PostPoems Be Artistic. Be Creative. Be Inspired!

Many years ago in the African Savannah, there lived many animals. Among all of the species, lived an Old Rhino and a young tiny Oxpecker. No one would thought that this two animals would get along but curiously they were very good friends. The Oxpecker enjoyed spending time with the Rhino and she followed the Rhino around throughout the whole Savannah. Everyday the old Rhino would talk about all the experiences he had lived along his very long life while the Oxpecker ate all of the insects that crawled all along the Rhino’s back. Now and then the Oxpecker got kind of distracted and pinched the Rhino’s back by accident. Whenever this happened the Rhino made a great deal about it, he yelled and made the Oxpecker feel very guilty about the situation. One day, the old Rhino and the Oxpecker were enjoying an amazing day in a warm mud pool near a pond.  The Oxpecker lost her concentration and instead of eating one of  the insects, she accidentally bit the Rhino’s back. Even though his skin was thick, he still felt the pang of pain in his back. The Old Rhino over reacted as usual, the Oxpecker knew that was a normal reaction do to the Rhino’s age. This time was different,  the old Rhino screamed at the Oxpecker and told her to go away and to never come back because he was too old and tired of being poked by her pointy beak.”Aren’t you a useless one! Leave me alone! Leave! What do you even do? All day, all you do is eat off my back and rest! You are truly a terrible friend. Leave me alone forever,” he screamed. The Oxpecker was truly hurt by the Old Rhino’s harsh word but she obeyed. She fled and left the Rhino alone like he asked. The days passed and the Rhino grew lonely but he was too proud to admit it. He spent his days like always, laying by the pond and muttering his old stories to himself. One of those days he noticed that his back was unusually itchy. Soon the tickling grew into acute pain. His back had become infested with insects who were biting him all over his skin. He cried for help but no one came. He noticed the Oxpecker sitting on a nearby branch looking at him. “Help me!” he howled. The Oxpecker flew towards him and stopped just before him. “I won’t help you unless you apologize, “ she said. The Old Rhino frowned. “Why should I apologize?” he asked. She explained: “I was your friend and I enjoyed helping you but you took me for granted and treated me badly. Now you’re too proud to admit that you need me!” The Rhino kept quiet and thinking about what the Oxpecker has just said. The Rhino decided to apologize to the Oxpecker. He decided to ask the Oxpecker if she wanted to be friends with him again. After a while the Oxpecker ate all of the insects in the Rhino’s back. Both the Oxpecker and the Rhino became friends again. The Rhino kept telling his stories while the Oxpecker patiently listened to the stories and ate the insects.