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On a sunny riverbank, Ellie stands near the water frowning, while Sue grips a tree trunk halfway up and Jack gallops past in the background, splashes and dangling vines framing the lively outdoor scene.
Ellie the rainbow elephant stood by the river, watching her friends play. Sue the black bear climbed trees easily. Jack the blue horse galloped fast. Sam the rainbow parrot flew high above. London the purple monkey swung from vines. Ellie felt sad. What could she do? She was too big to climb. Too slow to run fast. She could not fly at all. Ellie sighed loudly.
Under the shade beside the river at dusk, Sue rests a gentle paw on Ellie's lowered trunk; Sue's warm smile contrasts Ellie's downcast eyes as golden light glints off the rippling water behind them.
Sue the bear walked over to Ellie. "Why so sad, friend?" Sue asked kindly. Ellie looked down at her big feet. "Everyone has a special talent but me," Ellie said quietly. Sue patted Ellie's trunk gently. "You have not discovered yours yet," Sue said. "Let us help you find it!" Ellie felt a tiny bit better. Maybe Sue was right. She would try.
In a bright jungle clearing, Ellie strains against a tall tree, trunk wrapped around it as the trunk bends and cracks, while London clings wide-eyed to an upper branch, leaves fluttering through the midday sunlight.
"Try climbing!" suggested London the purple monkey. Ellie wrapped her trunk around a tree. She pushed with her big legs. The tree began to bend and crack! "Stop, stop!" everyone shouted. Ellie stepped back quickly. The tree straightened up again. "Maybe climbing is not my talent," Ellie said. Her friends nodded in agreement. They needed another idea.
On the dusty riverbank under blazing afternoon sun, Ellie furiously flaps her huge ears, raising a swirling brown cloud; nearby, Lennie sneezes mid-air with bulging eyes, and Sam hovers above, wings spread in hopeful encouragement.
"Maybe you can fly!" Sam the parrot chirped excitedly. He flapped his colorful wings. Ellie flapped her big ears hard. She flapped and flapped and flapped. Her feet stayed on the ground. Dust flew everywhere, making everyone sneeze. "Achoo!" went Lennie the red-eyed tree frog. "Flying is not working," Ellie said sadly. Sam patted her trunk with his wing.
Along a leafy jungle path at late afternoon, Jack bursts across a vine-marked finish tree, mane streaming and smiling victory, while Ellie thunders a few strides behind, mouth open but determined, dust and fallen leaves flying around them.
Jack the blue horse trotted up. "Let us race!" he said cheerfully. They lined up at the starting tree. "Go!" shouted London from above. Jack zoomed ahead quickly. Ellie ran as fast as she could. Thump, thump, thump went her heavy feet. Jack finished first, of course. "Good try!" Jack said kindly. Ellie smiled, but felt disappointed inside.
Beside the sunlit river, Soda Pop splashes helplessly in the churning current, eyes wide and throat calling, while Sue stands on the grassy bank reaching a worried paw toward him, scattered pebbles and reeds framing the scene.
The friends rested by the river. Soda Pop the brown bullfrog hopped onto a log. "Ribbit! Watch me dive!" he croaked. Splash! He jumped into the water. Suddenly, Soda Pop yelled, "Help! The current is strong!" He was being swept away fast. Everyone panicked. Sue could not swim well. Jack was afraid of deep water. Someone had to help!
Mid-river under bright sky, Ellie plants her sturdy legs against the rushing water, trunk curled securely around Soda Pop's middle as she guides him toward the cheering friends gathered indistinctly on the distant shore.
Without thinking, Ellie jumped into the river. Her big body made a huge splash! She waded through the strong current easily. Her powerful legs stayed steady. Ellie reached out her long trunk. She wrapped it gently around Soda Pop. Carefully, she pulled him to safety. Everyone cheered loudly from the shore. Soda Pop coughed and smiled. "Thank you, Ellie!"
On the rocky shore in late morning light, Lulu naps peacefully atop a sun-warmed stone, unaware of a large drifting log approaching fast in the river, while Loony Toon clings to an overhanging branch, mouth open in alarm.
"Look out!" Loony Toon the red howler monkey shouted. A big log was floating toward them fast! It was going to hit the shore. Little Lulu the red, white, and blue chameleon was sunbathing on a rock there! "Lulu, move!" everyone screamed. But Lulu was sleeping peacefully. She did not hear them. The log rushed closer and closer. Time was running out!
At the shoreline under noon sun, Ellie braces her forehead against the massive wet log, muscles taut, while Lulu sits startled on her rock just inches away, river spray sparkling around them.
Ellie ran to the shore quickly. She pushed her strong forehead against the log. The log stopped moving forward! Ellie pushed it away from the rocks. Lulu woke up, confused but safe. "What happened?" Lulu asked sleepily. "Ellie saved you!" Sam chirped excitedly. Everyone gathered around Ellie. Sue hugged her big leg. "You are so strong!" London cheered.
In the shaded clearing, Sue taps a thoughtful claw to her chin beside Ellie, while Jack nods enthusiastically on Ellie's other side; dappled afternoon light spots the grass as the trio discuss amid scattered jungle flowers.
"Wait a moment," Sue said thoughtfully. "Ellie, you can do something none of us can!" Ellie tilted her head curiously. "You are strong enough to move heavy things," Jack said. "Your trunk can reach and grab," added Lennie. "You can wade through strong water," Soda Pop croaked. Ellie's eyes grew wide. Maybe she did have a special talent after all!
Beneath a tall jungle tree in bright morning, Ellie lifts London high with her trunk toward a dangling vine, London grinning and reaching out, while shafts of sunlight pierce the leaves onto the cleared ground.
The next day, everyone needed help. Sue's favorite rock was too heavy to move. Ellie pushed it easily! London's swing vine was too high to reach. Ellie lifted him up with her trunk! Lennie's pond had too many fallen branches. Ellie cleared them all away! "You are the strongest and most helpful friend," Sam said proudly. Ellie's heart felt warm and happy.
At golden sunset near the calm river, Ellie stands proudly in the clearing, trunk raised, while Sue and Sam stand beside her smiling brightly, long warm rays illuminating their colorful fur and feathers.
From that day on, Ellie never felt sad about herself. She knew her special talents now. She was strong, helpful, and brave. Her friends loved her very much. Whenever someone needed help, they called for Ellie. And Ellie was always happy to use her trunk, her strength, and her big kind heart. She was the elephant that could do anything that mattered most: help her friends.
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