Why Zebras Have White and Black Stripes

Once upon a time, on a vast African savanna, lived a herd of zebras. Unlike the zebras we know today, they were all plain brown, just like the rich earth they grazed upon. One little zebra named Zebu, however, dreamt of being different. He longed for stripes, vibrant colors, anything to stand out from the crowd.

One sunny afternoon, a wise old tortoise named Taty overheard Zebu's sigh. "Why the long face, young one?" she rumbled.

Zebu confessed, "I wish I wasn't just plain brown. I want to be colorful, with stripes or spots!"

Taty chuckled, her wrinkled face crinkling. "Little zebra," she said, "your brown coat is perfect for blending in with the savanna. It keeps you safe from hungry lions who might struggle to spot you amongst the tall grass."

Zebu wasn't convinced. "But wouldn't it be more exciting to be different?"

Taty smiled. "Perhaps," she said, "but true beauty comes in many forms, even plain brown. However," she winked, "tonight, there's a gathering of fireflies. Their light show might just give you the stripes you crave, for a little while at least."

Intrigued, Zebu joined the other zebras at the gathering that night. Thousands of fireflies twinkled like tiny stars, their bioluminescent glow weaving a mesmerizing dance across the darkness. As Zebu watched, mesmerized, the flickering lights seemed to paint black and white stripes across his brown coat!

The next morning, Zebu woke up, expecting the stripes to be gone. But to his surprise, there were faint black and white lines etched across his brown fur! He looked around and saw other zebras with similar markings, each unique in its pattern.

A wise old lioness, witnessing their confusion, explained, "The fireflies' magical light touched you all last night! Now, your stripes will help you confuse predators. When you run together, the black and white lines will blur, making it hard for lions to pick out a single zebra to chase."

Zebu finally understood. His stripes weren't just for show; they were a clever way to stay safe. From that day on, the zebras wore their stripes with pride, a reminder of the night they danced with fireflies and discovered the true beauty of being different, yet perfectly adapted to their world.

Vocabulary and Meaning

o   Vast African savanna: A large, grassy plain in Africa with few trees.

• Herd: A group of grazing animals.

• Confessed: Admitted or revealed something, especially a wrong or mistake.

• Grazed: Ate grass or other low-growing plants in a field.

• Rumbled: Made a deep, low sound like thunder.

• Wrinkled face: A face with many small lines caused by age or smiling.

• Bioluminescent glow: A soft light produced by a living organism.

• Mesmerizing: Holding your attention completely, often in a way that is strange or frightening.

• Etched: Carved or scratched a design or message onto a surface.

• Confused: Feeling puzzled or unsure because you don't understand something.

• Blur: Become unclear or indistinct, especially because of movement.

• Clever: Intelligent and good at solving problems.

• Adapted: Changed to fit into a particular environment.

Comprehension Questions for "Why Zebras Have White and Black Stripes"

Remembering the Story:

1. What did the zebras in the story look like originally?

2. What did Ziggy the zebra dream of having on his coat?

3. Why did the wise tortoise, Shelly, explain that Ziggy's brown coat was helpful?

4. What did the fireflies do during the nighttime gathering?

5. What happened to Ziggy's fur after the night with the fireflies?

Thinking About the Story:

6. How do you think Ziggy felt when he first saw the other zebras with plain brown coats? (Use clues from the story)

7. Why did the lioness explain that the fireflies' light "touched" the zebras?

8. How do the zebra stripes help them stay safe from predators?

Learning a Lesson:

9. The story says, "true beauty comes in many forms." Can you think of another animal that might be considered beautiful even though it doesn't have bright colors?

10. Sometimes things that seem different at first can actually be helpful. Can you think of an example in your own life?

Bonus Question:

11. Imagine you are a firefly at the gathering. Write a short story about your experience seeing the zebras and how they changed.