Do the zebra's stripes have any purpose?

I don't know about fables ( of the Kipling or Aesop variety) but there was a rather catchy juvenile song aired on Captain Kangaroo many years ago and done in cooperation with a zoo in Massapequa as I recall-=the song title was : The Horse in Striped pajamas! One might add a good (party animal) for the Politicans are Crooks party- we"ve earned our stripes in the Big House- they would run on , of course, the Paterson Plank ! (Paterson Plank road was largely maintained by Convict labor!)