One day, a sneaky jackal fell into a big tub full of blue dye. When he got out, his fur was bright sky-blue! He went back home, and all the other jackals stared at him in surprise.
“What happened to you?” they asked.
The jackal flicked his tail and said proudly, “Isn’t it obvious? I’m not just any jackal anymore. Look at me! I’m so special! From now on, don’t call me a ‘jackal’ ever again.”
“What should we call you then?” they asked.
The jackal lifted his head high and said, “Call me Peacock. I’m as beautiful as a peacock now!” He strutted around, showing off his blue fur.
But the other jackals weren’t convinced. “If you’re a peacock,” one of them said, “can you spread your tail beautifully like a peacock does?”
The jackal stopped and said, “Well… no, I can’t do that.”
“And can you make the proud, special cry that a peacock makes?” asked another.
The jackal lowered his head and admitted, “No, I can’t do that either.”
“Then it’s clear,” they said. “You’re not a jackal anymore, but you’re definitely not a peacock either!”
The other jackals laughed at him and sent him away.
Once upon a time, a curious jackal found himself sniffing around where he shouldn’t. “What’s this big, mysterious tub?” he said, peeking over the edge. “Could it be... soup? A jacuzzi? Oh, please be pudding!” He leaned in too far, slipped, and *plonk!*—he splashed right into the tub, which, to his surprise, was full of blue dye.
When he crawled out, dripping and shivering, he caught a glimpse of himself in a puddle. His fur wasn’t the usual dusty brown anymore—it was bright sky blue! He gasped. “Whoa! Look at me! I’m like a walking summer sky… or a piece of candy! This is amazing!”
He strutted back to his jackal friends, swishing his tail like a runway model. The other jackals stared with wide eyes.
“What in the world happened to you?” one of them asked, blinking.
The blue jackal puffed out his chest and replied, “Oh, isn’t it obvious? I’ve evolved! I’m not your average jackal anymore. I’m something special, something rare. I am… drumroll, please… the Peacock!”
The jackals looked at each other, baffled. “Peacock?” one said, tilting their head. “Are you feeling okay, buddy? Did you eat something weird?”
“Call me Peacock,” the jackal said, ignoring the question. “Look at this fur! Look at this elegance!” He did a little twirl, nearly tripping over a rock but recovering quickly. “From now on, I demand respect. No more jackal nonsense for me. I am majestic!”
One jackal squinted at him. “Majestic, huh? If you’re a peacock, then can you spread your tail all fancy-like? You know, make it fan out and look all shiny?”
The blue jackal paused mid-strut. “Well… no. But who needs a tail when I’ve got… uh… personality?”
Another jackal piped up. “Okay, fine. But can you do that loud ‘Aaawk’ thing peacocks do? You know, the sound that’s halfway between an opera singer and a car alarm?”
The blue jackal gulped. “I, uh… I could try? Ahem. CAW! ARGH! BLAH!” His attempt was so bad it made a passing squirrel drop its acorn in horror.
The jackals burst out laughing. “You’re no peacock!” one of them said, rolling on the ground. “You’re just a blue jackal with a funny voice!”
Realizing he wasn’t fooling anyone, the jackal sighed. “Fine, I admit it. I’m still a jackal. But can we at least agree that I’m a *very stylish* jackal?”
“Sure,” one of them said, still giggling. “Stylish and totally ridiculous!”
And so, the blue jackal slinked away, his sky-colored fur losing its shine as the laughter echoed behind him. He muttered to himself, “Well, that didn’t go as planned. Note to self: you can’t just declare you’re special. You’ve gotta actually be special… and maybe avoid tubs that smell like paint.”
One sunny day, a jackal sly,
Tumbled into a tub of dye.
He climbed back out, his fur bright blue,
A shade that no one ever knew!
He pranced back home, head held up high,
And all the jackals wondered, "Why?"
"What happened to you? How can this be?
You're not the same—we clearly see!"
With a swish of his tail and a smug little grin,
The jackal declared, "A change from within!
I’m not just a jackal, plain and small,
From now on, I’m better than all."
"Call me Peacock!" he said with pride,
"Look at my fur, my glorious hide!
I’m rare, I’m grand, I’m truly unique—
A creature of beauty, a sight to seek!"
The jackals frowned and shook their heads,
"You’re no peacock," one of them said.
"If you’re a peacock, then prove it’s true—
Show us the things that peacocks do!"
The jackal blinked and swayed his tail,
"But I can’t spread feathers in a trail.
I cannot fan them in the sun,
Like peacocks do when having fun."
"And can you cry with a peacock’s call,
That echoes wide and proud to all?"
The jackal sighed, his head hung low,
"I cannot do it. The answer is no."
"Then you’re no jackal, not anymore,
But you’re no peacock—we’re still sure!"
They laughed and jeered and turned away,
Leaving him blue and sad that day.
His fur stayed blue, but now he knew:
Pretending’s not the thing to do.
Be who you are, don’t fake or lie—
True colors shine; no need to try.
A lion spares a tiny mouse who promises to return the favor one day. How could such a small mouse possibly help a lion?
The powerful North Wind and the gentle Sun try to make a traveler take off his cloak to prove who is stronger. Which one will succeed?
Steady and patient, a slow tortoise dares to race against a confident hare. Who will cross the finish line first?
A king's elephant and a dog form a friendship, are suddenly separated, but they are reunited by the king and live happily.
While the grasshopper dances through summer, the ant works hard, gathering food. Which one will survive when winter arrives?
A thirsty crow finds a pitcher with water too low to reach. What clever trick will he use to get a drink?
When a farmer brings a bundle of sticks to his sons, they stop arguing. How did a simple bundle of sticks teach them?
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