The Blue Jackal

One night, a hungry little jackal crept into a village. Sniff, sniff! He tiptoed into a yard where people coloured cloth. There stood a big tub of blue colour.

Oops! His foot slipped. SPLASH! In he went, right up to his ears.

He climbed out and shook himself. Shake, shake, shake! But now he was blue. Blue nose, blue ears, blue tail. Bright, bright blue!

He ran back to the forest. The animals stared. "What is that?" said the deer. "I have never seen a blue animal!"

The jackal had an idea. He puffed out his chest. He made his voice very deep and grand. "I am the Blue King! Bow to the Blue King!"

The rabbits bowed. The deer bowed. Even the big lion bowed his head. "Hmm. Welcome, Blue King," he rumbled.

Now the jackal sat on a big rock, like a throne. Everyone brought him the best fruits. Everyone fanned him with leaves. Swish, swish.

But he stayed far away from the other jackals. What if they knew who he was?

Every day he said, "I am the Blue King! Bow to the Blue King!" But inside, he felt a little lonely. Being someone else was hard work.

Then one night, the full moon came up, round and bright. Far away, the jackals began to sing. "Aa-ooo! Aa-ooo!"

The Blue King's ears went up. His nose went up. His tail went wag, wag, wag. He just could not stop himself!

He threw back his head. "AA-OOOOO!"

Everyone went still. Then the lion laughed. "Ho ho ho! The Blue King is a jackal!"

The rabbits giggled. The deer giggled. Hee hee, ha ha! The whole forest was laughing.

The jackal's blue ears turned a little pink. Then... he laughed too. "Yes! Ha ha! I am just a jackal. And I love to howl!"

The lion smiled kindly. "Then go and howl with your family, little friend."

So the jackal went down to the river. Splash, splash! He washed and washed. Slowly, all the blue floated away.

He ran to his family. "Aa-ooo!" they sang. "Aa-ooo!" he sang back.

No more "I am the Blue King!" He was just himself. And that felt warm and light, like moonlight on his fur.