HOW THE ELEPHANT and THE
by Katharine Pyle · from Fairy Tales from Many Lands
Adapted Version
One sunny day, Rabbit goes to the beach. He sees two BIG animals.
Elephant stands on the sand. "I am the biggest!" he says. His voice is very loud. "All animals must do what I say!"
Whale swims by the shore. "I am the strongest!" he says. His voice is very deep. "All fish must do what I say!"
"We are the kings!" they say. They laugh big laughs.
Rabbit hears them. He is not happy. That is not fair! Then Rabbit smiles a big smile. "I have an idea!" he says.
Rabbit finds a long, long rope. He runs to Elephant. "Please help me!" says Rabbit. "I need to pull a heavy thing. You are so big and strong!"
"Yes, I am!" says Elephant. "I can pull anything!"
"Hold this rope," says Rabbit. "When I bang the drum, you pull!" Elephant takes the rope. "OK!" he says. "I am the biggest!"
Rabbit runs to the beach. He runs to Whale. "Please help me!" says Rabbit. "I need to pull a heavy thing. You are so strong!"
"Yes, I am!" says Whale. "I can pull anything!"
"Hold this rope," says Rabbit. "When I bang the drum, you pull!"
Rabbit runs to his drum. He hits it hard. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Elephant pulls the rope. He pulls and pulls. Whale pulls the rope too. He pulls and pulls! The rope goes tight. Elephant slides to the beach. "This is so heavy!" he says. Whale slides to the sand. "This is so heavy!" he says. They pull and pull and pull!
SPLASH! Elephant pulls Whale out of the water! Whale lands on the sand. They look at each other. Big eyes. Big surprise.
"It was YOU!" says Elephant.
"It was YOU!" says Whale.
Rabbit laughs and laughs. "HA HA HA!" He rolls on the sand.
Elephant is not happy. Whale is not happy. "Rabbit tricked us!" they say. "No one will play with Rabbit now! Tell all the animals!"
Now Rabbit is sad. No one plays with him. He walks and walks all alone. Then he finds a funny old coat. It looks like a deer! Rabbit puts it on.
Rabbit walks to Elephant. He uses a silly voice. "Oh no! Oh no!" says Rabbit. He walks in a funny way.
"What is wrong?" asks Elephant.
"It is Rabbit!" Rabbit says in his silly voice. "He is so smart! He can do magic! He says he will trick you!"
"On ME?" says Elephant. His eyes go very big.
"Yes! His magic is very strong!"
Elephant is so surprised. He shakes his big head. "OK! OK!" he says. "Tell Rabbit we are sorry! He can play with us again! Tell all the animals!"
Rabbit walks away in his funny coat. He goes behind a big tree. He takes off the costume. Then he laughs and laughs and laughs! "HA HA HA!"
He hops down the road. He smiles his big smile. "Big is good," says Rabbit. "But smart is good too!"
And Rabbit hops home, happy.
Original Story
HOW THE ELEPHANT AND THE
WHALE WERE TRICKED
(From Louisiana Creole Tales)
ONE time the rabbit and the ground hog went out to walk together. The rabbit wore his blue coat with brass buttons, for it was a fine day, and cocked his hat gayly over one eye, but the ground hog was content with his old fur overcoat, and galoshes to keep his feet dry.
They walked along until at last they came to the seashore, and there they saw the elephant standing and talking to the whale. “Look!” said the ground hog; “that is a wonderful sight, for I reckon those are the two biggest animals in all the world.”
“Let’s go close and hear what they’re talking about,” said the rabbit.
“No, no,” answered the ground hog. “They might not like it, and if I’m going to be impolite I’d rather be impolite to animals that are more my own size.”
However, the rabbit was determined to know what two such big beasts talked to each other about, so he stole up close to them unnoticed, and hid back of a clump of grass to listen.
“Of all the beasts that walk the earth not one is as great as I am,” boasted the elephant. “The ground trembles at my tread; the trees shake and the other animals are afraid and hide lest I should be angry with them.”
“True, brother,” answered the whale. “On the other hand, there is not a fish in the sea that compares to me in size. I swallow hundreds at one gulp, and when I lash the waters with my tail it is like a storm.”
