the song of the giraffe


Once upon a time, a very long time ago, there lived in the land of Neverfog, many different animals and plants.
Each of these animals had a plant watching over them, their very own guardian plant.

Elephant had Mushroom, Cow had Grass, Badger had Sunflower, Camel had Leaf, Zebra had Raisin and so on, right down to the very last Ant who had Sweet Pea. Every single animal in the land had one plant, no one more, no one less.
And these guardian plants took care of their animals.

If an animal tripped over a loose stone, the guardian plant was there soothing the bruised knee.
If an animal lost a favourite toy, the guardian plant was there with a new one.
If an animal got lost in the woods, the guardian plant would point to the correct direction.
Even if the animal was just bored, the guardian plant would be there talking to the animal.

And thus the beings of the Land of Neverfog lived, content in their blissful existence.
No animal was ever unhappy since everything they wanted were taken care of by their guardian plant.

One day, something very unusual happened in the Land of Neverfog. Out of the Sunny sky, an enormous Egg came crashing down. With a hoooom and a booom, the Egg bounced on the Grass and startled Cow from her placid chomping. It rolled for a distance before coming to a stop in front of Leaf, stubbing the toe of Camel.

Now Eggs were not something the beings in the Land of Neverfog see everyday. For one, they did not have Chickens and for another, even if they do, we know that Eggs do not usually fall from the Sunny sky.
All the beings in the Land of Neverfog hence rushed over to where the Egg was, curious.
It felt so momentous that every single being naturally kept quiet. The silence over the Land of Neverfog was almost too overwhelming when suddenly, a sound came from the Egg. It sounded like a little crinkle, and the Egg shook. Everyone held their breaths and suddenly there came an enormous CRACK...and the Egg split cleanly into half.

"Hrummpff?" was the first sound that greeted every being staring into the Egg.
"Hrummpff?"
Inside the Egg, sat a little Giraffe!

This was something extraordinary!
No new beings have ever came into the Land of Neverfog since time immemorable. Animals who had been there were always there, and naturally, with each animal came their accompanying guardian plant.
But this Giraffe came from out the the Sunny sky, inside an Egg!
And this Giraffe did not have a guardian plant!

This was something to ponder about.
But pondering was not the forte of the beings in the Land of Neverfog.
They lead a blissful contented life. What was there to ponder about?
So very soon, they lost interest in the little Giraffe.

But Giraffe had many things to think about.
She had came out from the Sunny sky in an Egg! That was something wasn't it?
And she, unlike all the other animals had not been in the Land of Neverfog all along.
She was different.
She had her song to sing.
She was special.
She was unlike any of the other animals.
She was distinct.
She was peculiar.
She....was an outcast.

After the initial excitement of seeing Giraffe bounce out from the Egg that has fallen from the Sunny sky, the beings in the Land of Neverfog soon stopped wondering about Giraffe. In fact, they soon ignored her completely. After all, each of the animals in the Land of Neverfog had their own guardian plants and they seldom had to bother about the other animals.

So poor little Giraffe was thrown, into this Land of Neverfog, to her own devices.
Soon Giraffe started to notice, that unlike all other animals, she did not have her own guardian plant!
She does not know how these guardian plants came to choose their animals, but she knew, there was no one to soothe her bruises when she trips over. There was no one to show her the way. There was no one to wipe her tears.

Of course Giraffe wished for her very own guardian plant. How she wishes there was one special plant who would talk to her, who would show her how to do things, who would share special moments with her, who would wipe her tears. Giraffe was not a bad giraffe. She tries her best, she tries hard to be friendly, to help the other animals, she tries hard to sing her song. But none of the animals appeared to care whether Giraffe helped or not. They didn't care if Giraffe sang her songs or not.

Giraffe doesn't know why she was dropped out of the Sunny sky in the Egg, into the Land of Neverfog. Are giraffes dropped like that into other parts of the Universe as well? Into all other Universes as well? Giraffe doesn't know, and probably would never know.

Soon, Giraffe felt the weight on her heart get heavier and heavier. She was lonely. And she was puzzled. She did not know the answers to many things, and she did not belong. Why was she the only one who wondered about other giraffes dropping all over the universes? Why was she the only one without a guardian plant? And why does the songs she sings no longer sound nice?

When Giraffe first came out of the Egg, Leaf was the first plant Giraffe saw, since the Egg actually stubbed the toe of Camel. And thus being the most familiar plant to her, Giraffe naturally started to seek Leaf out.
Sometimes, Giraffe would voice out what she was thinking to Leaf, other times she would sing her songs for Leaf, or simply sit next to Leaf and watch the world go by.
Of course, Leaf never talked to her. After all, Leaf was not Giraffe's guardian plant.

Yes, Giraffe did get mad.
She was overcome with anger and the unfairness.
At not having her own guardian plant, at not belonging.
After all, she wasn't a bad giraffe, she did nothing to make her deserve less than the next animal.
Mad, depressed, angry, upset.
But what could Giraffe do?
She was thrown into this existence, without her consent, without an explanation, without anything.
She could do nothing.
Just plod on.

And so seasons passed.
Giraffe, although resigned to the fact that she never is going to have a guardian plant, has start to regard Leaf as a special plant.
If she stubs a toe, Giraffe went and told the Leaf.
If she has a new song to sing, the Leaf was the first to hear it.
If she wonders about the rainbow and the wind, and the sea and the mountains, she voiced her thoughts to the Leaf.
And because the Leaf never ever replied, Giraffe has learnt to soothe her own bruises.
She has learnt to think even more deeply about the rainbow and the wind, and the sea and the mountains.
She has learnt to wipe her own tears.
And more importantly, she has learnt that no song is a good song unless the song comes right from the heart.

And so, dear readers, aeons have passed since.
But the animals are still there, living their lives, blissful in their disinterest in the world.
The Guardian plants are there too, loving those animals, caring for them.
And Giraffe is there as well, she will never be gone.
She is still alone.
Soothing her own hurts, wiping her own tears.
Wondering at the world and all the beauty there is, even if they come with pain.
And she is still singing. Singing her song from her heart.