On a shiny green leaf

sat a small green chameleon.

You could hardly see it.

It moved onto a brown tree

and turned

brownish.

Then it rested on a red flower

and turned

reddish.

When the chameleon moved slowly across the yellow sand,

it turned

yellowish.

When it was cold and hungry,

it turned grey and dull.

It sat still

and waited.

Only its eyes moved.

Up,

down, sideways,

until it spotted a fly.

The chameleon’s long and sticky tongue shot out

and caught the fly.

When it was warm and had something to eat

it turned sparkling green.

That was its life.

It was not very exciting.

But one day...

...the chameleon saw a zoo!

It had never seen so many beautiful animals.

The chameleon thought:

How small I am,

how slow,

how weak!

I wish I could be big and white like a polar bear.

And the chameleon’s wish came true.

But was it happy?

No!

I wish I could be handsome

like a flamingo.

I wish I could be smart

like a fox.

I wish I could swim

like a fish.

I wish I could run

like a deer.

I wish I could see things far away

like a giraffe.

I wish I could hide in a shell

like a turtle.

I wish I could be strong

like an elephant.

I wish I could be funny

like a seal.

I wish I could be like people.

Just then

a fly flew by.

The chameleon was very hungry.

But the chameleon

was very mixed-up.

It was a little of this and it was a little of that.

And it couldn’t catch the fly.

I wish I could be myself.

The chameleon’s wish came true.

And it caught the fly!