THE DUMBO

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 376, 9 June 1928, Page 29

THE DUMBO

In the beginning of things all the earth belonged to the Dumbo, but he did not appreciate this blessing because he spent the greater part of his time lying asleep in the sun. (When you commence a story like this you should read it straight through to the end, without consulting a dictionary or an encyclopaedia, and believe it if you possibly can.) The Dumbo was so big and cumbersome that it suited him well to lead a lazy life, so he lived in a fertile valley where there was plenty of food and water, and he might have been there to this day if other creatures had riot decided that the earth might be a pleasant place to live on. The appearance of other species caused the Dumbo concern and pain. Strange beings with long bodies and wriggly tails came to his valley and disturbed his sleep. They stole his food and water and sometimes made fun of him. You see they could not understand why the Dumbo should be so big and clumsy instead of and active like they were. Then gre?*£ animals with tusks came trumpeting into his domain, leaving desolation in their wake. They rooted up the trees and tumbled them into the water, and did everything they could to add to the Dumbo’s discomfort. In the end he decided to leave valley, so he set out one morning on a long journey. Just as dusk fell he came to the shores of the ocean. The water was perfectly calm and the Dumbo was feeling very hot and tired. For a moment he lay looking at that mirror-like expanse, then he plunged in. To his astonishment he found that he was amphibious and really more active in the water than on the land. That decided him. He made up his mind immediately to have the ocean for his home. But he never really overcame his drowsiness. When the ocean is gently heaving and the tides rise and fall, that is caused by the Dumbo’s deep and steady breathing. When the seventh wave happens he has probably sighed in his sleep. And when great storms and tidal waves occur the Dumbo has probably turned completely over. Anyway lie has never returned to his fertile valley which, of course, is just as well. —-W.S.T.