Centuries ago in the heart of Africa creatures were not as they are today
There were dinosaurs and things and dodos with wings
And man walked on all fours so they say

Now the hippopotamus was just like the rhino
Lived upon the land it used to graze
He never went near the river or the waterhole
And underneath the trees he used to laze

With the flick of a hippo's tail he grazed upon the land
Had no concern about his size
He led a life of ease and cool beneath the trees
With the flick of the hippo's tail he'd shoo the flies

It's the tale of the hippo's tail

Centuries ago in the heart of Africa the rains came and didn't go away
And the grass it grew so high right up to the giraffe's eye
And the hippo he grew fatter by the day

And his skin is like a drum and out came the sun
And it began to burn him so I'm told
And his skin was going pink so off he went to drink
And slipped into the muddy waterhole

With the flick of the hippo's tail he slipped into the waterhole
And steered himself along just like a boat
He also found that he could walk along the bottom
With the flick of the hippo's tail could also float

It's the tale of the flick of the hippo's tail

The water was so cool in the pool of that waterhole
That he decided he would stay awhile
But an old Egyptian goose hurled some loud abuse at him
And woke a giant sleeping crocodile

The croc said go away and leave this pool today
The fish are just enough for me alone
But the hippo said I swear fish are not my fare
I'll spread my dung and you won't find a bone

With the flick of a hippo's tail he walked along the riverbank
And flicked and broke the dung to dust
And he said look ngwenya you will find no bones
With a flick of a hippo's tail he showed his trust

That's the tale of the flick of a hippo's tail
That's the tale of the flick of a hippo's tail