Gather 'round, Children, and please, listen well,
Listen to this Story that I shall tell:
Long ago, Cheetah's fur was tawny pale,
From the top of Her Head clear down to Tail,

She is quite unhappy, she wants a change,
She thinks She is ugly, thinks She looks strange,
So to Engai God, Cheetah makes Her plea:
"I feel so bad when Animals tease Me,
I'm so plain, so ugly, I don't stand out,
I'm the ugliest creature, there's no doubt,
The Lion has His Mane, Leopard, Rosettes,
The Zebra has black and white stripes," She frets,
"Hyena has that broken, sway-backed look,
Rhinosaurus, that wrinkly skin He took,
And Warthog has His Warty, Piggy Face,
Mamba is green OR black--two kinds of race!
Gazelle comes in all colors, shapes, and size,
For beauty, I fear I don't take the prize,
Giraffe stands there, He towers over All,
O, if I could be lovely," Cheetah bawls,
"What can You do for Me?" She asks Engai,
"Why can't I be beautiful? Tell Me, why??
I beg You, Engai, don't turn Me away,
Will I ever be beautiful one day?
I beseech You, Engai, be kind to Me,
I'm so plain--there's no difference I see!"
Cheetah says, and the tears drip from Her Eyes,
Engai is moved by the Cheetah's loud cries,
Being Engai, He formulates His plan,
Tells Cheetah He'll think on it, when He can,
"When You go to sleep, when this day is through,
I shall decide what will be Best for You."
Brokenhearted, Cheetah begins to weep,
She cries and cries, then She drifts off to sleep,
Engai reaches down, softly strokes Her Fur,
She doesn't awaken, begins to purr,
She sleeps gently through the darkness of night,
When She awakens, She gasps in delight,
Will you look at Cheetah! Just look at Her!
Spots from Head to Tail, all over Her Fur!

This is the Story that I've told to you,
Thank you, Children, may I please have some stew?
What did You learn, as You heard this Story?
Beauty is in the eye of One Who Sees!

UZURI WA MKAKASI, NDANI KIPANDE CHA MTI
(KISWAHILI PROVERB): Beauty is only
skin deep.

(C) Karla Dorman, 2003