This is the sort of story that we in print journalism once called “a talker”.

Not necessarily important. Not necessarily meaningful. But the sort of story you repeat to someone when making conversation.

When this story was outlined at the news meeting, it was clear it was going to run at length (but not on the cover), and that it might be the best-read story inside the paper.

To wit: The gift camel presented by the nation of Mali to Francois Hollande, the French president … was eaten by the Malian family who had been given charge of the beast.

An incident international!

Here is the story, which appeared in The National.

France became deeply involved in Mali, a former colony, sending 4,000 troops there when Islamic extremists came close to taking over the country.

In a show of gratitude, Mali officials presented Holland with a camel, and the French prez left it with a family in the African country.

Who killed and ate it.

France’s defense minister was given the job of checking up on the camel, and he broke it to Holland that le chameau had become dinner for its keepers.

My favorite part of the story are the quotes from a Mali government official.

“As soon as we heard of this, we quickly replaced it with a bigger and better-looking camel. The new camel will be sent to Paris. We are ashamed of hat happened to the camel. It was a present that did not deserve this fate.”

So, the camel is on its way to France … and to safety?

Given that the French eat horses, rabbits, frogs and snails … the next camel may be at risk, as well.