Little elephant and tiny rabbit

Told in English, Telugu.

Once upon a time, near a quiet village by the Godavari river, there was a green forest full of mango trees and tall bamboo.

In that forest lived a little elephant named Gajju. Gajju had big flappy ears, a long swingy trunk, and four round feet that went thump, thump, thump.

In the same forest lived a tiny rabbit named Chitti. Chitti had soft white fur, a pink twitchy nose, and two quick feet that went hop, hop, hop.

Gajju and Chitti were best friends. Every morning they met under the big banyan tree.

But one morning, Gajju looked very sad. "Chitti," he said, "I am too big. When we play hide and seek, everybody finds me first. My ears stick out from behind every tree."

Chitti looked sad too. "Gajju," she said, "I am too small. The mangoes grow so high up. I jump and jump, but I can never reach them."

A wise mother crow sat on the banyan branch. "Caw! Caw!" she said. "Big is good, and small is good. Wait and see."

That afternoon, Gajju was playing with his red ball. He gave it a kick, and it rolled, and rolled, and rolled, right under a thick, prickly bush. Gajju pushed his trunk in. "Ouch! The thorns poke me!" His trunk was too big to fit.

"Let me try!" said Chitti. Because she was tiny, she slipped under the bush, between the thorns, and pushed the red ball out with her little nose.

Gajju flapped his ears with joy. "Thank you, Chitti! You fit where I could not!"

Chitti smiled and sang their happy song. "Big or small, short or tall, friends help friends, one and all."

Can you say it with me? Big or small, short or tall, friends help friends, one and all.

Soon their tummies began to rumble. Chitti looked up at the mango tree. The mangoes were yellow and sweet, but oh, so high.

"Let me try!" said Gajju. Because he was big, he stretched up his long trunk, higher and higher, and picked two juicy mangoes. One for Chitti, and one for himself.

Chitti ate her mango, and her whiskers were all sticky. "Thank you, Gajju! You reached where I could not!"

And together they sang, "Big or small, short or tall, friends help friends, one and all."

Now the sun was going down, and it was time for Chitti to go home. But her burrow was on the other side of a little stream. The water was too deep for a tiny rabbit.

"Climb up!" said Gajju. Chitti hopped onto his trunk, and Gajju lifted her gently onto his head. She sat right between his big flappy ears. Splish, splash, splish, splash, Gajju walked across. The water only came up to his knees.

On the other side, Chitti hopped down. "Gajju, I am so happy you are big."

Gajju smiled. "Chitti, I am so happy you are small."

From the banyan tree, the mother crow called, "Caw! Caw! Did I not tell you?"

One last time, the two friends sang softly, "Big or small, short or tall, friends help friends, one and all."

The moon came up, round and bright. Chitti curled up in her cosy burrow. Gajju thump, thump, thumped home to his amma, who wrapped her warm trunk around him.

And you, my little one, whether you feel big today or small today, you are just the right size. Close your eyes now. Good night.