Slonče Kotonče – Story About Friendship

Za razliku od svojih vršnjaka iz krda, Slonče Kotonče nikako nije uspevalo da nauči da koristi svoju surlu, a već je imalo godinu dana. To i ne bi bilo toliko strašno da se drugari slonovi nisu ludo zabavljali na račun Slončeta i njegove neposlušne surle.

Svaki put kada je Slonče sa ostalim slonovima silazilo na reku da pije vodu, za druge je to izgledalo kao cirkuska predstava po količini zabave kojoj su prisustvovali.

Dok su drugi slonovi pili vodu uz pomoć surle, prskali se i uživali, Slonče je to radilo drugačije od svih. Nekako nezgrapno je moralo da se sagne do reke, podižući zadnji deo tela uvis kako bi ustima popio vodu, stvarajući zaista zabavnu sliku za druge.

Sve to je uvek bilo propraćeno ruganjem i zadirkivanjem Slončeta.

„Pogledaj, vidi kako je lako”, zadirkivali bi ga drugi dok su ga prskali vodom iz surli.

Slonče bi se uvek vraćalo tužno i razočarano sa reke, pognute glave.

Slonče je zapravo obožavalo vodu i kupanje, ali njegova surla očigledno nije. Rado je ostajao dugo u vodi igrajući se sa mehurićima i uživajući u mirisu kupke semena pamuka, zaboravljajući na neposlušnu surlu.

Posle još jednog ruganja na reci, Slonče je čvrsto odlučilo da više nikada neće biti ponižavano. Svako veče dok su drugi slonovi spavali, Slonče se iskradalo i krišom odlazilo na reku da vežba svoju neposlušnu surlu.

Trajalo je to noćima. Bilo je tu bezbroj pokušaja. Nekada mu se činilo da je na korak da uspe, snažno bi usisao vodu surlom i kada bi pokušao da je popije, zagrcnuo bi se i počeo da kašlje.

„Khm, khm, ovo nikako nije zabavno”, govorio je.

Ipak, nije odustao sve dok jedne večeri nije počeo da koristi surlu sa takvom lakoćom, da nije mogao da poveruje. Imao je utisak kao da se desila magija.

Sav poletan i uzbuđen, jedva je dočekao dan i odlazak na reku.

Drugari su ga ponovo podrugljivo izazivali.

„Hajde Slonče, idemo na reku, ti to najviše voliš, zar ne?” govorili su.

Kada su stigli na reku, svi su očekivali zabavni performans Slončeta i nespretno ispijanje vode.

Međutim, Slonče je veselo ušlo u vodu, usisalo surlom vodu pomešanu sa blatom i jednim potezom surle poprskalo blatom sve drugare koji su ga posmatrali na obali.

Unlike the other young elephants in the herd, little Elephant Kotonče simply couldn’t learn how to use his trunk—even though he was already a year old. That wouldn’t have been such a big deal if his elephant friends weren’t having so much fun making jokes about him and his stubborn trunk.

Every time the little elephant went down to the river with the others to drink water, it looked like a circus show to everyone else because of how entertaining it was for them.

While the other elephants drank water with their trunks, splashed each other, and enjoyed themselves, the little elephant did it differently from everyone else. Awkwardly, he had to bend down to the river, lifting the back of his body up into the air so he could drink with his mouth—creating a truly funny picture for the others.

All of it was always followed by teasing and laughing at him.

“Look, see how easy it is!” the others would mock him, splashing him with water from their trunks.

The little elephant would always return from the river sad and disappointed, his head hanging low.

He actually loved water and bathing, but his trunk clearly didn’t. He happily stayed in the water for a long time, playing with bubbles and enjoying the smell of cotton seed bath foam, forgetting all about his disobedient trunk.

After yet another round of teasing at the river, the little elephant firmly decided that he would never be humiliated again. Every evening, while the other elephants slept, he would sneak away and secretly go to the river to practice using his stubborn trunk.

It went on for many nights. There were countless attempts. Sometimes it seemed to him that he was just one step away from succeeding—he would suck water into his trunk with all his strength, but when he tried to drink it, he would choke and start coughing.

“Ahem, ahem… this isn’t fun at all,” he would say.

Still, he didn’t give up, until one evening he began using his trunk so easily that he couldn’t believe it. It felt as if magic had happened.

Full of energy and excitement, he could hardly wait for daytime and the trip to the river.

His friends teased him again.

“Come on, little elephant, let’s go to the river—you like it the most, don’t you?” they said.

When they arrived at the river, everyone expected the little elephant’s funny performance and his clumsy way of drinking.

But instead, the little elephant happily stepped into the water, sucked up water mixed with mud into his trunk, and with one flick of his trunk, splashed mud all over the friends watching from the shore.

Before they even realized what was happening, he did it again, and again.

“Oh, look how special and a little funny you are now!” cried Elephant Kotonče.

Soon everyone accepted the game, jumped into the river, and took turns splashing each other with mud and water. A real little celebration began, and the little elephant felt like he had been reborn. The fun lasted until late at night, until they all fell asleep exhausted and happy.

Fun facts about elephants:

• An elephant’s trunk contains around one hundred thousand muscles and is very sensitive—even for plucking grass—but its strength also allows elephants to lift enormous, heavy tree trunks.
• Baby elephants don’t know how to use their trunks until they are about 9 months old. They drink water with their mouths, lifting their trunks up into the air.