The Deer Who Liked Everything Clean

Gadi Taub takes us again to Africa and tells us with humor about a young deer who, like the giraffe in his previous book, suffers from a psychological problem, this time an obsession with cleanliness.

He spends hours cleaning – his sink is never full of dishes, the trash can is always clean, and his floor sparkles like a mirror. He doesn’t invite his friend the monkey to his house, because his paws are muddy and his fur has bits of grass in it. Even the thought of dirt makes the deer go and take a shower. Of course, the deer isn’t a happy creature, and he’s particularly jealous of his brother, who works as a mail courier – he takes packages to far-off places, sees the world and has amazing adventures. But then, Deer’s brother doesn’t mind that his work makes him sweat and dirty.

One day, the panther storms into the deer’s house and tells him that his brother the courier is drowning in a swamp. Without thinking twice, the deer gallops to the swamp and starts pulling his brother out. He doesn’t even notice that he’s getting muddy. The other animals join in, and the courier brother is rescued. There’s great joy, and the brothers hug each other. Our excited deer doesn’t mind anymore that his brother is muddy and sweaty. He even rolls about on the ground with his friend the monkey until it’s hard to tel them apart. And from that day on, the deer is no longer afraid of dirt, and he also works as a courier, crossing mountains and deserts, running and sweating, and feeling great satisfaction.