Child that they must go forward and continue their way to "The Limpopo River" (Reprise) and promises they will think of something to stop the voracious Pau Amma. ACT TWO The Eldest Magician comes into view, clearly contented with the way in which the animals are progressing. He is coloring in pictures of Giraffe and Zebra in their new-found patches and stripes singing to himself "Just So" (Reprise). The magician is interrupted by the arrival of Elephant’s Child and Kolokolo Bird having "The Argument." Elephant's Child is exasperated that Kolokolo has gotten them lost. A defensive Kolokolo Bird counters that Elephant's Child has no idea how to stop the crabby Crab anyway. Elephant's Child grows much more spiteful calling Kolokolo a freak because she's a bird that can't fly. He runs off leaving a dejected Kolokolo Bird pondering her fear of flying and a very displeased Eldest Magician looking on. Eldest Magician turns the scenery into a howling desert. Elephant's Child enters and immediately accuses the Magician of being at fault. Elephant's Child remains spiteful but the Eldest Magician counsels him the very thing he is looking for might be right under his nose and also to curb his spitefulness: "people who get too big for their boots sometimes find that their boots get too big for them." Eldest Magician introduces Elephant’s Child to Kangaroo; an animal with huge hind legs and a long tail. Kangaroo relays the details of his beginnings when he had wonderful normal legs in "Aboriginally I." He wanted to be the most wonderful marsupial so he begged the Magician to make it so. Eldest Magician recruited the dingo to follow him effectively making the marsupial the sought-after superstar he wished to be. Unfortunately for Kangaroo, the Dingo's chase was not exactly what she had intended. The Dingo Dog chased her tirelessly. Due to the unending chase, Kangaroo's attributes began to change. His increasingly large pair of legs and ever-lengthening tail began to grow in "Leaps and Bounds." As he ran he began to hop. As his legs got larger he hopped so much that he could run no more. As Kangaroo exits he wisely warns Elephant's Child, "Sometimes you get what you want, sometimes you get what you deserve." The now sheepish Elephant's Child goes off in search of Kolokolo Bird. Back in the jungle, Kolokolo Bird sits dejectedly on a stump wondering why her courage is always insisting "Wait A Bit." She wants to fly but is afraid to fall. Unbeknownst to Kolokolo, Jaguar and Leopard have crept up. The cats tie her up and threaten to eat her. Elephant's Child bursts through the undergrowth to the flightless bird's rescue. Jaguar offers to let the bird go in exchange for the whereabouts of Zebra and Giraffe. While Elephant's Child ponders his dilemma, the Jaguar, Leopard, Kolokolo Bird, Giraffe, and Zebra encourage the elephant to "Take Your Time." Elephant is concerned for Kolokolo and Giraffe and Zebra. He finally offers himself in exchange for the bird. But when he is tied up, the cats refuse to let the bird go. In an effort to distract the ravenous cats, Giraffe and Zebra taunt and tease them. The cats can only hear and smell their favorite prey since Giraffe and Zebra are perfectly camouflaged by their new skins. Elephant's Child offers to show Leopard and Jaguar how they can change their skins too in exchange for his and Kolokolo Bird’s freedom. The cats agree, untie the two, and eventually become "Just So" (Reprise) by acquiring new unique and camouflaged hides of their own. The elated predators sneak up to the unsuspecting Giraffe and Zebra and the chase ensues. Giraffe and Zebra challenge the two cats in a virtuosic dance. Jaguar and Leopard, not to be outdone, try to top it. Meanwhile Elephant's Child is searching for a now hidden Kolokolo Bird in order to apologize. The apologetic pachyderm relays the hints that Eldest Magician gave him regarding the near proximity of the Limpopo River. Kolokolo remains unconcerned as the Parsee Man and Cooking Stove enter in a boat made from an upturned crab shell with Rhino swimming close behind. An already frustrated Elephant's Child, admonishes the group to quit acting like children and make friends. The infuriated rhino blames the Parsee Man for ruining his skin. It seems the Parsee Man filled his skin with cake crumbs when Rhino had taken it off while cooling down in the river on a really hot day. When Rhino put the skin back on the crumbs tickled him so much that he shook and rubbed his skin until it was stretched beyond recognition. The Rhino snorts and stamps and prepares to charge at the Parsee’s most prized possession—Cookstove.
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