Speaker 1: Yale. Hello everyone, and welcome to the Animal Tales podcast,
where you suggest the animal for us to write a
story about. My name's Josephine and I've got a brand
new animal story here just for you. There are over
four hundred and fifty animal tales now and all are
available on our premium service, alongside over eighty premium only
stories for a tiny fee. They are all advert free.
Iyot is from Worcester in the UK and she would
like a story with a rhino and a hippo. You
can learn more about these creatures in the animal facts
after the story. Now, settle back, relax, and I'll begin
world of imagination. It was lunch time at school and
Iyot was looking for something to do. The young hippo
decided she didn't want to run around getting all hot
and tired. Instead, she wanted to do something calmer, more relaxed.
That was when she spotted Zaine, a rhinoceros, on the
edge of the playing field by himself. Iyat didn't know
Zayne very well. He was quiet and kept to himself,
often happily drawing pictures of a world he'd made up
called Wonderwood. That was about all she knew about him.
To day, though, Zayin wasn't drawing, but appeared to be
going somewhere around the corner of the school building. This
was odd, Iyat thought, because there really wasn't anything round
there to go to. Curious, Iyot followed, but by the
time she turned the corner, Sayne was nowhere to be seen.
All she could see was an old tennis ball, an
empty crisp packet, and a brick wall. A large rectangle
had been drawn on the wall with chalk, but there
was no sign of Zayne. Oddly there wasn't anywhere else
Sayne could have gone. Iyat tilted her large hippo head,
scratched her chin and gave up. She still needed to
find something to do, and there clearly wasn't anything going
on here. Zayin was in class when lunch time was over,
so Iyat didn't give it another thought until the next
day came around. Once again, during lunch time, Iyat saw
Zayne heading for the building's corner. This time, she intended
to be quicker, trotting to catch up. The hippo leaped
around the corner in time to see the rhino clutching
a small piece of white chalk He was half way
through tracing over the rectangle on the wall when he
stopped suddenly, almost guiltily, what are you doing, Ayot asked
er nothing, Sayin said, quickly, hiding the chalk behind him.
I saw you drawing, pointed out Ayot. Although that rectangle
was there yesterday. Why are you drawing over the top
of it? Zain let out a defeated huff. Fine, the
rhino said. I'll tell you, but only if you keep
it a secret. I'm the best at keeping secrets, Ayot said, proudly.
All right, Zaine said, taking a deep breath. I'm going
to wonder Wood. Wonderwood. But that's from your drawings, isn't it,
said Iyat. That's right, nodded the rhino. I have a
magic piece of chalk that opens the door. I go
to Wonderwood on adventures. What sort of adventures? Asked Iyat,
not completely sure she was believing a word. Say was saying,
I help magical creatures by using the power of my imagination,
he explained, as if it was a very ordinary thing
to say. So you're saying that Wonderwood is real, She
asked that you didn't make it up. Sain shook his head,
would would you like to see it? Still not sure
that he was telling the truth, Ayat replied, all right, then, yes,
please sayin reproduced the chalk and finished tracing the rectangle.
Once done, he held out his hand towards her. Ready,
he asked, I guess, so, she replied. Taking Zane's hand,
he pulled her towards the brickwork and walked straight through
the chalk door, as if there was no wall there
at all, finding herself in the most beautiful place she'd
ever seen. Everything was so bright and colorful, appearing to
sway slightly as if dancing along to music she couldn't hear.
The very air sparkled, catching her eye. That's magic, smiled
the rhino, Hizaine. A bright blue bird chirped, landing on
a branch above them. Hello, Zaine, called a chorus of
bees buzzing around some flowers. It's Zane, jeered a fish
as it raised its head from a nearby stream. Wow
everyone knows you, Iyat said. Yeah. They do seem to
like me, don't they said the rhino modestly. A rustling
amongst the branches signaled the arrival of a frantic squirrel.
Say thank goodness, you're back. Doctor Monotonous is trying to
destroy all of Wonderwood. You have to stop him. Who's
doctor Monotonous, Iyat asked. He's kind of evil, Sayin explained,
he doesn't like creativity or imagination. He wants everything to
be as dull and boring as he is, and you're
going to stop him, Iyat asked, in surprise, it won't
be the first time, smiled, saying, then can I come?
Iyat asked, If that so right, of course, Zaane smiled
broadly at that. I was hoping you'd say that. Now.
First of all, we need to find where doctor Monotonous
is hiding, and the best way to do that is
from the air. Why the air, asked Iyot, wondering exactly
how they were going to manage that. You'll see, Sane grinned.
The rhino began to concentrate very hard, then relaxed again.
Have a look at my feet, he said, IoT looked down.
You've got wings on your shoes. She giggled. Saine's little
wings started flapping fast, lifting him off the ground. Your turn,
he said, Think of something that can make you fly.
Iyat wasn't sure what to imagine. A plane aboard or
winged shoes like Zane's. Don't overthink it, the rhino said
from above her. Just go with whatever pops into your head.
How about, said Ayot, And out of nowhere, a fluffy
cloud grew beneath her feet, lifting her up into the
air like a flying carpet. Oh cloud travel, Saine said, impressed.
You got the hang of this quickly. The young hippo
followed Zane upwards on her cloud, high enough to show
wonderwood stretching out into the distance all around them. It
was huge. Look for anything that looks wrong, Zaine said,
as he circled in the air. There, she said, pointing
to a swampy area by the sea. Everything looked gray,
as if the color had been drained from the land.
