There once was a squareapatamus that lived by a watering hole in the middle of a jungle. He wasn’t a hippopatamus, mind you. He was a squareapatamus. At least, that’s what the other hippopatamuses told him.
The squareapatamus was sad because he wanted to play with the other hippopatamuses, but the hippopatamuses snootily turned up their noses and ignored him.So the squareapatamus left the watering hole to find out how he could become a hippopatamus.
He met an elephant in a field. The squareapatamus asked the elephant, “How can I become a hippopatamus?” But the elephant just snorted and said, “Silly hippopatamus. Don’t worry about what others think of you.”
But the squareapatamus didn’t like that answer. “That’s easy for an elephant to say,” thought the squareapatamus, “They’re bigger and stronger than anything in the jungle!”
So he wandered on until he met a giraffe munching on the leaves of a tall tree. The squareapatamus asked the giraffe, “How can I become a hippopatamus?” But the giraffe only glanced down and said, “Silly hippopatamus. Stand tall, and others will look up to you.”
But the squareapatamus didn’t like that answer. “That’s easy for a giraffe to say,” thought the squareapatamus, “They’re taller than anything in the jungle!”
So he wandered on until he met a hyena by a cave, but as soon as the squareapatamus started to ask “How can I become a hippopatamus?” the hyena just started laughing, and the squareapatamus couldn’t get a word in edgewise.
So he wandered on until he met a platypus by a pond. The squareapatamus asked the platypus, “How can I be a hippopatamus?”
The platypus replied, “Look at me. Am I a beaver? Am I a duck?”
“I don’t know,” admitted the squareapatamus.
“I’m neither,” said the platypus. “I’m myself. I’m an individual. And nobody is as much like me as I am. Trying to become something you’re not will only end in you fooling yourself. What you need to remember is that you are a hippopatamus. And a squareapatamus. And so are all the other hippopatamuses.”
Then the platypus painted a big gold star on the side of the squareapatamus and said, “And now you’re also a starapatamus. Go back to the watering hole and just be yourself. You’re better at it than anyone else.”
So the starapatamus joyfully headed back to the watering hole.
He chuckled with the hyena as he walked by.
He held his head high as he walked by the giraffe.
And as he walked by the elephant, he thought, “I’m a starapatamus. And a squareapatamus. I’m myself, no matter what others think.”
Back at the watering hole, the other hippopatamuses had missed him despite their teasing, and were glad that he was back. And they all wanted a star.
