"Come closer, my children," father said to his children.

Tonight, I will tell you about two animals that taught they were too different to be friends."

Father began the story.

By a river, a zebra came to drink. Her white and black stripes shone like lines drawn across her body.

Soon, a leopard walked out of the tall grass. He had golden and dark spots which glowed.

The zebra stepped back and said to the leopard, "Why do you look like that?"

The leopard frowned.

"I could ask you the same. Your body looks like lines from a child's drawing."

The zebra felt a little sad.

Just then hunters passed. The zebra ran to its herd.

Her stripes blended together, and the hunters could not tell one from the other.

The leopard quietly slipped into the grass. His spots hid him well.

The hunters walked past without seeing them at all.

Later, they met again.

"Your stripes saved you," said the leopard.

"And your spots protected you," said the zebra.

They both smiled.

Father looked at his children and said, "You see, my dear children, we are all different. But our differences are our strength. Never be ashamed of who you are."

"Thank you father for telling us this story," the children echoed with joy.