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HOW THE ELEPHANT GOT ITS TRUNK : A STRECHED STORY

Nothing stirred in the early hours of dawn. It was that hour, neither day nor night - that time when the nocturnal creatures had just retired to their respective homes and the day creatures were not yet awake. The faint traces of the sky were visible through the canopy of trees, while tiny droplets of dew glistened on the clustre of jade and emerald foliage.

The only sound heard was the shuffling of the ELEPHUNDS. They were large animals with snub snouts like pigs, the height of giraffes and the body and colouring of hippos. What was more surprising was that there were only two of their kind. Proud and vain creatures - the pair of them dominated the forest, uprooting trees and causing destruction. They had very happily titled themselves leaders but were nothing but menaces.

The burden of getting rid of the elephunds’ egos was taken upon by the ants. They had often been quite rudely pushed off the scenes by the arrival of these creatures. They plotted and planned until an extremely small but deadly ant came up with the perfect plan.
The next day at noon, 1,000 or so of these insects marched purposefully in the direction of the elephunds. When they reached the couple - very firmly but politely they asked the pair to be more humble. Offended as ever the elephunds mocked at them and walked off in the other direction. 

The ants saw red and without hesitation as if they could read each others minds, they swarmed around and surrounded the elephunds within a second. Two of the ants jumped into each of the elephunds’ large nostrils and hung on for dear life with their pincers. Oh! What agony! Overcome with pain and despair, the two elephunds caught hold of each others’ snouts for a full 25 minutes. They heaved and pulled but to no avail.
Finally, surrendering to the small insects with a promise of a better attitude, the two creatures left but what a sight! Their noses had grown 3 feet with the extensive pulling.

Now, under the dominance of the ants, these creatures had to change their name to elephANT to show their respect and not just that, these beasts had a fifth swinging hand. 
CARA TEJPAL , IX - B