Disobedient Son

In the heart of the forest, lived a young elephant named Balo. Balo was strong, his trunk was getting quite long, and he thought he was the toughest creature in the jungle.

"I have big feet for stomping and a loud trumpet for scaring!" Balo would brag. Because he felt so brave, he stopped listening to the older, wiser elephants. When his auntie told him to watch for thorns, he’d walk right through them. When his friends told him to slow down, he’d run faster.

The Warning

One afternoon, the herd reached the Great Blue River. Balo’s mother, a wise matriarch with gentle eyes, stopped him at the edge of a muddy bend.

"Balo," she said firmly, "you may splash in the shallows, but do not go near the Tall Reeds. The water is deep there, and things hide beneath the surface that do not care how brave you think you are."

Balo huffed. “Deep water? Hiding things? Mom is just being worried for no reason,” he thought. “I’m a big elephant now!”

The Ambush

As soon as his mother was busy teaching the other calves how to blow bubbles, Balo sneaked away. He trotted right toward the Tall Reeds. The water looked cool and inviting.

"See?" Balo whispered to himself. "Nothing here but—"

SNAP!

Before he could finish his thought, a pair of powerful, scaly jaws clamped onto his back leg. It was a massive crocodile! Balo pulled, but the crocodile was heavy and strong. The "brave" little elephant wasn't feeling very brave anymore. The water was splashing, his heart was thumping, and he was slipping deeper into the mud.

The Rescue

"MAMA! HELP!" Balo trumpeted as loud as he could.

The ground began to shake. Within seconds, his mother crashed through the bushes like a grey thunderstorm. She didn't hesitate. She used her massive tusks and her heavy weight to scare the crocodile away. With a final splash, the croc let go and disappeared into the murky depths.

A New Perspective

Back on the dry sand, Balo’s leg was sore, but his pride was even more bruised. His mother didn't yell; she just nudged him gently back toward the herd.

Balo realized then that his mother didn't give him rules to be "bossy"—she gave them because she loved him and knew things he didn't know yet. From that day on, Balo was still the bravest elephant in the savanna, but he was also the smartest, because he finally knew that listening is the best way to stay safe.