And though their mother does refer to Tikki with such names as 'my first and honored son, heir of all I possess', the final shot of the book is Chang seated snugly on his mother's lap as they speak with the bed-ridden Tikki. Yet Chang and Tikki don't engage in any sibling rivalry or bad feelings. I felt bad for Chang, a boy whose name translated roughly to 'little or nothing'. Hence (according to this tale and, yes yes, not historically accurate in the least), 'the Chinese have always thought it wise to give all their children little, short names instead of great long names'.When I was read this book as a kid I remember disliking small sections of it (whilst enjoying the entire thing as a whole). In the end Tikki is rescued, though his prolonged well-exposure leaves him sick for a little while. When his mother finally understands, he too is sent to the old man with the ladder and a very similar scene occurs. When Chang attempts to tell his mother what has happened, it's all he can do to spout out that enormous mouthful of a name. Later (not the same day, thankfully) the boys play around the well again and this time it's Tikki who has fallen in. Tikki fetches the old man with the ladder, who rescues the sodden boy. Chang and Tikki love one another, and when Chang falls into the well his brother rushes off to save him. The eldest is considered the more important of the two, and his is the extraordinarily long name. In this book (originally published, I kid you not, in 1968) we learn about the dangers of over-monikering one's own offspring.Two boys live with their mother near an old well. Whew! It's a mouthful, which is of course the point. Tikki Tikki Tembo-No Sa Rembo-Chari Bari Ruchi-Pip Peri Pembo. Come on, everybody! Say it along with me. There is a great deal of truth in the mantra “the body achieves what the mind believes.” Challenge your mind to believe and achieve this very day.If you, like my pretty self, grew up reading (or being read) the tale of Tikki Tikki Tembo, then you already know exactly the correct cadences and tones to use when pronouncing his name.

Your commitment must be genuine, not counterfeit. Does it take 7 days, 30, 60, or 90 days to truly change a habit? We may never know, but if you want to overcome negative habitual constraints, your brain must be on board. Studies on this subject produce varying results.

Second, recognize that old habits die hard. Recognizing our diversity and keeping an open mind allow us to re-write our fitness scripts. Make a pledge to manage your health in ways that are sustainable for your particular lifestyle. Consider that a simple but serious commitment to walking 5 times per week for 30 minutes may be the stepping stone to improved overall health. Avoid impossible workout regimens, unsustainable diets and body cleanses that leave you unsatisfied, tired, and perhaps injured. Thankfully, we don’t have to worry too much about falling into an old well in Southern California, but in our quest for good health, we may “dig our own wells” and get in over our heads! Here are two ideas which may help you rescue yourself from self-defeating habits. The older brother falls into this same well and narrowly escapes death due to his long name! He spends too much time in the well before he is rescued, and his recovery is difficult and lengthy. As the story unfolds, the younger brother with the short name falls into a well but is rescued quickly and recovers easily. It is based on an ancient Chinese myth which says that parents honor their first-born sons with long elaborate names and the shortening of these names in any way shows irreverence. Like most children’s books, its life lessons are up for interpretation. If you happen to have a small child, prepare to have fun with this tongue twister! The younger son’s name is Chang (“Little or Nothing”). The elder son’s name is Tikki Tikki Tembo-no Sa Rembo-chari Bari Ruchi-pip Peri Pembo ('The most wonderful thing in the whole wide world'). I was shuffling through the stacks at random when I clutched a particular spine (pun intended) which, to my delight, I recognized as a book my mother had read to me. There are hundreds of books from which to choose in the children’s section. It’s nice to add some new books to the mix of our nightly reading. Reading is one of the few activities which can temper my son’s frenetic activity.

Last week, we took a family trip to the library.

Tikki tikki tembo full name