Original Air Date: January 29, 1965

Synopsis: The English dubbed version of the original Japanese anime program Jungle Emperor Leo based on the popular manga series by Osamu Tezuka.  In this episode a giant mystic serpent arrives in the jungle and threatens the peace while the jungle residents continously shun poor Rancid the Reeky Bird.

Cartoon Cat: In one scene Kimba tells the young animals in school a story which will teach them not to judge a book by its cover.  He recalls a time when he was on London Bridge with Uncle Pompous and they came across a Siamese cat being attacked by a group of dogs.  The dogs have the cat cornered on a ledge.

Kimba jumps in to help the poor, dirty, defenseless cat.  The cat watches the fighting below.

Kimba has no problem beating up the dogs but then the dogs’ rich owners show up and threaten Kimba with a shotgun for hurting their priceless pedigree pups.

Kimba and Uncle Pompous scold the men, incredulous that they wouldn’t consider the cat’s life valuable as well.  The man with the gun persists and so the Siamese cat jumps on him.

Both the man and the cat fall into the water below.  Both cry out that they can’t swim!

Kimba jumps into the river and immediately saves the cat, who comes up clean and looking beautiful.

Uncle Pompous then recalls a story he read in the newspaper about a lost cat with a one thousand dollar reward.  The two other men jump straight into the water, swim past their drowning companion and wrestle with Kimba for the cat.

The men climb back onto the bridge and happily tote the cat to their car, driving off and leaving both their friend and their dogs behind!

Final Mewsings: Whether rich or poor, every cat is priceless!

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