Ronald the Rhino stepped out in the sun,
With a parasol, waistcoat and raspberry bun.
“The weather is splendid!” he cried with delight,
Then challenged the postman to wrestle a kite.

By ten he was warm, but by twelve he was slow,
And his legs had forgotten which way they should go.
His eyesight grew fuzzy, his thinking went spare,
So he solemnly parked himself under a chair.

He ordered three icebergs, a fan and a flume,
And installed an Antarctic breeze in his room.
He filled up his hat with a bucket of snow,
Then announced, “I am chilled from my horn to my toe!”

But sunshine kept sneaking through cracks in the blind,
And scrambled his footsteps and muddled his mind.
So Ronald withdrew with magnificent pride,
To a paddling pool filled with cold custard inside.

By evening the heat had begun to retreat,
And Ronald discovered the use of his feet.
He rose from his custard, refreshed and restored,
Then galloped downstairs on an ironing board.

He saluted the sunset and cried, “What a day!”
As his iceberg and waistcoat went sailing away.
Then he raised up his parasol, regal and cool—

And declared himself King of the Custard-Pool.

Life Lesson: Even a rhino sometimes needs to find a patch of shade.