A retelling of the story How a Leopard Got Its Spots from Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling.

Once upon a time, in a place called the High Veldt, everything was the same sandy color. The animals, the ground, even the hunters – all looked like they’d been dipped in peanut butter!

This was a problem for Leopard Louie and his best buddy Eddie the Ethiopian. They loved to play hide-and-seek, but it was too easy because everyone blended in!

Louie and Eddie on the veldt. How a leopard got its spots

Gerry the Giraffe had an idea.  “Let’s go to the forest!” So off they went, marching like a parade of walking, talking cookies.

They found the forest. Shadows and light played peek-a-boo through the leaves. The animals twirled and tumbled as the forest light danced all over them. Slowly, their bodies started to change in the most surprising ways! 

Gerry in the forest

Gerry grew spots like bubbles all over him, and Ziggy the Zebra sprouted stripes like he’d taken a wild and wacky ride through a giant coloring book! They looked in a pond and laughed at their new, fancy outfits. The animals were over-the-moon excited about their new looks!

Zebra in the forest

Meanwhile, Louie and Eddie were lonely. They met a baboon named Barry, who spoke in riddles. “To find your friends, you must change your trends!” he chuckled.

Louie and Eddie set off to find the others. When they reached the forest, they were confused! The whole forest was full of dazzling shapes and swirling colors that danced like playful shadows.

Louie and Eddie searched for their friends but couldn’t find them! As night fell, they spotted two mysterious creatures. Guess what? It was Gerry and Ziggy in their new, fancy disguises!

Eddie and Louie felt the forest magic! “I’m going to become a walking, talking tree!” Eddie the Ethiopian said as he rubbed against a tree trunk. I want spots said Leopard Louie. Eddie dipped his fingers into squishy, purple blackberry juice. “Boop, boop, boop!” Eddie playfully dabbed spots all over Louie’s body.

Ethiopian boy and leopard in forest

Just like that, Louie was covered in, berry-stained spots!

The two friends pranced around the forest. After all, who wouldn’t want to be a walking, talking tree or a spotty, berry-licious leopard?

From that day on, they all played the best hide-and-seek games ever. They learned that changing can be fun and that being different makes the world more exciting.

And so, the friends lived happily ever after in their colorful world of light and shadow. Every day was a celebration of the magic of being unique and different.

The end.

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