>> Promo Cat here with a look at the next episode of the "Friday Zone."

>> Can you imagine sitting around enjoying your French toast sticks when all of a sudden you get threatened by a honked off cobra?

>> He's camera ready.

>> He is.

He's always camera ready.

>> Because of Zarg's lysdexia.

>> Dyslexia.

>> Yes, that.

>> Mm-hmm.

>> Zarg needs to learn at his own pace.

[ Deep breath ] >> And out.

Do you feel the heat?

Yes.

Now we're going to be lizards.

>> So check out the next episode of the "Friday Zone," right now!

>> Production support for the "Friday Zone" is provided by: The WTIU Children's Programming Endowment, ensuring quality children's programming for future generations of Hoosiers.

Learn more at Indianapublicmedia.org/kidsfund.

>> WFYI Public Media, inspiring Indiana with high-quality educational content since 1970.

By sharing stories and connecting people, WFYI inspires the best in our community.

>> And these Indiana Public Television Stations.

Thank you!

♪ ♪ Friday, Friday ♪ The week is done and it's time for fun ♪ ♪ There's room for everyone ♪ ♪ In the "Friday Zone" ♪ So much to see, who will we meet ♪ ♪ It all happens magically ♪ In the "Friday Zone" ♪ Open your eyes, there's a surprise ♪ ♪ You never know what adventure might arise ♪ ♪ The "Friday Zone" ♪ "Friday Zone" ♪ The "Friday Zone" ♪ Friday >> Welcome to the "Friday Zone," everyone.

I'm Maya.

>> And I'm Matt.

>> Hey, Matt, you know what's even worse than finding a worm in your apple?

>> Finding half a worm!

>> Well, we'll get Matt taken care of.

But everyone else, get ready to creep and crawl with us today.

We've got a famous story about a cobra, and we'll be lizards with animal yoga.

But first, a baby snake on the "Friday Zone" playlist!

♪ ♪ In the "Friday Zone" Friday ♪ ♪ ♪ I have a sad, sad story ♪ I'll tell it in a song ♪ I found a baby python in the woods behind my home ♪ ♪ I kept it in a coffee can ♪ Underneath my bed ♪ I walked my baby daily on a leash made out of thread ♪ ♪ For seven months, I kept this up ♪ ♪ Dreaming of the day ♪ Of walking in to show and tell with a 10-foot python snake ♪ ♪ But I made a big mistake ♪ Or small one, I should say ♪ ♪ ♪ My baby snake ♪ Is just a worm ♪ the vet just checked ♪ It is confirmed ♪ By now he should be slinking ♪ All he does is squirm ♪ My baby snake is just a worm ♪ ♪ My friend and I made a snake cage ♪ ♪ from chicken wire and sticks ♪ We worked all weekend on it ♪ This news just makes us sick ♪ Because that cage won't keep a worm in ♪ ♪ Never could, never will ♪ A worm will squirm right through it ♪ ♪ And disappear into the silt ♪ My friend, he's got a fishing pole ♪ ♪ And a look I've never seen ♪ And he wants to take him fishing ♪ ♪ if you know just what I mean ♪ My baby snake ♪ Is just a worm ♪ The vet just checked ♪ It is confirmed ♪ By now he should be slithering around ♪ ♪ But all he does is squirm ♪ My baby snake is just a worm ♪ ♪ I don't just want a baby snake ♪ ♪ I need it ♪ And when I get a real one ♪ At least I'll have something to feed it ♪ ♪ Nah, I'm just kidding about that ♪ ♪ But my baby snake ♪ Is just a worm ♪ The vet just checked ♪ It is confirmed ♪ By now he should be slinking ♪ But all he does is squirm ♪ My baby snake, he's just a worm ♪ ♪ My baby snake is just a worm ♪ Yes, he is ♪ My baby snake ♪ Is just a little ol' worm ♪ >> Hello again, everybody.

I'm your host, Leo D. Cook, and welcome to "Masterpieces of Children's Literature in Less Than a Minute."

You may be wondering why i'm sitting in this jungle.

Good question.

Well, today's story is one of many from the "Jungle Book" by Rudyard Kipling.

