2. Once upon a time in the jungle

3. A rhinoceros met a hippopotamus in the mud.

4. R: You look ridiculous. H: But I like the mud. Rhinoceros: Oh, it isn’t the mud that makes you look ridiculous. It’s your nose. H: What’s wrong with my nose? R: You don’t see anything missing?” H: No. R: You don’t see a horn missing? Your nose does not have a horn and a nose without a horn looks absolutely ridiculous.

5. Raising herself from the mud, the hippopotamus looked down at her nose once more. When she looked up again, the rhinoceros was gone

6. Hippopotamus thought sadly: If only I had a horn, like the rhinoceros, I would not look ridiculous. Yes! I will go and ask everyone if they too think I look ridiculous.

7. H: Do you think I look ridiculous? L: Well, if it is an honest opinion you want… H: Yes. L: Then I must say you do look ridiculous. Look at you, you have not got a mane. What you need is a glorious mane like mine. No hard feelings, I hope. H: No hard feelings.

8. Hippopotamus thought sadly: If only I had a glorious mane, like the lion, I wouldn’t look ridiculous.

9. H: Do you think I look ridiculous? L: Now that you mention it… H: Yes. L: I would say you do look ridiculous. Look at you, you have no spots. What you need is a handsomely spotted coat like mine. We are still friends, I hope. H: We are still friends.

10. Hippopotamus thought sadly: If only I had handsome spots, like the leopard, I wouldn’t look ridiculous.

11. H: Do you think I look ridiculous? E: I have to think about it. Aha, I know what it is. H: What? E: You have no ears. H: No ears? E: No ears to speak of. What you need are big ears like mine. See what I mean? H: I see.

12. Hippopotamus thought sadly: If only I had big ears, like the elephant, I would not look ridiculous.

13. H: Do you think I look ridiculous? M: If you call not having a tail ridiculous, then I would say you look ridiculous. H: No tail? M: No tail to speak of. Look at me, I am not nearly your size and I have a long tail. Nothing personal of course. H: Of course not.

14. Hippopotamus thought sadly: If only I had a long tail, like the monkey, I would not look ridiculous.

15. H: Do you think I look ridiculous? G: Of course you look ridiculous. You have no neck. H: No neck? G: No neck to speak of. How can you possibly see the world without a neck? H: I see flowers, I see birds, I see the stars at night. G: Ah, but do you see the treetops? Do you see the distant hills? Of course not. What you need is a long neck like mine. I think you’re very nice otherwise. H: Thank you.

16. Hippopotamus thought sadly: If only I had a long neck, like the giraffe, I would not look ridiculous.

17. H: Do you think I look ridiculous? T: I suppose someone should tell you. H: Yes. T: You do look ridiculous without a shell. H: A shell? G: Oh, It’s wonderful. My shell is my house. It keeps me warm when it is cold and cool when it is hot. And if I every need a place to hide. I know exactly where to go. You’d have found out sooner or later. H: I suppose.

18. Hippopotamus thought sadly: If only I had a wonderful shell, like the turtle, I would not look ridiculous.

19. H: Do you think I look ridiculous? N: If you don’t mind my saying so, I think you sound ridiculous. What you need is a beautiful voice like mine. Listen!

20. Hippopotamus could not bear to ask anyone else. She thought sadly: I am a ridiculous creature. I shall find a place to hide and never show myself to anyone again.

21. The hippopotamus ran and ran until she found a lonely place where no one would find her. “Why did I have to be born looking so ridiculous?” She cried as she fell asleep that night. While sleeping, she began to dream. And as so often happens in dreams, her dearest of wishes were granted.

22. She dreamed she had a horn like the rhinoceros’s, a mane like the lion’s, spots like the leopard’s, ears like the elephant’s, a tail like the monkey’s, a neck like the giraffe’s, a shell like the turtle’s and a voice like the nightingale’s. Hippopotamus was so happy with her new appearance that she ran to show herself off to everyone.

23. H: Look at me! I no longer look ridiculous. A: Ha! Ha! Ha! H: What is wrong? Why do you laugh? Can’t you see for yourselves I no longer look ridiculous?” A: Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!......

24. The hippopotamus rushed to a rain puddle to see for herself. “Ohhh….” she cried out, “I LOOK RIDICULOUS.” She was so shaken by what she saw, she shook herself awake.

25. “Thank goodness it was only a dream,” the hippopotamus sighed with relief. Joyfully she plopped herself into the nearest mud hole and from that day to this, is proud to be just what she is-----

26. A big, fat, wonderful hippopotamus.