Story prompt: "Never trust an elephant with it." 7-4-21

Marc and FinnLee

By: Carrie Keiser

Marc came running into the room, panting, clutching something to his chest. He leaned over and attempted to catch his breath. Jenny looked over at him, puzzled by his abrupt appearance and strange behavior. Marc gasped, “Never trust… an elephant with it!”

“What are you talking about, Marc? What wouldn’t you trust an elephant with?”

Straightening up Marc thrust a package towards Jenny and collapsed into the nearby easy chair with a sigh of relief.

Jenny gently felt the parcel, a little nervous about what might be inside. She looked askance at Marc hoping he would elaborate, but he seemed to have deflated and was possibly asleep. “What the heck am I to do now?” Jenny declared to the room at large. The packet was not large or heavy, so what could be inside? She set it down on her lap and continued to think about what might be inside, then she was sure it had moved! Was something alive in there?  Jenny stared intently at the container waiting and hoping to see more movement. She cut her eyes to Marc and out of the corner saw another flit from the package. Marc snored loudly, he’d be no help to her, she was going to have to open the bundle.

Carefully,  Jenny lifted the parcel up to eye level and observed that there were tiny poke holes allowing whatever is inside to have fresh air. Hands shaking a little, she began to untie the wrappings. Senses on alert, Jenny heard a faint sound like a tiny voice? It wasn’t loud enough to hear clearly. In short, the string was loose and the canvas outter wrap fell free revealing a faerie! So surprised by the sight, she almost dropped the box. The faerie seemed happy to see the light of day, she was chattering away, but Jenny was unable to understand her. She said in a soft voice afraid that her normal tone would be hard on the faerie’s ears, “Hello, my name is Jenny, how can I help you?” She had so many more questions for the fae, but they would have to wait.

The faerie tipped her head to the side and looked up at Jenny. The small creature was about 5 inches from head to toe, she was wearing a sheer, shiny blue/green fabric fashioned into a cute flattering dress that ended in leaf-like scallops at her knees. Her tiny feet were clad in what appeared to be soft brown leather boots and as she turned, Jenny noticed a pair of delicate transparent wings folded on her back. She must be dreaming, faeries like this are only found in Disney movies! Then she heard the voice again, Listening intently, she understood the words floating up to her, “Hi, Jenny! Where’s Marc? He promised me a ride on an elephant.”

“Umm, Marc’s sleeping. Why do you want to ride an elephant? What shall I call you?’ Jenny glanced over at the sleeping Marc and wondered how he had come in possession of this fae? How was this even possible? She returned her gaze to the small figure in the box and noticed that she was now seated and looked to be pouting. “Hello, little faerie!”

The faerie looked up and shook her fist at Jenny, “I want Marc!, Bring me Marc!’

Demanding little imp thought Jenny. She cautiously set the box containing the faerie down on the end-table and crossed the distance to the easy chair and Marc. She grabbed his shoulder and shook him in an attempt to awaken him. Brothers can be such a pain! She yelled, “Marc! Wake up! Now!” Punctuating each word with a vigorous shake of his shoulder. His eyes fluttered open and he looked a little confused by his surroundings, wiping his hands across his face, then he leapt to his feet and searched the room for his package. Finally, spotting the unwrapped box on the end-table and seeing the fae inside, exhaled loudly and again returned to his chair. 

He leaned over and gazed in at the microminiature woman and remembered how he had found her. Marc had been walking down a path in the nearby woods when he heard a small voice calling out for help. Searching he spotted a tiny woman struggling to free herself from a web. Upon closer inspection, he noticed delicate wings and a beautiful face of a faerie! She was asking him, pleading really with him to help her and she would do anything in payment, for the spider was sure to return and trap her as its next meal.  Marc is a sucker for a beautiful face and he couldn’t let the faerie become spider fare. He retrieved his pocket knife and made short work of the web, set the little lady down and gently freed her wings from the sticky mass. As soon as Marc had freed her, she attempted to fly away, but he was fast and had her by the edge of her dress. She settled back down with, “A girls gotta try!” And a wink at Marc. Surprised by her sassy attitude, he almost let her go. She giggled and began to tell her tale, “Thank you for rescuing me, um, what’s your name?

