Reading time: 10 minOne fine morning in the savannah, Jasper the lion was sitting in his favorite shady spot. He was dozing under a large acacia tree and watching the animals as they slowly passed him by.
But just as he was about to rest his heavy, large head on his front paws to take a little nap, he suddenly became alert. A strange sniffing sound came from very close by. “Well. Who’s got a cold?” Jasper asked himself and sat upright again.
Curious, Jasper followed the sound and discovered a young elephant sitting sadly on the dried-up riverbank. His big ears were drooping and a tear was running down his cheek.
“Hello!” Jasper called out in a friendly voice and asked, “Is everything all right?” The little elephant looked up: “Oh… hello”
He seemed a little shy and scared. Finally, an almost full-grown lion with a mighty mane stood opposite him.
Jasper sat down next to him. “I’m Jasper and you don’t need to be afraid of me. Who are you? And why are you so sad?” “My name is Akono and I’ve lost sight of my herd,” said the elephant quietly.
“I’m sorry about that,” Jasper said sympathetically. “Would you like to tell me how it happened?” Akono hesitated briefly and sobbed quietly to himself, but Jasper’s friendly smile encouraged him.
“We were on our way to the big waterhole together. But I was too slow because I was a bit distracted. And when I turned back to follow the others, suddenly everyone was gone.”
Jasper nodded in understanding. “That sounds pretty scary. But you know what? I’m a good tracker. Maybe I can help you find your herd. They can’t really have come that far yet!”
Akono looked up in surprise. “Really? So you would help me find my herd again?” A relieved smile spread across his worried face.
“Of course!” said Jasper. “But only if you quickly wipe away all your tears and tell me exactly where you last saw your herd before you lost sight of each other.”
Akono’s face brightened. He led his new friend to the place where he had last seen his family.
Together, they set off across the savannah. By now, the afternoon sun was already high in the sky and the hot wind was blowing the dry earth in their faces.
“So,” Jasper began to ask distractingly as they walked side by side. “What’s your favorite thing to do when you’re not losing your herd?” Jasper grinned amiably. Akono also had to smile now and both of them were suddenly able to laugh heartily together.
Akono thought for a moment. “My favorite thing is when we elephants take a bath together. We splash each other with water or mud and I feel as light as a feather when we bathe.”
Jasper laughed. “I can’t imagine that an elephant can ever feel light.”
Akono giggled. “That’s what everyone thinks! But when the cool water splashes over my back and I bathe with the other elephants, I just forget how big and heavy I am.”
Suddenly, the two were interrupted. There was a rustling in the bushes. Akono was startled. Jasper also became instantly alert, but his nose immediately told him that there was no danger.
A zebra emerged from the tall grasses. It was Susan, Jasper’s friend. She looked at the two of them curiously.
“Jasper! What are you doing here? And who is that?” she asked, looking at the young elephant at her friend’s side.
“This is Akono,” Jasper explained proudly. “We met by chance today. He lost his herd and now we’re looking for them together.”
Susan blinked in surprise. “Oh, that sounds like a great adventure! Do you need any help?”
Jasper grinned: “We can always use help.”
Akono shyly scratched her foot in the sand. “That’s really nice of you, but it could be dangerous.”
Susan shook her head resolutely. “No way! It’s only dangerous when you’re alone. I’m never scared together, and certainly not when Jasper is with me!”
She stepped closer to Akono. “And besides, I’ve always wanted to be friends with an elephant.”
That made Akono smile. “Okay … so if that’s the case … why don’t you come with us?”
The three of them walked on through the vast savannah. The sun was slowly approaching the horizon and the shadows were getting longer. Soon they passed a large termite mound where a small, lively meerkat was filling its belly.
“Hey, Richard, leave us some more!” shouted Jasper, laughing out loud.
Richard pulled his head out of the termite mound and looked up. “Jasper, Susan! And… an elephant?” He approached questioningly and looked at the newcomer.
“That’s Akono,” explained Jasper. “And we’re looking for his herd.”
Richard wiped his mouth and paws and quickly climbed down the hill. “That sounds like an exciting task. You know what? I’m an expert at scouting. If there are elephants anywhere nearby, I’m sure to find them.”
