Gentoo, the Gentoo Penguin's Proposal

Gentoo, the gentoo penguin, who lived in the Antarctic, had fallen head over heels in love. He wanted to propose to his lady, and for that he needed a rock.

Without a rock, it wasn't possible to get a female gentoo's good opinion.

Gentoo set off one morning.

He searched all day until he found a real beauty. It was a flat and oval rock, shiny and smooth.

Gentoo picked it up. His lady would love it, he knew.

Gentoo was thrilled. But no sooner had he taken a few steps than a penguin called Gory came up from behind.

And pecked Gentoo right where it hurt.

"OW!" Gentoo squawked. "STOP THAT!"

As soon as he said that, his rock fell out of his mouth.

Gory, the nastiest penguin in the colony, pounced on it.

“Hey,” Gentoo said. “Give that back to me! That is mine!”

Gentoo attacked Gory, determined to get his rock back.

When Gentoo finally snapped his beak around his rock again, Gory went crazy. Gory pecked Gentoo all over - at Gentoo's shoulder, Gentoo's front, Gentoo's behind.

It hurt so bad Gentoo wanted to scream.

But Gentoo didn't say OW. He didn't say THAT HURT. He didn't say STOP IT. If he opened his mouth, he would lose his rock.

Finally, hurt and bleeding, he reached his lady... and dropped the rock in front of her. But his lady didn't look at his rock.

She stared at Gentoo.

Oh, Gentoo thought. I look horrible! He had tufts of feathers missing. He had blood dripping down his front. His back! His sides! Who would fall in love with a gentoo who looked like he could not even defend himself?

Even as he stood, miserable, his lady picked up the rock.

HA! Gentoo thought, smiling broadly.

Take that, he hissed to Gory. And walked off with his lady.