Pigs singing the Happy Wanderer

[Muppet Newsgirl]

Yes, German is a very wordy language - including all the words that are 10 to 20 letters long.

If it's cool with everyone, I'd like to throw in another variation on 'The Happy Wanderer;' this one's been knocking about in my head because of a story David Rudman told on the MuppetCast tribute show for Richard Hunt.

(Having been kicked over the ledge once too often by peevish Bavarian goats, our trio has gone in for a change of scenery in the Peruvian Andes.)

First Pig: Ah...isn't this the life?
Second: That's right...we've gone three days without being kicked by one goat.
Third: Getting away from the Alps for a bit was the right thing...I feel like singing...

All: I love to go a-wandering
Along the mountain track,
And as I go, I love to sing,
My knapsack on my back.

First: Valder-i,
Second: Valder-a,
Third: Valder-a, valder - aaaaahhh!

(For the goats in the Andes don't like that song either. Meanwhile, somewhere down below on the Inca trail leading to Machu Picchu...)

Richard: How're you holding up back there, Dave?
David: Pretty good...but I think I've got a rock in one of my boots.
Richard: Lucky you; someone else found a scorpion in one of his.
David: (shaking rock out of boot) Ouch. So how far out are we?
Richard: Well, the guide says we'll be at the Sun Gate by tomorrow morning, so...what's that noise?

(the hiking pig comes tumbling down the mountain and out of sight)

David: Didn't that happen on the Muppet Show?
Richard: Yeah...there's always three of them. That song's got to be jinxed or something.

(A few moments and a few verses later, the remaining two pigs come rolling and bumping down.)

 

[MartyMuppets]

That's great Erin. I've downloaded Richard's Tribute to my computer now. Thank you for motivating me. It's so beautiful.

Incidentally do you know if the sketch itself is actually talked about during any specific episode of Muppetcast?

 

[Muppet Newsgirl]

You are most welcome, Marty. The day the goats aren't annoyed by "The Happy Wanderer" will be the day pigs (don't) fly.

As for the MuppetCast...hmm, I'm really not sure where the sketch is mentioned - it's gotta be in there somewhere, but I'm not sure. But the Machu Picchu story is one of my favorites; David said that he was in it for the adventure side of it, while Richard was in it for the more spiritual aspects.

 

[MartyMuppets]

I'm listening out for the sketch as I go through all the Muppetcast shows Erin. It hasn't even been talked about so far, but maybe one episode soon. You never know.

 

[MartyMuppets]

I do think it's clear how much the piggy buddies cared about each other.

I was recently thinking about this point of yours Caroline and I was wondering if you'd ever noticed something about the very beginning of the sketch? If you pause your DVD one frame at a time it seems to me like the action could be interpreted as the nervous end piggy asking the middle one for a helping hand over a particularly very difficult area of the climb to handle.
You see how middle piggy leans towards him and though you can't obviously make it out, it could be implied that the nervous piggy is holding onto his buddy's arm to steady himself while he makes sure of his footing.

Does it look like that to you Caroline?

 

[Skye]

I had to re-watch our sketch real quickly here, Marty, but I did notice what you're talking about. It's funny because I always noticed the nervous piggy and the middle piggy were close together. And if you watch the nervous piggy closely, it looks like he says something to the middle piggy right before he hurries a bit to move up closer to him. It's harder to tell if the middle piggy is trying to help his buddy make it through the climb, but it definitely seems like the nervous piggy is trying to use the middle piggy as his little protector.

 

[MartyMuppets]

Yes. It certainly is interesting to think about Caroline. Perhaps the muppeteers were trying to mimic the sorts of gestures real hikers/climbers may likely make towards each other as they make their way along together.

And it sure is cool to be posting in here again.

 

[MartyMuppets]

You know I just had a look at the sketch again myself on youtube Caroline and you know what is written among the comments?

"The first one who fell that was fake because he did it on purpose" Why? Was he so nervous he decided to end it all? And did the evil goat manage to act before he did? LOL

 

[Skye]

Lol, silly YouTube poster!

I don't think it was intentional at all. That sneaky evil goat got himself in there and managed to push our dear nervous piggy off before any of the piggies could even think about purposely jumping off!

However, if the piggy knew about that trampoline that was down there waiting for them all and the fun to be had, maybe he did intentionally fall off. After all, wouldn't you do the same thing? I would!

Oh yes, and welcome back to our favorite thread! I'm glad to be back posting in here again, too. I love happy wandering with you!

 

[MartyMuppets]

I love to happy wander with you too, my sister. As long as we have the latest state-of-the-art, springy sort of trampoline to bouncy-bounce in. LOL