Busy Going Backwards (Monkey and Friends episode)

Anteater the Ant-Eating Mammal was feeling sad. Everywhere he looked, he could see animals and dinosaurs moving steadily forwards. They all looked confident and cheerful. One day, he decided to talk to Pig the Omnivorous Mammal. ''I'm always going backwards, Mr. Pig. I have forward-thinking views-I could a leader, if you know I mean. You can't be a leader without a train to follow you. You don't have a train,'' Elephant said. Anteater felt sadder sill. Pig wanted to help. ''You're a very useful ant-eating mammal, Anteater. You help me dinosaur, and you keep my aliens in order when we go down hills. I know, Mr. Pig. But it would be so exciting to go fowards for a change instead of always seeing things sliding away from me.'' The aliens were cross with Anteater. ''Who's he to start complaining? He's lucky to be able to loock after us. Let's teach him a lesson.'' The aliens decided to carry out their plan when they reached Elephant's hill. When they where nearly at the top, they played their tricks. Ready, steady, go! And they jerked at a coupling, which broke. We're making your wish come true, Anteater! Follow the leader! yelled the aliens. Anteater was still in a state of shock, so he didn't know what to think. And he couldn't ask the cobra-he had jumped clear! Faster, faster, as fast as you want! screamed the aliens. Suddenly, Anteater found it fun, But the fun was soon over! A crossing lay ahead, and the gates were closed. Anteater couldn't stop. Worse still-Anteater not realized he was on the wrong track. There ahead was Elephant. Yellowlegs changed the points just in time. ''On, on! Faster!'' cried the aliens. Suddenly, he saw Zebra pulling a long, slow train. Oh, my goodness! ''Look Help! Save me!'' A quick-thinking shunter did, just in time. What was that?! exclaimed Zebra. Yellowlegs warned Saiga at the next station. There's a runaway coming! Well send him into the sidings! ''Help! Help!'' called Anteater again. Anteater saw some buffers. Those'll stop me. But the points to the buffers weren't set. Oh, no! I'm back on the main line. Meanwhile, Pig was racing to the rescue. I must catch Anteater, I must. Anteater sped past Horse. More danger lay ahead. Gophers were working on the bridge, but they had been warned about the runaway Anteater and his aliens. They diverted him onto old sidings-straight into a muddy pool. Stopped at last! Pig arrived, and when he saw Anteater, he could only smile. A pond is the only place for an Anteater, I suppose! That night, Isabel spoke to Caroline. I'm sorry, Mr, Pig, if I caused you any embarrassment. ''That's all right, Anteater. So what d'you think of going forwards? It's was fun,'' decided Anteater. ''But from now on I'll happy to look forward to the future. . . busy going backwards, so to speak!''