This is a collaborative story made from all the twinspace members of Zarafa's suitcase project.

 

Once upon a time, deep in Egypt, the pasha ordered Mustafa to find and capture a giraffe. He was going to send the giraffe as a gift to king Charles of France, so that he would help him and not Greeks to the war.

Mustafa was travelling for days,

until he found Zarafa, a beautiful giraffe eating some tree leaves.

Mustafa tricked Zarafa and captured her.

He led Zarafa to Alexandria's Harbor, where a ship was waiting.

Zarafa travelled to France with a ship. Also cows were travelling with her so as to drink milk every day. She was kept in the hold of the ship and her head was appearing because she had a long neck.

After overwintering in Marseille, to rest and acclimatize to her new surroundings, fearing the dangers of transporting her to Paris around the Iberian peninsula and up the Atlantic coast of France, it was decided that the next leg of her journey to Paris would be on foot. They even made for her a yellow coat and boots!!!!!

Mustafa tied her neck with a rope and the long walk for Paris begun. Zarafa was scared and sad.

As the long walk begun people came to the side of the road to look at this tall animal. It was the first time they had ever seen such a creature.

People looked at her strangely because she had such a long neck, so tall legs and her color was very nice. She was so beautiful.

But Zarafa also looked around her with curiosity. Everything was so strange. The people who were so different the people in Africa. Even the animals were different. 

All she wanted and dreamed was to be back in the African savanna, were she could eat leaves from the trees and enjoy the hot sun. Oh how she missed her home!

After the long walk, the cold, all those curious people they arrived at the palace in Paris. Zarafa didn't know what will happen next and felt unhappy and homesick but curious of what would happen to her.

After lengthy preparations, the cavalcade set out on 20 May 1827. Zarafa was already 15 cm taller than when she arrived in Marseilles.

 

At every step of her 500 mile route, crowds poured out to witness this marvel from Africa. The walk to Paris took 41 days and during her trip she was called The Beautiful Animal of the King (le bel animal du roi). Zarafa’s arrival in Paris caused a delirium to Parisians.

She was presented to the King of France at the chateau of Saint-Cloud in Paris. Zarafa became the darling of the nation.

 

As expected a “giraffemania” swept the country. Women began wearing very tall hairstyles à la girafe and clothing with giraffe spots.

Manufacturers raced to produce wares to feed the insatiable public appetite for giraffe-themed goods, producing her image on everything from fabric, á la giraffe furniture, wallpaper, porcelain. Even soap were decorated with a giraffe pattern! So many ceramics were painted with giraffe images. Earthenware giraffe plates were very popular after the arrival of Zarafa.  

Manufacturers raced to produce wares to feed the insatiable public appetite for giraffe-themed goods, producing her image on everything from fabric, á la giraffe furniture, wallpaper, porcelain. Even soap were decorated with a giraffe pattern! So many ceramics were painted with giraffe images. Earthenware giraffe plates were very popular after the arrival of Zarafa.  

 

 

 

Zarafa managed to get away from the zoo. She packed her suitcase and she was ready to travel all around Europe! It was a great opportunity for her to visit so many different places. She went to the train station... She couldn' t decide where to go...so she descended from the train in any place she liked... She was at last the happier giraffe!!!