Tar-Sam of the Jungle

"Was that Tar-Sam?"
"Sure was. Say, what do you want him for anyway?"
"His grandfather sent me to ask him to come home to civilization."
"You mean, he's not from around here? Wow! No wonder he never quite fit in."

—Kitty-Jane and Bunnita

Tar-Sam of the Jungle is an episode of the television series Hello Kitty's Furry Tale Theater that is based on the story of Tarzan.

Story[]

Tar-Sam, the ape-man, and his new friend Kitty-Jane loved swinging through the jungle. However, their fun was interrupted when hunters Catnip and Grinder arrived, with the purpose of capturing apes for the carnival. Tar-Sam and his jungle friends knew they must band together to stop the hunters and save the jungle.

Plot[]

Once upon a meow, on a jungle beach, a tiny baby was washed ashore from the sea. His name was Tar-Sam, and he was raised by the apes of the jungle. Despite his best efforts, Tar-Sam struggled to fit in with his ape family.

After a few years as Tar-Sam grew up, he became the protector of the jungle, always ready to help his friends whenever they needed him. For instance, he once saved Bunnita from a dangerous swarm of hungry alligators. While Tar-Sam grew up to be brave and confident, some things never changed, like his tendency to accidentally smash into trees.

One day, Tar-Sam and his friend, Chiptar, decided to go to Bunnita's for a snack. As they swung through the jungle, Tar-Sam boasted that he was getting the hang of swinging. However, he spoke too soon, and he accidentally crashed into another tree.

Meanwhile, at the dock, a paddle-wheel steamship pulls in. Two hunters, Catnip and Grinder, drive their truck off the boat and onto the mainland. They consult a map, and Catnip asks a parrot for directions to the ape village. Grinder starts to mention their plan to catch apes, but Catnip quickly cuts him off, forcing him to "correct" himself by saying "mapes."

The parrot guides them, and they head off. Catnip scolds Grinder, warning him not to tell anyone they are capturing apes for the carnival; otherwise, they’ll be "sent up the river." Grinder points out that they just came from up the river, making Catnip look silly. Far behind them, Kitty-Jane drags her suitcase along. The parrot spots her and wonders if she needs directions as well. Indeed she does: she is looking for Tar-Sam of the Jungle.

At the ape village, the apes were enjoying games and sharing treats when hunters Catnip and Grinder crashed through the undergrowth in their truck. They managed to capture Tar-Sam's Uncle Bud and Aunt Agnes.

Meanwhile, Kitty-Jane arrived at Bunnita's Fast Food Jungle Cafe. Inside, Bunnita greeted her, while Tar-Sam asked Chiptar what he wanted to order. Tar-Sam ordered a Jungle Delight for Chiptar and a Seafood Shake for himself. Bunnita relayed the order to Charlie. As Charlie delivered their food, the parrot received a call. Tar-Sam put the parrot on hold, but the parrot, complaining that it made its blood rush to its head, hated being put on hold. Charlie then placed the food directly into their mouths and gave them a shake to help them digest it. Still feeling a bit shaken from being put on hold, Tar-Sam finally answered the parrot's call. It was his mom calling with terrible news: the hunters had kidnapped Uncle Bud and Aunt Agnes! Tar-Sam and Chiptar immediately fled the cafe, rushing past a confused Kitty-Jane, and swung through the jungle to rescue their relatives.

Kitty-Jane asked Bunnita if the man who had just departed was Tar-Sam. Receiving confirmation, Bunnita questioned Kitty-Jane's interest in him. Kitty-Jane revealed that Tar-Sam's grandfather had dispatched her to request his return to civilization. Upon hearing this, Bunnita realized Tar-Sam's origins were not of the jungle, which explained his difficulties in adapting.

Tar-Sam and Chiptar reacted quickly, securing a vine noose to the truck and holding on tight. Grinder, noticing their actions, instructed Catnip to maintain velocity while she tried to dislodge the vine. The duo climbed onto the truck as Chiptar freed Uncle Bud and Aunt Agnes. Tar-Sam prepared to arrest the hunters, but Catnip, using her claws, severed the vine, allowing the hunters to escape. Grinder expressed frustration at the missed opportunity to capture more apes, but Catnip dismissed the idea, focusing instead on the potential financial gain from presenting Tar-Sam at a carnival: "Hunter Catnip Presents: Tar-Sam the Ape-Man."

