The Forgetful Elephant

In the heart of a lush green jungle, where parrots sang lullabies and monkeys swung from tree to tree, lived a little elephant named Elly. She had the biggest ears and the kindest eyes—but there was one tiny problem…

Elly forgot everything.

She forgot where she buried her bananas, which way led home, the names of her jungle friends—and once, she even forgot her own birthday!

The other animals in the forest found it funny at first.

“Elly, where’s your lunch?” laughed the squirrel.

“Elly, didn’t you promise to play today?” giggled the hyenas.

Elly would laugh along, but deep down, she felt sad.

“I don’t mean to forget,” she whispered to herself one day, “but it’s like my thoughts just drift away.”

The Day of the Forgotten Birthday

One bright morning, the jungle was unusually quiet. Elly felt something was different, but she couldn’t quite figure it out. She strolled to the mango tree, but no one was there. She walked past the lake, but the frogs didn’t wave. Even the parrots were silent.

Feeling lonelier than ever, Elly plodded through the trees until she stumbled upon a clearing—SURPRISE!

All the animals popped out from behind the bushes. There were flower garlands, a cake made of sugarcane and fruits, and a banner that read “Happy Birthday, Elly!”

But Elly’s eyes widened in confusion.

“It’s my birthday?” she asked.

Everyone gasped.

“You forgot again?” said the rabbit.

“I made you a necklace of jasmine flowers for this special day!” sniffled the deer.

Elly’s ears drooped. She slowly turned and walked away, her feet dragging, leaving deep footprints in the soft earth.

A New Friend

As Elly wandered, she came across a slow-moving, wise old tortoise resting under a shady banyan tree. His shell was covered in moss, and his eyes twinkled kindly.

“Why so sad, little one?” he asked.

Elly sat down and sighed. “I forget everything—what I did yesterday, who I talked to, and even my birthday. Maybe I’m just broken.”

The tortoise chuckled, a soft sound like pebbles clicking.

“My name is Taru, and I may be slow, but I’ve learned a thing or two. Tell me, Elly—do you remember how you felt when your friends surprised you today?”

Elly blinked. “I felt… warm. Happy. Special.”

“Then you didn’t forget everything,” Taru said gently. “You remembered the feeling. Sometimes, memories don’t live in your head—they live in your heart.”

Elly was quiet.

“Memories,” Taru continued, “aren’t just facts or dates. They are the way the sun feels on your skin, the way a song makes you smile, or how it feels to be loved.”

Elly’s eyes brightened. “So even if I forget the cake or the song… if I remember how much I’m loved, I haven’t really forgotten?”

Taru smiled. “Exactly, my dear.”

The Memory Journal

Taru gave Elly a gift—a small bundle of leaves stitched together with vine threads.

“This is your Memory Journal,” he said. “Each day, draw or write something that made you feel happy or loved. Not everything—just the moments that touch your heart.”

And so Elly began a new habit.

Each day, she would dip her trunk in colored berry juice and draw:

·       A blue splash for the day she danced in the rain.

·       A green swirl for the time she helped a turtle cross the path.

·       A yellow circle for the laughter shared with friends.

Her journal grew thick with colors and marks. And slowly, Elly’s heart grew full of memories—not perfect, not complete—but warm, beautiful, and hers.

Elly Remembers

The next year, when her birthday came again, Elly smiled before anyone said a word.

“I remember this feeling,” she beamed. “It’s my birthday!”

The animals clapped and cheered.

She hugged each of them and said, “Even if I forget your names tomorrow, I’ll never forget how much you care.”

From then on, Elly was no longer just the forgetful elephant. She was the elephant who remembered what truly mattered.

 

Moral:

Memories make us who we are—not just facts, but feelings, love, and cherished moments.