Once upon a time, long ago, when there were no people, God looked down at the beautiful world he had made.

He thought, "I must have someone to look after my creation."

Lion roared, "I am the king of the jungle, I can look after the world."

Elephant trumpeted loudly, "My Lord, you have made me so big and majestic. Surely, I am right for the job."

Whale wondered, "Can they swim and look after the fish, the reefs, the coral and millions of tiny sea animals?

I can look after the oceans, keep my head above water and see what is on the land. I am LARGE, no one will do anything against your will."

Shark thought his sharp teeth were all that were needed to do the job.

Eagle laughed, "These animals can only look after those on land, while the whale and the shark can only see the water animals.

But I fly, I see the sky, land and water. I am the only one fit to be the keeper of the world."

God listened carefully to the animals, to the fish and the birds. "I will create man," He said.

The animals all wondered, what "man" was. What colour, with feathers or fur, or scales? Will he run like the lion? Swim like a fish? Fly high like the eagle?

The sun had set and it was night. God put the twinkle of stars into the eyes and used the black clouds for hair.

He also put pieces of the moon in the nails and the shine of stars in the teeth. So the first man and woman were created with shiny black skins like the night.

Soon the night faded and it was morning. God covered himself in the white morning light.

He took the blue sky for the eyes, the gold of the sun he spun into hair, and before him stood a man and woman with white skins, blue eyes and golden hair.

Now the morning had turned into afternoon. The sun was very bright, so he pulled the yellow light, and the deep black shadow of the afternoon.

He made a man and woman with yellow skins, black hair and eyes that slanted to look into the sun.

It was evening and a few stars had appeared in the sky. God used the beautiful rich brown of the earth and the dusk of the sky for the skin.

The black colour of the night was for the hair. He used the sparkle of stars for the eyes. God had a man and woman with brown skins, black hair and eyes.

The animals all looked in wonder at the strange creature who stood on two legs, with naked skin, with no fur or feathers or even scales.

Lion looked down his kingly nose and roared, "I can outrun them and with a swipe of my paw I can kill them, sorry for saying so."

Zebra suggested, "Some stripes would have improved their look."

Leopard said, "A few spots would make them look nicer."

Elephant trumpeted, "Surely, grey would have been a better colour?"

Shark looked at their teeth and smiled showing his sharp teeth. "Ah! No fins, how will they swim? And they are going to be the keeper. Ha! Ha! Ha!"

The fish, big and small, laughed as they dived into the deep water leaving a trail of bubbles of laughter.

God smiled kindly, "Man will have to look after the animals, the oceans with all their life, and all the plants. The day he'll destroy the world with his greed, he'll be destroyed."

The animals, the fish and the birds bowed their heads and hoped they would be safe. So let us, YOU and I, look after this wonderful world.