“And that is true, too,” answered the elephant. “Brother, how would it be if we proclaimed ourselves kings of the earth and sea, and made all of the other fish and animals our subjects?”
“That would be a fine scheme,” the whale agreed, “and then we would make them pay us tribute.”
The elephant was pleased with that idea, too. “Good! good!” he trumpeted. “That is what we will do.”
So the two beasts talked together, each one praising himself and the other, and saying how great they were.
The rabbit listened until he could bear it no longer, and then he stole back to the ground hog, his whiskers trembling with rage.
“Well, what were they talking about?” asked the ground hog.
“All their talk was of how great and powerful they were,” answered the rabbit, “and they say they will declare themselves kings and make us pay tribute. But I will show them a thing or two before that.”
“What will you show them?” asked the other.
“I have thought of a trick to play upon them, and it is a trick that will make them feel so silly they will forget all about making kings of themselves.”
The ground hog begged and entreated the rabbit not to think of such a thing. The whale and the elephant were too big and powerful for a little rabbit to try to play a trick upon them, and if he did, they would surely punish him. But the rabbit would not listen to him, and at last the ground hog rose and buttoned up his overcoat. “Well, I’m not going to get myself into trouble,” he said. “I’m going home, I am, to look through the closets and get some tribute ready for them.” So home he ambled, and did not mind one bit when the rabbit called after him that he was a coward.
But the rabbit made haste to the house of a neighbor to borrow a coil of rope he knew of, for that was the first thing he needed for his trick.
He got the rope and came back and hid in some bushes by the roadside. Presently he saw the elephant come swinging up the road. He had finished his talk with the whale and was now on his way home. He looked very pleased with himself, and was smiling and idly breaking off the little trees with his trunk as he came.
The rabbit sprang out of the bushes with the coil of rope over his arm, and ran toward the elephant, shouting at the top of his lungs, “Help, help!”
The elephant stopped and looked at him with surprise. “What is the matter, Rabbit?” he asked.
“My cow! My cow has fallen into the quicksands down by the sea, and no one can get her out. Oh, dear good kind Master Elephant, if you would but help me! You are so great and strong and wonderful that it would be nothing at all for you to pull her out.”
The elephant was very much pleased with these compliments to his strength. “Yes, I will help you,” he said good-naturedly. “I am indeed very great and powerful. Come! Show me where she is.”
“No need of that,” answered the sly rabbit. “Do you stand here and hold this end of the rope, and I will run and tie the other end around her horns. When all is ready I will beat a drum. As soon as you hear that begin to pull and you will have her out in a twinkling.”
The elephant agreed to do this; he took hold of the end of the rope and stood there, waiting and thinking how strong he was, and how the animals were obliged to come to him when they needed help.
Meanwhile the rabbit ran down to the seashore with the other end of the rope. The whale was still there resting on the sand-bar, and thinking how great and powerful he was.
“Help! help!” cried the rabbit as soon as he was near enough for the whale to hear him.
The great creature turned, and looked at him lazily. “What is the matter, Rabbit?” he asked.
“Oh, dear good Master Whale, I am in great trouble. My cow is stuck in a marsh and no one on land is powerful enough to pull her out. But you are so strong and wonderful that it would mean nothing to you to get her out for me.”
The whale was pleased at these words, but he said, “I am quite willing to help you, but I do not see how I can do so. I cannot leave the sea nor travel on dry land.”
“No need of that,” answered the rabbit. “I have tied the other end of this rope around her horns. If you will but take hold of this end you can pull her out in a twinkling.”
The good-natured whale was very ready to do this. “I must not pull too hard,” he said, “for so great is my strength that I might not only jerk her out of the marsh but all the way into the sea so that she would be drowned.”
“Yes, you must be careful about that,” answered the rabbit, and then he ran up into the bushes where he had hidden a drum and beat it loudly.
As soon as the elephant heard the drum he began to pull on the rope. At first he did not pull hard, for he thought it was an easy task he had on hand. But the whale, holding the other end, started to swim out to sea, and the elephant found himself pulled down toward the shore. He was very much surprised, but he tightened his hold and began to use his strength.
And now it was the turn of the whale to be dragged toward the shore. “This will never do,” he thought to himself, and he beat the waters, and swam with all his might, and the elephant began to lose ground.
