How The Giraffe Got Its Long Neck

• Ethan Leong, Grade 4, Burwood East Primary School
• Poetry
• 2015

Excellence Award in the 'The Write Track 2015' competition

A long time ago in a forest there lived a giraffe that was really hungry all the time. He couldn’t reach any food in the trees and all the other animals could.
So he decided to see the wise baboon, Ethan, who lived far away on the rock of wisdom. He set out on the long and lonely trip to the rock of wisdom. When he got there, Ethan, the wise baboon, gave him some food and told him to go to the swamp.
So giraffe did what he said and went to the swamp. At the swamp he couldn’t see anyone. He started to get worried and shouted, “Is anyone here?”
“Yes,” whispered something from the muddy waters of the swamp.
“The baboon told me to come here,” exclaimed giraffe. “Yes come over here,” directed a voice. “But where are you and who are you?” Questioned giraffe. “My name is Mr. Crocodile and I am right here in the swamp.”
“Oh there you are,” said giraffe in a surprised voice.
“Come closer,” urged Mr. Crocodile.
Giraffe tentatively came closer to Mr. Crocodile, and closer and closer until they were eye to eye. CRUNCH! Mr. Crocodile bit his head and pulled, and pulled, and giraffe pulled, and pulled, and pulled to get him off.
They both pulled and pulled until finally after a few minutes giraffe’s head came loose from the hold of Mr. Crocodile. Then he looked at himself in the reflection of the swamp and saw that he had a really long neck. Giraffe thought to himself, “Gee, I’m hungry”. He went to a tree and ate some fruit, and thought that this could fill him up. And that is how the giraffe got its long neck.