How the Whale Became

and Other Stories

Ted Hughes

• Publisher: Faber & Faber
• eBook ISBN:
  9780571278831
• Year: 2011

This collection of eleven evocative, accessible and funny stories for children of 5+ tells how a particular animal came to be as it is now. The Whale grew up in God's vegetable patch but was banished to sea when he became too large and crushed all His carrots; the Polar Bear was lured to the North Pole by the other animals who were jealous that she always won the annual beauty contest; the Hare has asked the moon to marry him but can never stretch his ears high enough to hear her reply; the Bee must sip honey all day long to sweeten the bitter demon that runs through his veins . . . each story is a delight for reading alone or aloud.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Dedication
• Table of Contents
• Why the Owl Behaves as it does
• How the Whale Became
• How the Fox Came to be where it is
• How the Polar Bear Became
• How the Hyena Became
• How the Tortoise Became
• How the Bee Became
• How the Cat Became
• How the Donkey Became
• How the Hare Became
• How the Elephant Became
• About the Author
• By the Same Author
• Copyright