So the two creatures strove together. First one was dragged along and then the other. They thought they had never known of such a strong cow before. But the rabbit up in the bushes laughed and laughed until he thought his sides would split. He rolled upon the ground and the tears ran down his furry cheeks, and still, the more the huge beasts strove and grunted, the harder he laughed.
At last the great elephant put forth all his strength. He dug his feet into the solid ground and braced himself. The whale in the sea had nothing to brace itself against, and so at last it was pulled up on the shore. Then the elephant turned to see what sort of a cow it was that weighed so much, and there it was no cow at all, but his friend, the whale, who lay there gasping and panting on the beach.
The elephant ran down to him, and the first thing he did was to push the whale back into the water again. Then they began to talk and explain to each other how it all happened. When they found what a trick the rabbit put upon them they were furiously angry, and consulted as to how they could best punish him.
“I,” said the whale, “shall send word to all the fish in streams and rivers, and tell them he must not be allowed to drink one drop of water.”
“And I,” said the elephant, “will send word to all the creatures on the earth that he shall not be allowed to eat so much as one blade of grass.”
And now the rabbit was in a bad way, indeed. If he went to the river to get a drink the fish and lobsters gathered in a crowd and drove him away. If he tried to eat, some animal or other was there to prevent him. It seemed as though he must soon die of hunger and thirst. His trick was like to cost him dear.
He was hopping along a path very sadly one day, with his ears drooping and all the spirit gone out of him, when he came across a dead deer that had been torn by the dogs. The rabbit stopped and scratched his ear and thought a bit. Then he set to work and very neatly stripped off the deerskin and drew it over his own body. Then he set out for the main road, limping and uttering cries of pain as he went.
Presently whom should he see but the elephant swinging along the road toward him.
The rabbit cried out still louder, and made out as though he could scarcely drag himself along for his wounds.
“What has happened to you, friend Deer? And who has wounded you in this way?” asked the elephant.
“Oh, that Rabbit! That Rabbit! And I was only doing as you told me.”
“The Rabbit?”
“Yes; oh, indeed good Master Elephant, he is very terrible. He came to eat in the woods where I was and I tried to drive him away, because you had told us all to do that, but as soon as I spoke to him, he threw me down and beat me and almost tore me to pieces, as you see.”
“That is strange,” said the elephant. “I did not know he was as strong as that.”
“Oh, yes; he is small, but he knows much magic. No one could stand against him, not even you. And he is very angry. He says he is going to tear you to pieces too, and the whale, and he only left me alive so that I might come and tell you.”
“But he could not kill me!” cried the elephant.
“His magic is very strong. I am afraid, now that he is angry, that he will kill all the animals in the world, and keep it for himself.”
Now the elephant really began to be afraid. “Oh, well, it was only a joke that the whale and I played on him. Go back and tell him so. Tell him it was only a joke, and that I am not angry with him now. Then tell him he may eat wherever he pleases, for I would not want to annoy such a little animal as he is.”
So the rabbit, still speaking like the deer, said he would, and, moaning and limping, he turned and crawled back the way he had come. But when he was safely out of sight, he fell down in the dust of the road and laughed and laughed till he was sick with laughing.
Story DNA
Moral
Even the mightiest can be outsmarted by the clever and cunning, and pride often leads to a fall.
Plot Summary
The arrogant Elephant and Whale boast of their strength and plan to rule all other animals. The clever Rabbit overhears them and devises a trick: he convinces each giant animal separately that they are helping him pull his 'cow' out of a mire, leading them into a humiliating tug-of-war against each other. Enraged, the Elephant and Whale conspire to punish the Rabbit by forbidding him food and water. However, the Rabbit disguises himself as a wounded deer and frightens the Elephant into believing he is a powerful, vengeful magician, causing the Elephant to lift the ban and ensuring the Rabbit's freedom.
Themes
Emotional Arc
pride to humiliation to fear to relief
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Creole tales often blend African, European, and Caribbean storytelling traditions, frequently featuring trickster figures like Rabbit (B'rer Rabbit in other traditions).
Plot Beats (13)
- Rabbit and Ground Hog walk to the seashore and observe the Elephant and Whale.
- Rabbit secretly listens as the Elephant and Whale boast about their size and strength, planning to become kings and demand tribute.
