Overview: You see there was a time when Hippo did have hair - lots of hair! She was always harrumphingly hot. Then one hot night while Hippo was sleeping, a spark from the fire caught the end of her hairy tail. Hippo was on fire! She ran through the bush until she jumped in the waterhole. From that day on Hippo stayed in the cool waters without a single hair on her hide. Tales from Africa.