Ellie the elephant was a very happy elephant, but she had one little problem: she didn’t always listen. Not to her Mama, not to her Papa, and certainly not to her friends! She was too busy thinking about what *she* wanted to do next – usually splashing in the muddiest puddle she could find.
One sunny morning, Mama Elephant asked Ellie to help gather berries for breakfast. “Ellie, dear,” she said, “Please collect the red berries from the bushes near the whispering waterfall. And be careful not to disturb Old Man Tortoise; he’s napping nearby.” Ellie nodded, but she was already imagining how much fun it would be to slide down the muddy hill after she finished. She barely heard her mama’s instructions.
Ellie hurried off, but instead of going towards the whispering waterfall, she headed straight for the muddy hill! “Just a quick slide,” she thought. “I’ll get the berries after.” She zoomed down the hill, covered herself in mud, and had a wonderful time. But when she finally remembered the berries, she couldn’t quite recall *which* berries her mama wanted.
She saw bushes with blue berries, yellow berries, and even purple berries! “Hmm,” she mumbled. “They all look yummy!” She started picking a little of each, filling her basket with a colorful, but very mixed-up, collection. As she was picking, she accidentally bumped into Old Man Tortoise’s shell. He woke up with a start!
“Oh dear!” cried Ellie. “I’m so sorry, Old Man Tortoise! I didn’t mean to wake you.” Old Man Tortoise blinked slowly. “That’s quite alright, little one,” he said, “But you seem a bit flustered. Is everything okay?” Ellie explained about forgetting which berries to pick and accidentally waking him.
Old Man Tortoise smiled kindly. “It sounds like you didn’t quite listen to your mama’s instructions, did you?” Ellie’s ears drooped. “No, I didn’t,” she admitted. “I was too busy thinking about the muddy hill.”
“Listening is very important, Ellie,” Old Man Tortoise said. “It helps us understand what we need to do and it helps us be kind to others. And sometimes, listening helps us *help* others.” He pointed with a wrinkly claw towards a small bird whose nest had fallen from a tree. “That little bird needs help rebuilding its home.”
Ellie’s eyes lit up. She carefully put down her basket of mixed berries and used her strong trunk to gently lift the branches and twigs. She worked carefully, remembering how her mama built their cozy sleeping shelter. Old Man Tortoise guided her, and soon, the bird had a brand-new nest, even sturdier than before!
The little bird chirped happily, thanking Ellie with a sweet song. Ellie felt a warm glow inside. It felt much better than sliding down a muddy hill! She then remembered the berries. Old Man Tortoise helped her find the correct bushes with the red berries, and they gathered a full basket together.
When Ellie returned home, she apologized to her Mama for not listening. Mama Elephant hugged her tightly. “I’m so proud of you, Ellie,” she said. “Not just for gathering the berries, but for learning to listen and help others.” Ellie ate her berries with her family, feeling happy and content. From that day on, Ellie always made sure to listen carefully, knowing that listening wasn’t just about following instructions, it was about being a helpful, kind, and responsible elephant.