- Rabbit, enraged by their arrogance, decides to trick them, despite Ground Hog's warnings.
- Rabbit borrows a rope and approaches the Elephant, claiming his cow is stuck in quicksand and asking for help.
- Rabbit tells the Elephant to hold one end of the rope and pull when he hears a drum, while he ties the other end to the 'cow'.
- Rabbit then goes to the Whale, claiming his cow is stuck in a marsh, and asks for help, telling the Whale to hold the other end of the rope.
- Rabbit beats a drum, initiating a tug-of-war between the Elephant and Whale, who each believe they are pulling a strong cow.
- The Elephant eventually pulls the Whale onto the shore, revealing the trick.
- Furious, the Elephant and Whale conspire to punish the Rabbit by forbidding all animals from letting him eat or drink.
- The Rabbit, suffering from hunger and thirst, finds a dead deer, skins it, and disguises himself.
- Disguised as the wounded deer, the Rabbit encounters the Elephant and claims the Rabbit attacked him for trying to stop him from eating, also stating the Rabbit has powerful magic and plans to kill the Elephant and Whale.
- The terrified Elephant, believing the Rabbit is a dangerous magician, rescinds the ban on the Rabbit eating and drinking.
- The Rabbit, still disguised, leaves the Elephant, then sheds his disguise and laughs at his successful deception.
Characters
The Rabbit ★ protagonist
A small, agile rabbit with soft fur, quick movements, and a generally neat appearance. His size is notably small compared to the elephant and whale, which he uses to his advantage.
Attire: A smart, fitted blue coat with shiny brass buttons, suggesting a dapper, somewhat formal style. He also wears a hat, which he cocks gayly over one eye, indicating a confident and playful demeanor.
Wants: To outsmart those who boast of their power and to avoid being subjected to their rule. He is driven by a desire to assert his intelligence over brute strength.
Flaw: His pride and tendency to gloat. His initial trick nearly costs him his life due to the elephant and whale's retaliation.
Starts as an arrogant trickster who nearly faces dire consequences for his actions. He then uses his cunning again to escape his predicament, ultimately proving that brains can triumph over brawn, though he doesn't necessarily learn humility.
Mischievous, cunning, proud, resourceful, and a bit arrogant. He is determined to prove his cleverness and cannot stand being underestimated or threatened.
Image Prompt & Upload
A small, upright rabbit standing, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. He has soft brown fur, long alert ears, and bright, intelligent eyes. He wears a fitted, vibrant blue coat with shiny brass buttons and a small, jaunty hat cocked over his right eye. His posture is confident and slightly mischievous. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Ground Hog ◆ supporting
A sturdy, somewhat portly ground hog, smaller than the elephant and whale but larger than the rabbit. His fur is thick and practical, suited for burrowing and outdoor life.
Attire: A practical, old fur overcoat, likely in a dark, muted color, suggesting durability over style. He also wears galoshes to keep his feet dry, indicating a sensible and prepared nature.
Wants: To stay out of trouble and ensure his own safety. He wants to avoid conflict with larger, more powerful animals.
Flaw: His timidity and fear of confrontation, which leads him to abandon the Rabbit.
Remains largely unchanged, serving as a foil to the rabbit's daring nature. He represents the common sense that the rabbit often ignores.
Cautious, sensible, pragmatic, and a bit cowardly. He prefers to avoid trouble and is quick to prepare for potential threats.
Image Prompt & Upload
A stout, furry ground hog standing, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. He has a broad face with small, dark eyes and thick, brown-grey fur. He wears a practical, worn dark brown fur overcoat and black rubber galoshes on his feet. His posture is slightly hunched, conveying caution. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Elephant ⚔ antagonist
A massive, grey-skinned elephant with thick, wrinkled hide, large flapping ears, and a long, powerful trunk. He is immensely strong and imposing, with heavy, thudding footsteps.
Attire: None, as he is an animal.
Wants: To be recognized as the greatest and most powerful creature on land, and to rule over other animals.
Flaw: His vanity and susceptibility to flattery, which the rabbit exploits.
Starts as an arrogant ruler-to-be, is tricked and humiliated, then becomes furiously angry and seeks revenge. He is then tricked again into believing the rabbit is a magical threat, leading him to rescind his decree out of fear.