“What would I do without you?” Akono said with relief, following Richard and the others through the narrow paths that led past dried thorn bushes and sharp-edged grasses.
“It’s pretty confusing here!” said Akono. “And you really know your way around here?” he asked cautiously.
“I’ll lead us along the small paths. This is where we have the best chance of discovering fresh tracks and following the trail,” Richard replied.
The four friends followed Richard through narrow, winding paths, past large trees and dense bushes. Darkness slowly fell and the stars began to twinkle in the sky.
“Maybe we should rest soon,” Susan suggested. “Akono looks tired.”
Akono nodded. “It’s been a long day, but won’t we lose too much time then?”
“No, I don’t think so. Your herd will also take a break and we’ll rest now and set off again at dawn.”
“Let’s make a campfire first!” shouted Jasper. “That’ll keep the annoying hyenas away.”
So they collected dry branches and leaves. Jasper piled up the branches and Susan lit the fire with two stones. Richard blew as hard as he could to get the embers going.
Soon a warm, cozy fire was flickering and the friends sat together while the wind rustled softly through the grasses.
“You know, Akono,” Jasper began thoughtfully, “I think we’ll find your family tomorrow. I have a feeling about that.”
Richard was also sure. “Yes, I think we’re very close.” But Akono was so exhausted from the day that he had already fallen asleep.
The next morning, the friends were woken up by the trumpeting of an elephant. Akono jumped up immediately.
“That’s my mother!” he shouted excitedly, almost tripping over his own legs.
The friends hurried off excitedly and soon found themselves on a wide plain. In the distance, they could see the mighty outlines of countless elephants moving at a leisurely pace. But a large cow elephant was pacing restlessly back and forth away from the herd.
“Akono!” shouted Jasper. “Is that your herd?” Akono nodded in the affirmative, but the elephants were still a long way off. “I’m too slow to catch up with them,” he suddenly sobbed excitedly.
“Good, then I’ll run to them! I think I’m the fastest of us,” said Jasper bravely. “No, that’s too dangerous, Jasper,” replied Susan.
“I will accompany you. If I’m there, they’ll see that you’re not in any danger. A lion that has a zebra as a friend won’t attack a herd of elephants.” Jasper frowned and thought.
Akono said: “Susan is right. Of course they will be scared at first when a lion charges towards them. If you both walk close together, they’ll be surprised and you’ll have plenty of time to talk to them.”
“It’s a deal!” said Jasper and set off with Susan. “Phew. It didn’t look that far,” puffed Susan, who was sweating in the heat and finding it difficult to keep up with Jasper’s pace. “We’re almost there!” shouted Jasper, encouraging his girlfriend.
Suddenly, Akono’s mother and a few other elephants turned around. “Törrrööööööö!” The elephants raised their trunks in warning and one of them even reared up. “A lion!” they shouted to each other and stood in front of the young elephants.
Susan had now reached the same height as Jasper and shouted out of breath: “Akono! Akono! We know where Akono is!”, and suddenly a large elephant cow stood in front of her herd and stopped her upset behavior.
“You know Akono? Where is my son?” “He’s back there.” Susan and Jasper simultaneously pointed in the direction they had just come from. “We’re friends and wanted to help him find his herd again.”
Now everyone saw it: Akono came running across the dry savannah floor in a huge cloud of dust. “Mama! Mama!” could be heard from a distance.
When Akono finally reached the others, his mother ran towards him happily. “Akono, there you are! I was so worried.”
Akono snuggled up to her trunk and paused. “I’ve made new friends, mom. They helped me find you.”
The mother elephant turned to Jasper, Susan and Richard. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You were really very brave and I am so glad that Akono found you and is now back with us.”
The other elephants rejoiced with them but soon turned around. “We have to keep going. We still have a very long way to go!”
Akono looked at his new friends: “You must visit me soon!”
“We promise,” said Susan.
“See you soon, Akono!” shouted Richard.
More Bedtime Stories:
You’ll find more bedtime stories in our collection: All Bedtime Stories for Kids →
Popular Topics: