The Elephant Tree - Part 2

we return to our story....

a young boy is playing hide and seek with and elephant...the elephant is hiding in a tree and the boy is asking our narrator if he would tell him where the elephant is hiding.

“Could you tell me where he is?” he said.

“I am not sure if I should,” I answered.

“Why not?”  He demanded.  “It is important that I find him.”

“I sort of promised mister elephant that I would keep his secret,” I replied.

He came closer and said in a soft low voice, “If you tell me where he is, I won’t tell him that you told me.”

“That wouldn't be honest,” I answered.

Well, maybe not, but I have to find him and I have looked everywhere,” he said.

“I am very sure you haven’t looked everywhere,” I said.  “Have you looked under the rocks or in the bottom of the brook or even in the trees?”

“That’s stupid,” he laughed.  “I know you’re teasing me because an elephant is too big to hide under a rock and an elephant is too big to hide in a small stream and an elephant cannot climb a tree.”

“Maybe and maybe not,” I replied.  “He could be a magic elephant.  Maybe he used his big ears and flew up into a tree.”

He paused for a few seconds and then he took his shoes and socks off and dangled his feet in the water about 10 feet from where I was dangling me feet in the water.

“My mother told me never to get to close to strangers,” he said.  Do you suppose this is far enough away?  I am not to close, am I?”

“No,” I smiled.  “I am pretty sure you’re safe where you are.”

He was thoughtful for a few moments and then said, “I never considered an elephant flying with his ears.  Do you really think they can do that?”

“It’s possible,” I said.  “Elephants are not supposed to talk either, but mister elephant talked to me.”

His eyes got wider, “Really, what did he say?”

“He doesn't like my stinky feet.”

“Is that why you’re washing them?”

“No, they were sore, but they feel better now.”

“If you will tell me where he is I will give you half of my peanut butter and jelly sandwich.”

“Do you have any potato chips”?

“No, but I have two Oreo Cookies.  I will give you one of those.”

I decided I had teased him long enough so we struck the bargain for the cookie and we went back down the path to find mister elephant in the tree.

“Is he really in a tree?” the boy asked.  “How did he get in a tree?”

“Yes,” I answered.  “He told me he put himself in the tree.”

“Oh,” was all the boy could say.

The boy and I walked side by looking for the tree with mister elephant.

When we arrived at the elephant tree, mister elephant said, “Oh it’s you mister stinky feet.  I guess now I will have to call you mister squealer with the stinky feet.”

“I guess that’s true.  I did show the boy where you were, but he was very worried about you.”

“He sold you out for a cookie,” the boy chirped in.

“Figures”, mister elephant said.  “He’s probably some kind of politician.”

/ / / / / /

to be continued...