Kitty-Jane arrives at the ape village, where three apes confront her. Finding them less than friendly, she runs away in fear, forced to abandon her suitcase as the gorillas chase her.

Back at Bunnita's, Uncle Bud thanked Tar-Sam and Chiptar for saving him and Aunt Agnes. "What are family for?" he said appreciatively. He then noticed the three apes chasing Kitty-Jane, mistaking her for another hunter. Bunnita corrected him, explaining that Kitty-Jane wasn't a hunter and had been sent by his grandfather. Uncle Bud insisted that he was her grandfather, but Bunnita retorted that it was her real grandfather and that he should save her and let her explain herself. Tar-Sam agreed, and he and Chiptar set off to the rescue.

Escaping the apes, Kitty-Jane reached a crevice and tried to swing across on a hanging vine. Losing her grip, she was about to fall when Tar-Sam swung in and pulled her back to safety. Kitty-Jane introduced herself and asked if he was Tar-Sam. He was puzzled by her civilized way of speaking but affirmed his identity and said he was glad to meet her. He then suggested getting her some new clothes, which confused Kitty-Jane, but she still agreed.

Back at their home, Tar-Sam's mother smothered him with kisses for rescuing his uncle and aunt, much to his humiliation. He assured her he would ensure those hunters never annoyed them again. Predictably, the two hunters, Catnip and Grinder, spotted them. Catnip devised a scheme: they would capture Tar-Sam's mother and utilize her as bait in a trap, hoping to lure him in. Just then, Kitty-Jane emerged from the house, wearing a completely new look that immediately captivated Tar-Sam.

Tar-Sam took Kitty-Jane to his favorite spot, a secret place he'd never shared with anyone. He explained that Kitty-Jane was different, and she responded that he was too. She asked if he'd ever felt like he didn't belong. Tar-Sam admitted he had, even confessing a strange dislike for bananas. Kitty-Jane said this was specifically why his grandfather wanted him to return. Suddenly, Chiptar burst in with terrible news. In his haste, he tripped on a banana, and Tar-Sam caught him. Chiptar relayed that the hunters had captured his mom!

His mother is caged above a trap while the hunters set it up and wait for him. As the rescue party swings into action, Tar-Sam's vine snaps. Kitty-Jane dives in to save him, but they don't realize they are actually holding onto the tail of a giant snake. The snake squeezes them tight as Tar-Sam struggles to break them free.

Chiptar realizes he knows this snake—it’s Ol' Giggles. He begins telling jokes, which makes the snake laugh so hard that his grip loosens, allowing Tar-Sam and Kitty-Jane to escape. The trio swings away just as Giggles falls off his branch and wraps himself around Catnip and Grinder. While trying to untangle themselves, the hunters roll into their own trap as Giggles hisses rudely at them.

Once Tar-Sam's mother is freed, she begins to cry, knowing that she and Chiptar will miss him. Tar-Sam promises he will return to visit, but then admits to Kitty-Jane that leaving might not be such a great idea; after all, he has everything he needs in the jungle. Kitty-Jane agrees that civilization isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. She suggests a solution: they can invite his grandfather for a visit, and she can stay in the jungle for a while. Everyone agrees, and Chiptar is thrilled by the idea. Tar-Sam, Chiptar, and Kitty-Jane swing off into the distance. Thanks to their teamwork, the jungle is safe from the hunters, and everyone lives happily ever after.

Characters[]

Tuxedo Sam as Tar-Sam
Chip as Chiptar
Hello Kitty as Kitty-Jane
My Melody as Bunnita
Catnip as Hunter Catnip
Grinder as Hunter Grinder

Story Location(s)[]

Tar-Sam's Jungle
- Ape Village
- Jungle Dock
- Tar-Sam's House
- Bunnita's Fast Food Jungle Cafe
- Tar-Sam's Favorite Spot

Gallery[]

Sources[]

Hello Kitty's Furry Tale Theater on Wikipedia.org