African Animal Folktales Presented by Mrs. Remington Sturgis Williams Middle School

Leopards Why do leopards have spots?

Zebras Why do zebras have stripes?

Giraffes Why are giraffes the color they are?

Hyenas Why are hyenas such an ugly mixture of colors?

Your assignment: 1.Together we are going to read an African folktale. 2.After we are finished, you will retell the story by words or pictures.

An African Folktale “How Animals Got Their Beautiful Coats”

Narrator 1: In the beginning, all African animals were the same color. Zebra, Giraffe, Leopard, Hyena, and Tortoise were all the same dull brown.

Narrator 2: Hyena, in addition to being a dull brown color, had a mean disposition. He liked to play tricks.

Narrator 3: Usually he chose a smaller animal as the target for his jokes. He was a real bully. One day Hyena saw Tortoise shuffling through some bits of litter that lay on the forest path.

Narrator 4: He captured poor Tortoise, tied a piece of vine around one of his feet, and hung him from a high branch.

Narrator 5: Tortoise dangled dangerously, but Hyena ran away laughing. Tortoise was desperate. He felt himself slipping.

Narrator 6: At any moment he expected to crash to the ground and be killed. Leopard came along the path, saw Tortoise, and stopped.

Tortoise (pleading): “Oh, Mr. Leopard, please help me.” Narrator 7: Instead of eating Tortoise, Leopard helped him down. He rescued him and saved his life.

Leopard: “You are safe now, Mr. Tortoise.” Tortoise: “Thank you, Mr. Leopard. I would like to make you beautiful because you saved my life.”

Narrator 8: Tortoise mixed a silver-yellow color from flower petals and painted Leopard’s coat all over. He made rose flower patterns from the top of Leopard’s head to the tip of his long tail. Leopard went on his way. He met Zebra.

Zebra (in wonderment): “My, my, where did you get that handsome coat?” Leopard: “It was given to me by my friend, Mr. Tortoise.”

Narrator 9: Zebra went to find Tortoise. Zebra: “Oh, Mr. Tortoise, you gave Mr. Leopard a handsome coat. Please do the same for me.”

Narrator 10: Tortoise painted black and white stripes all over Zebra’s coat. He finished the job by painting Zebra’s small hooves a glossy black. Zebra, pleased and proud, went on his way. He met Giraffe.

Giraffe: “Oh, oh! Where did you get such a magnificent coat?” Zebra: “It was given to me by my friend, Mr. Tortoise.”

Narrator 11: Giraffe went to find Tortoise. Giraffe: “Oh, Mr. Tortoise, you gave Mr. Zebra a magnificent coat. Please do the same for me.”

Narrator 12: Tortoise chose a cream color and a rich, reddish brown for Giraffe’s new coat of odd- shaped squares that looked rather like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle. Giraffe went on his way. He met Hyena.

Hyena (sneering): “Where did you get that coat?” Giraffe: “It was given to me by my friend, Mr. Tortoise.”

Narrator 13: Hyena went to find Tortoise. Hyena (threatening): “Give me a beautiful coat, too. If you don’t, I’ll hang you from the tree again.”

Narrator 14: Tortoise never answered. He picked up his knife slowly. Holding Hyena steady with one hand, he cut his hair into different lengths with the other hand. Some hair lay flat; some went the wrong way.

Narrator 15: Tortoise mixed the colors together in one pot and smeared Hyena’s coat all over. Hyena was blotched white, gray, and smeary brown. It was just as well that he could not see himself!

Narrator 16: Hyena has been that way ever since—the untidiest looking animal in Africa—labeled clearly for all to see as a mean and unpleasant character. The End Source: Kaula, Edna, Mason, African Village Folktale,New York, The World Publishing Company, 1968, Pp (out of print)

Why Zebras Have Stripes! One theory is that when zebras are gathered in a herd, their stripes confuse predators. It is hard for a lion to pick out one victim!

Your Assignment: Create a little book that retells this story. Use words and pictures. I will show you how to fold the paper to make a little book.