A jackal embarks on a journey of self-expression in this story inspired by a fable by Persian poet Rumi

One lone jackal doesn’t feel like he belongs to his pack. Jackals are meant to hunt other animals and scavenge from villages, but this jackal is more interested in befriending his prey and studying the villagers. One day, while watching a little girl painting a peacock, the jackal is mesmerized by the vibrant colors and proceeds to paint himself with dabs and dots and splashes. When he’s done, he says, “I am a work of art.”

Unfortunately, when the jackal insists that he is a peacock, the other animals reject him and insist that he is not. When a fall in the river washes his beautiful colors away, the jackal’s sorrowful howl is heard by his pack, who comes to his aid and lovingly repaints his dabs and dots and splashes. When they finish, they say, “You are a peacock who howls with jackals.”

Beautifully illustrated with PanPastel and colored pencil, this ode to self-acceptance and empathy emphasizes the importance of embracing one’s true self and finding a supportive community.