from wikipedia.org

Tikki Tikki Tembo is a story set in ancient China, which provided the basis for a 1968 book by Arlene Mosel illustrated by Blair Lent, aimed at children from Kindergarten to Grade 2. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this retelling (and others) are severely wrong about some aspects of Chinese culture, so questions have arisen as to the story's origins and validity.

The story is about a family with two sons, in which the first-born and honoured son gets a long name and the other son gets a short name (by tradition, according to the story). The first born son's full name is Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo which, according to the story, means "the most wonderful thing in the whole wide world". The second son's name is Chang which means "little or nothing" in the story.

Other versions of the name are: Rikki tikki instead of Tikki tikki (not to be confused with Rikki-Tikki-Tavi) and Nikki Nikki Tembo-No So Rembo-Oo Ma Moochi-Gamma Gamma Goochi.

In reality, all of Tikki Tikki Tembo's names are gibberish, not actual Chinese, and there is no Chinese dialect in which "Chang" means "little or nothing". Likewise, the idea that first-born sons used to get long names and other children hardly any is not an accurate portrayal of the culture. Some suggest it is actually a take-off on a Japanese story - the presence of several R's and absence of L's, and the occurrence of syllables ending in 'o' and the combination 'uchi', in Tikki Tikki Tembo's full name suggests a Japanese rather than Chinese influence - but it does not accurately reflect Japanese culture, either.

The Story

Once upon a time there was a family that lived in China. Chinese people believed that giving your first child a long name means to have good luck. Their first child's name was Tikki tikki tembo no sa rembo chari bari ruchi pip peri pembo. His name meant everything wonderful in Chinese. Their second child's name was Chang, which meant "little or nothing".

Everyday, their mother would go down to the river to do the laundry, and the boys would follow her there to play. Each time, their mother would say to them "Little ones, play all you want, but do not go near the well." One day the two brothers were playing by the well. Chang fell into the well. Tikki tikki tembo no sa rembo chari bari ruchi pip peri pembo ran to tell his mother. "Most honourable mother, please come! Chang has fallen into the well!"

"Oh, that troublesome boy," cried Mother, "Go get the old man with the ladder to fish him up!"

So, Tikki tikki tembo no sa rembo chari bari ruchi pip peri pembo went to see the old man with the ladder. "Oh, old man with the ladder," he cried, "Chang has fallen into the well,please come and fish him up!" So the old man with the ladder went down to the well with Tikki tikki tembo no sa rembo chari bari pip pari pembo. He climbed down the ladder into the well and fished little Chang up. He pumped the water out of him, and pushed the air in to him.He pumped the water out of him, and pushed the air into him. Soon, Chang was good as before.

Many days had passed since Chang fell into the well. The children did not go near the well until it was the Moon Festival. They took their mooncakes to the well to eat. Soon, they were playing on the well again. As Tikki tikki tembo no sa rembo chari bari ruchi pip pei pembo walked on the well he suddenly slipped and fell in. Little Chang went to get his mother.

"Most honourable mother,please come! Tikki tikki tembo no sa rembo chari bari ruchi pip peri pembo has fallen into the well!" "Speak up little one,the water is rushing, and I cannot hear you." So little Chang took a deep breath and said "Oh most honourable mother,please come help! Tikki tikki tembo no sa rembo chari bari ruchi pip peri pembo has fallen into the well!" His mother still couldn't hear him. He tried again. "Most honourable mother...chari ruchi tikki tikki.... peri pip sa...no rembo pembo..bari tembo in ...well..." "Oh Chang! Speak your brothers name with reverence!" So little Chang took another breath, and this time said it slowly. "Most ho-nour-a-ble mo-ther,Ti-kki- ti-kki- tem-bo no sa rem-bo char-i bar-i ru-chi pip per-i pem-bo has fallen into the well!"

"Oh no!" cried Mother "Not my baby!Go get the old man with the ladder to fish him up!" So Chang ran to the old man with the ladder. "Old man with the ladder!" Chang shouted. But the old man did not answer. "Old man with the ladder!" Chang shouted again. This time the old man woke up. "Oh child!" he cried," You just woke me up from my dream. I dreamed that I once again had my youth, and golden sunlight. Perhaps if I close my eyes again, I will return." "Old man," Chang cried, "my brother has fallen into the well. Please come help fish him up!" "Oh, so I hear your mother's pearl has fallen into the well. I'll come and fish him up for her." So the old man with the ladder went down to the well with Chang to help Tikki tikki tembo no sa tembo chari bari ruchie pip peri pembo out of the well. He climbed down the ladder into the well and fished up Tikki tikki tembo no sa rembo chari bari ruchi pip peri pembo. He pumped the water out of him, and pushed the air into him. But Tikki tikki tembo no sa rembo chari bari ruchi pip peri pembo, had been in the water so long, it took more than 12 full moons before he was well again.

From then on, Chinese parents have always given their children short names.

Retellings

A story found in 1967 by a now-retired librarian from the Long Beach Public Library has the version with a longer name for Tikki Tikki Tembo. It is Tiki Tiki Tembo No Sa Rembo Hari Bari Ruchi Ip Peri Pendo Kiki Pom Pom Michi Me No Amo Dom Bo Rico. This version is from before 1967. She stated because it is a folktale, the origin is probably not known.

The version of the story related above is the one told in the 1968 book version by Arlene Mosel. In some other tellings, Tikki Tikki Tembo drowns before he can be rescued.