“The sad little elephant child, stood up and dashed his trunk to the ground in despair.”
“‘All the others have gone to the festival and I have been left behind,’ he wailed .’For I am too small, by far, to be seen in the parade.’”
“To this the crow replied. ‘We have things to do and places to see,’ he proclaimed, ‘and we don’t need a procession to be seen.’
“So he and a little grey elephant child left the sunny place by the temple and headed for the great mango tree by the swamp.”
“‘Is it very far away?’ the elephant child asked.’”
“‘You will see.’“
“They came through shady paths eating bananas that fell ripe and yellow through the green, green leaves of the trees. Either through the incessant pecking of the little black crow or pulled down by the trunk of the elephant child.”
“Soon they came upon the great mango tree.”
“‘Here it is friend, not far at all.’”
“The elephant child then saw the most wondrous sight. There were children everywhere and when they saw him they let out screams of joy!” (children’s voices in unison- ‘yay’)
“He was hesitant at first as all careful elephant children are. He stood there swaying gently from side to side snorting softly and moving his weakly trunk about.” (children’s laughter)
“‘Go on, friend,’ urged the crow, with soft and incessant pecks.”
“When he did he found that the children were not going to hurt him but fuss over him.”
“‘Look at his trunk.’”
“His trunk was inspected from every angle, children giggling when they felt the occasional breeze.”
“‘See his ears.’
“His prominent ears were praised as they waggled back and forth.”
“‘Feel his skin.’
“Small hands rubbed the prickly little hairs on his sides and back.”
“They fed him rice balls, coconut meat, sugar cane and mangoes. His little tummy was fit to burst.”
“The day wore on. Eventually a few pecks on the head reminded him that it was time to go. As he left the children followed him till he was out of sight. None of them would forget that afternoon.”
“It was late when the elephant child got back. The big elephants had returned and they were cross about their day.”
‘They were not fed at all’, they complained. ‘They had to march and stand in the hot sun.’”
“‘The people played loud music next to his sensitive ear.’ The elephants grumbled, and snorted and threw dust in the air.”
“The elephant child just smiled quietly with his new friend, the little black crow.”
Source: (1)
“Narration by Steve Hanulee”
“Illustration by Phani Tetali”
“Story, Music, and Editing by Mahesh Vallath”
“Special thanks to Chandrasekhar Vallath” (end 5:37)
Images and transcribed from “‘The Elephant Child’ Story for Children Bedtime Story For Kids” by Grandma’s House YT CH (1)
Source:
(1) https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=gCj4fnSolcM
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