The Elephant

The Elephant Who Climbed

This is a story as once told to me

'Bout a funny gray elephant who loved to climb trees.

You're shocked but of course for everyone knows

An elephant's known for his size and his nose

And for his great power and maybe a spree

But most certainly not...for the climbing of trees!

But if you will give me a moment of time,

I'll tell you about the elephant who climbed...

He was born in the jungle and when he was two

He was still just as normal and average as you.

But all of a sudden before he was three

The urge came upon him to go climb a tree.

The first thing he did was look till he found

A tree that was sturdy and high from the ground.

He then tried and he tried with all of his might

To get off of the ground but boy what a fight.

For no matter how hard he tried to envelop

The tree with his legs he just couldn't develop

A method which raised him...not even a little

And the bark on the tree started hurting his middle.

Then all of a sudden he thought he had found

A method to get him up off of the ground.

By wrapping his trunk 'round a limb to the north

He was able to swing his whole self back and forth,

Until he could catch in the fork of the tree,

A foot, then another and soon he had three

Over the limb and then with a big push

He managed to get his whole self and I wish

You could have seen, what a sight to behold

Astraddle that branch he turned suddenly cold.

For he started to think of the thing he forgot

Which was very important to him in this spot.

How in the world he now sadly pondered

Was he to get back to the ground which was yonder.

He could picture so clear in his mind he would lay

Entrapped on this branch till his dying day.

A tear started falling from each little eye

And he wished he could tell all his loved ones good bye.

When out of the blue came a startling noise

Which tensed him all up and kept him there poised.

And alas...you guessed right for with a big snap

The limb broke away and down came the pack

And kaboodle with such a great racket and force

That it shook the whole land and the trees of the forest.

The greatly shocked elephant lay still for a minute,

Then arose to his feet and said,

"Golly, I didn't...even think to look round while up in the tree

And observe all the forest I've been wanting to see."

You'd certainly think he now would be sure

That the climbing of trees was sure 'for the birds'.

But if one day you hear an hysterical cry

And someone declares, "There's an elephant high,

In a tree, in the park"...the one where you play...

Then we'll both know for sure..he's still climbing today!

Author....Phyllis J.Smith (DeDe)

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