How the giraffe got its long neck, and why monkeys swing from tree to tree


In CW class today, we were supposed to write a Just So children's story in point form. The Just So stories were created by Kipling, and are mostly about how the world came to be "just so". So, my group (consisting of Stef, Tish and I) came up with a story titled "How the giraffe got its long neck, and why monkeys swing from tree to tree". All we had were points though, so this is how I would write the story. Enjoy! ^^
A long time ago, Giraffe lived in the jungle with all the other animals. He had a short neck and legs, even shorter than those of Horse and Donkey, but he was secretly proud of his short neck, and thought that it suited him greatly.


One day, Giraffe noticed beautiful Toucan perched high up in the trees above him, and fell in love with her glossy black feathers and brightly-coloured beak. However, she never noticed him as he was too short, and no matter how he called out to her, Toucan never noticed Giraffe as he was too far down for her to hear.

Giraffe then begged the monkeys resting in the trees to help pull him up, and they reluctantly agreed. Some grabbed his legs, some grabbed his body, and the others grabbed his neck.

And so the monkeys PULLED and HEAVED and TUGGED with all their might, but Giraffe did not budge.

Again, the monkeys HEAVED and TUGGED and PULLED, and still Giraffe did not budge.

The monkeys
                          TUGGED!
                                                 and PULLED!
                                                                            and HEAVED!

And finally, Giraffe’s neck stretched as high as the trees would go, and he stretched, and stretched, and stretched some more!

At last, Giraffe’s neck stretched so much that he was now as tall as the branch that Toucan had been perched on. Alas! She was already gone, for a neighbouring Hornbill had caught her eye and she had flown off to chat.

Giraffe was heartbroken, even more so when he realised that he couldn’t stretch back! He asked the monkeys to help him again, but they refused; for they were tired and wanted to rest.

Angry, Giraffe chased them throughout the jungle, but the monkeys swung from tree to tree so quickly that he could not catch them.

And that, Dear Beloved, is how the Giraffe got its long neck, and why monkeys swing from tree to tree. 

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