Among the Senufo people of Côte d’Ivoire there is a tale that has been told for generations to remind both children and elders that wisdom does not always walk in the shadow of size or strength. It is the story of how a mighty elephant learned a lesson from the smallest of creatures.
In a vast forest lived an elephant who was proud of his size. His footsteps shook the ground, his tusks gleamed like ivory towers, and his voice rumbled like thunder when he spoke. Day after day he boasted to the other animals. Look at me, he declared. I am the largest and strongest in this land. Surely that makes me the wisest as well.
The smaller animals grew tired of his arrogance. Some kept silent out of fear, while others laughed quietly among themselves. One day a chameleon, slow of step but sharp of mind, decided that the elephant needed to be humbled.
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Brother Elephant, said the chameleon in his gentle voice, if you are as wise as you are large then you should have no trouble proving yourself in a race.
The elephant laughed so hard that the birds scattered from the trees. A race? With you, little one? My legs are thicker than your whole body. I would crush you before you had even begun.
But the chameleon persisted. Let us see who reaches the far end of the field first. Wisdom is not in words but in deeds.
The animals gathered to watch, eager to see what would happen. The elephant stamped his feet and lined up at the start. The chameleon appeared to crouch beside him, though unnoticed by most he had already devised his plan. As the race began and the elephant charged forward, the chameleon leapt quietly onto his tail and clung there, hidden from sight.
The elephant ran with all his might. His ears flapped, his trunk swung, and dust rose beneath his pounding feet. At the far end of the field he lifted his head and trumpeted proudly. I am here first! he cried. But from ahead a small voice answered, I have been here waiting.
The elephant blinked in disbelief. There on a branch sat the chameleon, calmly swaying.
Furious, the elephant demanded a second race. Back to the starting point! he roared. Again he thundered forward, faster and louder than before. Again the chameleon clung unseen to his tail. When the elephant reached the start he declared victory, but the same voice replied, I am already here.
Gasps rose from the crowd. The animals began to murmur among themselves. Could it be that the chameleon was truly faster than the great elephant?
The elephant, red with shame, demanded yet another race. This time he gave all the strength in his body, running until sweat poured from his skin. When he arrived he once again found the chameleon waiting ahead, calm and unshaken.
At last the elephant fell silent. His pride crumbled, and he bowed his head. Little one, he said, I see now that wisdom is not carried in size or strength. I let pride blind me, and you have opened my eyes.
The chameleon climbed down and spoke softly so that all could hear. Let this be a lesson to us all. The forest is not ruled by strength alone. Every creature has its gift, and wisdom often dwells in the smallest of bodies.
From that day forward the elephant no longer boasted of his greatness. He walked with humility, and the other animals remembered that cleverness and wisdom are greater treasures than pride and power.
Moral Lesson
The story of The Elephant and the Chameleon teaches that true wisdom does not come from size or strength but from humility and cleverness. Even the smallest can teach the greatest, and pride always leads to shame.
Knowledge Check
Who was the main character boasting about his strength in the Ivorian folktale The Elephant and the Chameleon?
Answer: The elephant, who believed his size made him the wisest.Who challenged the elephant to a race to test his wisdom?
Answer: The chameleon, a small but clever creature.How did the chameleon manage to win the race in the story The Elephant and the Chameleon?
Answer: He clung secretly to the elephant’s tail and appeared ahead each time.What was the reaction of the other animals during the races?
Answer: They were amazed and murmured in disbelief as the chameleon kept appearing ahead.What did the elephant realize after losing the races?
Answer: He realized that wisdom is not in size or strength but in humility and respect.What is the main lesson of The Elephant and the Chameleon?
Answer: Pride leads to downfall, and even the small can outwit the great through wisdom.
Source: Ivorian folktale, Senufo tradition. Documented in oral traditions and referenced in Senufo Arts and Poro Initiation (Metropolitan Museum of Art).