Now, in this story, the main character is a mongoose named Rikki-Tikki-Tavi.

Not to be confused with a previous episode with that kid named Tikki Tikki Tembo-No Sa Rembo-Chari Bari Ruchi-Pip Peri Pembo.

Now, do you know what a mongoose is?

Mongooses are scrappy little mammals located in Africa and Asia.

[ Growling ] Don't be scared!

That was only a sound effect.

Like I mentioned before, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi is a mongoose who lives with a British family, and he's become their household pet.

His job is to protect the family against cobras, one of the meanest and deadliest snakes in the world.

Tikki likes to spend time in the garden where he becomes pals with other creatures that hang out there.

He is warned, though, about two cobras named Nag and Nagaina, who are pretty dang upset because the family presence in their neck of the jungle.

You see, the cobras wanted to lay their cobra eggs there.

One night, Rikki is minding his own bees wax, when Nag, the cobra, slinks into the house to attack the family, and they have an altercation.

So Nag is out of the picture permanently.

As you can imagine, Nagaina is pretty cheesed off about this and seeks revenge.

She hatches an evil plan to go after the family, as they are having breakfast.

Now, can you imagine sitting around enjoying your French toast sticks when all of a sudden you get threatened by a honked off cobra?

Talk about an unbalanced breakfast!

So Nagaina is about to go after the family, but Rikki pulls the old switcheroo, and goes into the cobra's nest and destroys all of the unhatched egg, except for one.

This sets up a clash between Rikki and Nagaina.

If you want to know what happens next in this epic showdown between a brave mongoose and a cheesed off cobra, I suggest you read the story of "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi," in the "Jungle Book" by Rudyard Kipling.

You will be glad you did!

I'm Leo D. Cook, and I will see you next time on "Masterpieces of Children's Literature in Less Than a Minute."

♪ ♪ Friday >> Welcome back.

We're connecting with our friend Sara from Wild Care, an animal rescue group that provides professional care to sick, injured and orphaned wildlife, so that they may be returned to the wild.

Hi, Sara.

>> Hi.

>> How are you?

>> Happy Friday.

>> Yes, happy Friday.

Who are you introducing us to today?

>> Today, I'm introducing you to Jasper, the corn snake.

>> Oh, my gosh!

Oh, wow, that's awesome.

He's so cute!

>> There we go.

>> Oh, wow!

He's so pretty!

How can we tell that he's a corn snake?

>> He's a corn snake.

We can tell by his coloring and the patterns on his scales.

Corn snakes are very similar to many of the snakes that are native to Indiana.

We rehabilitate native snakes here, and most of the native snakes in Indiana are non-venomous.

So they are not in any way harmful to people.

In fact, they are very beneficial.

Snakes like corn snakes got their name because they are often found in corn cribs.

>> Oh, wow!

>> And people used to think that they ate corn, but, of course, they don't.

They eat mice that infest barns and corn cribs.

So what Jasper is demonstrating for us right now is how he uses his sense of touch to explore the world.

Snakes don't really have a very strong sense of vision.

They can see, but it's not their primary way of exploring.

They actually use their sense of smell.

You can see he uses his tongue to kind of smell things.

>> Wow!

>> But he also uses his sense of touch.

As you can see, he's all kind of balled up in my hand like this, and that makes him feel secure.

He knows who I am, but he's a little bit confused about the -- about you guys, about the screen that's in front of us and why it's sitting there.

He's really interested in what the screen is sitting on.

>> Wow!

That's so cool!

>> He's a really cool snake and a very cute little guy.

>> Oh, my gosh.

Wow!

He likes the camera now.

He's camera ready.

>> He is.

He's always camera ready.

>> Mm-hmm.

That's so cool.

I would love to visit sometime and get to hold him.

That would be awesome.

>> Yes.

You are more than welcome.

>> Do you have any other snakes?

>> We do.

I can go get Yindi the snake.

>> Oh, awesome.

>> I will be right back.

>> Perfect.

>> So this is our little snake area here at Wild Care.

>> Oh, that's awesome.

So what's this snake's name?

