How the Leopard Got His Spots · page 21 2101‘Well, make up your mind,’ said the Ethiopian, ‘because I’d hate to go hunting without you, but I must if you insist on looking like a sun-flower against a tarred fence.’102‘I’ll take spots, then,’ said the Leopard; ‘but don’t make ‘em too vulgar-big.103I wouldn’t look like Giraffe--not for ever so.’104‘I’ll make ‘em with the tips of my fingers,’ said the Ethiopian.105‘There’s plenty of black left on my skin still.106Stand over!’107Then the Ethiopian put his five fingers close together (there was plenty of black left on his new skin still) and pressed them all over the Leopard, and wherever the five fingers touched they left five little black marks, all close together.108You can see them on any Leopard’s skin you like, Best Beloved.109Sometimes the fingers slipped and the marks got a little blurred; but if you look closely at any Leopard now you will see that there are always five spots--off five fat black finger-tips.110‘Now you are a beauty!’ said the Ethiopian.111‘You can lie out on the bare ground and look like a heap of pebbles.112You can lie out on the naked rocks and look like a piece of pudding-stone.113You can lie out on a leafy branch and look like sunshine sifting through the leaves; and you can lie right across the centre of a path and look like nothing in particular.114Think of that and purr!’115‘But if I’m all this,’ said the Leopard, ‘why didn’t you go spotty too?’116‘Oh, plain black’s best for a nigger,’ said the Ethiopian.117‘Now come along and we’ll see if we can’t get even with Mr. One-Two-Three Where’s your Breakfast!’118So they went away and lived happily ever afterward, Best Beloved.119That is all.120Oh, now and then you will hear grown-ups say, ‘Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots?’121I don’t think even grown-ups would keep on saying such a silly thing if the Leopard and the Ethiopian hadn’t done it once--do you?122But they will never do it again, Best Beloved.123They are quite contented as they are.124I AM the Most Wise Baviaan, saying in most wise tones, ‘Let us melt into the landscape--just us two by our lones.’125People have come--in a carriage--calling.126But Mummy is there....127Yes, I can go if you take me--Nurse says she don’t care.128Let’s go up to the pig-sties and sit on the farmyard rails!129Let’s say things to the bunnies, and watch ‘em skitter their tails!130Let’s--oh, anything, daddy, so long as it’s you and me, And going truly exploring, and not being in till tea!131Here’s your boots (I’ve brought ‘em), and here’s your cap and stick, And here’s your pipe and tobacco.132Oh, come along out of it--quick.1 2← previousHow the Rhinoceros Got His Skinnext →The Elephant’s Child↑ back to Just so storiesThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/5/page/2/