Story Summary
Long ago, elephants had short, stubby noses. When a fierce drought gripped the forest, a brave elephant ventured to a river guarded by a bad-tempered crocodile. A mischievous toad - who loved hitching rides on the crocodile's back - unwittingly triggered a confrontation. In the ensuing tug-of-war, the elephant's nose was stretched into the magnificent trunk we see today. And as for the crocodile and the toad? Their brilliantly bright green colour was never the same again.
Full Story
Many years ago, it is said, elephants had small trunks with stubbed noses. One year, it did not rain for many months. The ponds and lakes began to dry up, and the streams had very little water. All the animals in the forest were very thirsty and desperately searching for a source of water. A river ran not very far from the forest, and one brave elephant decided to go there in search of water.
Walking slowly, he reached the river. There lived a bright green crocodile in the river. As he saw the elephant, he cried, "Go away! Water is already scarce here. If you start drinking, what will be left for me?" The elephant knew it was a risk to pick a fight with the crocodile. So, he decided to come back to the river when the crocodile would be sleeping.
In the same river, there also lived a shiny green toad. Whenever the crocodile would be swimming across the river, the toad would hop onto his back and enjoy a free ride. Over time, the crocodile grew deeply annoyed at giving free rides to the toad. Many times he had tried to shake the toad off his back, but in vain. "Hahaha!" the toad would laugh.
One day, the crocodile was resting on a rock. Finding this to be a good opportunity, the elephant went to the river silently and began to drink water. Just then, the toad jumped onto the crocodile's back, disturbing his slumber. The crocodile was furious! He began to swim around the river and shake his body violently. "Now I shall get rid of you!" he cried at the toad. But the toad was unmoved.
Suddenly, the crocodile noticed the elephant. "How dare you drink from my river when you were told not to?" he roared. Unable to shake off the toad, the crocodile decided to vent all his anger on the elephant. He lunged forward and grabbed the elephant's trunk, pulling him towards the deep water. The poor elephant started to pull back, crying, "Let go of me! Please! Let go of me - my nose hurts!" But the crocodile showed no mercy.
Then, with a mighty jerk, the elephant succeeded in wrenching his trunk free from the crocodile's jaws. But in that fierce tug of war, the elephant's nose had been stretched terribly long! Angry and in pain, the elephant raised his new long trunk, sucked all the water from the river into it, and then sprayed it - along with a tremendous torrent of dark, thick mud - all over the crocodile and the toad.
Since that day, it is said, elephants have had long trunks. And as for the crocodile and the toad, the mud permanently dulled their beautiful bright green colour. That is why, even today, crocodiles and toads are no longer the vivid green they once were.
Moral of the Story
Bravery and resilience in the face of bullying; patience; and the idea that differences - like a long trunk - can ultimately become our greatest strengths. It also shows that selfishness and cruelty, like the crocodile's behaviour, always have consequences.
Key Characters
- The Elephant: Our brave hero. Thirsty and determined, he faces the crocodile's wrath alone.
- The Crocodile: A selfish, short-tempered bully who hoards the river's water.
- The Toad: A cheeky comic character who refuses to stop hitching rides on the crocodile.
- The River: More than a setting - the drying river is the engine of the story.
Why Kids Love This Story
- Children are naturally curious about why animals look the way they do. This story gives a funny, imaginative answer.
- Talking animals with big personalities make children laugh and empathise simultaneously.
- The crocodile and toad get their comeuppance - children love fair endings where bullies don't win.
- Courage against a bully is a theme every child understands and roots for, regardless of age or background.
- Children who've seen elephants in a zoo or wildlife documentary instantly love making the connection.
FAQs About the Story
How did the elephant get its long trunk in this folk tale?
According to this Assamese folk tale, the elephant's nose was stretched into a long trunk during a fierce tug-of-war with a crocodile at the river. The crocodile grabbed the elephant's short nose and pulled hard; the elephant pulled back with all its might. When the elephant finally broke free, its nose had been permanently stretched into a long trunk.
Where does this folk tale originate?
This folk tale originates from Assam, a state in northeastern India. Assam has a rich oral storytelling tradition, and tales like this one were passed down from generation to generation to explain natural phenomena in imaginative ways.
Why did the crocodile and toad stop being bright green?
After the tug-of-war, the angry elephant sucked all the water from the river and then sprayed a torrent of dark mud over both the crocodile and the toad. The mud permanently dulled their bright green colour - which is why crocodiles and toads are no longer the vivid green they once were.