>> This is Yindi.

>> Oh, my gosh.

>> It's spelled y-i-n-d-i.

>> Nice to meet you.

Wow!

>> She's bigger round, and she's about 5 feet long.

>> Oh, my gosh!

>> That's my height.

[ Laughter ] >> Yeah, she doesn't quite have the muscles to stand up and compare, but I'm sure if you guys laid down -- Yindi loves to be on the floor.

And that's something that's unique to her species.

Woma pythons are actually from Australia, and they're unique among pythons because -- I don't know if you have ever seen pictures of a ball python.

That's a popular pet species.

But they have these little holes in the top of their jaw.

Do you know what I'm talking about?

Those are called heat pits, and those are typical for pythons.

But for a woma python, like Yindi, there's no heat pit.

>> Hmm.

What are those for?

>> Those are for seeking out their prey.

So it's like a heat detection system.

>> Wow!

>> So that they can find warm-blooded animals to eat.

But Yindi doesn't have those, and it's part of her overall -- she is just kind of chilling.

>> She is so chill.

>> She is very chill.

It's part of their overall strategy, and part of why she is so chill, is because she doesn't seek out prey.

She actually lures it to her.

>> Hmm.

>> And she uses the edge of her tail.

It looks a little bit like a worm.

She buries herself in the ground, one of the reasons she likes the floor.

She buries herself, and just leaves this out as little piece of bait.

>> Oh!

>> Yeah, and when a bird or a small mammal comes along to eat this delicious looking worm, she will take just one brief moment to incapacitate her prey and eat them.

>> Oh, wow.

>> So she's a very -- her species is a very passive -- passive hunter.

So that ends up influencing their overall temperament, even in snakes that have never been in the wild.

They still have that same temperament of, I'm just going to lay back, aren't you?

>> Wow!

That's awesome.

>> Like we learned with Jasper, they do use their sense of touch to explore the world, because their vision is not quite as useful to them as it is to us.

But Yindi is also kind of showing us -- are you going to do it again?

She doesn't sniff as much as Jasper does.

But the reason why they flick their tongue is actually for smell.

>> Wow.

>> They have a little organ on the top of their mouth -- on the roof of their mouth, I should say.

And when they flick their tongue, they are getting little particles from the air, and then rubbing them up on the roof of their mouth to sort of taste the air, and that's basically them smelling.

>> Wow!

That's so cool.

>> So we actually -- yeah.

We actually have rules about where we can take the snakes in our facility because we don't want them near where food is prepared, because they can smell it, and we don't want them to get confused and smell, hmm, tasty mouse.

It's time to chomp on something.

>> That makes sense.

>> Yes.

>> Mm-hmm.

>> Snakes are not -- not at all interested in or looking to -- oh, there we go.

Are we smelling a little bit?

Yes.

>> Oh, my gosh.

That's so cool.

>> You can't smell through the camera, Yindi, but she'll try.

>> Thank you so much for all of this information.

>> You're welcome.

>> Awesome.

Thank you so much for sharing your snakes with us.

We'll be right back.

♪ ♪ Give a dog a bone ♪ This old man came rolling home ♪ ♪ This old man, he played three ♪ >> He played three!

♪ He played knick knack on my knee ♪ ♪ With a knick knack paddy whack give a dog a bone ♪ ♪ This old man came rolling home ♪ >> Wait, wait, wait!

What is this silliness?

What is the knick knack?

And what is a paddy whack?

Peggy, you are making no sense!

>> Well, a knick knack is the practice of playing the spoons and tapping out a rhythm on your knee.

>> And what about paddy whack?

>> Paddy whack means to paddle sheep bones.

So together, knick knack and paddy whack means that the old man was playing sheep bones like one might play the spoons.

>> Ahh!

Okay.

Zarg is done!

>> What?

>> Zarg has added, and Zarg has subtracted, and Zarg is subtracting himself from the equation!

>> Zarg, wait!

Please don't go.

>> Why?

Why should Zarg stay?

Peggy is treating Zarg like he knows nothing.

>> Oh, no.

