How the Baboon Got His Red Bottom

Come, children, and let me share with you a tale that will make you laugh and think at the same time. This is the story of Kwaku the Baboon, who learned that pride comes before a very embarrassing fall!

The Most Handsome Baboon

In the early days of the world, when animals were still deciding how they would look forever after, there lived a baboon named Kwaku who was convinced he was the most handsome creature in all creation.

Now, you must understand, in those days Kwaku looked quite different than baboons do today. His fur was a magnificent golden brown, sleek and shining like polished wood. His tail was perfectly proportioned, his face was noble and symmetrical, and his bottom—well, his bottom was the same beautiful golden brown as the rest of him.

But most importantly to Kwaku, he had no red markings anywhere on his body.

“Look at me,” Kwaku would announce every morning as he groomed himself by the river. “Have you ever seen such perfection? Such symmetry? Such absolutely flawless beauty?”

He would spend hours each day admiring his reflection in the water, turning this way and that to appreciate his magnificence from every angle.

“That Elephant thinks he’s impressive with his big size,” Kwaku would scoff. “But size means nothing compared to true beauty. And that Peacock, showing off his gaudy tail feathers—so ostentatious! True elegance is subtle, like mine.”

The other animals grew tired of Kwaku’s constant boasting. Antelope would roll her eyes when he passed. Turtle would pull his head into his shell to avoid listening to another speech about baboon superiority. Even patient old Elephant would trumpet in exasperation when Kwaku began his daily recitation of his own wonderful qualities.

The Fire God’s Workshop

Now, in those days, Ogun the Fire God was still busy perfecting his creations. He had a great workshop in the sky where he painted the final colors on animals, gave birds their songs, and put the finishing touches on all the creatures of the earth.

Word came down from the heavens that Ogun was ready to add the final beautiful decorations to any animal who wished to be even more lovely than they already were.

“Wonderful!” exclaimed Peacock. “Perhaps I can get even more spectacular feathers!”

“Marvelous!” trumpeted Elephant. “Maybe I can have beautiful patterns on my skin!”

But Kwaku just yawned. “Decorations? Improvements? Please. I am already perfect exactly as I am. What could the Fire God possibly add to such flawless beauty?”

Despite his proclaimed disinterest, when the other animals began their journey to Ogun’s workshop, Kwaku found himself following along. Not because he needed any improvements, of course, but simply to show the Fire God what true perfection looked like.

The Celestial Workshop

Ogun’s workshop was a marvel to behold. Fires burned in every color of the rainbow, paints bubbled in massive pots, and brushes as large as palm fronds hung from the walls. The Fire God himself was massive and powerful, with arms like tree trunks and eyes that glowed like embers.

“Welcome, my beautiful creatures,” Ogun’s voice rumbled like distant thunder. “I am ready to give each of you a special mark of beauty that will make you unique among all animals. Who would like to go first?”

Zebra stepped forward shyly. “Great Ogun, might I have some interesting patterns?”

The Fire God smiled and began painting magnificent black stripes across Zebra’s white coat. When he finished, Zebra looked in the mirror and gasped with delight.

“Next!” called Ogun.

Leopard bounded forward. “Could I perhaps have some spotted markings?”

Soon Leopard wore the most beautiful rosette spots, each one perfectly placed across his golden coat.

One by one, the animals received their special markings. Giraffe got his distinctive patches, Tiger got his bold stripes, and Cheetah received her elegant spots designed for speed.

Kwaku watched all this with growing disdain. “How vulgar,” he muttered. “All these gaudy decorations. True beauty needs no artificial enhancements.”

The Moment of Truth

Finally, Ogun turned to Kwaku. “And what about you, Baboon? What special marking would you like to make you even more beautiful?”

Kwaku drew himself up to his full height and puffed out his chest proudly. “Great Fire God,” he declared in a voice loud enough for all to hear, “I appreciate the offer, but I must respectfully decline. You see, I am already absolutely perfect exactly as I am. Any addition would only diminish my natural magnificence.”

A hush fell over the workshop. The other animals stared at Kwaku in shock. No one had ever refused Ogun’s gift before.

The Fire God’s eyes began to glow brighter. “Are you saying, Baboon, that my artistic skills could not improve upon your appearance?”

Kwaku, too proud to back down now, nodded confidently. “Exactly! While these other animals clearly needed your help to become beautiful, I was born perfect. Adding anything to perfection would be like… like painting spots on the sun or putting stripes on the rainbow!”

