SHORT STORY THE ANT AND THE ELEPHANT
THE ANT AND THE ELEPHANT
Automatic traslation from the original story in Spanish. Not checked manually
On the vast savanna, under the blazing sun, an elephant walked with a slow, heavy gait. His enormous feet raised small clouds of dust as he moved through the tall grass. Without realizing it, he was about to step on a tiny ant that hurried across his path.
Just as his enormous foot was about to fall on it, a high-pitched, trembling voice echoed through the air: “Careful, big guy, you’re going to kill me!”
The elephant stopped dead in his tracks, raising his foot in surprise. He looked around, puzzled. Who had spoken? He couldn’t see anyone. The voice was heard again, this time a little clearer: “Down here in the grass, it’s me, the ant!”
With great effort, the elephant lowered his head and, among the blades of grass, saw the tiny creature that had spoken to him. It was a tiny ant, with bright eyes and restless antennae, looking at him with a mixture of fear and courage.
“Is that you who spoke?” the elephant asked, incredulous.
“Yes, it’s me,” the ant replied. “I know you don’t mean to hurt me, but your steps are so big you could accidentally crush me.”
The elephant smiled, touched by the courage of such a small creature. Very carefully, he lifted his leg and placed it to one side, leaving a clear path for the ant.
“Thank you for letting me know,” the elephant said. “Sometimes, because I’m so big, I forget that there are those who are very small and also important.”
The ant nodded and continued on her way, while the elephant kept walking, now more attentive to the small voices that nature might whisper to him. From that day on, the elephant learned to carefully consider each step, respecting life in all its forms, large or small.
After that unexpected encounter, the elephant and the ant crossed paths again in a clearing on the savanna. The ant, with her tireless energy, greeted the elephant enthusiastically, and he responded with a kind smile.
“Would you like me to show you something?” asked the elephant. “There are places you couldn’t reach with your size.”
The ant nodded excitedly, and together they set off on another journey. Then the elephant, with his enormous size, carried the ant on his back, showing her panoramas she could never have imagined: the tops of the tallest trees, the winding course of the river from above, and the vast grasslands that stretched to the horizon.
The ant, amazed, shared stories of her colony with the elephant and explained how, despite their small size, they could achieve great things by working together. She told him how each ant had a role, from gathering food to protecting the anthill, and how cooperation made it possible to overcome any obstacle.
“Teamwork is our strength,” said the ant. “Together, we are invincible”.
The elephant listened attentively, understanding that strength lies not always in size, but in unity and collaboration. Inspired, he decided to help the ant and her colony. He used his trunk to move heavy branches that blocked the path to a new territory for the ants, and with his shade, he protected the little ones as they worked in the sun.
Over time, their friendship grew stronger. The elephant learned to value humility and cooperation, while the ant discovered the beauty of exploring the world from a different perspective. Thus, two such different beings found in their friendship a bridge between worlds, demonstrating that greatness resides in mutual respect and sincere support. Together, elephant and ant walked across the savanna, inseparable and happy, sharing adventures and lessons they would never forget.
The Ant and the Elephant – Short stories series – Copyright ©Montserrat Valls and Juan Genovés