Learn About Elephants: The elephant is the biggest living animal on the land. It looks dark grey and ugly also. It has four pillar-like legs, two very big ears, two small eyes, a small tail, two tusks and a long trunk. The trunk of the elephant is like the hand of man. It uses its trunk as a hand for eating and working. It can also break up big branches with the help of its trunk. It is usually seen in the forest of Burma, Cambodia, India, Africa and Thailand. In India, it is found in Karnataka, Assam, Mizoram, West Bengal and Arunachal Pradesh. The elephant-like to eat leaves, branches of trees, fruits, etc. They like to bathe and swim in the rivers and streams. It is very useful when it is tamed. It helps us bring large wood logs from the forest. It is very calm, animal but when it’s become angry or hurt it is very dangerous. After the death of the elephant, beautiful articles are made from its tusks and bones. Combs, Buttons, Ornaments and other decorative things are made from its tusks. In the past, they were used on the battlefields. Nowadays elephants are used in a zoo or in the circus for public show.

Ernie Elephant and the Little Mouse

Ernie the elephant had great big feet,
And a long curly trunk as well,
His tusks were sharp, his color was grey,
And he’d a very sad tale to tell.

Though he was strong and looked so fierce,
He was really gentle and kind.
But he wanted a friend, large or small,
And never a one could he find.

Till one fine day, when he lay fast asleep,
A little mouse chanced to pass by.
Ernie lifted his head, then waggled his ears,
And lazily opened one eye.

“Hello,” said the mouse, “here all alone?”
“Why indeed, yes I am,” sighed he.
“I need a good friend.” The mouse twitched his nose
And smiled, “Well, how about me?”

Ernie grinned, the mouse beamed,
And together they went, down to the bank of the stream.
They splashed and they splashed to their hearts’ content,
Then had tea with strawberries and cream.

∼ Porter G., Hilda Offen, Pradera, Esme Eve, Alan Jesset, Richard Hooke