Mike the elephant ambles to the riverbank, his small, stubby nose twitching with anticipation as he approaches the water for a morning drink. The gentle breeze ruffles his gray ears, and he sighs contentedly. All around, the world feels tranquil and safe.
As Mike the elephant lowers his face to the water, a pair of amber eyes suddenly break the surface—a crocodile lunges, jaws snapping shut around Mike's nose. The water churns, sending birds flapping into the air. "Let go of me!" Mike bellows in surprise and pain, trying to pull away, but the crocodile’s grip is fierce and unyielding.
A zebra, mane bristling, gallops up and skids to a stop. Behind him, a proud lion pads forward, followed by a pair of chattering hyenas and a sleek cheetah. Zebra stamps his hoof. "Crocodile, release him at once!" The lion’s golden eyes narrow. Lion growls low. "This is not the way of the river," but the crocodile only thrashes harder, dragging Mike toward deeper water.
Zebra bites down gently on Mike's tail, bracing his hooves in the mud. Lion grabs hold of Zebra, his powerful muscles straining. The hyenas latch onto Lion, giggling nervously, and the cheetah, swift and sure, tugs at the hyenas. "Pull! Don’t let him take me!" Mike cries, the group heaving with all their might.
Each time they pull, Mike's nose stretches a little longer, growing and growing. Hyena cackles in surprise. "Look, his nose is changing!" The cheetah’s eyes widen as the nose becomes a long, flexible trunk. The crocodile’s jaws ache, but he holds on, refusing to yield.
With a mighty cry, the crocodile’s grip finally slips. He splashes back into the water, defeated, as the animals tumble in a heap, gasping and laughing. Mike the elephant sits up, dazed, and swings his new trunk to and fro. "What a marvelous nose I have now!" he exclaims, and the other animals cheer, admiring how his trunk can reach high branches and scoop water with ease.
