English | Story | Listen | The Elephant and the Tailor

Once upon a time in a small village, there lived a kind and gentle elephant named Gajapati.
Gajapati was loved by everyone in the village for his friendly nature and helpfulness.
Every day, he would walk through the village, greeting the villagers with his cheerful trumpet and gentle eyes.

Gajapati had a daily routine that he followed religiously.
After his morning bath in the river, he would walk through the marketplace, where the villagers would offer him fruits and sweets.
The children especially loved feeding him, and Gajapati enjoyed every moment of their affection.

Among the many shops in the marketplace was a tailor's shop, run by a man named Ramu.
Ramu was known for his sharp tongue and quick temper, and though he was a skilled tailor, he was not as well-liked as Gajapati.
However, Ramu's shop was on Gajapati's usual route, and every day, Gajapati would stop by the shop to greet the tailor.

Ramu, however, did not share the same fondness for the elephant.
One day, as Gajapati approached the shop, hoping for a treat as usual, Ramu decided to play a mean trick on the unsuspecting elephant.
Instead of giving him a sweet or a banana, Ramu took a needle and pricked Gajapati's trunk.

Startled and in pain, Gajapati let out a loud trumpet and retreated from the shop.
Hurt and confused, he walked away from the marketplace, his once cheerful demeanor now replaced with sadness.
The villagers, unaware of what had happened, wondered why Gajapati looked so upset that day.

The next morning, Gajapati went to the river for his bath as usual, but this time, he filled his trunk with as much water as he could carry.
With determination in his eyes, he walked back to the marketplace and straight to Ramu's shop.

As Gajapati approached, Ramu smirked, thinking the elephant had forgotten the previous day's incident.
But to his surprise, Gajapati lifted his trunk and sprayed the entire contents of water right into the shop! The water splashed all over Ramu, soaking him from head to toe, and flooded his shop, ruining the fabric and clothes inside.

Ramu, drenched and humiliated, realized the gravity of his mistake.
The villagers, who had witnessed the scene, laughed at the sight of the soaked tailor, and some even cheered for Gajapati.

Feeling ashamed of his actions, Ramu apologized to Gajapati and promised to never harm him again.
From that day on, Ramu made sure to greet Gajapati with a sweet or a banana whenever the elephant passed by his shop.
Gajapati, being the gentle and forgiving soul he was, accepted the apology and resumed his friendly visits to the marketplace.

The story of Gajapati and the tailor spread throughout the village, teaching everyone an important lesson: kindness and respect are always repaid in kind, but so are meanness and cruelty.
And so, Gajapati continued to be the beloved elephant of the village, reminding everyone of the power of kindness and forgiveness.