>> But Zarg knows -- knows many things Peggy does not know about, shadowlings, and trolls and gnomes, and especially about the dark lord Edgar Allan.

Hmm.

>> You're right, Zarg.

I'm sorry.

If you stay, I'll read you a poem.

>> What type of poem?

>> A ghost poem!

>> A ghost poem?

>> Yes, Zarg.

Come here, and I will show you.

>> No more tricks?

>> No more tricks, cross my heart.

>> Stick a needle in Peggy's eye?

>> Stick a needle in my eye.

>> Well...

Okay then.

Peggy girl child, Zarg appreciates what you were trying to do.

It's just -- it's just because of Zarg's lysdexia.

>> Dyslexia.

>> Yes, that.

Zarg needs to learn at his own pace.

>> I understand, Zarg, and I'm sorry if I was pushing you.

>> It's okay, Peggy girl.

>> "Ghost Music" by Robert Graves.

>> Oh!

I like his name.

Very dark and doomy gloomy.

>> Gloomy and bare the organ-loft, Bent-backed and blind the organist.

From rafters looming shadowy, from the pipes' tuneful company, drifted together drowsily, innumerable, formless, dim, the ghosts of long-dead melodies of anthems, stately, thunderous, of Kyrie shrill and tremulous: In melancholy, drowsy-sweet, they huddled there in harmony.

Like bats at noontide, rafter hung.

♪ >> Welcome to animal yoga.

My name is Priscilla, and I'm here to practice yoga together with you.

Let's take a deep belly breath in, and check, how are we feeling in this very moment?

[ Deep breath ] Now bring our hands in front of our hearts.

Namaste.

Ready to begin?

♪ >> Today we are going to be lizards.

Did you know -- I think lizards and dragons are kind of similar.

And the dragons, they have breath of fire, right?

They breathe fire.

So let's learn how to do that.

This is a really great breath for us when we have low energy.

When we are, like, sick or not feeling like doing anything, it's a great one for us to get a lot of energy.

Shall we try that one?

So only using our nose, we are going to breathe in and out really quickly.

Put your hands on your belly, and you see the belly moving really fast, like this.

[ Quick short breaths ] And now let's take a deep breath in.

Bring your hands up.

[ Deep breath ] And out.

Do you feel the heat?

Yes.

Now we are going to be lizards.

We're going to go on our hands and knees like this.

Hands under our shoulders, and knees under our hips.

And make sure your hands, your palms, are touching the floor.

Palms touching.

And we're going to tuck our toes under.

And we're going to make our legs really long.

Can you make your legs really long?

Our hips are making a long line between our heads and our heels.

So neither down or up, but right in the middle.

And this makes us really strong.

Do you feel like how strong your arms are?

So now let's do the breath of fire.

[ Quick short breaths ] Very good.

Now let's hide on the rocks.

Let's be rocks.

And hide.

Now we are rocks.

Feel your breath and rest.

Thank you for joining me.

May all be peaceful.

May all be well.

May all be happy.

Namaste.

♪ >> Welcome back.

Let's check in with Megan in the Fresh Thyme Market Kitchen to see what's cooking.

Hi, Megan.

>> Good morning.

Thanks so much for having me today.

>> It's our pleasure.

>> So Mother's Day and Father's Day is right around the corner.

And for those of you who have a special mother figure or father figure in your life, do I have a treat for you!

Who likes pancakes?

>> Oh, my God, I love pancakes!

They are so good!

>> I love them too!

And for anybody else who is watching who does, I have a berry special pancake recipe for you guys today.

>> I see what you did there.

[ Laughter ] >> So today we're making berry sheet cake pancakes.

Now, this recipe does take a little bit of time.

The good news is that you can actually make it ahead of time.

Or you can bake it ahead and just reheat it on Mother's Day or Father's Day.

You also could freeze it and reheat it for another time too.

So there's a couple of ways you can go about it.

But to make this sheet pan, the first thing you need to do is include all of your dry ingredients.

You want to mix them.

So here I have two cups of all-purpose flour, a half cup of oats.

I have three tablespoons of sugar.

I have two tablespoons of cinnamon, and I have a teaspoon each of baking soda, baking powder and salt, and you are going to mix those well.

