Original subtitles

It is estimated that there are some 10 quintillion insects alive

at any one time. But forget about them.

This is about me, Lloyd. I'm a fly.

Uh, it's a, it's a, it's a, it's a...

It's a, It's a... A book!

A comic. A comic book.

Hey, I said it first. Comic, uh...

Arachnofly?

Uh, Arachnofly and the, and the...

Uh, swims, swimming. And the...

Diving beetle, water boatman...

Uhh... Rubber duck!

Oh, drowning. Uh, um.

Arachnofly and the Attack of the Toxic Earthworms!

Yes, you got it. What?

Yes, I knew it. Well done, Lloyd.

Toxic earthworms?

Well then, what was with the swimming motion?

Swimming? That was clearly digging.

I've seen Abacus swim. It's more like this.

Whatever keeps my feet above water.

Earthworms don't even have arms.

It's not fair. Right, my turn.

It wasn't me.

Huh? Hm.

Oh, it's a Hardy Tardi.

That's not just a Hardy Tardi.

It's Nutbum!

I can't believe it's you!

Oh, it's so good to see you. How's life in the bin juice?

Uh-huh, uh-huh.

OK. Uh-huh.

I see.

Uh-huh, uh-huh.

OK. Uh-huh, hm.

I see.

What did Nutbum say?

I've no idea, but it sounded important.

It can't be that important if Nutbum came to you.

Leave the interpreting to me, OK?

Nutbum and I have a connection, a strong bond.

You looked after Nutbum for, like, a day.

Nutbum is clearly in urgent need of our help, so it must be serious.

Maybe someone's lost or stuck or in danger.

Oh, dear.

Can you narrow it down?

Or find someone who actually speaks Tardigrade?

Good thinking, Nutbum. We need an interpreter.

We need to find one fast.

Did you find one?

A-ha! Thank you, Abacus.

What was it like down there in the depths?

Was it slimy? Was it cold?

Were there creatures?

I don't want to talk about it.

Who better to interpret Tardigrade than another Hardy Tardi?

Nutbum, tell this Hardy Tardi what you told us.

So, what did Nutbum say?

Hm.

You didn't think this through, did you, Lloyd?

Honestly, no, I didn't.

So, what do we do now?

Now we do plan B.

Oh, what's plan B?

I don't know yet. I've not thought of it.

I want to help, Nutbum, but I don't know what you're saying.

Wait, I don't need to know what you're saying.

I just need to know what you're doing. OK, I've got it.

Plan B, we're gonna play more charades.

Oh, whose turn was it? Mine?

Lloyd's. But shouldn't we be helping Nutbum?

We are.

Nutbum is going to do the miming, and we, well, most likely me,

because I'm really good at it, will do the interpreting.

Oh. Hmm.

Hm, hm.

Three words. Two arms.

Six, nine words.

A sentence! Just do one word.

Bedtime. Cheese.

Hammers.

Waving.

Flapping. Wings.

Yes. We have wings.

Flies? Us?

But not me.

Bigger wings. Bird.

Butterfly.

It's a butterfly.

Which butterfly? We only know one.

Cornea.

Yes, Cornea, of course.

Whoo-hoo.

But what about Cornea?

Uh...

Isn't it obvious?

Oh, but because Cornea knows stuff about stuff like this.

She can probably speak Tardigrade.

Yeah, exactly.

Nutbum wants us see Cornea

so Cornea can translate what Nutbum is trying to say.

Which would have been my plan C

if we'd have skipped my plan B anyway, so.

Cornea? Cornea?

Cornea?

Cornea!

Any sign of her? Nope.

No. That doesn't make sense.

She's always here.

Except when she's out foraging for smoothie ingredients.

Well, yeah, but she's never not been here when we've been here.

And she made a smoothie.

She wouldn't make a smoothie and not drink it.

What is it, Nutbum?

Something about Cornea?

Cornea on back?

Cornea asleep?

Or Cornea in trouble?

Nutbum doesn't need Cornea to translate.

It's Cornea who needs help!

No! What happened to Cornea, Nutbum?

Did she go outdoors?

Was she eaten by a bird?

Was she caught by another Biggo and put in a butterfly collection?

Again?

That would be terrible luck.

Calm down, OK?

Nutbum is clearly trying to tell us what happened,

so let's pay attention and not speculate wildly.

Nutbum, go ahead.

Ironed? Vacuumed?

Sprayed? Zapped?

Frozen? Dried?

Sauteed?

Squashed?

Squashed?

Anything? Only this toenail.

Brilliant, I've been looking for that.

Well, that's all the possible squish locations.

Maybe we misunderstood.

Nutbum?

Umm...

Digging? Swimming?

Drowned?

Anything?

No.

Huh, you're right. That is how he swims.

What is it, Nutbum?

Hmm...

Lost? In?

Sofa?

Are you Cornea?

No.

No. No.

Caught? In a.

Web?

Anything? I don't know.

I looked too quickly.

Hello.

Um...

Is Cornea in your web?

No.

I mean, I don't know.

You are welcome to check.

OK, that's a no. Let's go.

Oh, there goes another meal.

Well, she wasn't trapped in the vacuum cleaner.

Or stuck down the drain.

Or tangled in the rug.

Oh.

Oh, Cornea's lost, OK?

I'm sorry, Nutbum. This is hopeless.

Oh, goodbye, Nutbum.

I think Nutbum wants us to follow?

What? That's so much easier.

Why didn't you say that earlier, Nutbum? Lead the way.

Yay! We're going to save Cornea!

Is Cornea trapped under the battery?

Seems unlikely.

She's quite big. Well, let's find out.

Well, that's not Cornea.

It wasn't Cornea that Nutbum wanted to save.

It was another Hardy Tardi. Hello, Hardy Tardi. How are you?

You're free from the battery now.

Oh, Nutbum just wanted a ball back.

So we never had a single clue what Nutbum was trying to say.

So where's Cornea?

What's that?

The compost bin?

You just head over that way, drop down to the worktop,

turn right at the kettle, and it's straight ahead.

Oh, hello, you three.

Uh, Cornea.

I didn't know you speak Tardigrade.

Oh, I don't. We thought you were dead.

Maybe. Oh, no.

I just popped out to grab a few ingredients

I forgot for my smoothie.

Anyway, better get back. Oh, lovely to see you all.

Bye-bye.

Bye, Cornea.

Glad you're not dead.

Yeah, come to think of it,

I don't think Nutbum has ever even met Cornea.

Captions by Red Bee Media

Copyright Australian Broadcasting Corporation