Chino, the clever little elephant
Once upon a time, there was a little elephant, called Chino. When Chino became 3 years old, he started to go to the pre-school for elephants, and one afternoon he made some new friends. His purple friend was called Hercules, and his blue friend was called Cheeky. As they were playing around in the river that crossed the garden of the pre-school, they were talking about how they received their names.
- I was named after my grandfather - started Hercules. - He was a big, purple elephant and I am going to be just like him, when I grow up. He lived with humans and helped them, because he let them sit on his back, and took them wherever they wanted. -
- I got my name because my mother says I am just like her brother, Uncle Cheeky, who was always thinking of something cheeky to do in pre-school, just like me. They say that he liked to splash the girls, just like I do. Look! - And the little blue elephant dipped his trunk in the water and splashed all the girls around him.
- And you, how did you get your name, Chino? - asked his friend from the baby elephant.
But Chino had no idea how he got his name. Until that day, he didn’t even know that names had meaning. So, when his mother came to get him from school, he asked her:
- Mum, why is my name Chino? -
- Because you look very much like your great-grandfather, whose nickname was Chino. - answered his mother.
- And why did he have this nickname? - went on the little elephant.
- Because he was a huge elephant, who unfortunately couldn’t see just how huge he was. So, when he went somewhere, he broke everything around him. Once he went to a china shop, because it was full of beautiful, shiny teacups and pots and plates, and these amazed him. But when his mother (your great-grandmother) called after him - Trumpet (because his name back then was Trumpet), come out of there - he got so scared that as he turned around, he broke every piece of the shiny china in the shop with his bottom and his trunk.The humans became very angry with him, and so they put a sign up on the doors of every china shop saying: - Elephants can’t enter. - Since then, elephant can’t go to china shops, and since then your great-grandfather had the nickname Chino.
- And am I like him? - asked the little elephant.
- Well, darling, if you are running towards someone, you aren’t aware of your speed and strength. Remember, the other day when you wanted to greet your grandma, you nearly knocked her over. And that time when you wanted to pat your little brother while he was sleeping, but you swung so strongly with your trunk, that he woke up and couldn’t go back to sleep after that. Or when you trot over to see the flowers, but you don’t stop in time and always step on them. You have to learn darling, that we elephants are huge animals, with enormous strength, which we have to control in order to not hurt others. -
Chino thought for a very long time about what his mother had told him. At first it disturbed him that he got his name after his great-grandfather. His mother saw this, and patted him lightly on the back and said:
- I know that you are just as clever as your great-granddad, Chino -
- But he wasn’t clever at all - replied the baby elephant.
- When he got his nickname, he wasn’t. But later on he became the cleverest elephant in India. He built bridges and rooftops, and the humans always called him, whenever they needed this kind of help. You should be proud that you got his name - explained his mother.
Chino thought a little more about this before he went to sleep. He thought about his great-grandfather and the china shop, and he thought of how he could prove that he was just as clever as he was. It was nearly dawn, when he finally dozed off.
The next day, on his way to pre-school, he was still thinking about this. But when he saw the flowers on the side of the street, he started to trot over to them, to smell them, just like he did every other morning.
However, this morning was different, because as he was trotting, he remembered what his mother had told him about his great-grandfather, and that he wanted to be just as clever as Chino Senior was. So he slowed down just in time, before he reached the flowers. He stretched his head towards the flowers gently picked one of them with his trunk and then gave it to his mother.
- Look mum, I got this for you, and I didn’t step on any of the other flowers - said Chino.
- Thank you, darling. You really are a clever little elephant - said his mother and hugged her son happily.
And when Chino grew up, he really became just as strong and clever as his great-grandfather had been. And Chino was very proud of his name.
The end
What are your really clever at?
What is the thing you still need to practice doing?