“I’m Marc. And you are?”

“Oh, yes, I’m FinnLee.”

“FinnLee, how did you get stuck in that web?”

“Well, it’s a long story, do you have time, Marc, my knight?”

Laughing at that description of himself, Marc replied, “All the time in the world, I’m at your service, FinnLee, My lady Fae!”

FinnLee cocked her head and whispered, “Oh you’ll see!” Louder she began the story. “I am to be married to Simon, a horrid little fae from across the valley, he is power hungry and thinks that I will help him overthrow his father and run his kingdom. I am the daughter of, Bram, high king of Tal, on this side of the valley, but not in line to rule (and I don’t want it!). He conspired with our fathers to gain my hand, but I want to be free to choose for myself after I have travelled the world and experienced life.  He is the second son of Alfred the dark faerie of Hiberg and is forever in his brothers shadow. The first time I met Simon, I thought it might work, then he told me how he planned to eliminate the competition and rule both kingdoms in time.”

Marc looked astonished by this, first off faeries are real and second one was planning a coup and somehow he had walked right into the middle of it. He was never going for a walk in the woods again, who needs fresh air anyway?!

FinnLee was still talking oblivious to Marc’s mental musings. “I had to get away, so this morning when I was supposed to be on my first visit to Hiberg, I ditched my escort and was free and clear until I hit that sticky web trap. I’m quite surprised that the escort hasn’t found me. Marc will you accompany me on my travels of the world? I want to ride and elephant and explore a desert. Will you take me?”

“What?! An adventure you say? Well, maybe I could go for a bit. First, I think we better figure out how to hide you in case Simon comes to look for you or your father’s escort returns.” 

Marc tries to find some sort of container in the forest around them, FinnLee uses her magic and creates a small box surrounded by a canvas wrap and a bit of string to tie it shut.  Marc is once again amazed by this little gal. She instructs him to lift her into the packet and tie it closed, asking him to take her to see elephants as he completes a knot he mutters, “Sure, sure whatever.”

Marc hears them, a group of men stomping towards them. He takes the bundle in his arms and begins to walk casually away, after all the people he’s looking for are 5-7 inches tall and can fly, right?  The sounds behind him are getting louder and faster, like running. He turns in time to see tiny winged soldiers grown into full man-sized soldiers and they are after him, yelling for him to stop and open the bag. He’s not sure if these are the escort from Tal or Simon’s entourage from Hiberg, but neither group are ones he wants to meet, so he runs for all he’s worth.  Marc thinks, “Too bad I hadn’t stuck with the running after high school.” Home is about a mile from his current position, fingers crossed he would beat them.

As luck would have it, he met a few hikers on the trail and his pursuers were forced to return to their Fae size and he was able to make to the house before they changed again. Falling into the chair after handing off the package to his sister, Jenny.

Marc shook his head and Jenny’s voice cut through his reminiscing, his eyes focused just as FinnLee transformed into a full-sized woman. Jenny jumped and let out a squeak of fear or surprise, maybe both.

“Marc, who ... what is that?”

“Jenny,” both Marc and FinnLee answer.

“Jenny, calm down, come back and sit down, we’ll explain everything.” Marc beckoned to his sister.

FinnLee extended her hand and said, “Hi, my name’s FinnLee and Marc has just saved my life.”

Under her breath, Jenny whispers, “Yeah, I wouldn’t trust an elephant with that either!”

By: Ryanne Leavitt

“ Don’t trust an elephant with it!” She yelled at the top of her lungs. Salinda had heard this enough times that it should’ve been ingrained in her head and she should’ve followed the instructions. In her life she had known a few elephants and they all seemed honorable, maybe even trust worthy. She was sure that if she gave the sacred medallion to her friends in the elephant tribe their world would be safe, this magic and way of life protected. Oh how wrong Salinda had been.