Ogun’s Growing Anger

The temperature in the workshop began to rise. Ogun’s fires burned brighter, and his voice took on a dangerous edge.

“So you believe you are more beautiful than anything I could create? You think your natural appearance is superior to my artistic talents?”

“Well,” Kwaku said, still obliviously confident, “I wouldn’t want to hurt your feelings, but… yes. Some of us are simply born with gifts that cannot be improved upon.”

The other animals began backing away. They had heard stories about what happened when the Fire God became truly angry, and the temperature in the workshop was now almost unbearable.

“I see,” Ogun said quietly, which was somehow more frightening than his thunderous voice had been. “Perhaps then you would like to demonstrate your superior beauty to everyone here?”

“Gladly!” Kwaku exclaimed. He began striking poses, showing off his sleek fur and perfectly proportioned features. “Notice the elegant lines, the flawless symmetry, the complete absence of any need for artificial decoration!”

For his grand finale, Kwaku decided to show off his most graceful feature—his perfectly formed bottom. He turned around, lifted his tail high, and presented his rear end for all to admire.

“And this,” he announced proudly, “is perhaps the most perfectly formed—”

The Fire God’s Gift

That was exactly the moment when Ogun lost his patience.

“PERFECT, IS IT?” the Fire God roared, his voice shaking the entire workshop.

With one massive hand, he grabbed the largest brush in his workshop—a brush dripping with the brightest, reddest paint he had ever created. And with one swift motion, he slapped it directly onto Kwaku’s upturned bottom.

SPLAT!

The paint was not only blindingly red, but also magically hot from Ogun’s fires. Kwaku let out a shriek that could be heard across three villages and leaped straight up into the air, clutching his burning bottom.

“YEEEEEOOOOOOWWWWW!” he howled, dancing around the workshop in pain and embarrassment.

“There!” Ogun declared, his anger satisfied. “Now you have received my artistic touch after all! And since you were so proud of your bottom, that’s exactly where you’ll wear my mark for all the world to see!”

The Eternal Reminder

Poor Kwaku tried everything to remove the bright red paint. He sat in the river for hours. He rubbed against trees until his skin was raw. He rolled in mud, scrubbed with leaves, and even asked the other animals for help.

But Ogun’s paint was magical, and it would not come off. Worse still, it seemed to grow brighter and more noticeable each day.

“Don’t worry,” kind Elephant tried to comfort him. “Perhaps it will fade with time.”

But it never did. And when Kwaku had children, they too were born with bright red bottoms. And their children after them, and their children after them.

To this day, every baboon in the world carries Ogun’s mark—a bright red bottom that serves as a permanent reminder of the day one baboon’s pride made him think he was too perfect for the Fire God’s gifts.

The Lesson Learned

As for Kwaku himself, the experience taught him a valuable lesson about humility. He never again boasted about his perfection, and he learned to appreciate the unique beauty in all the other animals.

“You know,” he admitted to his reflection one day, “maybe those spots and stripes aren’t so bad after all. At least the other animals got to choose where their decorations went!”

And though he was embarrassed by his red bottom for the rest of his life, Kwaku did learn to laugh about it eventually. After all, laughter is sometimes the best medicine for wounded pride.

The other animals learned something too. They discovered that while it’s good to appreciate your own gifts, it’s dangerous to think you’re better than everyone else—especially when there are Fire Gods around with paintbrushes!

Why Baboons Sit So Carefully

There’s one more part to this story that the elders love to tell. Have you ever noticed how carefully baboons sit down? How they always check their sitting spot first, and lower themselves very slowly and gently?

That’s because every baboon remembers the story of their ancestor Kwaku, and his painful encounter with Ogun’s hot paint. They know that sitting down too quickly or carelessly might remind them—quite uncomfortably—of the consequences of too much pride.

So the next time you see a baboon taking his time to sit down, you’ll know he’s being wise. He’s remembering that pride comes before a fall—or in his case, before a very hot, very red, and very embarrassing bottom!

And that, my children, is why we say: “Be proud of your gifts, but not so proud that you forget to be humble. For the Fire God has many paintbrushes, and they’re all bigger than you think!”

This tale reminds us to appreciate our blessings while respecting others, and to remember that true beauty comes from kindness and humility, not from thinking we’re better than everyone else.