An Indian fable about an elephant and a monkey

The Elephant and the Monkey

This is adapted from an Indian fable in A Backpack Full of Stunning Stories by Anne McFarlane.

An elephant and a monkey both thought they were the best animals in the jungle. They consulted a wise owl to decide who was right.

“Go to that mango tree across the river and bring back the fruit, then I will decide,” the owl said.

The water was too swift for the monkey to cross the river, so the elephant lifted the monkey in its trunk and carried it to the other side. But the fruit was too high for the elephant to reach, so the monkey climbed and picked the fruit. The elephant stored the fruit in its huge mouth for the trip back to the owl.

“Now tell us, wise old owl, which of us is best?” “You needed each other to get the fruit, so working together you solved the problem. You are both the best!”

The Evernote elephant remembers everything, but the clever monkey knows the tricks for finding notes fast.

Copyright {tcb_current_year} by Marjory Harris

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