Boastful, proud, easily flattered, somewhat naive, and ultimately good-natured but capable of great anger when tricked. He believes in his own immense strength.
Image Prompt & Upload
A colossal, grey-skinned elephant standing, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. He has large, wrinkled ears, long white tusks, and a powerful, prehensile trunk. His hide is thick and leathery, with deep folds. His expression is one of self-satisfaction and pride. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Whale ⚔ antagonist
An enormous marine creature, smooth-skinned and dark, with immense bulk. He is the largest animal in the sea, capable of creating storms with his tail.
Attire: None, as he is an animal.
Wants: To be recognized as the greatest and most powerful creature in the sea, and to rule over other marine life.
Flaw: His vanity and susceptibility to flattery, similar to the elephant.
Starts as an arrogant ruler-to-be, is tricked and humiliated, then becomes furiously angry and seeks revenge. He is then tricked again into believing the rabbit is a magical threat, leading him to rescind his decree out of fear.
Boastful, proud, easily flattered, and good-natured but capable of great force. He is confident in his dominance of the sea.
Image Prompt & Upload
A colossal, dark-skinned whale, partially submerged in water, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. He has a vast, smooth head with small, dark, lazy eyes. His skin is sleek and dark blue-grey. His expression is one of calm, immense power. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Dead Deer (Rabbit's Disguise) ○ minor
Initially a dead deer, torn by dogs. When worn by the rabbit, it appears as a wounded deer, limping and in pain, with visible signs of struggle.
Attire: A deerskin, stripped off and worn over the rabbit's body, appearing as a wounded animal.
Wants: To convince the elephant that the rabbit is a powerful, magical threat, thereby lifting the ban on food and water.
Flaw: N/A (it's a disguise)
Serves as a plot device for the rabbit's final trick.
Not a true character, but the persona adopted by the rabbit is one of a terrified, wounded victim, eager to warn others of a greater threat.
Image Prompt & Upload
A small figure covered in a tattered deerskin, appearing as a grievously wounded deer, limping and hunched over. The deerskin is brown with lighter patches, showing signs of being torn. The figure's posture suggests extreme pain and weakness. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
Seashore with Sand-bar
A wide expanse of sand meeting the ocean, with a visible sand-bar where the whale rests. The ground near the shore is solid enough for an elephant to dig its feet in, but also features quicksands and marshy areas. Clumps of grass grow near the water's edge, providing cover.
Mood: Initially calm and boastful, later tense and strenuous during the tug-of-war, then surprised and angry.
The elephant and whale discuss their power, the rabbit overhears their plan, and later orchestrates the tug-of-war trick between them.
Image Prompt & Upload
A wide, sun-drenched sandy beach stretches to the calm, blue-green ocean. A shallow sand-bar is visible offshore, with gentle waves lapping at its edge. Sparse, hardy clumps of tall, green marsh grass dot the sand near the water, casting short shadows under a bright sky. The distant horizon is clear. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Roadside with Bushes
A dirt or gravel road winding through a natural landscape, bordered by thick bushes. Small trees grow along the roadside, easily broken by an elephant's trunk. The bushes are dense enough for a rabbit to hide in.
Mood: Deceptive and strategic, as the rabbit sets his trap.
The rabbit hides with the rope, intercepts the elephant, and convinces him to participate in the trick.
Image Prompt & Upload
A dusty, sun-dappled dirt road meanders through a vibrant, green landscape. On either side, dense thickets of broad-leafed bushes with dark green foliage provide ample hiding spots. Scattered young saplings with slender trunks grow near the road's edge, their leaves rustling gently. Overhead, the sky is a clear, bright blue. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Forest Path
A winding path through a forest or wooded area, where a dead deer can be found. The path is dusty, suggesting dry conditions. The woods are a place where animals forage for grass.
Mood: Initially desolate and despairing for the rabbit, then cunning and triumphant.
The rabbit, suffering from hunger and thirst, finds a dead deer, disguises himself, and encounters the elephant again to trick him into lifting the ban.
Image Prompt & Upload
A narrow, winding dirt path cuts through a dense, sun-dappled forest. Tall, mature trees with rough bark and a thick canopy create a dappled light effect on the forest floor, which is covered in dry leaves and exposed roots. Patches of undergrowth and ferns line the path. The air feels still and warm. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
