In the vast savannah, where the sun shone brightly and the trees stood tall, lived a young giraffe named Goro. Goro was the tallest animal in the entire savannah. His long neck allowed him to reach the highest leaves on the tallest trees, and he loved how everyone would look up to him when they saw him walking by.

One afternoon, while Goro was munching on some leaves from a tree, he noticed a group of animals below him. There were zebras, antelopes, and elephants. Goro looked down at them and thought, “I’m so much taller and bigger than all of them. They must think I’m important!”

Feeling proud, Goro walked over to the zebras, who were grazing peacefully on the grass. He looked down at them and said, “You should be careful where you eat. You’re too short to reach the good leaves, like I can. You’re lucky I’m so tall, or you’d never get to enjoy the best food in the savannah.”

The zebras, a little startled, said nothing but continued munching quietly. Goro didn’t notice that his words had hurt them. He walked on and saw a group of antelopes playing nearby. Goro stretched his neck and looked down at them. “You know,” he said with a laugh, “you all are so small, you could never be as graceful as I am. Just look at how high I can reach!”

The antelopes looked up, but instead of replying, they ran off to another part of the savannah. Goro felt proud again, thinking they were just too shy to talk to him. He then spotted an elephant drinking from a waterhole. The giant elephant was much bigger than Goro, but Goro still felt he could teach the elephant something.

He walked up to the elephant and said, “You may be big, but you’re not as tall as me! I can see the world from so high up, while you can only see what’s right in front of you.”

The elephant looked at Goro with a calm gaze. “Being tall doesn’t make you better than anyone else, Goro,” the elephant said kindly. “In fact, sometimes it makes you miss what’s right in front of you. Every animal, big or small, has something important to offer the savannah. It’s not about how tall you are—it’s about respecting others, no matter their size.”

Goro was surprised. He had always thought being tall made him special, but the elephant’s words made him think. He spent the next few days wandering the savannah, watching how the other animals worked together. He saw how the small birds helped the other animals by picking bugs off their backs. He saw how the zebras worked together to protect each other from danger, and how the elephants used their strength to help move trees and clear paths for the others.

Goro realized that he had been wrong to look down on the other animals just because he was taller. He understood that respect wasn’t about size, and that every animal, no matter how big or small, had something valuable to contribute.

The next day, Goro approached the zebras, the antelopes, and the elephant with a humble heart. “I’m sorry,” he said, lowering his head. “I shouldn’t have looked down on any of you. Being tall doesn’t make me better, and I now understand that respect comes from treating everyone with kindness, no matter their size.”

The zebras and antelopes smiled, and the elephant nodded approvingly. From that day on, Goro made sure to treat every animal with respect, whether they were tall or small, fast or slow. And as he learned to look at the world from a place of kindness, he found that his heart grew even taller than his neck.

Moral:

Height, strength, or appearance don’t make you better than others. True respect comes from how you treat everyone, no matter their size or differences.

Parenting Tip: Use this story to teach your child about respect and equality. Discuss with them how everyone has unique qualities that contribute to the world and why it’s important to treat others with kindness and understanding, no matter their appearance or abilities.

Fun Questions for Curious Kids:

• Why did Goro think he was better than the other animals at first?
• How did the elephant help Goro understand the meaning of respect?
• What did Goro learn by observing the other animals in the savannah?
• Can you think of a time when someone was kind to you, even if you were different from them?
• How do you feel when someone respects your ideas or efforts?
• Why is it important to respect people who might not look or act like you?
• If you were Goro, how would you help the smaller animals in the savannah?
• What are some ways you can show respect to your friends and family?
• Do you think being tall, strong, or smart makes someone better than others? Why or why not?
• How can respecting others make the world a better place?

Did You Know? Fun Facts About Giraffes and Savannah Animals:

1. Giraffes are the tallest land animals on Earth, with males growing up to 18 feet tall!
2. A giraffe’s tongue can be 18–20 inches long and is dark blue to protect it from the sun.
3. Giraffes only need 5–30 minutes of sleep a day—they nap standing up!
4. Zebras have unique stripe patterns, just like human fingerprints.
5. Elephants are incredible problem solvers and are known for their strong memory.
6. Antelopes are known for their speed and agility, helping them escape predators.
7. Giraffes have the same number of neck vertebrae as humans—seven—but theirs are much larger!
8. The savannah is home to over 2 million animals, including lions, cheetahs, and wildebeests.
9. Elephants can communicate through vibrations in the ground, called seismic communication.
10. Giraffes can run up to 35 mph over short distances.

Activity Idea:

“Respectful Savannah Art”
Create a collaborative drawing of the savannah with your child! Draw Goro the giraffe, the zebras, antelopes, elephants, and other animals working together. While drawing, discuss the unique traits of each animal and how they all contribute to the ecosystem. Write a word or phrase that represents each animal’s strength (e.g., “fast,” “strong,” “wise”) to emphasize diversity and respect.

Download Free Coloring Pages Related To This Story

Bring the story to life with coloring pages designed to spark creativity and make story time even more fun. Coloring helps kids express their creativity, improve focus, and reinforce the story’s themes in a fun, engaging way. After reading together, let them bring the story to life with colors!

Click on any of the free coloring pages below to download or print it!