The grass was withered and pale, the trees leaves had
turned sickly, and everything looked bleak and sad. That's it,
said sayin doctor Monotonous hates colorful things. The determined pair
were carried down to the edge of the swamp on
winged shoes and floating cloud, which disappeared the moment they
touched the ground. Sain then gestured for Iyot to follow. Quietly.
The swamp would have been difficult to cross, but Zain
imagined floating stone steps or giant lily pads to help
them on their way. Iyat was beginning to understand what
was needed. So you've faced Doctor Monotonous before, she asked
a few times. Sayin replied, he dislikes color and creativity,
and we'll do anything to make the world around him
boring and dull. If he was somehow able to take
all the fun out of Wonderwood imagination, magic wouldn't work
here any more. But you could put that right again,
couldn't you, Ayat asked No. By then it would be
too late. We'd never be able to come back, then,
explained saying, which is why we have to stop him
before it's too late. The rhino stopped suddenly, meaning Iyot
only narrowly avoided bumping into him. There he is, saye, whispered.
Iyat was imagining Doctor Monotonous to be a gigantic snake,
or a wolf with glowing red eyes, or even a
very nasty looking wasp. Instead, just beyond some tangled shrubs,
she saw an ordinary looking cow wearing a gray that's
Doctor Monotonous, she murmured. He doesn't look very interesting exactly,
Zaine replied, he doesn't like interesting. Follow me. He sprang
out from amongst the shrubs Iyat at his heels to
confront the evil doctor. The cow, though, didn't appear to
be that bothered. Ah Zaane, I was expecting you, said
Doctor Monotonous in a flat, monotone voice. How uninteresting that
you're here, although you seem to have brought a friend,
which I find rather annoying. The cow jabbed a hoof
towards Ayot, making the young hippo feel drained of energy.
At that moment, all she wanted to do was sit
down and do nothing. Don't let him make you boring,
say hollered. Come on, Iyat, you're much more fun than that.
Iyat shook her head and blinked her eyes. Hey, yes,
she was fun. She liked having fun. No, she loved
having fun. Feeling a rush of enthusiasm, Iat sprang back
to her feet, making Doctor Monotonous scowl. No matter, said
the cow. I'm more powerful now than i've ever been.
Your imagination is no longer strong enough to defeat me, say,
wasn't about to believe that, so imagined an enormous net
dropping out of the sky on to the villain. Sure enough,
the net appeared and dropped onto the cow, but the
doctor simply rolled his eyes and the net fizzled into nothing.
So Zain tried again. He imagined a huge cage appearing
around his foe to trap him inside, but when it appeared,
the doctor just yawned, as if bored by Zain's antics,
and the cage crumbled away to dust. I don't know
what to do, Zain gasped. His dulness is affecting my creativity.
He's not interested, and that's making whatever I imagine disappear.
What was worse, I Hat noticed was that everything around
them was getting grayer and paler by the second. The
cow was winning and Zain was struggling to think of
a way to get the upper hand. Maybe we're going
about this the wrong way. I At hissed, what do
you mean, Zain asked, keeping his voice low. He's used
to your ideas, Iyat explained, he's seen them before, but
he was surprised to see me. We need to be
more surprising. You mean, unusual, said Saine, looking impressed. Now
that's using your imagination. This is getting boring now, don't
you think, Doctor Monotonus said, just the way I like it.
What are you going to try next? A pit for
me to fall into, ropes to tie me up, a
giant bird to swoop down and carry me away. None
of that's very interesting, is it. What about a tea party,
I had, smirked. Doctor Monotonus looked visibly stunned as a
pretty tea set appeared between them, complete with a steaming
teapot and a selection of cakes. Iat and Zaine promptly
sat down, and I at began to pour, as if
it was the most normal thing in the world. What
are you doing, doctor Monotonous, blustered, what's all this? We're
not finished yet, Zain said, as he imagined a cluster
of palm trees dancing the macarana. This isn't right. You're
not supposed to spat the flustered doctor. Iat could see
the strangeness of their ideas was having an effect. The
cow couldn't even begin thinking of such things. I'm imagining
a swimming pool full of jelly, she giggled, and one
promptly materialized beside them. Zayin added to it by imagining
a blue giraffe diving into it. Stop it's too much.
Doctor Monotonous cried as more and more wacky things burst
into life about him. It's too colorful, too fun, too creative.
With a whimper, the cow faded away into nothing. We
did it, Iat cheered as their random bizarre ideas played
around them. He's gone. That was a great idea, Ayat,
Saye said, that was really imaginative thinking. He's wonderwood saved,
the hippo replied, as the world around them became colorful again.
For now, said Saye, until the next problem. We really
should be heading back. Lunch time's nearly over. He imagined
a wall much like the one on the side of
the school building and sketched out a door with the
magic chalk. I don't want to go, Iyat admitted, although
she knew that she had to then come back with
me to morrow, said the rhino. Iat grinned and said,
now that's something I can imagine myself doing. Animal fact,
there are five species of rhino in the world. You're
probably most familiar with the right rhinos and black rhinos
of Africa, but there are a further three species found
in Asia. Common hippos are one of the largest land
mammals on the planet. There is another hippo species, the
pygmy hippo, which is much smaller. Hippos spend much of
their time in and under the water and are able
to hold their breath for five minutes. Thank you for
your suggestions, Ayat, We hope that you all enjoyed the story.
Wherever you're listening in the world, make sure you join
us next time for another great animal. Tell good bye,