About the Author
Rudyard Kipling was a famous writer born on December 30, 1865, in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. He wrote many stories and poems that kids and adults love. His most famous book is The Jungle Book, which tells exciting tales about animals and a boy named Mowgli. Kipling grew up in India and England and loved writing about nature, animals, and adventure. He used simple words to make his stories fun and easy to read. He won a big award called the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1907. His stories, like this one, often teach lessons through funny and magical events. Kids enjoy his tales because they are full of imagination and wonder.
What’s the Story About?
This is a fun and imaginative story about a young elephant named Golu who has no trunk, only a small, bulgy nose. The story happens long ago when elephants didn’t have long trunks like they do now. Golu lives near a river with his family and animal friends, like monkeys, giraffes, and zebras. He is a curious baby elephant who loves asking questions about everything. He asks his aunt, the ostrich, why she doesn’t fly like other birds. He asks his uncle, the giraffe, why his skin has spots. He even asks his hairy baboon uncle why melons taste so sweet. Everyone answers, but Golu is never satisfied—he wants to know more!
One day, Golu meets a mynah bird and asks, “What does the crocodile eat for dinner?” The bird tells him to go to the big river and find out himself. So, Golu sets off on a long journey to the river, asking every animal he meets about the crocodile’s dinner. When he reaches the river, he sees a log floating in the water—but it’s not a log, it’s a crocodile! Golu, being curious, asks the crocodile, “What do you eat for dinner?” The crocodile says, “Come closer, and I’ll whisper the answer.” When Golu gets near, the crocodile grabs his small nose with its jaws!
Golu is scared and tries to pull away. A python, who was resting on the riverbank, sees Golu in trouble and wraps around his body to help him pull back. Golu and the python pull hard, while the crocodile pulls harder. The tug-of-war stretches Golu’s nose, making it long and stretchy! Finally, Golu escapes, but his nose is now very long, like a trunk. He’s upset at first because it looks funny, but the python explains that a long nose is useful. Golu learns he can swat flies, pick fruit, and even splash water with his new trunk. He thanks the python and goes home happy, realizing his curiosity led to something good. The story ends by saying all elephants now have trunks because of Golu’s adventure.
Who’s Who in the Story
- Golu: A young, curious baby elephant with a small, bulgy nose (not a trunk yet). He loves asking questions and goes on an adventure to learn about crocodiles.
- The Crocodile: A sneaky animal in the river who tricks Golu and grabs his nose, stretching it into a trunk during a tug-of-war.
- The Python: A kind snake who helps Golu escape the crocodile by pulling him back. He also teaches Golu how useful a long nose can be.
- The Mynah Bird: A bird who tells Golu to go to the river to find out what crocodiles eat.
- Golu’s Family and Friends: Animals like the ostrich (his aunt), giraffe (his uncle), zebra, and baboon, who answer Golu’s many questions but don’t go on the adventure.
Themes and Moral
Themes (Main Ideas): The story is about being curious and how asking questions can lead to new discoveries, even if they come with challenges. It shows that mistakes or accidents (like Golu’s stretched nose) can turn into something good. It also talks about bravery, as Golu travels alone to find answers, and friendship, as the python helps him in trouble.
Moral (Lesson): It’s good to be curious and ask questions, but be careful when exploring new things. Mistakes or surprises can teach you something valuable, and a positive attitude can turn problems into blessings.
Important Vocabulary and Phrases
Here are some key words and phrases from the story. I explain them in easy words, like talking to a friend:
- Curious: Wanting to know more about something, like asking why the sky is blue. (Golu is curious about everything, especially crocodiles.)
- Bulgy: Swollen or sticking out, like a balloon that’s not fully blown up. (Golu’s nose is bulgy before it becomes a trunk.)
- Tug-of-war: A game where two sides pull a rope in opposite directions, or a struggle like that. (Golu and the crocodile have a tug-of-war with his nose.)
- Stretched: Pulled to make something longer, like stretching a rubber band. (Golu’s nose gets stretched into a trunk.)
- Advantage: Something helpful or useful, like having a long stick to reach high fruit. (The python says the long nose is an advantage for Golu.)
Phrases:
- Find out for yourself: Go and learn the answer by seeing or doing something, like checking if it’s raining by going outside. (The mynah tells Golu to find out what crocodiles eat for himself.)
- Whisper the answer: Speak softly so only one person hears, like telling a secret. (The crocodile says he’ll whisper what he eats to trick Golu.)
- Sore and red: Painful and red from being hurt, like a knee after a fall. (Golu’s nose is sore and red after the crocodile pulls it.)
- Cool it in the river: To make something less hot or painful by putting it in water, like soaking a burn in cold water. (Golu cools his sore nose in the river.)