>> Great.

>> Okay?

So once you have your dry ingredients well mixed, the next thing you want to do is mix your wet ingredients.

So in our wet ingredients, we have two cups of buttermilk.

We have two eggs, three tablespoons of butter, and we're going to mash two bananas.

Now you're probably wondering why is that?

>> Yeah, why would you do bananas?

>> So if you notice in our dry ingredients, we only have three tablespoons of sugar to make an entire sheet pan here.

So bananas are a natural sweetener, plus they have all kinds of other nutrients like potassium and prebiotics that really help with healthy digestion.

So it's a really easy way to naturally sweeten your pancakes, but also add extra nutrients.

>> That's great!

>> So we are going to add two ripe bananas.

The more yellow with brown spots, the better.

So we're going to go ahead and add those into our wet ingredients here.

And with a fork, you are just going to nicely mash them, okay?

And that's going to mix in with the eggs and the butter and your milk.

Okay?

So now that we have these nicely mashed, we're going to then add our liquid mixture to our dry mixture, okay?

So I will go ahead and add this in here.

>> That batter already looks super good.

>> It smells really good.

I wish you could be in my kitchen right now.

>> Oh, wish!

That would be so much fun!

>> So we're just going to mix this together.

Now, while you're mixing these ingredients and getting everything together, you do want to make sure that you have preheated your oven to 425.

And you also want to make sure that you use a sheet pan.

And you want to coat it in your favorite oil.

Now, I'm actually going to use coconut oil because our temperature on our oven is really high, and this is a high temp oil.

So it's not going to burn or make an odd flavor with your pancakes.

It's also kind of sweet, and the pancakes are sweet.

>> So it works perfectly!

>> Exactly.

So now that we have our batter, we're going to go ahead and pour it on to our sheet pan, and take that and just really fill the entire pan as best you can with this delicious mixture.

Oh, the cinnamon, the bananas, this is going to be delicious.

Okay.

So then you are going to take your mixture and pop it in the oven and cook it for about 25 to 30 minutes till it's done.

Now, this is a final product.

And you're probably wondering what else is on here.

>> Yeah!

>> So this is where you want to use your toppings.

So you could easily add your blueberries, strawberries, or bananas to the top.

If you wanted to bake them in there, you could take your blueberries and sprinkle them on top and mix them in, but I absolutely love, the more fruit the better, the different colors, the more nutrients, and the more delicious it is.

>> Awesome.

So Megan, when you have -- make these pancakes and they are right out of the oven, what else do you like to put on your pancakes?

>> I love syrup.

You can't have pancakes without syrup.

>> I agree.

>> I love maple syrup.

So maple syrup, it's a natural sweetener.

It also has different nutrients that are beneficial to our body.

So a little goes a long way, but I like to sprinkle it with that.

If you are really getting fancy, you could always do like a coconut whip, like a coconut whip cream as a dollop on top, and really wow those parents of yours.

>> Oh, my gosh, I had no idea about that maple syrup, that it's tasty and, like, really healthy for you.

Well, yeah.

>> Exactly.

>> Awesome.

Well, thank you all for joining us on the "Friday Zone," and thanks again to Megan from the Fresh Thyme Market for joining us today.

You can find all sorts of fun recipes and ideas at freshthyme.com.

And our website, it's Fridayzone.org.

Or find us on social media @thefridayzone.

And remember to live, learn and play the "Friday Zone" way.

♪ >> Production support for the "Friday Zone" is provided by: The WTIU Children's Programming Endowment, ensuring quality children's programming for future generations of Hoosiers.

Learn more at Indianapublicmedia.org/kidsfund.

>> WFYI Public Media, inspiring Indiana with high-quality educational content since 1970.

By sharing stories and connecting people, WFYI inspires the best in our community.

>> And these Indiana Public Television Stations.

Thank you!

♪ >> Do you cool cats have the purr-fect idea for the "Friday Zone"?

Want to share a hobby or let us know what's happening in your town?

Then contact us on our website at Fridayzone.org, or send an email to zone@indiana.edu right now!