Monkey Seer, Monkey Do

"Monkey Seer, Monkey Do" is the thirty-first episode of the Donkey Kong Country television series and the fifth episode of season three. It was the thirty-second episode to air in North America. When Funky Kong reveals divining powers through a mystic lava lamp, Donkey Kong hopes to change his fate while King K. Rool seeks to claim the power for himself.

Plot synopsis
During a stormy day, Cranky Kong is at his house, admiring his latest work: a Donkey Kong statue. He begins to state the epitaph he will inscribe upon it, until the Crystal Coconut shows DK at Funky's Flights, eating a lot of Bananas. Using a hologram, he instantly appears at the shack, just to scold him and tell him to go to the cabin, stating that he has a job just before disappearing. Donkey Kong is worried and talk to Funky Kong, who is "indoors surfing", while Diddy Kong searches for something to play with, and finds a weird lamp. Funky explains that the lamp is a mystic oracle that can predict the future, but Donkey Kong thinks that future prediction is a joke. Funky says that he can translate the lamp's predictions, making Diddy interested. The ape starts to sing a song to the mystic oracle. Funky predicts that he will go surf that day with many waves, and that Diddy will be called the smartest monkey that ever lived. DK bursts out laughing, saying, "Now I know your lamp is broken!" Diddy then asks to Funky to see Donkey Kong's future. Funky says that DK will be lonely in the week. However, Donkey Kong still doesn't believe, explaining that he has a date with Candy Kong every night that week. The storm ends, and Funky goes surfing, exactly as the oracle predicted. DK thinks that it is just a coincidence. General Klump and Krusha hear all the talk behind some barrels, and Klump contacts King K. Rool via a walkie-talkie, stating that a mystic oracle (believing it to be a person) is telling the Kongs the future.

Diddy and Donkey Kong go to the jungle, where Dixie Kong is sad, because her fishing rod is broken. Diddy instantly fixes it, and Dixie kisses him, saying that he is "the smartest monkey that ever lived" just before leaving. Diddy remembers that the mystic oracle predicted this, and is even more convinced that the the lamp really predicts the future, though Donkey Kong still doesn't believe. He then states that he has to get to Cranky's, then turns around and notices the old ape's hologram behind him. His sudden appearance scares them, and they run off. Klump and Krusha emerge from the bushes, having witnessed everything.

In Cranky's house, Cranky, still in hologram form, is accidentally hit by Donkey and Diddy as they run in, turning him back to normal. Diddy then notices the statue, and begins admiring it. DK says that it is "a chip off the old block". Cranky then explains that he has to think of an epitaph for the statue. Diddy then states that the epitaph might be part of the oracle's third prediction, and explains it to Cranky, but the old ape also thinks that it's a lie and kicks them out of his house.

The two are swinging on vines through the forest, DK saying that he agrees with Cranky. Diddy tries once again to convince Donkey Kong that the lamp is a real fortune teller, but fails, as the third prediction has not come true. He is on his way to see Candy, but is distracted by her calling his name, and hits a tree. Candy tells him that she has to cancel all their dates that week, since Bluster is running a barrel promotion and she has to work double shifts, then leaves. Diddy frantically jumps and yells that the mystic oracle is actually magic. Donkey Kong is sad, because he will not see Candy this week, and Diddy thinks that the oracle can change the fate. The big ape thinks it's a good idea and they go to Funky's Flights. Klump and Krusha have once again heard the conversation, allowing K. Rool to hear using the walkie-talkie. He is convinced and orders them to kidnap the mystic oracle.

At Funky's Flights, the monkeys don't find Funky, and Diddy decides they ask the mystic oracle by themselves. DK wonders how they will ask it, and Diddy sings Funky's mystic oracle song, and it works. The little ape asks if the fate of the "lonely loser DK" can be changed. According to Diddy, the oracle is showing the image of a really big barrel, that splits into smaller barrels, but DK doesn't understand it. They realize that the barrel represent Bluster Barrelworks. DK asks for more, but accidentally shuts off the lamp, DK stating that it "went ka-blooey". Diddy thinks this means the mystic oracle is telling them to sabotage Bluser's Barrelworks using bananas. Hologram Cranky then appears, asking for the epitaph, though Donkey Kong states that he is still working on it. Cranky disappears, and the two leave to sabotage the barrel factory. As they leave, General Klump steals the lamp.

