How the rhino became wrinkly

We all know more or less what a rhino looks like, but even so, there are many that do not know their structure or their appearance and so when they come to us for the first time, are always full of awe and amazement at this gigantic lumbering grey dinosaur. Many a time I have been asked if the deep lines towards the stomach of a rhino are its ribs, other times I get asked if the folds are like body armour, there are many others that are also asked but these would take too long to go through. To all of these questions I have one answer, simply put these differences are wrinkles in their incredibly thick skin.

What follows is a tale by the Zulu people detailing how the rhino became wrinkly.

When the land was still new Rhino did not look as he does today. His skin fitted him very well and was not wrinkled at all. Now Rhino has always been a particularly grumpy member of the African bush, as well as a rude one.

There was a young Zulu girl sitting in the shade of a tree taking a rest from her toils of crushing maize. Up on the hill she spied Rhino advancing towards her and with a cry of fright, fled straight up the tree underneath which she had been taking her reprieve. Rhino now alerted by her cry continued his way towards the source of the disturbance.

Rhino rudely barged his way into the Zulu girl’s little space and began swinging his head to and fro in search of the maize that he could now smell after the girl’s hard toils. His long horn knocked over the mill that the girl was using to grind the maize and Rhino fell upon the food with relish, eating every last bit of it.

When everything was finished, Rhino gave a huff and stomped off again, never satisfied and always hungry. The poor terrified Zulu girl only came down from the tree after many hours, afraid Rhino might come back for some more. When she did eventually come down, she grabbed all her things and made a run for it back to her homestead. Her mother gave her a hiding for losing the maize to Rhino and told her to be more careful next time.

The next time the Zulu girl was given the job of grinding maize it was an abhorrently hot day. The poor Zulu girl ground and ground and ground, until she had ground more than what was her part to grind. Far away on the horizon she spied the very same Rhino marching off towards the watering hole and an idea came to her.

She had seen all the animals take off their skins when going into the water and she was sure Rhino would do the same, so she snuck up on him while he was wading in the cool pool. And lo, the skin was there, hung on a tree to keep ants and things out. The Zulu girl had brought a handful of the maize she had ground and quietly and carefully she spread it around the inside of Rhino’s skin.

When Rhino climbed out and slipped back into his skin, he felt the maize itching but did not know what it was. Rhino began rubbing and rubbing and rubbing until eventually he rubbed a fold underneath his neck, and still he kept rubbing until there were folds on his legs, and then on his sides. The maize went into these folds and Rhino felt relief, but as he walked over to the water to quench the thirst he had built up from all the rubbing, he saw his reflection. It was no longer a smooth tight skin he saw but a loose sad wrinkly one. This made him sad and so he hung his head and walked away, always hiding his head in the grass in shame of his ugly skin.