In the  days after asking her friends Beruth and Jamil to  help her protect it, foreigners began to creep in the land through borders that had once to be protected by the medallion.  This of course is some thing Salinda learned only months later.  She was unaware that the elephant tribe had been plotting and planning for decades to get their hands on that magic. They wanted to sell it to the outsiders they wanted to be wealthy. They wanted all the power and they were tired of the Macawian tribe holding that power over their heads. They wanted to bring the destruction of her people and the other tribes and they didn’t look beyond to see the danger even their tribe would be in.  

Even in the very time that she thought her tried and true friends were helping her, they were in fact bringing ruination to the entire jungle.  Their way of life was more that of the serpent than the elephant. They were sneaky and deceptive and they had used the sacred medallion recklessly and caused magic to leak into the rest world. It was up to her to find a way to stop it. She had eventually caught onto Beruth and Jamil’s Deception.  It took weeks of planning and much study of the spells she had already learned, she had regained medallion.   The magic that had leaked into the rest of the world had begun to cause catastrophic damage.  If the damage was not repaired, it wouldn’t take many month before a complete boundary collapse and the consequences would be dire indeed. Every time she thought of that betrayal she thought of her mentors mantra “never trust an elephant with it.”

How had she been tricked? Was she just too trusting in the intentions of others?  Salinda sat in her home, holding the sacred relic in her hands and practiced all the magic she learned before her mentor had passed away. There was one of the spell which allowed the caster to review the whole past of events of which they were part. she had to know, she had to see and hear it all. Salinda cast the spell of hindsight, and began to meditate on it, she could see the Chinx in her armor. She could see when her friends had decided to betray her. Salinda heard all their conniving, and saw the greed in their faces.  Now she knew they  had played her all along!  She had been a pawn in their scheme, nothing more.  If only Salinda could change that.  There was magic that could do it, the ‘spell of past travel’ but she had not learned it and she was not strong enough. That magic was far beyond her, that magic would take the mystics of each tribe working together!! This meant she had to unite the tribes to fix the world.

When trust is lost, it is hard to gain again. Salinda would have to find a way to get the mystics to hear, to believe, and to participate. That was a task that seemed insurmountable. It was a quest she would have to Pursue alone. 

Salinda packed her meager supplies and headed out into the jungle alone, relying on her magic and her wits to see her from tribe to tribe.  The Elephant tribe had set magical traps, that slowed progress, but finally she made it to each leader, she sat with them, she meditated with them, and she shared her visions from the “spell of hindsight”.  When she had made it from the panthers to the monkey and even the serpent tribes respectively  and they has seen her humbled from her error in judgement, they each agreed to join with her in casting the “spell of past travel”.

They met in the sacred meeting ground of tribes with their warrior guards surrounding the shaman, they were ready to join their magic and fix the broken world.  They sat quietly in a circle, meditating and preparing their minds for the grueling task ahead, when a deep long trumpeting sound came from every direction.  The Elephant tribe had  arrived and where bent on continuing the mayhem they had begun.  The mystic leaders, unperturbed by the commotion began the ritual that would link their magic and minds.  Salinda felt her memories, thought and words meld with those of the other leaders, soon all she could sense was the magic that engulfed them.  Unaware of the battle that raged around them, the shaman chanted the words of the sacred spell and time came to a halt.  The warriors mid swing of the ax and sword were frozen for a split second, and then time began to move again, only this time rapidly in the reverse direction.  They sat and watch time rewind.  It was dizzying and amazing and Salinda watched with avid attention, looking for her jumping off point.  She had to emerge in moments right before she had first med Beruth and Jamil, she had to take her younger self into the jungle and see those two conspire to gain her regard.  

There before their eyes was the moment, she had to make the jump just as the other shaman pause the time line again.  Salinda stood and walked into her past with the grace of a dancer, she whirled her younger self into a spell of movement and they were transported to the tree tops above two young elephant tribal members deep in conversation.  Their words wafted up to the listening pair.  The eyes of the younger Salinda grew large as she heard the plans of deceit the young ones below were contriving. After a few minutes, salinda whisked them back to the clearing the younger version had been playing in.

Tears had formed in the younger selfs eyes and knowing filled her older version.  She could feel the shift in history and walked just as gracefully back into the past travel spell.  She when made the shift, the spell dissolved and she was alone in the clearing.  There was the sweet aroma of the jungle and the sounds of the animals, and thankfully the shimmer of the the protective spell was in full strength.  