Back at K. Rool's lair, the king is in disbelief after realizing the mystic oracle is really a lamp, and asks how it can make predictions. General Klump tells him that the lamp needs to be translated He and Krusha then sing and dance some kinds of music, trying to make the oracle work, but fail, making King K. Rool very angry.

Outside Bluster's, Diddy Kong throws bunches of banana peels on the conveyor belt carrying wood to make the barrels, causing the equipment to malfunction. Bluster is angry at Candy for stopping before noticing that the machinery is broke. Bluster gives Candy the week off, but with no pay. Candy leaves the factory and meets Diddy and Donkey. She tells that she gained a week off and that the date is marked. DK is happy and wants to say that he would love spend the day with her, but hologram Cranky appears and DK lies, saying that he would love to write an epitaph for his bronze statue. Candy gets annoyed and leaves. Donkey Kong states that he will make it up to her, and tells Cranky that he was in the process of something fantastic, but he interrupted him. Cranky, not buying it, tells him to stop fooling around and leaves. DK thinks about what to do, and Diddy states that the mystic oracle can possibly give them the epitaph.

At the Kremlings' cavern, K. Rool tries to sing to it, using information he gathered from a book, but it still doesn't work. Krusha then realizes that it must be turned on. The king tries to turn the dial, but his sweat causes him to be electrocuted. K. Rool then demands that Klump and Krusha find someone that can translate, and they do so. At Funky's house, Funky is returning from his surfing, disappointed that his session did not go as planned. Klump and Krusha then emerge from behind his couch, though Funky only tells them about how his surfing session went. Klump then leads him back to K. Rool's lair. Donkey and Diddy then arrive and notice that the lamp is gone, then notice footprints and realize K. Rool's minions stole it. They soon after deduce that they also kidnapped Funky to translate.

Funky is brought back to K. Rool's lair and is ordered to sing the song, though Klump informs him that he is depressed over missing his wave. However, K. Rool orders Funky to sing the song once again anyway, and he complies. He sings his song, and it works. Funky states the prediction says that "the slimy dude will get exactly what he deserves", making the king happy, thinking he will be the future leader of Kongo Bongo. DK and Diddy appear and say that the lizards must release Funky. Funky is released, and Klump offers him his Mine Cart as a ride out. Donkey Kong then takes the lamp, though King K. Rool doesn't care, revealing to the Kongs that the oracle stated he would rule Kongo Bongo Island, making them worried. Funky negates it, saying that the oracle predicted the king will get what he deserves. The three monkeys escape in the mine cart, and K. Rool, realizing the lamp is gone, chases after them.

After the lamp is taken back by both groups several times, Donkey, Diddy, and Funky exit the caverns, emerging at the White Mountains and braking before they fall off a cliff. K. Rool, Klump, and Krusha soon follow, and the king forces the Kongs to give him the lamp before he pushes the mine cart off the cliff. As a last request, Donkey Kong asks Funky if he could throw the lamp down into the abyss, and, after gaining permission, proceeds to do so. K. Rool watches as the lamp falls, Donkey Kong stating to a worried Diddy that he has realized too much knowledge can be dangerous. K. Rool then begins to slip, and Klump attempts to save him, though both are sent falling into the abyss. Krusha then follows, by foolishly leaping off the ledge. The three then begin to roll down the cliff, K. Rool having gotten "what he deserves". Funky Kong is on another nearby ledge, and starts to surf in the snow, also fulfilling his predicition. Though Diddy states that the oracle was ultimately correct, DK still wishes to control his own fate and figures out what the epitaph should be. Cranky, as a hologram, appears once again and demands the epitaph. Donkey Kong states what he thought of, and Cranky's world is satisfactorily rocked. As K. Rool, Klump, and Krusha continue crashing, Diddy states that "you don't need a mystic oracle to know that's gotta hurt" and the two laugh.

Quotes

 * Donkey Kong: "Here stands Donkey Kong, ruler of Kongo Bongo Island, local hero, protector of the Crystal Coconut, and a monkey in charge of his own fate."

Trivia

 * The episode title comes from the saying "Monkey See, Monkey Do".
 * In a post on an online page about Donkey Kong Country, writer Erika Strobel stated "Monkey Seer, Monkey Do" is her favorite episode she wrote for the show.