There was a time when elephants had no trunk. They only had a bulgy nose and it was difficult for them to pick things. They could only move it from side to side, but could not put it to any real use. A baby elephant, named Golu, had no trunk either.
According to the ostrich, the giraffe, the hippopotamus and the baboon, Golu was a naughty baby as he asked all of them questions to which they had no answer. He kept asking everybody difficult questions. Once, he asked the mynah if it knew what crocodile had for dinner. Mynah directed Golu to go to grassy Limpopo river to find out for himself.
Golu Meets the Python and the Crocodile
In order to find out what crocodile has for dinner, Golu decided to go to river Limpopo. Since, Golu had never seen the crocodile, he was confused what it looked like. On his way, Golu met the python. Golu asked the python if it had seen the crocodile and knew what he had for dinner. Python uncoiled itself from the tree, but did not say anything. Golu helped python coil around the branch again and moved on. After a few days of walking, Golu reached the edge of the great, grassy Limpopo river.
There he saw the crocodile, but not knowing who he was; Golu asked him if he knew where the crocodile was. The crocodile winked at Golu and introduced himself as the one whom Golu was looking for. Golu then put his questions to the crocodile asking him what he had for dinner.
Crocodile Tries To Drag Golu into the Stream
The crocodile asks Golu to come near him so that he could whisper the answer to Golu’s questions in his ear. As Golu put his head close to the crocodile, the crocodile caught him by the nose. Golu began to scream and begged the crocodile to let him go. The python tried to guide Golu by telling him that he must pull himself as hard as possible else the crocodile would pull him into the stream.
Golu’s Nose Grew Longer and Longer
Golu pulled himself harder and harder. The crocodile too dragged Golu harder into the stream. The python too coiled himself around Golu’s stomach and tried to help Golu. In the act of pulling, however, Golu’s nose kept stretching and grew longer and longer and it began to hurt Golu. Finally, Golu freed himself, but his nose was now five feet long.
Golu Waited for his Nose to Shrink
Golu wrapped his nose in a big banana leaf and hung it in the great grassy Limpopo river to cool it. He kept waiting for two days for his nose to cool and shrink. However his nose only cooled but did not shrink. A fly sat on Golu’s shoulder. Golu lifted his long nose and with it hit the fly dead. Python immediately pointed out that he could not have done this with a small nose. So, having a long nose was an advantage.
When python asked Golu to eat something, Golu plucked a large bundle of grass with his long nose(trunk). The python pointed it out as the second advantage of the long nose. Since it was too hot, Golu scooped some mud using his nose and slapped it on his head. The python told Golu that this was the third advantage of having a long nose. Hearing all this, Golu expressed his gratitude towards the python and said that he would remember all of this. Thanking python thus, Golu went back to his family.