The Elephant and the Thorn Tree

An Elephant was wandering the savanna when a large thorn became lodged deep in his foot. He was in great agony and could barely walk. He saw a Maasai man herding his cattle and, instead of charging, he limped towards him and held up his wounded foot. The Maasai man, understanding the gesture, was not afraid. He took out his sharp knife (ol alem) and carefully, skillfully, cut out the deeply embedded thorn. The Elephant felt immediate relief. It stamped its feet gently, touched the man's head with the tip of its trunk as a sign of gratitude, and went on its way. From that day on, that Elephant never harmed the man's cattle. It would even drive away other predators from his herd. The story is told to teach that kindness and compassion can create a bond even between a man and the most powerful wild beast, and that an act of mercy is never forgotten, even by the animals of the savanna.