The Whale and the Zebra

The Whale and the Zebra

         Long ago when the world was new, whales walked the Earth. They were even larger than elephants, but the whales were slow and ponderous. They didn't enjoy fighting their way through the forests of trees which scratched and poked their skin. The trees made them feel fat.

         One by one the whales slowly made their way back to the sea, slid happily down into the water, and breathed a lot easier. Underneath the deep ocean waves, the whales were free from their heaviness. They could float about in the water and dive beneath the swells. They could swim among the fronds of seaweed and not worry about squeezing through narrow lanes of prickly land trees.

         Most of the whales were very happy back in the ocean, but one whale was not. Quebrián was a humpback whale who didn't want to leave the green of the forests or the desert's sandpapery, backscratching dunes.

         Quebrián loved the colors of terra firma too much -- the way the citrine, jade, and deep velvet greens of the leaves rippled in the sunshine, the different patterns, shapes and hues of the tree bark and plant foliage, and the brown and tan of mountains and desert sands. He treasured the scent of tree sap and the sweet pungency of crushed grass. The sound of the wind echoing, like a voice whispering secrets while it massaged him with soft caresses –- it was all too precious to trade for briny buoyancy.

         Therefore, Quebrián didn't return to the sea with his brothers. He stayed and roamed the forests of South Africa all alone.

         Many of the animals he encountered teased and taunted him for his immensity. Often Quebrián would hide from them, camouflaging his bulk under a covering of leaves. As he did, tears fell from eyes grown sad with loneliness.

         It was a beautiful day with ample sunshine and singing birds, that Zanoli discovered the whale. She was foraging the high grasses of springtime, enjoying the solitude away from her many zebra sisters and brothers, when she spied Quebrián.

         “Hello,” she said, pausing in the middle of chewing some delicious tree bark.

         Quebrián looked up, then backed further underneath the leaves.

         “You can’t hide from me, you know,” Zanoli told him. “I've already seen you. Why would you want to conceal yourself? Are you playing a game?”

         “Some game!” Quebrián said. “Why don’t you all leave me alone?”

         “Well! Why should I do that? It's a free forest!”

         Quebrián lowered his head. His tears increased. He let them fall. “A free forest for some animals. Not for ones like me. We're ridiculed at every turn.”

         “Ridiculed? I would never do that,” Zanoli told him, freezing in mid-chew. "Besides, I think you’re kind of cute.”

         Quebrián at first thought that she was mocking him. (It took him many months before he realized that Zanoli was truly as kind as she was beautiful.)

         Eventually the two became friends.

         Zanoli led Quebrián back to her family and introduced him to her mother and father. They were nice to the young whale because they felt sorry for him. But later, when they realized how sweet he was about clearing a path among the bushes for them, they accepted him into their herd.

         Now this story could have ended there, but I must tell you honestly, that it didn’t.

         Zanoli became more beautiful each month, and the young males of the herd began to court her, wanting to be chosen as her husband. But Zanoli had no interest in any of them. Her parents grew frantic. They kept urging her to choose a swift young stallion, but she turned away each time, and galloped off to talk with her friend, Quebrián. So it was that the zebra and the whale grew closer, and one day the inevitable happened.

         The two were chewing on tree leaves, munching away pleasantly. The day was warm, the flies weren't out yet, and there was a gentle breeze that stirred the air. They were discussing whether river water tasted better than lake water when they both reached for the same leaf, and you can guess what happened -- their lips touched.

         That's all it took. Quebrián blushed a deep blue. Zanoli almost fainted. Then they looked at each other, gulped down the leaves in their separate mouths, and tried the curious sensation again.

         Now, perhaps you can't imagine a humpback whale and a zebra kissing underneath the shade of a large tree in South Africa. So I'll paint the picture. The jacaranda had lilac blossoms dropping sweet-smelling fragrance down onto their hides, and its leaves were slightly pointed -- feather-like wisps. And those wisps had smallish grayish-green leaves that were ticklish and, of course, delicious. Can you picture it now?

         Of course, I can’t describe the scene going on between Quebrián and Zanoli! That was private. Just take my word for it that both Quebrián and Zanoli had mouths, and they learned very quickly how to use them. Their kisses were, to them, quite as delicious as the grayish-green jacaranda leaves.

         Soon, their kisses led to other things, like marriage and a family.

         Now the babies of a humpbacked whale and a zebra, certainly, looked a little bit different to everyone. In fact, the children of Quebrián and Zanoli were so dissimilar to every animal that had come before, people had to invent a brand new species to describe them. But I'm sure you’ve seen these animals before.

         The babies didn't have Zanoli’s beauty, unfortunately, or Quebrián’s sweet disposition, but that happens sometimes. Anyway, I know you’ve seen their children because they roam throughout the deserts and have proven quite helpful to mankind.

         Have you guessed what the new species was? Just imagine Quebrián’s hump – because all the children inherited that, and then think of Zanoli’s beautiful hooves and long, slender legs, and I know you'll picture their babies.

         Why, of course --- their children are called “camels.”

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Note: Of course, you know this isn't a true story.

It's fantasy -- make believe.

Isn't it fun to think up stories about animals?


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