The Very Attractive Ostrich

Ommi, the very attractive ostrich

Was the talk of the savanna

She walked around

Feeling very good about herself

Even though as far as anyone could tell
She didn’t look all that different

From all the other ostriches

It wasn’t long

Before some of her friends

Started asking

Why she thought

She could feel so good about herself

When she walked

And squawked

Just like the rest of them

‘Well,’ said Orin, one of her friends,

‘I’ve noticed that she doesn’t

Stick her head in the sand

Like the rest of us do’

None of the other ostriches

Had noticed that

The way Orin had

But once he pointed it out

They were furious!

Where did Ommi get the idea

That she could keep her head high

All day long

When the rest of them

Would hide

The minute they sensed danger?

‘She’s making us look bad,’ said Olly,

‘Like we’re chickens

And she’s brave and courageous!’

This got all the other ostriches

So angry

That they confronted Ommi

And asked her

Why she wouldn’t stick her head

In the sand like the rest of them

Ommi was very patient

And explained to the other ostriches

That she didn’t stick her head in the sand

Because if danger is approaching

You can’t protect yourself

By hiding

You have to face it head on

This had never occurred

To the other ostriches

But as soon as Ommi explained it to them

They realized she was right
And that they were only putting themselves at risk

Whenever they did

What ostriches have always done

Ommi told them that she didn’t think of herself

As being anymore attractive than them

But that her determination

To hold her head up high

Made her appear more attractive

And so soon, they all started

Keeping their heads in the air

And out of the sand

After a few days, all the animals in the jungle

Were remaking that the ostriches

Were looking better than ever

And that led the formerly fearful birds

To tell the lions and tigers and monkeys

All about what Ommi had taught them

Soon, the other animals

Were looking at their own behavior

And whether it was helping them

The best that they could be

Or just made them feel their best

The lions got together

And decided to name Ommi

The new Queen of the Jungle

And that made her

The very first ostrich

To look after the jungle

And all the animals in it

Her first act was to have

Every animal

Stand in front of her

And say what it was

About themselves

That they liked the most

While this was easy

For the majestic animals

Like the leopards

And the peacocks

Some of the animals

Like the mice and the tsetse flies

Had never thought

Very much of themselves

And they waited at the end of the line

In the hopes that by the time

They reached the front

They would come up

With something nice to say

Whey they appeared

Before Ommi, the very attractive ostrich

A newly place crown on her head

They found her to be very kind
And very patient

As they tried to speak up

And compliment themselves

The tiniest of the tsetse flies

Had the hardest time

And so Ommi came down from her throne

Lowered her head nearly to the ground

And whispered to the tsetse fly

Something about itself

That she, Ommi, the Queen of the Jungle

Liked about them

As soon as she said it

The tsetse fly realized

That she was right

And there was something

Wonderful about them

For you see, Ommi had figured out

A long time ago

That the best way

To find what it is about yourself

You love the most

Is to start by

Looking for the best things
In those around you