Children's Corner 3

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Grace, the not so graceful elephant part 2

Remember Grace the not so graceful elephant, that was so depressed about her long trunk she tripped on all the time?  And remember her father saying she would grow into it?  She would go to the pond and look at her reflection and be reminded that she was not perfect, and her trunk was still too long.

Here is the rest of the story of Grace, The not so graceful Elephant.

The rains started again as every year before.  Grace went down by the riverbed to watch it fill.

Grace watched two hollow logs, one starting to fill up with water and pouring into the other.  Then an amazing thing happened!  She thought of an idea that would make it easier to get the water back to the pond without everyone walking back and forth so many times, getting so tired, and she could help!  Very excitedly she told her mom and dad of the idea.  They were so happy to hear her speak, they listened with their big ears perked!  Grace drew a picture of her idea in the dirt with her trunk.  Her mom and dad looked at each other nodding in approval of the idea.  Next they called all the elephants together to hold a meeting.  They discussed Grace’s idea.  Everyone became excited and wanted to try it right away!  So they all went down to the river.  Grace had them all line up single file the line leading from the river to the pond.  Then she filled her trunk with water, turned to the next elephant and poured her water into his trunk.  Then he turned and poured his water into the next elephant’s trunk.  This went on and on.  Meanwhile Grace filled her trunk again and repeated the same thing.  The water moved right along, and only the last elephant had to walk just a short distance to the pond to dump out the water.  Then that elephant came to the front of the line next to Grace and filled his trunk fromt eh river and gave it to Grace, and everyone moved one step.  This way it was always a different elephant that made the short walk to the pond.  Nobody got tired!

This was called an assembly line.  It not only made it easier for the elephants, it was finished in a much shorter period of time than the old way.  Grace was a hero!  The only time it was different was when Grace was at the end.  She, of course, with her long trunk could not carry water to the pond, so she would walk back to the beginning of the line and suck up water again.  This went on every time the rains came.  Grace did not even think about her trunk.  It did not matter because she was able to help.  Time had passed, and one day when they were gathering water, Grace’s mom told her to go to the end of the line.  Grace said “No, I cannot carry the water to the pond, the water is too precious.  With my long trunk, I surely will spill it.”  Well her mom would not take no for an answer, so Grace went to the end of the line.  The closer the water got to her, the more afraid she became.  She thought, “My trunk is going to fall, and I am going to trip and spill the water!”  Well, the water came, and with her heart beating faster and faster, Grace lifted her trunk, filled up with water, and then turned toward the pond.  She started walking, holding her trunk as high as she possibly could.  She was getting closer and closer, but her trunk was getting heavier and heavier!  She was almost to the pond when down came her trunk!  “Oh no!  Now I will trip, and spill this precious water!” she thought.

But she did not trip, and she did not spill the water.  She made it to the pond, poured out her water and turned around hearing the cheering from all the elephants.  She could not believe she did it!  How could that be?  She turned around again and looked at her reflection in the water.  It took a minute for the water to be still so she could see.  Then she saw it!  All the time she spent helping, she had not even thought to look at her reflection.  Grace had grown into her trunk!  She was so happy she jumped up and down skipping and kicking out her legs!  She was normal after all!  Grace ran down to the river, sucked up water as fast as she could, and turned and gave to the next in line.  She could not wait till it was her turn again to walk to the pond with a full trunk of water!  Grace would no longer trip on her trunk, and Grace would never spill water again!

Click here for  part 1

                       part 2

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