Ricky, Tiki, and Taffy – Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
https://wiki.wizard101central.com/wiki/Creature:Ricky
https://wiki.wizard101central.com/wiki/Creature:Tiki
https://wiki.wizard101central.com/wiki/Creature:Taffy
https://wiki.wizard101central.com/wiki/Quest:Mission_Impossible_(Mirage)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
https://archive.org/details/rikkitikkitavi_201701
Needing to rescue Teddy Hairkonnen from the Snakish prison, Nashkurgal sends your wizard to find the hidden entrance to Istanboa. Knowing that the Mongus are mortal enemies of the Serpentines, Nashkurgal sends your wizard to a known band of Mongu warriors; Ricky Tiki and Taffy
You encounter the three Mongu warrior brothers in the Rubal Wastes. Ricky is the youngest. Tiki is the middle brother. Taffy is the eldest. After defeating them in combat they are eager to help you free someone from the Snakish prison.
“Who dares enter the Refuge of the Mongu Warriors? Ah, of course! It’s an Outsider from another world. Otherwise, you would know better. I am sorry to tell you, however, that your ignorance will not afford you a free pass. Allowing trespassers would destroy our credibility. No, I’m afraid that, like so many who came before, you must give me an opportunity to freshen up my combat skills. En garde!” – Ricky
“Yes, little brother. I see what you are saying. I welcome this challenge. It is an excellent opportunity for me to teach you some new tactics. Come at us, Wizard. We are always eager to test our skills, particularly against a foe we have never faced.” – Tiki
“Oh yes! How delightful! A new, tasty morsel to slice up with my blades. I would take you myself, but my brothers clearly need more practice. You will find this battle considerably more complex than the last two. Approach and take a bite of Taffy!” – Taffy
“Rikki-Tikki-Tavi” is a short story in the 1894 short story collection The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling about adventures of a valiant young Indian grey mongoose. It has often been anthologized and published several times as a short book. Book 5 of Panchatantra, an ancient Indian collection, includes the mongoose and snake story, an inspiration for the “Rikki-Tikki-Tavi” story.
After an intense seasonal thunderstorm, an Indian mongoose named Rikki-Tikki-Tavi (from his chattering vocalizations) becomes the pet of an English family residing in India after they save him from drowning. He becomes friendly with some other creatures inhabiting their garden. However, the cobras, named Nag (the male) and Nagaina (the female), are angered by the human family’s presence in their territory and fear Rikki as a threat when they meet him for the first time. Scared at first, Rikki soon learns that a mongoose’s quest is to track down and slay any snake he or she can find, and fends them off after a short skirmish. That same day, a young dust-brown snake named Karait threatens to bite the family’s child, Teddy. This infuriates Rikki into challenging Karait, unaware the smaller snake is as venomous as a cobra and faster. Despite the risk, Rikki emerges victorious and kills the snake, saving the child, before presenting the slain foe to the father as proof of the mongoose’s victory.
Director Alexandra Snezhko-Blotskaya shot an animated short film of this story titled Рикки-Тикки-Тави (Rikki-Tikki-Tavi) in 1965 in the Soviet Union, at the film studio Soyuzmultfilm. In 1975 Chuck Jones adapted it for a half-hour television special in the United States, with Orson Welles narrating and providing the voice of Nag. The URL will take you to Internet Archive hosting of the film
https://archive.org/details/rikkitikkitavi_201701
The current list of all the (known) Mirage references can be found here.
Although I am well versed in Pop Culture references but I do not claim to have caught them all. Let me know your favorites in the comments and if I’ve missed one you caught, let me know so I can add it to the list.
Text for this article is excerpted from the linked wiki pages
Ricky, Tiki, and Taffy images are from Wizard101, and are copyright of KingsIsle Entertainment
Rikki-Tikki_Tavi cover is borrowed from Wikipedia and is in the public domain
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi battling Nag is borrowed from the El Espejo Gotico blog. I believe it is in the public domain.
Chuck Jones Rikki-Tikki-Tavi is copyright Xerox films and Chuck Jones
Image usage qualifies as fair use under US copyright law.
Vulcan Stev's Database 