There was once a very big elephant named Motu.
Motu was the biggest animal in the forest. He knew it. When he walked, the ground shook. When he drank from the river, the water level went down. When he stood under a tree, the whole tree was in shade.
He was very proud of being big.
One afternoon Motu was walking through the forest when he felt something tickling his foot.
He looked down.
It was an ant.
A tiny, small, almost invisible ant - standing right in the middle of the path and looking up at him.
"Move," said Motu. "I am very big and I am coming through."
"I am carrying food home," said the ant. "I will be done in a moment."
Motu looked at the ant. Then he looked at himself. Then he looked at the ant again.
He had never been asked to wait by anyone. Not by the tigers, not by the deer, not by the monkeys. Everyone moved when Motu came.
He waited.
The ant picked up her grain, walked to the edge of the path, and disappeared into the grass.
"Thank you," she said, without looking back.
Motu stood there for a moment.
Then he walked on.
He did not tell anyone about it. But that evening, when he came to the river to drink, he walked a little more slowly than usual. Just in case someone was carrying something home.
Being big is not the most important thing.
Noticing the small things - that is.
Goodnight, little one.
