The Elephant's Child
In a time long ago, elephants had no trunks, only short noses. One particularly curious young elephant, known for his insatiable curiosity, constantly asked questions about the world around him, much to the annoyance of his relatives, who often spanked him for his inquiries. His relentless questioning led him to ask about the diet of crocodiles, a question that elicited a stern warning from his family. Determined to find the answer, he set off on a journey to the Limpopo River, armed with food. Along the way, he encountered various animals, including a Bi-Coloured-Python-Rock-Snake, who also spanked him for his curiosity. Undeterred, the young elephant finally reached the river and spotted a crocodile, mistaking it for a log. When he politely inquired about the crocodile's diet, the crocodile lured him closer and bit his nose. In a panic, the elephant pulled with all his might, stretching his nose as the crocodile attempted to drag him into the water. With the help of the python, he managed to escape, but his nose had been stretched into a long trunk. Initially dismayed by the change, he soon discovered the advantages of his new trunk, using it to swat flies, eat, and even create mud caps to cool himself. Excited by his newfound abilities, he returned home, where his family was astonished by his transformation. Instead of being punished, he playfully spanked his relatives, demonstrating the usefulness of his trunk. His antics inspired the other elephants, who soon sought out the crocodile to acquire their own trunks. From that day forward, all elephants possessed trunks, a result of one curious young elephant's adventure and the lessons learned along the way.
By Rudyard Kipling · First published 1902 · Genre: Children's Literature, Fantasy, Fable · 3,527 words
First lines
In the High and Far-Off Times the Elephant, O Best Beloved, had no trunk. He had only a blackish, bulgy nose, as big as a boot, that he could wriggle about from side to side; but he couldn't pick up things with it. But there was one Elephant -- a new Elephant -- an Elephant's Child -- who was full of 'satiable curtiosity, and that means he asked ever so many questions. And he lived in Africa, and he filled all Africa with his 'satiable curtiosities. He asked his tall aunt, the Ostrich, why her tail-feathers grew just so, and his tall aunt the Ostrich spanked him with her hard, hard claw. He asked his tall uncle, the Giraffe, what made his skin spotty, and his tall uncle, the Giraffe, spanked him with his hard, hard hoof. And still he was full of 'satiable curtiosity! He asked his broad aunt, the Hippopotamus, why her eyes were red, and his broad aunt, the Hippopotamus, spanked him with her broad, broad hoof; and he asked his hairy uncle, the Baboon, why melons tasted just so, and his hairy uncle, the Baboon, spanked him with his hairy, hairy paw. And still he was full of 'satiable curtiosity! He asked questions about everything that he saw, or heard, or felt, or smelt, or touched, and all his uncles and his aunts spanked him. And still he was full of 'satiable curtiosity!
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The Elephant's Child is listed on Textopian as a short story by Rudyard Kipling, dated 1902 CE.
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- Work type: Short story
- Author: Rudyard Kipling
- Date: 1902 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Children's Literature, Fantasy, Fable, Adventure, Humor
- Length: 3,527 words
- Structure: 1 section, 64 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Elephant's Child by Rudyard Kipling
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
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Genres
- Children's Literature — The story is aimed at a young audience, featuring whimsical characters and a moral lesson.
- Fantasy — The narrative includes anthropomorphic animals and magical elements, such as the transformation of the Elephant's Child's nose into a trunk.
- Fable — The story conveys a moral lesson about curiosity and the consequences of one's actions, typical of fables.
- Adventure — The plot follows the Elephant's Child on a journey to discover what the Crocodile eats, involving exploration and encounters with various animals.
Tags
Children's Literature · Fable · Satire · Humor · Adventure · Travel · Culture Clash · Colonialism · Imperialism · Anthropomorphism · Animal Story · Coming of Age