When she walked back into the Macwian village it was filled with laughter, music and singing.  Exhausted from her efforts of the past months she walked to her hut in hopes of a much deserved nap.  What she saw there shook all tiredness from her being.  Her mentor was there, and waiting to teach her more magic.  Joy filled her, and as her mentor rose to greet her, Salinda saw knowing in her eyes.  She embraced her in a hug that spoke volumes and then her mentor dissolved into light and energy.  Salinda was the new shaman for the Macwian tribe.

By: Vanessa Holmquist

You must never trust an elephant with it.
You must never trust an elephant with it.
Its going to be a mistake.
He'll squash it like a bug before you partake.

You must never trust an elephant with it.
He'll eat all the food with its trunk.
so swallow down the food before it becomes dunk.

You must never trust an elephant with it.
He'll trumpet very loud when he does get it now 
I suggest you eat your food now before it becomes his chow.

You must never trust an elephant with it. 

Anything can happen. 

I gave you many warnings. 

Now it up to you. 

Don't let that elephant near your stew.

Never Trust an Elephant with It

By: Myrna Flynn

My friend Arnold chooses very strange things, including pets. Last week, he went to the auction of bankrupt circus. Everything was up for bid, even the animals.

Arnold saw this old elephant and decided that he needed TLC . He was the only one bidding the elephant so he got him really cheap. Anyway, Arnold told me it was cheap. He would not tell me how cheap.

I asked where he was going to keep the elephant. He said, "You know that old barn behind my house? Well, I'm going to have it fixed up for him.It will take a lot of work and money, but I'm hiring a builder to do the renovation. I want my elephant to have the coziest and most comfortable retirement home possible."

(Arnold did not have to worry about the cost of the fixing up of the barn, he had just inherited several million dollars when his favorite uncle passed away.)

"So, Arnold does your elephant have a name?", I asked.

"Yeah, it is Jumbo. I do not like that name though, I'm going to call him Herald. You know, like in Hark the Herald Angels sing." Arnold replied.

"Why?" I asked, "would not Rampart or Wally be a better name for an elephant?"

Arnold just looked at me, snorted and walked away, leading Herald. It was several weeks before I saw Arnold again. He was looking dejected and sad. Walking slowly with his head down and sighing loudly. 

I walked quickly to catch up with him. "What's the matter?" I inquired.

He sighed and said, "Everything! I put Herald in a new home. I gave him a warm fuzzy blanket and lots of elephant food the vet recommended. He had the whole back field to roam in. Everything seemed perfect to me."

I knew something really bad must have happened. I stood still waiting for the rest of the story, I urged Arnold to continue with the narrative. Then Arnold said, "Never trust an elephant with it."

I asked, "What is it he cannot be trusted with? His new blanket, his food, his place to wander?"

"My flower garden. My prize winning lilac bushes, my irises, my roses or anything of beauty in my yard. When Herald finished with the garden, he headed for the fence and was pulling out the fence posts with his trunk."

I suggested that maybe he should give Herald to the nearest zoo. Maybe he needed to be around other elephants and animals like he was when he was with the circus.

Arnold responded, "I tried that. No zoo wanted him, he was too old. I guess I am stuck with him until I die because elephants live longer than humans." 

Life is the IT that an elephant should never be trusted with!!!!

Don't Trust

By: Daren Flynn

Robin Remington Fowler hated his name. He had hated it from the day he became aware of the meaning of his surname. (Fowler: a person who hunts waterfowl.) (Waterfowl: a bird that frequents water especially; a swimming game bird (such as a duck or a goose) as distinguished from an upland game bird or shore bird).

Robin Remington Fowler loved birds, all kinds of birds. The thought of hunting and killing birds of any kind was abhorrent to young Robin Fowler.

Robin's father, Gunther Magnum Fowler, a life long, enthusiastic waterfowl hunter, known as "Gunny", and sometimes as "Big Gun" to his hunting buddies, never missed an opportunity to   for his favorite duck blind with his faithful Golden Retriever and his favorite Remington 12 gauge shotgun. Once there he would hunker down, enjoy the sunrise, and wait for the ducks to take flight. 

