembo Chari Bari Ruchi Pip Perri Pembo name, and I still know that it's better to name my child Chang. But the water out/air in, nope.

Ok, I posted this just to show off that I know that name. Don't kill me.
Even though I don't know how to spell it.
posted by CathyG at 10:13 AM on February 19, 2010 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Cool, it's even available as an wma-audiobook download from my local library =)

And someone uses the name as a chorus for a hip-hop song that doesn't seem to have anything else to do with the story.

how odd.
posted by nomisxid at 11:11 AM on February 19, 2010

We just got the Scholastic Video Collection with Tikki Tikki Tembo (along with 5 other animated stories) from the library. Highly recommended. The animation and the voice acting is fantastic.
posted by victoriab at 12:57 PM on February 19, 2010

I could have made the exact same comment as CathyG. Except for the small font. :D
posted by foxjacket at 7:04 PM on February 19, 2010