Once upon a time, in the High and Far-Off Times, there was a curious elephant's child who had a very small nose. The other elephants in the jungle had long trunks, but the elephant's child was curious about everything and wanted to know what the crocodile had for dinner.
So, one day, the elephant's child went to the Limpopo River, where the great grey-green, greasy Limpopo River runs like a sausage roll between the banks all set with fever-trees. There, the Elephant's Child met the bi-coloured Python Rock Snake and the Parsee Man with a shiny, oily nose and the Crocodile.
The Elephant's Child asked each of them what the crocodile had for dinner and they each span a fantastic tale. But none of them really answered the question.
Determined to find out the truth, the Elephant's Child continued his journey and as he did, his small nose got stretched and stretched until it became a long trunk. Finally, he went back to the Limpopo River, met the Crocodile again and asked the same question.
The Crocodile, taken aback by the Elephant's Child's long trunk, answered honestly, "I have fish for dinner." The Elephant's Child was satisfied and thanked the Crocodile.
From that day on, all the elephants had long trunks and the Elephant's Child was especially happy because he had discovered the truth about the crocodile's dinner.
And that is how the elephant got its long trunk according to the "Just So Stories."
The moral of the story is often interpreted as a celebration of curiosity and the quest for knowledge, even if it involves taking risks or facing challenges.
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