The Bumpy Ride Of The Lion

Once upon a time, in the bright and sunny Savannah, lived a very large, very gentle elephant named Ellie. Ellie loved to wander through the tall green grass, flapping her big ears to stay cool under the golden sun.

One afternoon, while Ellie was humming a happy tune, a young lion named Leo was watching from behind a bush. Leo wanted to be the "King of the Jungle," but he was also a little bit of a prankster. He thought it would be a grand idea to ride on top of the biggest animal he could find.

The Great Leap

With a mighty roar (well, more like a tiny squeak), Leo jumped! He landed right on Ellie’s broad, grey back.

Ellie was so startled! She didn't know what was on her back. Was it a giant coconut? Was it a ticklish monkey? She got a case of the "Zips" and started to run as fast as her big legs could carry her.

"Whoa! Slow down!" Leo cried, his paws sliding all over Ellie’s smooth back.

The Big Tumble

Leo tried to hold on, but Ellie was too fast and the ground was too bumpy. Slip, slide, oops! Leo lost his balance and went tumbling down.

THUD!

Leo landed right in a patch of soft clover, but he had taken quite a fall. He had bumps on his head and owies on his paws.

A Trip to the Jungle Hospital

Ellie stopped running and looked back. She felt bad that the little lion was hurt. She carefully scooped Leo up with her trunk and carried him to the Jungle Hospital, where Dr. Owl was waiting.

The Check-up: Dr. Owl used his stethoscope to listen to Leo’s heart.

The X-Rays: "Oh my," said Dr. Owl. "You have quite a few fractures, little Leo! You’ve broken some bones trying to be a passenger."

The Casts: Dr. Owl wrapped Leo’s legs and tail in bright, colorful bandages and casts.

A Lesson Learned

For the next few weeks, Leo had to sit still and rest. Ellie brought him fresh water and tasty snacks every day.

Leo learned two very important things:

Always ask for a ride instead of jumping on your friends.

Elephants are much faster than they look!

Now, whenever Leo wants to see the view from up high, he simply asks, "Ellie, may I sit with you?" and they walk through the Savannah together as the very best of friends.

The End