How the Leopard Got His Spots

Plot
A leopard and an Ethiopian hunt animals in the African high veldt. The other animals, "'sclusively sandy-yellow-brownish all over," are tired of running away from them and migrate to the forest. The leopard and the Ethiopian ask Baviaan, a baboon, where the other animals have gone. He tells them that they have "gone into other spots" and recommends that the two hunters do so, too.

The leopard and the Ethiopian are confused by Baviaan's words, but they soon arrive in the forest. They manage to capture a zebra and a giraffe, although they look different. The zebra explains that he has adopted stripes and that the giraffe has adopted spots. The markings help the animals to blend in to the patterns of sunlight in the forest. The Ethiopian therefore decides to make his skin darker, and the leopard decides on spots, which the Ethiopian makes with the tips of his five fingers. In that way, they will be able to hunt their prey more stealthily.