How Did The Rhinoceros Get His Skin According To The Just So Stories?
Once upon a time, according to Rudyard Kipling’s story, the rhinoceros had a tight, shiny skin. One day a Parsee, who lived nearby, made himself a magnificent cake. The rhinoceros stole it and ate it. The Parsee said nothing but vowed revenge. Some time later, there was a heat-wave and everyone went to the shore to swim. The Parsee took off his hat, meaning to go swimming; but the rhinoceros took off his skin (which had buttons on it.) While he was in the water, the Parsee rushed home, got a bagful of cake crumbs he had left, and scattered them all over the rhino’s skin. When the rhinoceros got out and put his skin back on, the crumbs in it drove him mad. He rolled and rolled on the ground to get rid of them, and in the process the buttons came off his skin so he could never take it off. In the end he had to give up; but the rolling had made his skin extremely wrinkled, and his temper was ruined for ever.