When little Robin was born, Gunther had to use all the powers of persuasion he possessed to convince his long suffering wife to give the little tyke the middle name of Remington. He won out eventually by accepting her choice of Robin as the first given name. 

25 years had passed since the day Robin Remington Fowler first saw the light of day. Almost without exception, every day of those 25 years Big Gun Fowler talked to little Robin Remington Fowler about the joys of hunting and used evert tactic he could think of to entice his son to take up his favorite sport of hunting. 

It seem that all of Gunny's urging and cajoling of his offspring had the same effects as water on a duck's back. Robin Remington Fowler was of a different disposition from that of Big Gun. From the time Robin was a toddler on his mother's lap, as she read the simple animal books to him, he had fallen in love with birds. As he grew older and learned to read spent much of his free time studying about birds and strolling through the woods behind their home to observe the many species found there. Soon Robin Remington Fowler was able to identify all the birds in the region. 

On his 21st birthday, Robin began a journey that would take him across the nation and into every state of the union studying birds indigenous to the area. He had become an expert on the birds of the USA. and published a book with descriptions and pictures which provided him with the income he needed to further his studies. Then at the age of 25, Robin Remington Fowler boarded a plane bound for Gaborone, the capital city of Botswana where he would begin his study of the birds of that country. 

Unfortunately, as sometimes happens, he and his luggage became separated. Robin arrived in Gaborone, but his luggage, which included his photography equipment, went someplace else. So after replacing his clothes and photo equipment, Robin Remington Fowler hired a guide to take him to the area where he would be able to observe and photograph some of the many birds of Botswana, including the nations national bird the Lilac-breasted Roller. 

On arrival at the place where the guide assured him they would find the national bird and a great variety of species, his hireling gave the command for his elephant to unload the passenger. That command was obeyed precisely and Robin Remington Fowler was deposited gently on the ground. The next command issued was for the unloading of the photographic equipment, which the beast obeyed, but in doing so the camera and related equipment slipped from the grasp of its trunk and fell to the ground. The elephant took one step forward to retrieve the dropped items and in the process stepped on it, crushing it beyond recognition. 

At that instant, into Robin Remington Fowler's mind, the warning of the salesman from whom he had purchased the photographic equipment came like a thunder clap. 

NEVER TRUST AN ELEPHANT WITH IT. 

By: Aaron Leavitt

It is nigh unto impossible to get a nice classic pinstripe suit fitted up in elephant size. Gerard had spent weeks, and on into months before he’d managed that. Calling didn’t work they thought he was a prankster, but going in person was problematic at shops unless their entrance doors were particularly spacious. Getting dressed was barely better, having a trunk only gets you so far when your “arms” end in stumpy feet instead of hands. So, looking at himself in his mirror this morning he felt especially pleased. Standing there, front legs hanging at his sides, turning this way and that to examine himself in the reflection. The three-piece suit looked impeccable. His first day at the office was going to be incredible.

On arriving in the office he struggled a bit, some of the hallways were a challenge, and that elevator ride had been crowded indeed (he’d been mortified when he’d accidentally pinned Mrs. Morton to the back wall for a moment with his backside). He was doing it though! Hunched over his desk, hunting and pecking with his trunk he felt immensely accomplished. That glow of finally doing it lasted until the late afternoon. 

Gerard had stepped away from his desk to stretch his legs and get the blood flowing again. He walked gently down the hall, careful to not disturb the others, but he couldn’t help but hear the discussion wafting from a half open door. “Certainly he has some skill, but just look at him, and this is important, I simply could never trust an elephant with it.” Gerard was crushed, he slunk back to his office, and sat there stunned. He’d put in the work, he’d earned this. But the prejudice followed him anyhow. That evening, as he reclined on his oversized sofa, he sighed, closed his eyes, and vowed that this elephant would be the one to trust with it, and he’d get the chance to see the look in their eyes when he sealed the deal and moved on past them.

By:Jemma Tabor