The Penguin's Suit

The King of the Jungle, the Mighty Lion, once decided to have a grand ball of all the animals. ‘It being a Grand Ball of fancy dress, you must all come attired in your finest black-and-white suits.’ he decreed. So the day of the great party the swallow came dressed in its finest black and white clothes sporting a fine long black tail feather behind his handsome suit. The Lion was well pleased and smiled. Next came the old panda also fitted out in the most magnificent black and white spotted suit of all. He looked like a real beauty and once again the great Lion was much pleased. Finally the proud Zebra came along in a fine black and white striped outfit that stunned all for its contrast and splendour of black and of white. ‘Now that we have all gathered in our finest suits let the festivities begin.’ said the grand Lion King. But there was still one animal missing, noted the Lion, the old Penguin had not shown up at all for his grand ball of black and white after all. So a few days later when he came across the poor old fellow he asked him, ‘Why did you not come to my fancy black and white ball my friend?’ ‘I can’t go out looking like this in this drab old black outfit.’ complained the little Penguin. ‘So you’ll have to excuse me, Great King.’ ‘That is fine,’ replied the Royal Lion, ‘But from this day on I decree that you will always be dressed in the finest black and white suit of all for all of your days. And instantly the poor old black penguin was transformed into the finest black and white suit that anyone had ever seen. And that is the story of how the old pale penguin got dressed in the finest black and white clothes forever. The greatest of parties is a black-and-white affair after all is it not?