Hank the Handsome Honey Badger was the best cook in the savannah.

His relentlessness in finding the best ingredients set him apart.

Today’s recipe was simple, but the meal was special.

He was preparing it for Wendy the Warthog.

The poor thing had broken her leg escaping from hungry hyenas.

The recipe demanded ingredients especially difficult to get.

Hank outwrestled a plump python. It would make tasty meat for the stew.

He endured more than a hundred bee stings while collecting nectar and honey for the drink.

Deadly scorpions showed their displeasure at him digging up their home while foraging for amadumbe.

Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!

A puff adder nipped him while he was collecting berries and wild tomatoes.

Puff adder venom is nasty business.

It took Hank several hours to shake it off.

Before long, he arrived at the corner of Warthog Avenue and Baobab Street.

The friends savoured the stew, sipping nectar while laughing at the grumpy bullfrogs croaking at the noisy crickets.

“This is your best dish yet,” said Wendy, her tongue searching her face for leftovers.

“It must’ve been an awful chore to prepare.”

“Not at all,” Hank replied airily. “All in a day’s work, really. Just you wait for the mouth-watering puff adder steak I’ve got lined up for tomorrow!”