Wednesday, May 30, 2007

The Elephant

While on holiday in Kenya and walking through the bush a man comes
across an elephant standing with one leg raised in the air. The elephant
seems distressed so the man approaches very carefully. He gets down on
one knee and inspects the bottom of the elephants' foot only to find a
large thorn deeply embedded.

Carefully and as gently as he can he removes the thorn and the elephant
gingerly puts its foot down. The elephant turns to face the man and with
a rather stern look on its face, stares at him. For a good ten minutes
the man stands frozen - thinking of nothing else but being trampled.
Eventually the elephant turns and walks away.

For years after the man often remembers and ponders the events of that
day .

One day, many years later, the man is walking through the zoo with his
son. As they approach the elephant enclosure, one of the elephants turns
and walks over to where they are standing at the rail. It stares at him
and the man can't help wondering if this is the same elephant. The man
climbs tentatively over the railing and makes his way into the
enclosure. He walks right up to the elephant and stares back in wonder.

The elephant gazes at him, looking deep into his eyes.

Suddenly the elephant wraps its trunk around one of the man's legs and
swings him wildly back and forth along the railing, smashing him apart
and instantly killing him...

Probably not the same elephant then.

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