Freeing An Elephant
An elephant weakened by drought, had become helplessly mired down, in the deep mud of the water-hole's edge. Ironic that death was eminent from the place she sought life - giving water. Too weak to struggle any longer she awaited her fate, aware of the waiting vultures. Little did she know she had become an endangered species and that a patrol would soon discover her.
Her first sight of the men filled her with dread - the only living being capable of her destruction- at least death would be quick with their death-stick. She had no idea of their plan to rescue her. Soon many more of them appeared. They attached ropes to all her limbs and behind her hind quarters. They laid a make - shift ramp in front of her and used heavy logs to lever her from behind. Like a pachydermal Gulliver she succumbed to their Lilliputian efforts. Heaving together in a concerted effort these well-meaning men were never quite able to move her mastodonic mass. She saw them swarming around her like ants that transported gigantic insects to their nests.
In their constant attempts she felt their determination to pull her from the death bed she had accepted. Like a bizarre tug of war their bodies heaved in unison, strained in cooperation, and inched her with their very wills, to pull her from the sucking mud. In a final intrepid effort she is suddenly freed. All of her rescuers scatter out of range, cheering each other for their combined success in liberating her from certain death.
Turning to face an age old enemy she catches their elation. Her acute senses perceive no aggression - no devious motive from the crowd. Instead, there is a baffling air of some mysterious joy at her survival. She fights her instinctive urge to charge them. No death dealing -stick is raised in aim against her. She knows now how physically weak they really are. She had felt it while they were struggling to pull her out. A fumbling new born calf had more strength than ten of them. It had taken one hundred men's muscles combined, and hours to move her. For some strange reason they were not trying to kill her. She had witnessed the slaughter of so many of her kind by men, and now against all previous reason, their super human efforts had been - to give her freedom - not to take it away. She stood in silent comprehension, at this strange reversal of events.
The life inside her stirred - her unborn calf. Turning her back on her applauding enemies she sought the comfort of her herd. What baffling news to tell! To be given life - the extreme opposite of her expectations was what she must pass on. The message to her newborn calf would carry new wisdom.
Not all men are murderous foes - some are capable of the most heroic love imaginable. Their capacity for love transcends all boundaries.
And an elephant never forgets.
Write a Children's story short
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