A long time ago, all the animals looked the same, with gray as the only color and no horns. 

Although they all lived in harmony, they were different shapes and sizes. Food was equally shared by the animals. Animals who fed on meat and animals who fed on plants shared the same fields and watering holes. 

One day, a bitter dispute emerged among various animal families about whose turn it was to go up the mountain to collect food for all. The elephant said he was too tired to get to and fro. The hippo noted that the land was too hot for his bare skin. The lions indicated they had young babies they could not leave behind unattended. In the end, no one volunteered, and all went to sleep hungry that night. Early the following day, everyone showed long yawns, walking feebly around the grassland. Yet, no one was ready to scale up the mountain to collect food. The second night, they went to bed still hungry. However, on the third day, it became unbearable, and the intense hunger led some animals to find alternative food sources. 

The giraffe figured out that tasty leaves hung low from the trees. The hippo moved to live in the waters, while the bushbuck retreated to a nearby forest. The lions stayed put among the tall grass, feeding off the animals in the plains. 

To distinguish themselves from other species, families chose their own colors and patterns of fur, marking the final distinctions among the animal kingdoms. 

And that, my friends, is the story of “When the Animals Were Equal.”

I hope you enjoyed the story. Until next time, kwaheri, goodbye!