Ummemo

Ummemo (translated "the echo") lives in a cave atop a mountain. Considered a dear friend by many, Ummemo shares in the joy and sorrow of each animal friend that visits - from birds to monkeys to jackals. Even though Ummemo is always there for each friend, no one has ever seen Ummemo. One day, a storm sweeps through the area, causing a pair of mongoose twins to take cover in Ummemo's cave. They enjoy the shelter of the cave and Ummemo's company until lightning strikes, causing a large boulder to come crashing down, covering the cave's opening. The mongoose twins escape the confines of the cave just in the nick of time and return home unscathed. The next day, animals that stop by Ummemo's cave no longer hear the voice of their friend. When the animals think that Ummemo might be trapped and hurt inside of the cave, they enlist the help of an African elephant to move the giant boulder. However, the boulder is too large and too heavy for even an elephant to move. When they see that they can use the tree wedged under the boulder as a lever, the animals all climb atop the tree until enough weight is applied to force the boulder from its position. The animals are thrilled that they have helped their friend, and even though they do not see Ummemo, they hear the soothing voice of their friend.

Ummemo, Mongoose Twins, African Elephant

A series of 39 individual animated folk tales from the creators of HBO's "Shakespeare: The Animated Tales and Animated Epics". Most stories were animated in the country the tale takes place in. Each thirty-minute edition features two story adaptations representing two different countries and featuring a variety of innovative animation techniques.

"Animated Tales of the World" was inspired by a simple idea: no nation is poor in stories, and we are all enriched by sharing them. In this series, village storytellers become global storytellers for all the children in the world. These indigenous tales and mythology form part of the heritage of each country, and each has been painstakingly crafted in a style of animation that reflects the spirit of its own culture.

The African continent is rich with folk literature that recounts the encounters and adventures of many memorable characters, such as Ananse the spider, Nogwaja the tortoise and Zomo the hare. In this thoughtful tale from South Africa, another character is introduced that is revered as a warm friend, Ummemo.

Stories include:

• The Crown and the Sceptre (Arabia)
• The Chief and the Carpenter (Caribbean)
• The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep (Denmark)
• Cap O' Rushes (England)
• The Enchanted Lion (Germany)
• Edward Congeger (France)
• Persephone (Greece)
• The Two Brothers (Russia)
• Raven (American Indian)
• Three Golden Apples (Holland)
• King March (Wales)
• John Henry, Steel-Driving Man (U.S.A.)

Production companies include:

• Arab Radio and Television
• BBC Alba/BBC Scotland
• Channel 4 Television Corporation
• Comataidh Craolaidh Gaidhlig
• Danmarks Radio
• Discovery Kids
• Katholieke Radio Omroep (KRO)
• La Cinquième
• PTS
• Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV)
• RTV
• Radio Telefís Éireann (RTÉ)
• Right Angle
• SBS Independent
• School TV
• Sianel 4 Cymru (S4C)
• TG4
• TNB
• TV Ontario
• Tamuz Productions
• Tele-Français Ontario (TFO)
• Television Corporation of Singapore
• Telewizja Polska