Turtle was small, but he talked big. He loved to boast that he was friends with the biggest
animals in the jungle. He would say things like, “I’m just as strong as the biggest
animals around here, including Elephant and Hippopotamus. That’s right: Elephant and
Hippopotamus and I are friends, because I’m just as strong as they are.”
One day, Elephant and Hippopotamus happened to hear from some of the other animals what
Turtle was going around saying. Elephant and Hippopotamus laughed. “So,” they said,
“Turtle thinks he is as strong as we are? That’s the silliest thing we’ve ever heard.
He’s so tiny compared to us!” And when the animals told Turtle what Elephant
and Hippopotamus said, Turtle became very mad. “So, they do not think that I am as
strong as they are? Once they see that I am just as strong as they are, we will definitely
be friends. Just wait and see!” Then Turtle set off to find Elephant and Hippopotamus.
He found Elephant lying down in the jungle. Elephant was as big as a mountain; his trunk
was as long as a river. But Turtle was bold. He walked right up and said in his loudest
voice, “Hey, Elephant, my dear friend!” Elephant looked all around to see where the
voice could be coming from. Finally, he looked down—way down—and spotted Turtle. “Oh,
it’s you, is it?” said Elephant. “What is this foolishness I hear, that you claim
to be as strong as I am? How silly! I am much larger than you, and thus much stronger than
you! Big animals and little animals cannot be friends.”
“Now, Elephant,” said Turtle, “just listen. You think that because you’re so
much bigger than me, that makes you better. Well, let’s
have a tug-of-war to find out.” “A tug-of-war?” said Elephant. He laughed
so hard the earth shook for miles around. “Why,” he said to Turtle, “you haven’t
got a chance.” “Maybe so,” said Turtle. “But if you’re
so sure, what have you got to lose?” Then Turtle cut a very long vine and gave one end to
Elephant. “Here,” said Turtle. “Now, if I pull you down, I am stronger. If you
pull me down, you are stronger. We won’t stop tugging until one of us pulls the other
over, or the vine breaks. And if the vine breaks, we are equal, and will call each other
friend.” “Now I’ll go pick up my end,” said Turtle,
“and when you feel me start tugging, you tug back.”
And Turtle walked off with the other end of the long, long vine until, some time later,
he found Hippopotamus bathing in the river. “Oh, friend, I’m here!” shouted Turtle.
“Come out of the water and say hi!” Hippopotamus could hardly believe his ears.
“How could we be friends? You are so much smaller than me,”
he said quizzically. “Now hold on, friend Hippo,” said Turtle.
“You think that because you’re so much bigger than me, that makes you better. Well,
let’s have a tug-of-war to find out. Whoever pulls the other down is stronger. We will
keep pulling until one of us wins or the vine breaks. And if the vine breaks, we are equal,
and we will finally be friends.” “But Turtle, how could you win? You are
so much smaller than me, and everyone knows that big animals are stronger than little
animals,” said Hippopotamus. “Well, let us see,” said Turtle, and he
gave Hippopotamus an end of the long, long vine. “Now I’ll go pick up my end,”
said Turtle, “and when you feel me start tugging, you tug back.”
Turtle walked into the jungle and picked up the middle of the vine. He gave it a good
hard shake. When Hippopotamus felt this, he started to tug. When Elephant felt the tug,
he tugged back. Elephant and Hippopotamus both tugged so mightily
that the vine stretched tight. Turtle settled into a comfortable spot and watched for a
while as the vine moved just a little bit one way, then just a little the other way.
He took out his lunch and munched on his food very slowly, enjoying every bite. Then he
yawned and fell asleep. He woke a couple of hours later, feeling very
refreshed from his nap. He looked up to see the vine still stretched tight, and he smiled.
Yes, Elephant and Hippopotamus were still pulling with all their might. Neither one
could pull the other over. “I suppose it’s about time,” said Turtle,
and he cut the vine. When the vine broke, both Elephant and Hippopotamus
tumbled down. Turtle went to see Elephant, and found him
sprawled on the ground, rubbing his head. “Turtle,” said Elephant, “you are very
strong and quite powerful! You were right; we are equal. I guess that bigger doesn’t
mean better after all, and that big animals and little animals can indeed be friends.”
Then Turtle went to see Hippopotamus, who was also sprawled on the ground, rubbing his
head. “So, Turtle,” said Hippopotamus, “we are equal after all. You were right,
my friend.” From then on, whenever the animals held a meeting, there at the front sat Elephant,
Hippopotamus, and Turtle. And they always called each other friends.