Elmer story

David McKee

ELMER

There is a herd of elephants. Young elephants, old elephants, tall elephants, fat elephants and thin elephants. All elephants have the same colour: GREY. All, except Elmer.

Elmer is different. Elmer is patchwork. Elmer is yellow and orange and red and pink and purple and blue and green and black and white. Elmer is NOT elephant colour. He isn’t grey.

Elmer keeps the other elephants happy, because he tells them lots of jokes. When he laughs, all the other elephants laugh too.

One night Elmer can’t sleep. He is sad because he is different. “Have you ever heard of a patchwork elephant? No wonder they laugh at me.” In the morning, all the elephants are sleeping. And Elmer walks away.

Elmer walks through the jungle. Elmer meets other animals. The tiger says: “Good morning Elmer.” Elmer smiles and says: “Good morning!” The lion says: “Good morning Elmer.” Elmer smiles and says: “Good morning!” The hippo says: “Good morning Elmer.” Elmer smiles and says: “Good morning!

After a long walk, Elmer finds what he is looking for. A very big bush. A very big bush with lots of berries. Elephant-coloured berries. Elmer shakes and shakes and shakes the bush. And all the berries fall on the ground.

The ground is full of berries. Elmer lies down, rolls over and over and over. There is no more yellow, orange, red, pink, purple, blue, green, black or white. When he has finished, Elmer looks like a normal elephant. He’s GREY

After that, Elmer walks back to the herd. Elmer walks through the jungle. Elmer meets the other animals again. The turtle says: “Good morning elephant.” Elmer smiles and says: “Good morning!” The crocodile says: “Good morning elephant.” Elmer smiles and says: “Good morning!” The giraffe says: “Good morning elephant.” Elmer smiles and says: “Good morning!”

When Elmer joins the herd, all the elephants stand still and quiet. None of the elephants notice Elmer.

All the elephants are standing still, quiet and serious. Elmer wants to laugh, so he lifts his trunk and shouts…

It starts to rain. The raindrops wash away the grey colour. Elmer is back with all his colours. “We must celebrate this special day every year. Today is Elmer’s day”.

On Elmer’s day, all the elephants decorate themselves and Elmer paints himself grey. He is the only grey elephant on this day.

Cristina López

Laia ALtès

Aida Llauradó

THE END