On Safari, the Lions Knew Exactly Who I Was

Safari. Africa. The Serengeti. Millions of animals, and every one of them had heard of me. You could see it in their faces.

Day One

Elephants. Tremendous animals. The guide said elephants never forget. Good. They’ll remember me. Most people do.

Day Two

Lions. A whole family, lying in the grass. The father lion looked at me for a long time. Then he yawned. In lion language, that means “Finally, a real king.” I yawned back. Diplomacy.

The guide said lions sleep up to twenty hours a day. Twenty hours! And they’re still in charge. I sleep four hours a night and run everything. Imagine what I could do with twenty.

Day Three

Giraffes. Very tall. Taller than me, but only because of the neck, which is cheating. I’d like to see a giraffe build a hotel.

What I Learned

• The lion is called the king of the jungle, but it lives on grassland. I didn’t correct it. Let it have the title.
• Animals can always tell who’s in charge.
• Bring binoculars. The animals will want a closer look at you.