There once was an old elephant that was almost content with his life. For you see, he worked hard, had a home, enough food, and water to keep him sustained. There was just one thing missing–a partner. He had experienced partners before, but nothing ever worked out for him. One night after a deep sleep under the tree, he woke up and made it his mission to find a partner.
He knew it wouldn’t be easy since he was only attracted to elephants much younger than he. But he said to himself that he would try anyway. He decided to approach a young elephant. He was beautiful–his trunk was long and firm, and his tusks were white and shiny. He was one of the most handsome elephants in the herd.
At first, the old bull was nervous. He didn’t think the younger elephant would pay him any attention. Finally, after working up the courage, the old bull introduced himself to the handsome young elephant.
“Hello there, how are you? My name is…..”
Before the old bull could even complete his sentence, the handsome young elephant scoffed at him, turned his head up at him, and walked away. The old bull was sad, but he told himself that he wouldn’t give up.
The next day he decided to approach another young elephant. He was handsome but not as attractive as the first elephant. He walked up to the second young elephant.
“Hello, how are you?”
The young elephant smiled and replied, “I’m fine, thanks, and you?”
The old bull was shocked. He anticipated the second young elephant treating him just as the first one had. After being dumbfounded for a few seconds, he managed to reply
“I’m great. I know I am old, but I have a lot to offer, and I’m looking for a partner to spend the rest of my life with”
The young elephant replied,
“Yes, daddy, I’m here.”
The old bull smiled bigger and broader than he had smiled in a long time. He was in a state of pure euphoria.
“Well, in that case, let me take you back to my home under the tree over there.” He pointed to the tree with his tusk.
The young elephant’s smile dropped immediately.
“Oh, you live there?”
“Yeah, what’s wrong?” said the old bull–confused
“You’re old, and I am young,” the young elephant said. “If you expect me to be with you, then I want to live under the biggest tree with the finest leaves. You also should pick the leaves and clean them for me.”
“But young one I am not rich. I have enough for both of us to live a happy life, but only my spirit is rich, not my possessions”.
“Well, in that case, you need to get lost.”
The old bull walked away bitter, hurt, and angry. This rejection was worse than the first. He went to his home and collapsed, crying. He cried all night repeating over and over the mean words of the second elephant in his head. After a week or so he decided to try again—this time in a different herd.
He was a bit scared at first. He had heard bad things about this herd that they were all gold diggers because it is a poorer herd than the one he was from. But he was smart enough to know that he couldn’t believe everything he heard.
The old bull decided to try his luck with the other herd, and indeed, some of the young elephants he met were gold diggers just looking to join the old bull’s wealthier herd. But then he saw another young elephant. He was so gorgeous, slim in all the right places, beautiful fresh tusks, and his trunk was enchanting.
He decided to approach him.
“Hi there. I’m looking for a nice young elephant to spend the rest of my days with” he said to the gorgeous young elephant.
“But why me, sir?” The young elephant replied.” I am so thin, my skin is so grey, and my trunk is so short. Nobody here wants me.”
He discovered that in this herd, dark grey skin is considered ugly and that all the elephants wished to have light skin. But the old bull didn’t mind the young elephant’s skin at all. In fact, it was an exotic beauty to him since he had never seen an elephant with such beautiful grey skin before.
“Young one, you are the one I am searching for. You are beautiful to me because you are exotic and humble. Please, let me take you to my home so that I may give you a good life and all my love.”
“But I have nothing to offer except myself,” the young elephant replied.
“It’s not about an exchange. I just want your heart and for our souls to become one in the eyes of the Gods”.
“I want that too, sir. I don’t care about age. All I care about is if he is true and sincere” the young elephant replied, accepting his offer.
The old bull took the young elephant back to his home. The young elephant was so impressed. For him, the old bull’s home was immaculate like he had never seen before. The old bull and young elephant were wed. The young elephant stuck by his husband. Even when he became blind and could no longer see or bathe himself; the young elephant bathed his husband and guided him through the rest of his life until the old bull passed away.
The old bull was so happy he took a risk and made his dream come true.